Showing posts with label scouting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scouting. Show all posts
Monday, July 9, 2012
Friday, July 6, 2012
Guides Australia and up dated Guide Promise
The big news today is that Girl Guides
Australia has changed the Promise and Law. Well, it’s not really big news to
those who are involved with Guides or Scouts.
As someone who has gone through Guides as a youth member, and is currently a Cub scout Leader within Scouting, I have followed the story with interest.
Every so often, both organizations, like
others, undergo reviews of their uniforms, badge work, and yes, their promise
and law, to ensure it is relevant, modern while still holding true the aims and
methods of what was envisioned when Scouting and guiding started way back in
1907. This essentially is to ensure that we are helping create young people
grow into the best possible adults that they can be.
There are those who are claiming the sky
is going to fall and the world is ending as we know it.
What people fail to understand is that
Scouting and Guiding evolve to adapt and embrace the changing world around us.
Sure, we still camp, and there is and
always will be, a emphasis on the outdoor activities for which both organizations are known and well regarded for.
What people have to realize is that
society changes. Therefore what scouting and guiding offer will also change.
The guiding that I had as a child in the
1980s was not the same guiding my mother and aunts has as guides in the 1950s
and 60s. Nor should it have been. The times were different. Just as the guiding
in 2012 is different again. The activities, the choices people make and how
people are living, even within Australia has changed.
Change is the one true constant in any
life.
How we, as people deal with this, is the
question. How we as leaders help the youth in our programs deal with change is
also important. We do not know what the world will look like in 20 years time.
But I can bet it will be different to how the world looks in 2012, just as the
world looked different in 1982.
So, my thoughts? Ultimately, the guides
are changing and updating, to respond and to continue to provide the best
possible programs that they can to the youth in their program. Which is, to
provide the youth with opportunities to become the best possible people that
that they can be.
Guide Promise as
at July 2012
The
Guide Promise
I
promise that I will do my best
To be true to myself and develop my beliefs
To
serve my community and Australia
And
live by the Guide Law
The
Guide Law
• Respect myself and others
•
Be considerate, honest and trustworthy
•
Be friendly to others
•
Make choices for a better world
•
Use my time and abilities wisely
•
Be thoughtful and optimistic
• Live with courage and strength
THE SCOUT
PROMISE – Current version July 2012
There are two versions of the Scout Promise. Individuals taking the Promise may choose from either of the following:
On my honour
I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to my God, and
To Australia
To help other people, and
To live by the Scout Law
OR
On my honour
I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to my God, and
To the Queen of Australia
To help other people, and
To live by the Scout Law
There are two versions of the Scout Promise. Individuals taking the Promise may choose from either of the following:
On my honour
I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to my God, and
To Australia
To help other people, and
To live by the Scout Law
OR
On my honour
I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to my God, and
To the Queen of Australia
To help other people, and
To live by the Scout Law
Links about the story
Friday, May 4, 2012
JOTT 2012
This weekend, I will be particpating in a Jamboree of The Trail hike with my cub pack We are combinding this with a Branch Hike that is also being run - getting both done at the same time.
I will be posting photos of it as I can when the hike is finished
Saturday, April 14, 2012
We are only leaders.
We are only leaders - we are not experts – we are your next-door neighbours – we are not perfect we are parents just like you. We don’t have any more spare time or energy than you do, we all work full time and juggle out families and our schedules and try to keep it all together as best we can. The only difference between us is that we believe passionately about what Scouting has to offer. So much so, that we contribute our time, our efforts and our talents to help our children - and your children - grow in Scouting. We complete authorisation forms, budgets and records and fill our homes with boxes of paperwork you will never see. We are required to take 13-20 hours training in our first year as well as planning meetin...gs every month so we can meet our greatest challenge – providing a variety of programmes and activities which meet the needs and interests of very individual boys and girls.
We try to involve parents who want us to understand that they don’t have the time to drive on outings or help at meetings. We rejoice in the generosity of others. Sometimes we find ourselves going in too many directions – we run out of steam – we have memory lapses - communication lines break down – time slips by – but that doesn’t mean we don’t care. So many evenings we spend on the phone seeking help and advice from other leaders when disappointments or problems occur. “How do I hold my Scouts attention?”. “How do you cope with Scouts of different skills levels?”
Our dining tables are covered in bits of rope, menus, permission forms and record cards for each and every member of the Group. A couple of them won’t show up and don’t think to call to let us know – sometimes we feel unappreciated. Yet these boys and girls can fill us with pride at their determination and accomplishments. Their smiles and laughter fill up a room, and when they say “thank you” it makes it all worthwhile.
We help these boys and girls build relationships. Some struggle more than others. Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly….all these traits are encouraged by the Scout Promise and Law – and sometimes we too must learn these lessons over and over again with the Scouts – but we are willing to keep learning.
Please be patient if we appear distracted or frustrated or overwhelmed at times. Forgive us if we are not always the kind of Scout Leader you would be - if only you had the time. Instead, provide us with your encouragement – a kind word, a thank you – or offer us your help. Keep us always in your thoughts and prayers.
We are, after all, only mentors…role models…leaders…volunteers who have made a Promise to give these young people, your children, the most precious gift we have to offer – the gift of time.
We try to involve parents who want us to understand that they don’t have the time to drive on outings or help at meetings. We rejoice in the generosity of others. Sometimes we find ourselves going in too many directions – we run out of steam – we have memory lapses - communication lines break down – time slips by – but that doesn’t mean we don’t care. So many evenings we spend on the phone seeking help and advice from other leaders when disappointments or problems occur. “How do I hold my Scouts attention?”. “How do you cope with Scouts of different skills levels?”
Our dining tables are covered in bits of rope, menus, permission forms and record cards for each and every member of the Group. A couple of them won’t show up and don’t think to call to let us know – sometimes we feel unappreciated. Yet these boys and girls can fill us with pride at their determination and accomplishments. Their smiles and laughter fill up a room, and when they say “thank you” it makes it all worthwhile.
We help these boys and girls build relationships. Some struggle more than others. Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly….all these traits are encouraged by the Scout Promise and Law – and sometimes we too must learn these lessons over and over again with the Scouts – but we are willing to keep learning.
Please be patient if we appear distracted or frustrated or overwhelmed at times. Forgive us if we are not always the kind of Scout Leader you would be - if only you had the time. Instead, provide us with your encouragement – a kind word, a thank you – or offer us your help. Keep us always in your thoughts and prayers.
We are, after all, only mentors…role models…leaders…volunteers who have made a Promise to give these young people, your children, the most precious gift we have to offer – the gift of time.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Monday rantings
One of the reasons I have set up this blog, was to share the many different aspects of my live. I realise that it has been rather slanted, and I offer my apologies for that. I am going to endeavor to work on providing a more ‘balanced’ overview of my life.
One thing that has happened around the house in the last fortnight is a start to clearing out. We’ve filled the garden waste bin – twice within a week. Lucky it was a week that was the fortnightly empty. It should now be ok waiting for the next pick up in just over a week and half’s time. Mainly grass cuttings, with some twigs and sticks thrown in for good measure. I did have to put some grass cuttings into the compost bin, but that’s ok as well. One of the many places you can put it
I am also waiting for my TAFE course books to arrive. I have started some pre planning for one of my subjects (‘Write Fantasy’). But the other subject (‘Edit for Publication’) is a bit more difficult to do anything for until I get the course outline.
Other than that, I just need to print a pile of stuff for scouting for the term. Also, print the story I am planning on submitting for a writing competition that has to be in by Thursday. This is not so daunting anymore, given I submitted a story to a writing competition 2 weeks ago. That 1st step is always the hardest.
Then I have a meeting tonight regarding District Joey activities (don’t ask – I am doing Joeys as well as Cubs for the foreseeable future, until we get another adult on board to do look after the Joey Mob). Oh, and type up another interview for the personal project (started as a assignment for ‘Write history for publication’ – track my progress at http://scoutinginelizabeth.blogspot.com/)
Off to reduce the pile of jobs that needs to be done. Take care, and enjoy the week, no matter where you are in the world.
One thing that has happened around the house in the last fortnight is a start to clearing out. We’ve filled the garden waste bin – twice within a week. Lucky it was a week that was the fortnightly empty. It should now be ok waiting for the next pick up in just over a week and half’s time. Mainly grass cuttings, with some twigs and sticks thrown in for good measure. I did have to put some grass cuttings into the compost bin, but that’s ok as well. One of the many places you can put it
I am also waiting for my TAFE course books to arrive. I have started some pre planning for one of my subjects (‘Write Fantasy’). But the other subject (‘Edit for Publication’) is a bit more difficult to do anything for until I get the course outline.
Other than that, I just need to print a pile of stuff for scouting for the term. Also, print the story I am planning on submitting for a writing competition that has to be in by Thursday. This is not so daunting anymore, given I submitted a story to a writing competition 2 weeks ago. That 1st step is always the hardest.
Then I have a meeting tonight regarding District Joey activities (don’t ask – I am doing Joeys as well as Cubs for the foreseeable future, until we get another adult on board to do look after the Joey Mob). Oh, and type up another interview for the personal project (started as a assignment for ‘Write history for publication’ – track my progress at http://scoutinginelizabeth.blogspot.com/)
Off to reduce the pile of jobs that needs to be done. Take care, and enjoy the week, no matter where you are in the world.
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