Rationale for proposed Scout Program structure

1. Rationale for proposed Scout Program structure Alison Griffiths Scout Program workstream

2. Perceived problems • Too linear – have to complete all small clauses to be able to move from level to level • Too many levels • Scouts don’t necessarily know why they are having to learn some clauses • Losing service culture – second line of promise • Patrol system and COH not demanded or supported by program • Leadership training not systematized • Air and sea scouts and rural scouts marginalised currently

3. Proposed new structure 1 2 3

4. 11-13y 13-15y 15-17y

5. Themes • Personal (includes leadership, mind, body and soul) • Living outdoors (Camping, cooking and backwoodsman) • Survival (urban and natural) • First Aid • Service (environmental, movement and wider community) • Navigation (currently mapping and hiking) • Skills

6. Total matrix

7. Badges • Each level of each theme is a separate badge • Need to complete each level before staring new level due to need for previous level skills for next level. Tasks at next level may need skills learnt in a different theme • No extra interest badges required as all included in program – will have six interest badges at Springbok. • Benefits: • Scouts get badges quite quickly • Theme structure would help plan term programs

8. LO – living outdoors SE – service FA – first aid SK – skills PD – personal development SS – Safety and survival N - navigation Level one LO SE FA SK PD SS N

9. LO – living outdoors SE – service FA – first aid SK – skills PD – personal development SS – Safety and survival N - navigation Level two LO SE FA SK PD SS N

10. Halfway through level three LO – living outdoors SE – service FA – first aid SK – skills PD – personal development SS – Safety and survival N - navigation LO SE FA SK PD SS N

11. Other features • Some sections of the themes use interest badges as requirements. Extras can be worn as interest badges and / or go towards challenge awards. • Theme badges are the same and get taken off and re-awarded / different colours for next level – so just replaced on arm • Can earn individual theme badges after first class even if don’t earn complete Springbok – still have sense of achievement

12. Advancement levels • Level 1 – Pathfinder has to complete all level 1 badges • Done to the satisfaction of the patrol leader / troop scouter and examined by means of personal log book to court of honour • Level 2 – First class – has to complete all level 2 badges • Done to satisfaction of troop scouter and approved by court of honour and examined by means of patrol log book • Level 3 – Springbok – has to complete all level 3 badges • Done to satisfaction of provincial / regional representative for scout program and examined by means of project log book.

13. Points of exit • Pathfinder – scout has skills which can be used by the community • First class – scouts have skills and can use those skills to lead and teach a small group of people who are younger than them and with whom they have developed a good relationship • Springbok – scouts leadership abilities go beyond a small group to getting a project done and finding the right people to help them with the project. In most cases this may still be the patrol.

14. Underlying rationale for program • Any scout no matter what resources should be able to find their own path to Springbok • The program uses many of the current clauses as these embody what we want in the final product. • Clauses have been included based on what we want the scout to become- not on what is currently available. We should create a wish list and work form that. • All scouts are basically the same just some have different skill sets to others. • Clauses are in the program even if they are “done at school”

15. Skills theme • Skills – 6 different ones: pioneering, construction, boating, flying, climbing and food for life. • Often done by means of scoutcraft and interest badges • Many different ways to complete this level • At level one and two scouts do two options • Not too narrow a focus. • At level three only one option required.

16. Safety and Survival • New theme • Urban and natural disaster based – floods, fires, etc. Will use skills form living outdoors as well. • Level 2 has most of safety code interest badge included – safety of buildings and road safety • Need new badges for level 3 • Badges at level 3 aimed at preparation for disaster not actual disaster. For example – decide what the most likely natural disaster for a certain area and come up with a comprehensive plan. • Better equips scouts for service in community

17. First aid • Scoutcraft badge and interest badge included in advancement program • No need to earn extra interest badges for explorer • Options at level 3 for specialisation • Standard first aid • Wilderness first aid • Medicine (public health)

18. Living outdoors • Biggest theme • Focus changed from “nights of camping” to patrol and troop camps • Camps can be held wherever safe • Live outside of a house – don’t need tents • Be able to light a fire – warmth and food • Be able to cook well • Know equipment and planning • Numbers of camps flexible but need to keep patrol camps high to enforce patrol system

19. Personal development • Includes leadership and true personal development • Leadership development • Duty to God • Physical fitness • Participation in patrol / troop activities. • Documentation – log books encouraged • Assessed within troop

20. Navigation • Includes hiking and mapping but made more adaptable for any mode of expedition • Traditional hiking, all-water expeditions, walk or bicycle. Limit to people power – no power boating or quad bikes. • True mapping comes in at level 2 only. • Level 1 – three times one day expeditions • Level 2 – two expeditions (one overnight) • Level 3 – current Springbok expedition (three day two nights

21. Service • Needs expansion because is currently buried and not visible but should be core focus of program • Each level has three types of service: • Movement – recruiting scouts, marketing the movement • Community – helping the wider community • Environmental • Project and on-going service as well – each patrol and troop should have an ongoing service project

22. Challenge awards • Either one big challenge • i.e. one big service project – single / patrol / troop • Maybe completing Cederberg is OK for hiking challenge award – wear Cederberg badge for a while and replace with permanent hiking challenge award badge. • Messengers of peace for service challenge award • Or obtain a group of interest badges • Do three of the following interest badges to earn the navigation challenge award • Orienteering • Geocaching • advanced navigation etcetc

23. Suggested challenge awards • Hiking • All-rounder – one interest badge from all five / four out of five / three out of five skills at level 2 • Navigation – three specific interest badges • Vocational – three community skills badges • Water – three boating interest badges • Air – three flying interest badges • Service – outside agencies e.g. Messengers of peace or Habitat for humanity

24. Participation badges • These remain as previously discussed to reward scouts who help others achieve advancement • Start at point above current program maximum • Hiking – 100km, increase by 50 km • Camping – 40 night, increase by 10 nights • Service – 100 hours and increase by 25 hours • Boating – x nautical miles and increase appropriately

25. Process • This program to be sent out for comment to everyone involved in scout troops • Please cc me on all emails so I can keep track of who the documents have been sent to – this should stop whingeing later on • Comment required separately from three groups: • Current scouts – court of honours – whether troop / district or provincial COH. Thus any court of honour can give feedback even if their province does not have a provincial COH • Young scouters both with and without a Springbok – aged 18-30 • Mature scouters both with and without Springbok

26. Feedback rules • No individual feedback will be accepted • Otherwise individuals count more than the collective – “he who shouts the loudest wins” will not work here • I cannot collate the views of 20 000 people • Must be from group of people: • Court of honour for scouts • district / province combined adult groups • The feedback from the three groups must be separate – no combined provincial feedback • Because the court of honour feedback is probably the most important and could be buried • A register should be taken

27. Feedback template • Fill in feedback form as completely as possible. • Additional pages can be added on • Information important to confirm • adequate feedback from all players. • Numbers of people involved in feedback process • Feedback from all provinces • Specific groups can be prompted in order to create equal distribution • Provides credibility to the process. All members of the scout association will know how much feedback was given.

28. Deadline • All feedback needs to be returned to me by end May • I will collate all feedback and adapt program according to feedback • Program version 2 will be created with explanatory document indicating response to feedback. • Program version 2 sent out and posted on web for comment. • Final comments collated and final program presented to National Scout Council

29. Still needed after “final” program • All scoutcraft and Interest badges need to be looked at and changed to be appropriate • New Interest badges need to be written • Criteria for challenge awards need to be written • Scout trail and guidelines for scouters need to be written • Lots of work still to do – workgroups to be set up.

30. Thank you for taking on this project with me I look forward to your feedback on the template attached Please send all feedback or cc emails to alison@scouting.org.za Or fax to 086 594 2366 Or post to P O Box 900, Northlands, 2116 Please phone the Gauteng scout shop on 011 440 6490 on Wed, Thurs or Fri to let them know that you have sent your comments through