Welcome to Scouting
As responsible citizens and members of their local, national and international communities, their development in leadership skills and character and training as responsible citizens, makes them fit in body, mind and spirit.
The ideas the founder Robert Baden-Powel first dreamed of here in South Africa, have gone around the world.
At present there are more than 28 million Scouts in 155 countries throught the world belonging to the World Scout Organisation.
“We are proud to have the Scout movement in the country,” says Springs’ troop Scouter Leon Swanepoel.
Membership is open to all boys and girls irrespective of their race or religious beliefs.
Cubs are aged between seven years and six months to 11 years and Scouts, between 11 and 18 years.
Leon, better known as Swanie, says adult learners are all volunteers who were Scouts themselves but anyone is welcome to join Scouting as training is offered to the leaders.
Scouting achieves its aim by using a unique method of progressive self-education by committing to the Scout promise and law.
Swanie adds all Scouts and adult leaders commit themselves to a simple code of living by making this Scout promise:
On my honour I promise that I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country.
To help other people at all times and to obey the Scout law.
The Scout law is: A Scout’s honour is to be trusted, A Scout is loyal.
A Scout’s duty is to be useful and help others.
Be a friend to all and a brother or sister to every other Scout.
A Scout is courteous and a friend to animals.
Scouts obey orders, smile and whistle under all difficulties.
A Scout is thrifty, clean in thought, word and deed.
“The Cubs have their own Cub promise and Cub law too,” says Swanie.
They promise to do their best. To do their duty to God and the country.
To keep the law of the world Cub pack and to do a good turn to somebody every day.
What is in it for a girl or a boy?
Scouting offers a fun way to learn how to be the best you can be in a healthy environment.
It provides a sense of belonging and focuses on character development, exposure to new interests and life skills such as HIV training and first aid.
Scouts also focus on outdoor adventure; leadership training and teamwork, citizenship (ubuntu) and involvement in the community.
Swanie says, lastly it focuses on understanding and caring for the environment.
The Cub Pack can be explained as the characters in The Jungle Book.
Jungle animals and children can relate better to it.
“So the adult in charge of the Cub Pack is called Akela, which, in the book, is the name of the leader of the wolf pack,” explains Swanie.
He adds this person is called the Pack Scouter.
Come along to one of the pack meetings held on a Tuesday between 5.30pm and 7pm for some fun.
For more information or the join the Scouts, contact Swanie Swanepoel on 072 707 3441.
