An Essay Of A Structure

 

 

Everyone wants to help but not everyone is capable. Have you ever heard of the expression : There’s a flaw in the system? Well… you decide. I rather use this expression : SHOW ME A POORLY UNIFORMED TROOP AND I’LL SHOW YOU A POORLY UNIFORMED LEADER – Baden Powell. So lets start from the bottom, everything we do daily has a beginning and an end, waking up in the morning/eating breakfast/taking a bath/going to work etc etc, it’s like a cycle that keeps repeating itself over and over again.The beaver unit

Some countries recognize this unit as an official unit of the Baden Powell movement since 1986, in other countries it’s in its infancy phase and other countries do not even have a Beaver unit because they simply do not recognize it. The Beaver unit main focus is Sharing Sharing Sharing, but with this sharing there’s a catch, it follows like this :

1.We learn the beavers that everyone is equal ( boys and girls) but in reality we are not
2.We learn them teamwork
3.Play together
4.Scouting principles and activities
5.Beaver unit structure

 

I believe in the beaver unit, because you cant build a house without a home base. Point 1 we learn the beavers that everyone is equal and in reality we are not. Not only physically, but socially & intellectually and in many other areas we are different it’s just that our global societies has been trying to brainwash us with this ideology which is the root of all the chaos and conflicts in this modern age. Point 4 scouting principles and activities : there were times I thought I was going to a preschool garden, the only difference was that the beavers were not preschool children and you don’t go to Beaver scouting to become an painting artist or have a playtime date. Beaver scouting is about creating a little person help her/him to find out who she/he is by introducing themes which are practical, yes get dirty, discover, learn something new, do crazy fun educational practical things, I take for an example the beaver scout system in UK and Canada, beavers over there are very practical and you see it by the badges they get on their uniform. It’s time for the Interamerican Region to change a lot about Beaver Scout program policies, change the program or take UK beaver system as an example, instead of doing nothing about Beaver program because not all countries in the Interamerican region has one or simply we don’t want to accept it. Change the program! Introduce badges so that beavers can get the best out of scouting from a young age.  

Point 5 beaver unit structure :  in Cub scout, Scout unit, Rover unit there is one person who has a higher role as to which is responsible for the unit, in some countries the Rainbow or Hawkeye is the one responsible for the unit all other leaders are automatically assistant leaders, why? Well you need to have a structure in all units otherwise you will get war. But there is no definite structure in the beaver unit because of the Sharing sharing sharing motto and a lot of people and countries are lost or to idiot to realize the simple notion that in every unit there is a main responsible person, so you rather choose the logical one or you pick one WITHIN the unit. So my main question is : IF WE PROMOTE STRUCTURE IN ALL THE OTHER UNITS WHY NOT IN BEAVER?

All in all there needs to be a change in the beaver program in the structural part as well in the program part, Interamerican has to change it, because right now it’s not working and the countries in the Interamerican that do has Beaver unit, are not working entirely professionally because not everyone likes kindergarten or preschool system at a scouting.

 

The Cub Scout Unit

And then we are in the Cub unit well this used to be a flawless system an amazing scouting experience…. Until the changes. Baden Powell made a flawless direct program for children between the ages of 8 -11, it was meant to make these  cubs more practical but with the changes of modern society there came a lot of changes too in the Cub scout program. I still see that USA, is still stuck with the traditional scouting which is the crème of le crème program. The unit works if you push them or motivate them to get their badges, it gives them a sense of pride and motivation to push forward. A badge means : a recognition! A program or a system without badges is nothing, you don’t motivate a cub and you don’t give them the reason why  scouting let alone creating a better world. No one is the same every cub is unique in its own way. The interamerican region created a new program for the cub scout within the region and I have to say : It doesn’t work I prefer to stick to the traditional cub scout program, because you not only see results, you see them more proud of THEIR achievements and silently you are creating a better person and leader.

The troop unit

We landed in the unit of hard work pays off, in this unit to be sincere you can achieve a lot, in the traditional scouting you achieved a lot and others just enough. Baden Powell Association and Boy Scout of America still give these opportunities. The Interamerican region made some changes ….. in the past scouts where from the ages 12 – 18 because there were a lot of things you could have achieved, but nowadays scouts are teens in the ages of 12 to 15 so what happens is this : there’s a chance that you will not get all the badges you want, you wont be able to broaden your abilities because 3 years is not enough…. So picture this------- you worked hard for your first class badge, it wasn’t easy it was hard it had taken a lot of energy a lot of yourself and you make it, you get your first class badge …. 1 month later.. you land in the explorer unit and there you are, they inform you that you are not a scout anymore and that you’re an explorer so you have to take your 1st class badge of which you worked hard for…. It breaks you and demotivate you… why ? because you have to start from the bottom again, and its not a pleasant feeling. The moral of  this story is : instead of creating a self-confidence person we break them apart and let them start from the bottom, they rather be a scout than a explorer, celebrate their achievements instead of taking it from them. I believe every scout has a right to achieve their first class badge or merit badges and not cut their experience short where they end up to have to start from the bottom again, so I  personally don’t see the sense in the explorer unit, we have been teaching scout members responsibility since beaver but let every scout develop themselves individually they have the right to. In my humble opinion Interamerican region has to reflect on this because  I see more poorly uniformed members and leaders day by day and that’s why the movement is getting lesser and lesser members not only that but we are losing our purpose. An individual looks for paths that will ingrown him/her not belittle him/her. I personally feel that scouts should be from the ages of 12 to 18 to help them achieve their goals and prolong the live of not only the group in question but also the movement, right now with the unit explorer you are cutting off that individual growth / accomplishment and also the group itself.

The explorer unit

When I ended up this unit I felt like a child who has been grounded, there was a lot more that I or the others like me at that age wanted to accomplish, I personally find that this unit doesn’t work because accomplishing a lot to end up at the bottom is to harsh. I really didn’t and still now don’t see the point in this unit so actually there needs to be a revision of this unit or don’t use the system of the unit explorer anymore but let youth from 15 to 18 be in the unit troop and give them the chance to accomplish the things they want to accomplish still ( merit badges, 1st class, eagle scouts)

Conclusion

What I have to say is this : you cant let me reach the moon and then shoot me back like a fireball so that I break every valuable part of myself being, its humiliating and painful… are we then really creating a better world? Is the interamerican region and WOSM really doing its work? Like I said before Scouting in general is losing its essence, there are other types of organization out there doing keeping the traditional scouting of  Baden Powell and it works perfectly .. AHA YES IN THIS MODERN AGE ,they are keeping the essence alive they are helping scouts develop themselves individually they give the space to celebrate accomplishments instead of taking them away every time, they are becoming higher uniformed troops and leaders instead of WOSM continuously changing programs changing policies and more and more changing and when we sit quietly for an instant we can realize how poorly uniformed our troops and leaders has become, we are losing the path which is not the Baden Powell’s way. It is true we have become a more social organization, but what are we? A social club ? or a movement that’s suppose to promote personal growth & development, and at the same time creating a better world and youth leaders for tomorrow??  What has our emblem of fellowship become worthy of ? We have to reflect, what doesn’t work ---- throw away everybody makes mistakes but it takes a lot to accept and to change, demonstrate that the movement is really worthwhile, but you cant be proud with poorly uniformed troops and leaders worldwide within the movement…………..

☼A Time For Reflections & Gratefulness ☼

Nothing is perfect in this life … we all know where some parts of our lives comes perfectly together other parts somewhere falls perfectly apart… they say too that there is no freedom without peace and no peace without freedom... All in all battling is what is important to obtain your freedom or peace, many times this does not come easily, it comes at a cost …. A cost of yourself or others … you have to be willing to lose or gain so where you gain the bad you have to lose the good and where you gain the good you have to lose the bad….

Reflections in life are good, because you get to know yourself better and you can choose to close those doors forever or be stuck in the past… So if I reflect on this past year, I have to say I had some harsh battles and yes they all came with a cost, some were good and some were bad. But I am grateful for all those battles they made me stronger and made me realize that freedom or peace don’t come free, which I am okay with right now. Yes …. I am okay because you learn and you grow stronger after that.

Through battles you get to know good and bad peoples, keep the good ones be grateful for those who stood by your side supported you or gave a helping hand when needed. Life is to short to worry what people think or judge you by! So I am grateful for this year's experiences, battles and good friends. In the end it's about you being okay and you being happy.

Christmas for me is a time of family coming together and enjoying good and precious moments with each other, being happy, being grateful for another year and a moment to reflect on those good and bad moments and being able to talk about what has been learned. This year mine will be better than ever, happy and grateful with no troubles to think about and being grateful for having the chance to see another Christmas with my family!

For this Christmas may there be peace in every corner of this world… although this wont come without a cost, As a scout I say : "

We never fail when we try to do our duty, we always fail when we neglect to do it. " ☻☺☼

World Organisation Of The Scout Movement & The Movement In General

ON THE RIGHT TRACK? 

I don't know If I'm wrong.... but... think about this play for a moment... a Surgeon and an accountant... One morning the surgeon realises that he needs help during operation and because he doesn't have an assistant for known reasons he decides to call his friend ''The accountant and tells him '' Hey man! I'm calling you because I need your help today,are you willing to help out? The accountant on his turn says,'' I would gladly be willing to help out, and gets out of his accountancy office and heads to the hospital... It's like waking up one morning and suddenly decide on your own, that today I am a doctor,accountant,nurse,scouting leader and just break in these offices and without any basics get to work... weird play & thinking right? Well, think about this, imagine this accountant opening a patient or even knowing what kind of tools to handle to the doctor when asked and vice verse. 

You are probably wondering, why in the hell am I even giving this example, well... this is what's happening in different types of organisations / world organisations, and in the end these organisations not only loses their essence / purpose and the motive why they exist in the first place but they become a problem of their own... A BIG TIME PROBLEM.

For me its not about '' Are you willing but are you capable because everyone is willing but not everyone is capable and not everyone is open to learn how to do things the right way.... 

What's this have to do with Scouting? Well, this year is my 15th year as a scout and 7 years as a beaver leader which is my passion, that is working with children. If you never did scouting in your life or you are one of those I like to call''dropped out scouts'' because they start at a young age and then come back with the age to become a leader, well then you are told that scouting is a non formal education, yes! NON FORMAL! Not a military, school or kindergarten or a hobby, it's a passion a way of life. 

So let me make this very clear, for one to be able to become a beaver leader, cub scout leader, scout leader, rover leader one has not to learn but to practice because in order for a baby to walk, she/he has to crawl, fall couple of times and then with much practice take the first walking steps. In scouting it has to be the same.... yes we have a world organisation, but they don't have a grip about the essence of their movement or making sure that their objectives about ''CREATING A BETTER WORLD'' is being really incorporated in the countries doing this movement , every country has their own policies some are harsher than others and others don't even have one. I'm not saying that you have to be against culture,norms and values,NO! I'm saying as a world wide organisation which creates a variety of programs and manuals can at least try to put every country and its leaders in the same level of training and thinking, which WOSM lacks, there are a lot of problems within countries itself where there is no clear structure and where the essence / purpose of the movement in the first place is gone, it's all about business and politics and personal gain. Everyone is willing to help but not everyone is capable. 

I remember visiting a group affiliated with Scouting Netherlands, I remember that the requirements to become a leader starts with checking if you have a criminal records, and a training with a practice exam which determines if you really are a leader or assistant this type of structure is good, why? because everyone knows their role,there is no mistake and everyone knows their place regardless if you were a scout or not..My point is this, a world scout committee was appointed, very good.... but will things change? Will this appointed board will be willing to travel to the countries that are affiliated to WOSM and see for themselves that if the purpose of scouting is really being incorporated and are the leaders capable, and if not, tackle the problems? 

In my humble opinion, it's time for a change... a real change.. world wide change...mentally ... because the movement is losing not only the grip but the purpose for what it was founded by Lord Baden Powell in the first place. In my country it already lost it's purpose... the essence.. it's more about monarchy, social labeling,social status, not able to work with each other, not willing to tolerate or accepting each other,not to be willing to communicate even with differences and just because we decide ''Today I am a scout leader'' we become arrogant towards others who has already the basics and not be willing either to learn from those real scouts or try to understand and all of this is because of indistinct structure &  incapability's. In the end it's not about what's important to me or to you, but it's about the children/members getting an effective and the right non formal scout education. It's not about that I am willing but Am I capable to be giving this non formal education in the first place! Instead of destroying and confusing little worlds, let's really focus on creating better world's by evaluating if we are indeed on the right track as adults......