Welcome to Scouting!
What have I gotten myself into?
Scouting is a worldwide youth movement with:
• Over 100 years experience developing young leaders
• Over 28 million members in 216 countries and territories
• 100,000 members in Canada
• A mission to create a better world
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Our Mission
Our mission is:
• To contribute to the education of young people
How?
• Through a value system based on the Scout
Promise and Law
How?
• To help build a better world where people are self fulfilled
as individuals and play a constructive role in society
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Education and Having Fun
Scouting is fun, and most youth and adults don’t realize
how much they’re learning. The key to this is the
Scout Method:
•A promise and law
•Learning by doing
•Membership in small groups
•Progressive and stimulating programs
•Commitment to values
•Use of the outdoors as the key learning resource
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Our Values
Scouting instills many great values in youth.
All of these values come from our three broad principles:
•Duty to God
•Duty to Others
•Duty to Self
These principles are fundamental to our beliefs and shape
everything that Scouting does.
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Others and Self – OK. But God?
Scouting recognizes that people develop in five ways:
Physically, Emotionally, Spiritually, Socially, and
Intellectually
Within Scouting, we help youth develop in all five ways
To do this we need to recognize that each person is a
spiritual being, that there is a need to believe in a higher
power or purpose, and that this belief means that we have
a duty to that power or purpose
The term “God” is used because it is the most recognized
and accepted term for a person’s religion, faith, belief
system, or other form of spirituality
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Getting back to those values…
Scouting expresses its values most clearly in its
Promise and Law
Everyone over the age of 10 who becomes a member
of Scouts Canada makes the same promise
Between the ages of 5 and 10, the Promise and Law have
been modified so that they make sense to younger youth
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When you are invested, or formally made a member of
your Scout group, you will make the following promise:
“ On my honour,
I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and the Queen,
To help other people at all times,
And to carry out the spirit of the Scout Law ”
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And the Scout Law that is mentioned in the Promise is:
“ A Scout is:
Helpful and trustworthy,
Kind and cheerful,
Considerate and clean,
Wise in the use of all resources ”
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The Program
Scouting has 5 year-long programs for different age
groups, these are called sections:
•Beavers 5 –7 year olds
•Cub Scouts 8 –10 year olds
•Scouts 11 –14 year olds (option to remain to 16)
•Venturer Scouts 14 –17 year olds
•Rover Scouts 18 –26 year olds
Not every group has all of the sections.
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What do each of the sections have in common:
•Promise and Law
•The Scout Method
•Mission, Principles, and Practices
•The all develop leadership and citizenship skills through
outdoor activities and service projects
•Weeknight activities that support and lead up to the
outdoor activities and service projects
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Beavers
Ages 5 – 7
Fun and friendship are the cornerstones of the
Beaver program
Through an adventurous program of outdoor activities,
creative play, music, and cooperative games, Beavers
enjoy time with their friends (and meet new ones), learn
how to get along within a group, and develop confidence
Nature walks, short hikes, tree plantings, and family
sleepovers give Beavers a taste of outdoor fun; through
these activities, Beavers develop an appreciation and a
sense of caring for the environment
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Cub Scouts
Ages 8 – 10
Challenging hikes, weekend camps, and introduction to
water activities like canoeing or kayaking are just a few of
the fun outdoor adventures that Cubs enjoy
With the Cub motto of “Do Your Best” from and centre,
Cubs are encouraged to try new and challenging activities.
Learning important first aid skills, paddling a canoe for the
first time, or leading a game at camp will open the door for
Cubs to try other adventures they never thought possible.
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Scouts
Ages 11 – 14
Scouts enjoy outdoor adventures as part of a team,
working together with others to complete thrilling
challenges and accomplish goal
Scouts gives every member a chance to be a leader; it
might involve running an activity, organizing a camp, or
participating with other young people across the province
or Canada in a youth forum
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Venturer Scouts
Ages 14 – 17
Venturers direct their own development in six key areas:
fitness, personal interests, community service,
social/cultural/spiritual, and outdoor exploration/adventure
Venturers meet in a group called a Company; they develop
and manage their own program with the mentorship of an
adult advisor
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Rover Scouts
Ages 18 – 26
Rovers often participate in adventurous activities like
mountain climbing, white water rafting, or sea kayaking
They often help their local, national, and international
communities through service projects such as food drives,
park cleanups, tree plantings, and travel to third world
countries to build wells, schools, and latrines together with
the local Scouting association
Rovers meet in a group called a Crew; they develop and
manage their own program, often with the help of an
experienced advisor
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What is Expected of Me?
As a Scouts Canada leader, you have responsibility for:
•Providing quality, challenging programs with appropriately
managed risk for the youth in your section
•Participating in program planning and sharing leadership
responsibilities with others
•Completing training specific to your role within 120 days
•Leading by example and adhering to the Duty of Care
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Am I on my own?
NO! There are multiple layers of volunteer and staff support
available to help you and your section:
•Section Team
volunteers
•Group Committee
volunteers
•Group Sponsor
varies
•Area Team
volunteers and staff
•Council Team
volunteers and staff
•National Team
volunteers and staff
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Section Team
The Section Team is made up of the people that you work
with to deliver the program to the youth – they are your
first line of support.
The people on your Section Team are:
•The Section Contact Leader
•The other section leaders
•Youth members, especially those in leadership roles
•Parents
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Group Committee
The Group Committee is responsible for the overall
operation of your group; they manage the recruitment of
adults, set budgets, approve section programs, and help
you find the resources you need.
The people on your Group Committee will vary, but the one
person you can always talk to is the Group Commissioner.
Your Section Contact Leader is a member of the Group
Committee and can help you find the right person to talk
to if you have a question or concern.
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Group Sponsor
The Group Sponsor is an organization that has decided
that Scouting is a valuable experience for youth in your
community. They have specific responsibilities and work
with the Group Committee to ensure that Scouting
continues to meet the needs of youth.
Your sponsor could be a:
•Religious body or institution
•Community association
•Service club
•Group of parents
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Area Team
Just like your Section is part of a Group, your Group is
part of an Area.
The Area Team is led by a volunteer Area Commissioner,
and all of the Group Commissioners inside an Area are
part of the Area Team.
Other people on the Area Team are: Assistant Area
Commissioners, Service Scouters, and a Council Field
Executive (a paid staff person).
The Area is primarily responsible for supporting your
Group, so that your Group can focus on supporting you.
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Council Team
Your Area is a part of a Council, which is led by a volunteer
Council Commissioner and a youth member Council
Youth Commissioner
The Council Team is responsible for:
•Camps and properties
•Training courses
•Coordinating Scout Popcorn and Scoutrees
•Honours and awards
The Council can be reached by calling 1 888-726-8876
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National Team
The Scouts Canada National Team is responsible for:
•Supporting the 20 Councils across the country
•Working with the World Organization of the Scout Movement
•Setting policies and procedures
•Producing Scouting Life magazine
•The Program Help Line: 1 800-339-6643
•www.scouts.ca and related services, like Program Builder
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What have we covered?
Today we have covered a lot of important information:
•Who we are
•What we do
•Our values
•What our program looks like
•The levels of support available to you
Together with the information given to you during your
interview, you are ready to start Scouting!
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What’s Next?
You’re ready for these next steps:
•Meet with the rest of your Section leadership team to talk
about the coming year, if you haven’t already done so
•Prepare for investiture, if you haven’t already done so
•Sign up for a Woodbadge Part I course – this 12 hour course
will teach you the skills you need to be effective in your role
•Ask plenty of questions
•Enjoy your time with Scouting!
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Thank You!
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