Adventure is out there
Scouts are always prepared
Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to our society.
Scouting takes place when young people, in partnership with adults, work together based on the values of scouting, by enjoying what they are doing and having fun, taking part in activities indoors and outdoors, learning by doing, taking responsibility and making choices, undertaking new and challenging activities, making and living by their scout’s promise.
In 1907 Robert Baden-Powell founded scouting with only 20 boys from a variety of backgrounds. Three years later scouting had over 100 000 participants and the community still keeps on growing every day. Some 31 million people are active in scouting across the world and there are only five countries in the world that do not have scouting: China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Andorra… and they are missing out.
Scouts are guided by these values: Integrity - We act with integrity; we are honest, trustworthy and loyal. Respect - We have self-respect and respect for others. Care - We support others and take care of the world in which we live. Belief - We explore our faiths, beliefs and attitudes, and Cooperation - We make a positive difference; we cooperate with others and make friends.
Scouting aims to build and develop young people’s confidence, their sense of adventure and outdoor skills, as well as encouraging them to explore their beliefs and attitudes through creativity. It offers them the independence to put these skills into practice at camps and even on international trips.
Meet the scouts
In Namibia, the scouts are divided into three sections; there are the rovers, who are scouts over the age of 18, scouts which are between the ages of 12 and 18, and lastly there are cubs, which are between the ages of seven and 12. The scouts meet up once every week to do fun activities, such as building a bridge or making popcorn over an open fire, which the scouts need to get going themselves. All members of the movement should seek to practice that equality, especially in promoting access to scouting for all young people.
The scout’s way of life
This year alone the scouts of Namibia have many great activities planned ahead, such as the Cederberg Senior Scout Adventure Hike, which takes place once every two years and this year it is held from 10 to 22 December. It is a hike in the Cederberg Mountains in the Western Cape, with over 400 scouts from South Africa, Namibia and other countries, attending. This year 31 Namibians will be participating in the adventure with great enthusiasm, some new to the hike and others who already have the Cederberg experience.
This ten-day hike is a wonderful experience, because you meet new people every day and the terrain is absolutely stunning. The hike may be physically challenging, but the well-organised bases ensure that the hike is fun throughout. These bases include rock climbing, water activities, such as parasailing, waterskiing and sailing, astronomy, diving and many more.
It is a challenging hike, because the temperature is not always kind to hikers, the heat is intense and additionally the climbs are challenging, but all this makes a scout proud of him or herself once the hike is completed. This adventure is one of the best experiences a scout can have because, “You meet so many different people, making new friends, sharing experiences and making new ones,” said Christian Strohbach. This does not only apply for the ten-day hike, it applies to a vast amount of other scouting activities, such as the world scout Jamboree.
World Scout Jamboree
The World Scout Jamboree takes place once every four years in a different country each time. This gives scouts from everywhere a chance to meet new people and experience a different environment every four years. There were 33 628 people from 155 countries and territories attending the last Jamboree. It was held from 28 July to 8 August 2015 in Kirara-hama, Yamaguchi City and Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. A team of Namibian scouts joined the jamboree and only had positive feedback. The vast amount of scouts that attended was phenomenal, the Namibian scouts met up with many other scouts from all over the world who had great stories to tell, and so did the Namibian scouts.
Three of the Namibian rovers attended in a separate Jamboree in Sylvan Lake, Alberta in Canada. This was held from 6 to 13 of July. Here the Namibian scouts came back with great stories to share, and seemed to have gained more knowledge and understanding of the world, while having fun in the process.
Living the lesson
Scouts are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities as part of their programme including traditional scouting skills, such as camping, survival and cooking, as well as a wider spectrum of adventurous activities, from abseiling to building a foofee slide at the St Paul’s fun day, on the first of October, this year.
Participation, rather than meeting set standards, is the key approach, and there are a number of badges and awards that scouts can gain to recognise their achievements. There’s something for every young person, and scouts is a great way to have fun, make friends, get outdoors, express your creativity and experience the wider world.
A part of the scout promise means to always do your best, and it means that you need to try hard to live up to the points of the Scout Oath. Measure your achievements against your own high standards and do not be influenced by peer pressure or what other people do. This does not only come in useful at scouts, it applies to a person’s everyday life, and since being a scout has such a huge influence on many lives, it is important that it conveys a positive message. “To help other people at all times” is another part of the promise. There are many people who need you. Your cheerful smile and helping hand will ease the burden of many who need assistance. By helping out whenever possible, you are doing your part to make this a better world.
“Being a scout has had a big influence on my life, most of my friends are scouts as well. Through the patrol system and training courses I have learnt to take responsibility, plan better and be of use to my community. I have had many awesome experiences, such as a 12-day hike in the Cederberg Mountains, or attending national youth fora.
“I am involved on a national level and I know that when I travel to any other country I can always trust on meeting fellow scouts, who will always gladly assist me. Also I never have to feel lonely, because there will always be scouts with whom, despite not knowing them, I can have a conversation like I just met an old friend, because we share the same set of values and quite possibly similar experiences.
“I am proud to be a scout, to be a member of a movement of over 30 million people, because I know that being a scout makes me a better person, being a scout teaches me lessons for life and most of all provides me with a never-ending pool of fun,’’ shared Robert von Blottnitz.
Valeska Brodie
Scouting takes place when young people, in partnership with adults, work together based on the values of scouting, by enjoying what they are doing and having fun, taking part in activities indoors and outdoors, learning by doing, taking responsibility and making choices, undertaking new and challenging activities, making and living by their scout’s promise.
In 1907 Robert Baden-Powell founded scouting with only 20 boys from a variety of backgrounds. Three years later scouting had over 100 000 participants and the community still keeps on growing every day. Some 31 million people are active in scouting across the world and there are only five countries in the world that do not have scouting: China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Andorra… and they are missing out.
Scouts are guided by these values: Integrity - We act with integrity; we are honest, trustworthy and loyal. Respect - We have self-respect and respect for others. Care - We support others and take care of the world in which we live. Belief - We explore our faiths, beliefs and attitudes, and Cooperation - We make a positive difference; we cooperate with others and make friends.
Scouting aims to build and develop young people’s confidence, their sense of adventure and outdoor skills, as well as encouraging them to explore their beliefs and attitudes through creativity. It offers them the independence to put these skills into practice at camps and even on international trips.
Meet the scouts
In Namibia, the scouts are divided into three sections; there are the rovers, who are scouts over the age of 18, scouts which are between the ages of 12 and 18, and lastly there are cubs, which are between the ages of seven and 12. The scouts meet up once every week to do fun activities, such as building a bridge or making popcorn over an open fire, which the scouts need to get going themselves. All members of the movement should seek to practice that equality, especially in promoting access to scouting for all young people.
The scout’s way of life
This year alone the scouts of Namibia have many great activities planned ahead, such as the Cederberg Senior Scout Adventure Hike, which takes place once every two years and this year it is held from 10 to 22 December. It is a hike in the Cederberg Mountains in the Western Cape, with over 400 scouts from South Africa, Namibia and other countries, attending. This year 31 Namibians will be participating in the adventure with great enthusiasm, some new to the hike and others who already have the Cederberg experience.
This ten-day hike is a wonderful experience, because you meet new people every day and the terrain is absolutely stunning. The hike may be physically challenging, but the well-organised bases ensure that the hike is fun throughout. These bases include rock climbing, water activities, such as parasailing, waterskiing and sailing, astronomy, diving and many more.
It is a challenging hike, because the temperature is not always kind to hikers, the heat is intense and additionally the climbs are challenging, but all this makes a scout proud of him or herself once the hike is completed. This adventure is one of the best experiences a scout can have because, “You meet so many different people, making new friends, sharing experiences and making new ones,” said Christian Strohbach. This does not only apply for the ten-day hike, it applies to a vast amount of other scouting activities, such as the world scout Jamboree.
World Scout Jamboree
The World Scout Jamboree takes place once every four years in a different country each time. This gives scouts from everywhere a chance to meet new people and experience a different environment every four years. There were 33 628 people from 155 countries and territories attending the last Jamboree. It was held from 28 July to 8 August 2015 in Kirara-hama, Yamaguchi City and Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. A team of Namibian scouts joined the jamboree and only had positive feedback. The vast amount of scouts that attended was phenomenal, the Namibian scouts met up with many other scouts from all over the world who had great stories to tell, and so did the Namibian scouts.
Three of the Namibian rovers attended in a separate Jamboree in Sylvan Lake, Alberta in Canada. This was held from 6 to 13 of July. Here the Namibian scouts came back with great stories to share, and seemed to have gained more knowledge and understanding of the world, while having fun in the process.
Living the lesson
Scouts are encouraged to take part in a wide range of activities as part of their programme including traditional scouting skills, such as camping, survival and cooking, as well as a wider spectrum of adventurous activities, from abseiling to building a foofee slide at the St Paul’s fun day, on the first of October, this year.
Participation, rather than meeting set standards, is the key approach, and there are a number of badges and awards that scouts can gain to recognise their achievements. There’s something for every young person, and scouts is a great way to have fun, make friends, get outdoors, express your creativity and experience the wider world.
A part of the scout promise means to always do your best, and it means that you need to try hard to live up to the points of the Scout Oath. Measure your achievements against your own high standards and do not be influenced by peer pressure or what other people do. This does not only come in useful at scouts, it applies to a person’s everyday life, and since being a scout has such a huge influence on many lives, it is important that it conveys a positive message. “To help other people at all times” is another part of the promise. There are many people who need you. Your cheerful smile and helping hand will ease the burden of many who need assistance. By helping out whenever possible, you are doing your part to make this a better world.
“Being a scout has had a big influence on my life, most of my friends are scouts as well. Through the patrol system and training courses I have learnt to take responsibility, plan better and be of use to my community. I have had many awesome experiences, such as a 12-day hike in the Cederberg Mountains, or attending national youth fora.
“I am involved on a national level and I know that when I travel to any other country I can always trust on meeting fellow scouts, who will always gladly assist me. Also I never have to feel lonely, because there will always be scouts with whom, despite not knowing them, I can have a conversation like I just met an old friend, because we share the same set of values and quite possibly similar experiences.
“I am proud to be a scout, to be a member of a movement of over 30 million people, because I know that being a scout makes me a better person, being a scout teaches me lessons for life and most of all provides me with a never-ending pool of fun,’’ shared Robert von Blottnitz.
Valeska Brodie
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