To start of my explanation of the scout section of 2nd Bergvliet I would like to share with you some incredibly important words.
‘Scouting is a Movement of youth, supported by adults; it is not a Movement for
the youth managed by adults. Scouting should provide a learning community of
Youth and adults, working together in a partnership of enthusiasm and experience.’
Above is an extract from the SSA Youth Involvement Policy and it sums up the Movement rather well in that we are not here to impose our will on the scouts and we certainly do not want to create a situation where they feel that their opinions are ignored as they are simply viewed as children.
For anyone new to the Movement this is likely to be extremely unfamiliar ground, especially to those used to expressing their expectations and having their orders followed. To the uninitiated, a regular scout meeting/camp/hike etc may look like complete chaos. However, this is simply not the case as what lies beneath the surface is a solid organisational structure that involves the adult leaders all the way to the youngest scout, and then right back again. It is vitally important to ensure that the scouts participate in the decision making as opposed to simply being given token appointments. If they do not feel that they have buy-in then they will not commit in the way that we want.
There has to be a strong relationship between the scouts and the adult leaders in order for the troop to run successfully. It is for this reason that the patrol system is so vital. Responsibility and authority is given to the Patrol Leader and they are expected carry that with the attitude it deserves. I can assure you that we have complete faith in the Patrol Leaders when it comes to the running of the troop, and they have faith in us to ensure that what they need is achieved. This relationship allows us to operate in a way that is unlike any other youth movement, and it is that which makes Scouts the best option for your child if you are willing to step back a bit and support them from afar.
What follows below are just a couple pointers that you can peruse over to get a better idea of what you can expect, as well as what we expect.
Meeting Times
Scouts runs on a Friday night from 19:30 – 21:45. Please do not be late. In the event that the scout needs to leave early then please do let us know before the meeting as we cannot guarantee that we will be at the hall when you get there.
Meeting Types
Just to get you caught up with the jargon of the group we have a brief explanation of what kind of meetings we run. Just in case you are not sure of what we are talking about in an email communication or calendar entry.
Troop Meetings
These are the regular meetings that happen at the Scout Hall in Constantia. It will involve the entire troop and is based around a programme where Scouters will facilitate the learning of the various scouting skills. It starts at 19:30 so Scouts are expected to be there by 19:15 so as to ensure that everything is able to start on time. The meeting ends at 21:45 so we do ask that all scouts are picked up by 22:00. The Scouters have to wait until all Scouts are collected so we do ask that this is followed. Scouts left beyond this time will be given a Red Bull, you have been warned.
Patrol Leaders’ Meeting
This is a meeting usually run at the hall by the Patrol Leaders. There will of course be Scouters present but theirs is solely an observation role. All the planning and preparation will be done by the Patrol Leaders and it will be their job to execute it. Definitely a meeting not to be missed as the Patrol Leaders have a habit of making them an awesome time for all.
Patrol Meetings
These are small scale meetings run at patrol level. The Patrol Leader will put together a plan for a meeting to take place at a chosen location (their house etc) and they will then plan a list of activities for the Scouts to take part in. These are usually Advancement based (make sure you have your Greencard), or training based in other areas. They will usually have dinner plans such as pizza etc (these are always optional and should not be considered compulsory). The times of the meeting will be decided by the Patrol Leader but will more often than not run along similar times of a Troop Meeting
Attendance
While we do accept that there are a number of events in anyone’s calendar we do want to state very firmly that scouts is not a baby sitting service and if this is something that you are looking for then I am sure there are numerous options available to you. The scout programme is an active one and we expect the scouts to take part in the competitions, advancements, and badge courses (Details of all can be found under the Scout Programme Page). The scout is expected to take part in all of the above areas so as to get the full scouting experience. As we say, there are of course numerous activities outside of the movement and we accept this, however, if the scout is not getting involved on any level then they are simply blocking someone else from getting the experience. The group has an extensive waiting list and it is only fair to then offer the opportunity to another.
Behaviour
While at scouts we insist that a scout carry themselves in a certain way. We do not tolerate bullying or cussing and those who engage in such activities will need to face the consequences such as they are.
Competitions
There are a great many Scout Competitions that are available to the scouts and we actively encourage as many as possible to take part. If you are every unsure of whether you qualify to attend then please do pop us an email or check the page.
Badge Courses
You will definitely need to familiarize yourself with the Scout Badges as you will be going on a great many during your time here. Outside of the provincial courses you have the option of doing others that are available to you. The badge section however as all the information you will need.