February 18-25, 2018
SCOUT WEEK IN REVIEW Calendar of Events March 3 — Cub Scout Leaders Meeting (Tunapuna)
For the second year running, ScoutsTT embarked on a week-long celebration of Scouting from Sunday February 18th to Sunday February 25th. The theme for this year’s celebration was “Duty Bound, Honour Driven”, keeping in accordance with the values imbued by the Scout Promise and the Scout Law.
10 — Wood Badge Training (HQ) 18 — World Scout Jamboree Contingent Meeting (HQ) 24 — Youth Leadership Training 30 — National Hiking Day 30 — Good Friday 30 — Spiritual Baptist Day
National Scout Week 2018 was conceptualised and led by HQC Scouts, Mark Ainsley John, whose idea was to highlight the good work the movement does for the community, celebrate the birthday of the Founder of the Scout Movement, Lord Robert Baden-Powell, which is on February 22nd, come together as a family and share in the ideals of Scouting, appreciate the volunteers that make Scouting possible, and appreciate where we have come from and those who helped in that journey.
South West Zone Celebrations
that underpin Scouting. To invest in a proven methodology that has been a foundation for many of our nation’s leaders and contributors. A movement that has, like no other, positively contributed to the development of sound character – men and women of honour, of substance. Active citizens in every field of endeavour, who recognize their individual responsibility to their community and to creating a better world.”
headquarters@scouts.tt Cub Scouts from Couva deliver a reading at the Church Service
1(868) 624-7271 www.scouts.tt
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Cub Scouts Parade through Diego Martin
In his Founder’s Day address, National Scout Commissioner, Roger N.C. Berkeley encouraged community participation in reconstructing our future, “Today is an opportunity for not only Scouts, but our wider community to reflect on the choice for a way forward. An opportunity for us to invest in the timeless values and principles
Young Scout drummer from San Fernando during the parade
ScoutsTT at the National Headquarters in St. Ann’s.
February 23-25, 2018 One of the highlights of National Scout Week 2018 were Brownsea Island Camps over the weekend of February 23rd to 25th. The objective of the camp was to commemorate the beginning of the adventure that is Scouting by simulating the activities done at the Brownsea Island Camp held 31st July to 9th August 1907.
The camps featured activities such as: • Camping • Pioneering • Community Service • First Aid and Life Saving • Orienteering • National Culture
Learning Pioneering Skills
HQC Venture Scouts, Keston Woodruffe, was responsible for the camp’s concept and agenda and organised the camp hosted by Trying out new skills
THE NEW SCOUT METHOD
abstract) and practical way for young people to understand the universal values which Scouting proposes as a basis of one’s life. It is a resonating statement that helps us along the journey of planning, doing and reviewing the adventures within the programme. With the Scout Law, we can ensure our plans fit within the ideals of Scouting and then reflect whether the spirit of Scouting was present along the way.
1: Promise and Law We take a look into the eight elements that make up the Scout Method, starting with The Scout Promise and Law: A personal voluntary commitment to a set of shared values, which is the foundation of everything a Scout does and a Scout wants to be. The Promise and Law are central to the Scout Method. The Scout Promise is a personal commitment that also serves to unify the members of the movement. By making the Scout Promise, the young person makes a conscious and voluntary decision to accept the Scout Law and to assume the responsibility of that decision through personal effort (“doing one’s best”). The fact of making the Promise in front of peers not only makes the personal commitment public, it also symbolises a social commitment to the others in the group.
Cooperation makes it happen
Making the Promise is thus the first symbol in the process of self-education. What is even more significant is that all across the globe, other young people are making a similar promise, which is a powerful reminder to a young person of the unity and reach of Scouting. The Scout Law is a code of living - for each individual Scout and for the members of the unit collectively - based on Scouting’s principles. Through the practical experience of a code of living applied to daily life, the Scout Law provides a concrete (i.e. not
Across the Scouting journey, a young person’s understanding of the Promise and Law will evolve and come to mean more to them. This learning journey is a central part of spiritual and emotional development experienced through Scouting. The Promise and Law are considered as one element because they are closely linked. The Promise and Law emphasises the key principles of Scouting, which are “Duty to God, Duty to self and Duty to others”. Thus, together, they serve as a reminder of a young people’s responsibility to their God, self and to others.
Scouting Around the World 8th Sharjah International Scout Gathering By: Sachin Seejattan Being chosen by ScoutsTT to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the 8th International Youth Gathering in Sharjah, was not only a great honour, it was a huge responsibility. The event, under the theme "Sharjah - the World Capital of Book 2018", took place from February 1st to 10th, 2018. My journey began on the night of January 30th, with a flight to New York, which connected to Dubai International Airport. On arriving on the morning of February 1st, I was met by two United Arab Emirates (UAE) scout representatives to take me to Sharjah Scout Association Camping Grounds, where I was warmly welcomed by the participants of 82 scouting delegations from across the world. The main objectives of the gathering were to strengthen ties of friendship and brotherhood among the participants from all over the world to build the capacity of the participants, encourage them to exchange their cultures, stress the importance of reading, and get first-hand knowledge about landmarks in Sharjah. I stayed in the “Cooperation� subcamp, where I shared a tent with Sritesh, the representative from India.
International Evening, was another night to highlight my country Trinidad and Tobago, where all the participants were invited to present their various traditional dishes, folklore, songs, dances, scouting souvenirs, gifts, etc. In the main program activity, the World Youth Forum, the participants were broken into four groups to discuss problems related to reading in our respective countries and the solution to these problems. Each participant delivered a 10-minute presentation on the importance of reading and its role in developing nations and the experience of their country in the named field. The trip consisted of tours to some of the top 10 activities in Dubai. We visited The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which was a dream come true for many of us to see the highest building ever to be constructed in the world to date. It was a great opportunity to go up to the 125th floor to see the view from the top of the tower. We also did city tours and boat tours and visited The Dubai Fountains, The Dubai Mall, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, and Al Noor island, where we walked through a building full of butterflies and explored nature.
At the opening ceremony, we were addressed by Dr. Atif Abdelmageed, Arab Scout Regional Director, and Abdullah Al Suawidi, Supervisor-General of the gathering. Also visiting the camp for the opening Ceremony was, the King, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, who saw my exhibition and congratulated me on my Proficiency/ Activity badges before we engaged in a short one on one conversation about Trinidad and Tobago. The
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Another dream come true was visiting the Desert Safari. I was speechless as I walked
out the door of the main hall to see dozens of Jeep Wranglers and other off-road vehicles gathered on the compound to take us on our trip through the deserts of Dubai. This activity was by far my favourite as I am an off-road enthusiast myself. Dune crashing, sand drifting and a whole lot of steep slopes and sharp descents left us breathless. The Closing was bitter sweet as we all knew the camp had come to an end. I received a camp token and a Certificate of Active Participation in Program and Activities. After saying my goodbyes and thanking the administration for great hospitality , on the morning of February 12th I departed Dubai, stopping in Milan before flying to JFK international airport, then, finally, on the morning of February 13th, I was back home in Trinidad. This opportunity allowed me to develop my critical thinking and social skills, strengthen my confidence and independence and it also showed me that I can perform well in and out of my comfort zone. Now that I have been to an international event, I realize that our mixed society embraces many of the norms of these various cultures and there is little to no discrimination. This camp also taught me that even though the world is of a great magnitude, distance meant little, as it felt as though I visited every country by meeting and socializing with all the representatives of each NSO.
Farewell to the Chief
On Wednesday, January 17th, scouts from 11th Trinidad and 6th Trinidad Scout Groups, both of the Port of Spain Scout District, lined the streets of Port of Spain for the funeral procession of Professor George Maxwell Richards, who passed away on January 8th. Professor Richards served as the Chief Scout of Trinidad and Tobago during his term as the fourth President of the Republic from 2003 to 2013.