New faces - new visions
Ths Summer of 2004 saw some significant changes to Scouting, both on a national and local level.
George Purdy, our Chief Scout for the past eight years, handed over to Peter Duncan, and Richard Merefield retired after working as our County Commissioner for the same length of time. In his place, Dick Whittington, well known as bandmaster of the 'Spitfires', the 14th Eastleigh Scout and Guide band.
Both George and Richard have served Scouting and Hampshire well. We thank them for all they have put into their respective roles, and wish them a happy retirement. Now they can catch up on all those home jobs their wives - Judith and Sue - have been asking them to do for a long time!
Our two new 'men at the helm' will bring a new look to their posts. Peter Duncan is well known as a TV presenter. It is the first time Scouting in Great Britain has had a Chief from the world of entertainment. Peter is possibly more familiar to our younger members, having been on children's television, and has brought a fresh vision to Scouting. "Climbing the mountain isn't just a physical experience" he said when interviewed for Scouting's redesigned news magazine, "It's a holistice experience - the test is not just to get your body up the mountain but to get your brain ans spirit up as well." He goes on with the challenge, "Have you left a positive impression behind you?"
Dick Whittington, Hampshire's new County Commissioner...
Dick Whittington, Hampshire's new County Commissioner, has now relinquished his role as bandmaster of the 'Spitfires'. He presented his vision to Scouting at a recent District Commissioner's conference. Dick told those attending the conference, "I am lucky to be leading the County at one of the most exciting periods in Scouting history, as we move towards and into the next century of this fantastic Movement. We have only one agenda - Young People - and I want us all to put them first in everything we do." (Photo courtesy of Ian Collins DipM GinstM.)
Help with the Vision for new Leaders
To present this vision to the young people of the 21st Century, adequate Leaders need to produce a programme that is exciting, adventurous, challenging and, best of all, fun. A dedicated team of Leader trainers provide the inspiration to adults newly working with young people. This isn't always straightforward!
Over the last few years Hampshire Trainers have needed to come to terms with changes in the Section Programmes and how that has impacted on the Leader training objectives and course material they use. There have been changes in the requirements in 'qualifications' needed, to enable adults to train other adults, and last but definitely not least, the introduction of the New Adult Training Programme - then of course very recently the change of County Commissioner!
The new programme is geared to making things easier for Leaders who have hitherto found it difficult to find the time for training, in addition to working in their Section, Group, Executive Committee or specialist activity. The training team aims to ensure better Scouting for the young people in Hampshire. This is done by leading a whole variety of learning experiences - now in a modular format - for those Leaders who have completed a Personal Learning Plan with their Training Advisers.
It is now possible for Leaders, through discussion with their Training Advisers (called validation) to have previous experience both in Scouting and from their daily work/life patterns counted towards their Scout Leader training, thus cutting the amount of time needed to actually attend training sessions. The outcome of the team's endeavours should ensure better Scouting for the young people of Hampshire.
Passing on the vision
The visions for Scouting and the training done by our Leaders are all geared up to producing better Scouting for the 6-25 year olds. Here's an insight into what some of them have been doing.
Explorer Scouts across the County have been extremely busy.
As you can imagine, steerin a group of 14-18 year olds can be an interesting and rewarding challenge to the many Explorer Scout Leaders and helpers who guide them through the journey that is Explorer Scouting, making it challenging, exciting and rewarding for the youngesters.
Explorer Scouts from Romsey District challenged their physical and team building skills on a high ropes course at Moors Valley Country park. The picture shows on Explorer Scout who has just made the 'leap of faith' from a very high platfom, through the air and onto the scramble net.
The excitement found by the Explorer Scouts is demonstrated at the annual trek cart tace in July. Explorer Scout teams from across the County compete in pulling 60kg+ carts cross-country over a distance of 11.5 miles and still have the energy at the end of the day to enjoy games of volleyball and pushball.
Explorer Scouts who are members of their local Young Leader Unit pass on their enthusiasm to others in Scouting. They develop their leadership skills helping with one of the younger Sections. As well as having fun themselves, they provide a valuable contribution to the community, and act as a positive role models for the younger members of the Movement.
The community service that Young Leaders carry out can count towards the progressive training scheme awards. In addition to the Platinum and Diamond Chief Scout Awards, the service can contribur towards Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Awards as well as the highly prized Queen's Scout Award. To achieve these Award, Explorer Scouts demonstrates that as well as fulfilling the Award criteria, they have a high degree of self-motivation and determination.
As mentioned above, Scouting works closely with the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, with the challenges presented to gain the coveted Queen's Scout Award being similar to those expected of DofE Gold Award holders.
Advisors and assessors are available both at County and District level to help members of 14+ gain their respective Awards whilst moving through Explorer and Network Scouts.
Visions for the future?
How about the bision for the younger members - the Scouts, Cub Scouts and Beaver Scouts? Where there are sufficient adults, these Sections are alive and thriving. Much depeds on the dedicated work of enthusiastic adults and more could be done if more adults would take part in the great game of Scouting.
Very often the young people who have benefitted most move away from their home Groups for further education or to find work. They often take up Scouting in their new environments, but it means the Groups in which they grep up could be short of Leaders and look to others to carry on when existing Leaders either retire or move away. Support can often be found in the Scout Fellowship, the loyal group of adults who are not in a position to run a Section.
Where new people volunteer, training and advice as detailed earlier is always available and is good fun. The Scouts and Cubs are the 'traditional' Sections, having been in existence longest, and the Beaver Scouts are the most lively ones, always eager and keen to participate. Their progressive training was reviewed and revised but the basics are the same - training for personal development and good citizenship.
B.P.'s vision - nearly 100 years old!
In 2007 Scouting becomes 100 years old and some of our celebrations involve a massive World Jamboree in Essex. Hampshire is also hoping to have a Scout on top of the world - literally - as plans are going ahead to climb Mount Everest.
Prior to that, in 2005 Eurojam takes place. This is a fore-runner to the Jamboree and is being held on the Jamboree site. Hampshire hopes to have a contingent of 100 at Eurojam and we will see many visitors passing through our County en-route for Brownsea Island, where the first Scout camp was held.
This is all very exciting - watch out for Scouts fund-raising so they can attend one of both Jamborees, or climb Everest.
Find out more about Eurojam.
Find out more about the 2007 celebrations.