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| Guiding growth - Scouting shrinkage |
Kestrel, looks at the comparison between Guiding growth and Scouting shrinkage He makes a good case that the recruitment of Guides seems to be more prolific than that of Scouts. What do you think, can you add to this debate or are you in a position to tell us and our readers otherwise?
Girlguiding in the UK is a growing organisation. In 2003 the number of girls and young women joining local units exceeded 50,000
That’s a lot of girls and young women who want to experience the fun and challenge of Girlguiding in the UK in 2005
Yet at the same time, the Scout Association is suffering from falling numbers. The 2004 census revealed that there are only 360,845 youth members, that’s just 60% of Guide numbers. The 50,000 girls and young women listed for Guides are double that of the 25,136 Explorer scouts (14-18 year olds). The sad truth is that the majority of the membership in Scouting are under 11 years old
<O:P></O:P>Association crisis
The Scout Association is facing a crisis It is unable to hang onto members. Arguably this is due to socio-economic change; e.g. with increasingly prosperous families, there is no need to band together as a Scout group to get away from home. However other organisations such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, have not suffered from declining popularity
<O:P>Scouting decline</O:P>
<O:P></O:P>This decline in Scouting is despite a comprehensive review which has resulted in almost every aspect of Scouting being changed
Venture scouts have been replaced by Explorer Scouts and Scout Network
Uniforms have been modernised
The awards system has been totally changed
- Badges have been redesigned or dropped
The Scout symbol
Even the Scout symbol has been redesigned, with the Fleur-de-lys being marginalised in favour of the slogan, ‘Scouts…Be Prepared’<O:P> </O:P>
<O:P></O:P>All these changes are to make Scouts appear a contemporary modern youth organisation, thus becoming more attractive and hopefully gaining more members. Yet it would seem along with the cosmetic changes of a new logo, and new uniforms, Scouting itself has fundamentally changed
<O:P>Super groups</O:P>
<O:P></O:P>There is at this time a drive towards ‘super-groups’ with a concentration of more Scouts in one meeting place. Yet this concentration into fewer groups has failed to reverse the trend of decline. Arguably it has hastened it
As Scout Groups are pulled away from their roots, they lose their contact with the community. Rather than appear as a fundamentally local organisation, they become perceived as an artificial creation, imposed from outside
Guides do not follow the trend
Interestingly the Guides do not appear to be following this trend, the focus is still on small groups locally, linked together in divisions. Even the Guide Counties are much smaller than their Scout counterparts. Perhaps this seems possibly inefficient, but it appears to work well
<O:P>Centralised camping sites</O:P>
Similarly the new policy on camping is to centralise. Camping is being increasingly concentrated in big activity centres /camp venues rather than small local campsites. Yet this policy it seems is flawed as well. It begins to detach Scouting from being an integral part of the local community, into a Scouts-only ghetto
The drift from the patrol system
One could argue that the biggest change in Scouting is the gradual drift away from the patrol system. The gradual decline of letting Scouts be autonomous is best illustrated with the new Explorer Scout section. Whilst the old Venture Scout units were led by Executive Committees of The Ventures themselves. The new Explorer units are supposed to be leader – led. Apparently in the Development Review, Scouts aged 14 to 18 said they didn’t want to take on the burden of deciding their own programme. Yet organising on the basis of Scout Districts rather than as units linked to Scout Groups, has caused problems especially in rural areas
Events they do well
Perhaps the only activity at which the Scout Association excels at is running large events such as Eurojam, or the Centenary Jamboree. No other organisation can put on such big events successfully. Yet being able to stage big events whilst neglecting the essentials of running active Scout Groups is a sure way to extinction
A Scouts reunited web page
It is quite depressing that one of the biggest recent developments in Scouting in the UK has been the creation of ‘scoutsreunited’ a website designed to bring older scouts together. Whilst no doubt rewarding to bring friends and comrades together, the focus should be on inspiring the new generation of Scouts
Continued to decline
Scouting will continue to decline, regardless of the various initiatives launched by headquarters, unless they get back to basics
Allowing the individual Scout Group maximum autonomy
Ensuring Scouts have the opportunity to develop leadership skills- by reintroducing the Patrol System
Letting the ordinary members decide the future of the Association, rather than have it imposed as a diktat from Headquarters
Kestrel '05
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Pictures :
- 1 Lady Baden Powel
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2 Baden Powell
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Window on my heart LBP
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Guides Logo
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5Ships photo
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