[24699] in APO-L
Re: [APO-L] co-ed scouting organizations
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Brown Michael-EMB021)
Tue Jun 7 10:23:18 2005
Date: Tue, 7 Jun 2005 10:22:56 -0400
Reply-To: Brown Michael-EMB021 <Michael.R.Brown@motorola.com>
From: Brown Michael-EMB021 <Michael.R.Brown@motorola.com>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Date: Mon, 6 Jun 2005 17:53:52 -0400
>From: Zonuts <zonuts@GMAIL.COM>
>
>
>A friend of mine at work is looking for information about co-ed scouting organizations, especially organizations >that do not require religious affiliation, and that have adult/alumni programs. I figure that this would be a
>good place to ask.
Several answers.
Co-ed Scouting Organizations. If you visit the website of the World Organization of Scout Movement (WOSM), you can access a document that lists all the National Scouting Organizations who are co-ed. Many, but not all, scouting organizations are co-ed. Of the 119 National Scout Organizations which belong only to WOSM, 91 are open to boys and girls in some or in all program sections. 20 are only for boys. The BSA is considered a co-ed organization, btw. You can access the document here: http://www.scout.org/satw/docs/wosmchart.pdf
Religious affiliation. Uh, your friend must not understand scouting. Scouting is based on 3 Fundamental Principles: Duty to God (religious duty), Duty to Others, and Duty to Self. ALL Scouting associations require its members to pledge to this. This does not mean you are required to be a member of an organized religion, but you must recognize some kind of religious belief, however you might define it. NO scouting association can call itself a 'scouting organization' and not expect its members to have some kind of spiritual/religious belief. This is covered in a document on Scouting and Spiritual Development. http://www.scout.org/wsrc/ll/docs/spiritualdev_e.pdf This document covers the essential characteristics of scouting: http://www.scout.org/wsrc/ll/docs/EssChar_E.pdf
Adult/alumni programs. Scouting is for youth, not adults. The place for adults is as leaders/advisors to the youth. Some associations have a program called "Rovers" for those 18-26 (some may call it something different), but not all do. Most don't really have any alumni program. They hope that 'alumni' stay involved as adult leaders. There is a separate organization (which doesn't have a branch here in the US) called the International Scout & Guide Fellowship, which is a worldwide organization of adult former scouts and guides and recognized by WOSM. You can find them here: http://www.isgf.org/Welcome
Also, your friend needs to understand that per the Founder, there is to be only ONE Scouting Association per country. The BSA is that association in the USA. (The GSUSA is the Guiding Association for the US).
Hope this helps
YiLFS & S
Michael Brown
APO LM & TB
Region IV Scouting & Youth Services Chair
