Scouting for fun

Elev: Irina Georgescu Prof. coordonator: Alexandra Posta

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Table of contents
PRCIS 4

I. ROBERT BADEN-POWELL
1. Early Life

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5

2. Military Life

3. Baden-Powell's Last Message

II. SCOUTING
1. Movement Characteristics

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8

2.Activities

III. BEAR GRYLLS

1.Life

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2.Military Service

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3.Chief Scout

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4.Media

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CONCLUSION

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

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WEBOGRAPHY

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Argument
I am a Scout for 5 years now, and I think that its the best way to meet new people, visit the whole world round and practice sport, all at the same time. Everything is very well organized and everybody should, at least, try to see what being a scout means. When I first joined Scouting, I was so nervous, I always wanted to be a Scout, and finally my dream came true. I love the adventure and the fun. Over the years I have grown older and moved up through the program. Scouting has become the biggest thing in my life and the number one thing I look forward to doing every week. If you reduce Scouting to merit badges, rank requirements, uniforms and salutes, you might get the impression that Scouting hasnt meet given us that much at all. But nothing could be further from the truth, so lets find out more about scouting.

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Prcis
The paper, which presents the phenomenon of scouting and its evolution, is structured into three main parts. The first chapter, Robert Baden-Powell The father of Scouting, is dedicated to the father of scouting, Lord Robert Baden-Powell, who was a lieutenant general in the British Army, a writer, and founder of the World Scouting Movement. The first subchapter, Early Life, is an insight into his personal life. His Military Actions, detailed in the second subchapter, are the ones which determined him to set up a new movement named Scouting for Boys. His Last Message, presented in the third subchapter, teaches us about team spirit, patience, simplicity and sympathy. Scouting, the second chapter, presents a different way of life, which is based on a code of behaviour known as The Scout Method. It is this method, detailed in the first subchapter, which teaches the volunteers how to develop their skills and abilities. The volunteers who join the Scouts enjoy a wide variety of Activities second subchapter such as: climbing, hiking and camping. The final chapter, Bear Grylls Todays Scout Chief, is about Bear Grylls who has been carrying on Baden-Powells work. In the Conclusion we present our findings on scouting and our personal opinions.

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I. Robert Baden-Powell

-The Man behind Scouting-

1. Early Life
The name of Baden-Powell is known and respected throughout the world as that of a man who in his 83 years led two separate and complete lives, one as a soldier fighting for his country, and the other as a worker for peace through the brotherhood of the Scout Movement. Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, known as B-P, was born at 6 Stanhope Street (now 11, Stanhope Terrace) Paddington, London on 22nd February 1857. He was the sixth son and the eighth of ten children of the Reverend Baden Powell, a Professor at Oxford University. The names Robert Stephenson were those of his Godfather, the son of George Stephenson the railway pioneer. His father died when B-P was only three years old and the family was left none too well off. B-P was given his first lessons by his mother and later attended Rose Hill School, Tunbridge Wells, where he gained a scholarship for admittance to Charterhouse School. Charterhouse School was in London when B-P first attended but whilst he was there it moved to Godalming in Surrey, a factor which had great influence later in his life. He was always eager to learn new skills. He played the piano and the violin. He acted and acted the clown too at times. While at Charterhouse he began to exploit his interest in the arts of scouting and woodcraft. In the woods around the school B-P would hide from his masters as well as catch and cook rabbits, being careful not to let tell-tale smoke give his position away. The holidays were not wasted either. With his brothers he was always in search of adventure. One holiday they made a yachting expedition round the south coast of England. On another they traced the Thames to its source by canoe. In all this Baden-Powell was learning the arts and crafts which were to prove so useful to him professionally. Baden Powell was certainly not known for his high marks at school, as his end of-term reports revealed. Nevertheless, he took an examination for the Army and placed second among several hundred applicants. He was commissioned straight into the 13th Hussars, bypassing the officer training establishments. Later he became their Honorary Colonel.

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2. Military Life
In 1876 he went to India as a young army officer and specialised in scouting, map-making and reconnaissance. His success soon led to his training other soldiers for the work. B-P's methods were unorthodox for those days: small units or patrols working together under one leader, with special recognition for those who did well. For proficiency, B-P awarded his trainees badges resembling the traditional design of the north compass point. Today's universal Scout badge is very similar. Later he was stationed in the Balkans, South Africa and Malta. He returned to Africa to help defend Mafeking during its 217-day siege at the start of the Boer war. It provided crucial tests for B-P's scouting skills. The courage and resourcefulness shown by the boys in the corps of messengers at Mafeking made a lasting impression on him. In turn, his deeds made a lasting impression in England. Returning home in 1903 he found that he had become a national hero. He also found that the small handbook he had written for soldiers, Aids to Scouting, was being used by youth leaders and teachers all over the country to teach observation and woodcraft. He spoke at meetings and rallies and whilst at a Boys' Brigade gathering he was asked by its Founder, Sir William Smith, to work out a scheme for giving greater variety in the training of boys in good citizenship. Baden Powell wrote no less than 32 books, the earnings from which helped to pay for his Scouting travels. As with all his successors, he received no salary as Chief Scout. He received honorary degrees from Edinburgh, Toronto, Montreal, Oxford, Liverpool and Cambridge Universities. He also received Freedoms of the cities of London, Guildford, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Bangor, Cardiff, Hawick, Kingston-on-Thames, Poole, Blandford, Canterbury and Pontefract, as well as other cities around the world. In addition, 28 Foreign Orders and decorations and 19 Foreign Scout Awards were bestowed upon him. .

3. Baden-Powell's Last Message

Every minute of B-P's life was sixty seconds worth of distance run. Each new adventure was the subject for a book. Every happy incident or thought, every fine landscape might be the subject for a sketch. Towards the end of his life, although still in comparatively good health, he prepared a farewell message to his Scouts, for publication after his death. It read1,

Begbie, H. 1900. The story of Baden-Powell: The Wolf that never Sleeps. London: Project Gutenberg, p. 45.

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Dear Scouts - if you have ever seen the play 'Peter Pan' you will remember how the pirate chief was always making his dying speech because he was afraid that maybe, when the time came for him to die, he might not have time to get it off his chest. It is much the same with me, and so, although I am not at this moment dying, I shall be doing so one of these days and I want to send you a parting word of goodbye. Remember, it is the last time you will ever hear from me, so think it over. I have had a most happy life and I want each one of you to have a happy life too. I believe that God put us in this jolly world to be happy and enjoy life. Happiness does not come from being rich, nor merely being successful in your career, nor by self-indulgence. One step towards happiness is to make yourself healthy and strong while you are a boy, so that you can be useful and so you can enjoy life when you are a man. Nature study will show you how full of beautiful and wonderful things God has made the world for you to enjoy. Be contented with what you have got and make the best of it. Look on the bright side of things instead of the gloomy one. But the real way to get happiness is by giving out happiness to other people. Try and leave this world a little better than you found it and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate you have not wasted your time but have done your best. 'Be Prepared' in this way, to live happy and to die happy - stick to your Scout Promise always even after you have ceased to be a boy - and God help you to do it. Your friend, Robert Baden-Powell

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II. Scouting

1. Movement Characteristics

Scouting is taught using the Scout method, which incorporates an informal educational system that emphasizes practical activities in the outdoors. Programs exist for Scouts ranging in age from 6 to 25 (though age limits vary slightly by country), and program specifics target Scouts in a manner appropriate to their age. The Scout method is the principal method by which the Scouting organizations, boy and girl, operate their units. The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) describes Scouting as a voluntary nonpolitical educational movement for young people open to all without distinction of origin, race or creed, in accordance with the purpose, principles and method conceived by the Founder. They also say that t is the goal of Scouting to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities. The principles of Scouting describe a code of behavior for all members, and characterize the movement. The Scout method is a progressive system designed to achieve these goals, comprising seven elements: law and promise, learning by doing, team system, symbolic framework, personal progression, nature, and adult support. While community service is a major element of both the WOSM and World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) programs, WAGGGS includes it as an extra element of the Scout method: service in the community. The Scout Law and Promise embody the joint values of the Scouting movement worldwide, and bind all Scouting associations together. The emphasis on "learning by doing" provides experiences and hands-on orientation as a practical method of learning and building selfconfidence. Small groups build unity, camaraderie, and a close-knit fraternal atmosphere. These experiences, along with an emphasis on trustworthiness and personal honor, help to develop responsibility, character, self-reliance, self-confidence, reliability, and readiness; which eventually lead to collaboration and leadership. A program with a variety of progressive and attractive activities expands a Scout's horizon and bonds the Scout even more to the group. Activities and games provide an enjoyable way to develop skills such as dexterity. In an outdoor setting, they also provide contact with the natural environment. Since the birth of Scouting in 1907, Scouts worldwide have taken a Scout Promise to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribe to the Scout Law. The form of the promise and laws

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have varied slightly by country and over time, but must fulfil the requirements of the WOSM to qualify a National Scout Association for membership. The Scout Motto, 'Be Prepared', has been used in various languages by millions of Scouts since 1907. Less well-known is the Scout Slogan, 'Do a good turn daily'.

2.Activities

Common ways to implement the Scout method include having Scouts spending time together in small groups with shared experiences, rituals, and activities, and emphasizing good citizenship and decision-making by young people in an age-appropriate manner. Weekly meetings often take place in local centres known as Scout dens. Cultivating a love and appreciation of the outdoors and outdoor activities is a key element. Primary activities include camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking, and sports.

Camping is most often arranged at the unit level, such as one Scout troop, but there are periodic camps (known in Australia as "jamborettes" and in the US as "camporees") and "jamborees". Camps occur a few times a year and may involve several groups from a local area or region camping together for a weekend. The events usually have a theme, such as pioneering. World Scout Moots are gatherings, originally for Rover Scouts, but mainly focused on Scout Leaders. Jamborees are large national or international events held every four years, during which thousands of Scouts camp together for one or two weeks. Activities at these events will include games, scoutcraft competitions, badge, pin or patch trading, aquatics, woodcarving, archery and activities related to the theme of the event.

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In some countries a highlight of the year for Scouts is spending at least a week in the summer engaging in an outdoor activity. This can be a camping, hiking, sailing, or other trip with the unit, or a summer camp with broader participation (at the council, state, or provincial level). Scouts attending a summer camp work on merit badges, advancement, and perfecting scoutcraft skills. Summer camps can operate specialty programs for older Scouts, such as sailing, backpacking, canoeing and whitewater, c aving, and fishing. At an international level Scouting perceives one of its roles as the promotion of international harmony and peace. Various initiatives are in train towards achieving this aim including the development of activities that benefit the wider community, challenge prejudice and encourage tolerance of diversity. Such programs include cooperation with non-scouting organizations including various NGOs, the United Nations and religious institutions as set out in The Marrakech Charter.

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III. Bear Grylls -The Leader Nowadays1.Life

Bear Grylls, born Edward Michael Grylls, 7 June 1974, is an English adventurer, writer and television presenter. He is best known for his television series Man vs. Wild, known as Born Survivor in the United Kingdom. He was the youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest, doing so at age 23. In July 2009, Grylls was appointed the youngest ever Chief Scout at the age of 35. Grylls grew up in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland and Bembridge on the Isle of Wight. He is the son of the late Conservative party politician Sir Michael Grylls and Lady Grylls (ne Sarah Ford). His maternal grandparents were Patricia Ford, an Ulster Unionist Party MP and Neville Ford who played first-class cricket. He has one siblingan elder sister, Lara Fawcett, a cardio-tennis coach. In an episode of Man vs. Wild featuring Hollywood actor Will Ferrell, he said his sister gave him the nickname "Bear" when he was just a week old. Grylls was educated at Eaton House, Ludgrove School, Eton College, and Birkbeck, University of London, where he graduated with a degree, obtained part-time, in Hispanic studies in 2002. He learned to climb and sail from his father at an early age. As a teenager, he learned to skydive and also earned a second dan black belt in Shotokan karate. He now practises Yoga and Ninjutsu. He also became involved in Scouting, beginning at age eight, as a Cub Scout. He speaks English, Spanish, and French. Grylls is Christian, describing his faith as the "backbone" in his life. Although Grylls was christened 'Edward' he has legally changed his forename to 'Bear'. Grylls married Shara Grylls (ne Cannings Knight) in 2000. They have three sons: Jesse, Marmaduke and Huckleberry .

2.Military Service
After leaving school, Grylls considered joining the Indian Army and spent a few months hiking in the Himalayan mountains of Sikkim and West Bengal, Assam. He eventually joined

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the British Army and after passing United Kingdom Special Forces Selection (where he claims he was one of four to have passed out of his group of 180), from 1994 to 1997, he served in the parttime United Kingdom Special Forces Reserve, with 21 Regiment Special Air Service, 21 SAS(R), as a trooper, survival instructor and Patrol Medic. He served in North Africa twice. In 1996, he suffered a freefall parachuting accident in Zambia. His canopy ripped at 4,900 metres, partially opening, causing him to fall and land on his parachute pack on his back, which partially crushed three vertebrae. Grylls came "within a whisker" of being paralysed for life and at first it was questionable whether he would ever walk again. Grylls spent the next 18 months in and out of military rehabilitation at Headley Court before being discharged and directing his efforts into trying to get well enough to fulfill his childhood dream of climbing Mount Everest. In 2004, Grylls was awarded the honorary rank of Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Naval Reserve.

3.Chief Scout

On 17 May 2009, The Scout Association announced Grylls would be appointed Chief Scout following the end of Peter Duncan1's five year term in July 2009. He was officially made Chief Scout at Gilwell 24 on 11 July 2009 in a handover event featuring Peter Duncan in front of a crowd of over 3,000 Explorer Scouts. He is the tenth person to hold the position and the youngest Chief Scout since the role was created for Robert Baden-Powell in 1920.

4.Media

Grylls entered television work with an appearance in an advertisement for Sure deodorant, featuring his ascent of Mount Everest. Bear was also used by the UK Ministry of Defence to head the Army's anti-drugs TV campaign, and featured in the first ever major advertising campaign for the world renowned shop: Harrods. Grylls has been a guest on television programs, including Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Attack of the Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Harry Hill's TV Burp. Grylls recorded two advertisements for Post's Trail Mix Crunch Cereal, which aired in the US from January 2009. He also appeared as a distinguished instructor in Dos Equis' Most Interesting Academy in a webisode named Survival in the Modern Era. He appeared in a five-part web series that demonstrates urban survival techniques and features Grylls going from bush to bash. He also has marketed the Alpha Course, a course on the basics of the Christian faith. Warner Bros. Had asked Grylls to appear in its remake of the film Clash of the Titans. Grylls is a bestselling author. Grylls' first book, titled Facing Up, went into the UK top 10 best-seller list, and was launched in the USA entitled The Kid Who Climbed Everest. Gryll's

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second book, Facing the Frozen Ocean was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2004. His third book was written to accompany the series Born Survivor: Bear Grylls. It features survival skills learned from some of the world's most hostile places. This book reached the Sunday Times Top 10 best-seller list. His also wrote an extreme guide to outdoor pursuits, titled Bear Grylls Outdoor Adventures. He has a series of children's adventure survival books titled: Mission Survival-Gold of the Gods, Mission Survival-Way of the Wolf, Mission Survival-Sands of the Scorpion and Mission Survival-Tracks of the Tiger.

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Conclusion

The Scout Association provides adventurous activities and personal development opportunities for 400,000 young people aged 6-25. Internationally, we have over 28 million young people enjoying the benefits of Scouting across 216 countries. Personal development means promoting the physical, intellectual, social and spiritual well-being of the individual, helping them achieve their full potential. In Scouting, we believe that young people develop most when they are 'learning by doing,' when they are given responsibility, work in teams, take acceptable risks and think for themselves. If you still think Scouting is just about boys, tents and woggles, then you might just change your mind. With over 200 activities on offer and half a million members (including 60,000 girls) Scouting offers everyday adventure to young people and adult volunteers. We are one of them and we are not afraid to say,

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Bibliography

1. Begbie, H. 1900. The story of Baden-Powell: The Wolf that never Sleeps. London: Project Gutenberg. 2. Brendon, P. 1980. Eminent Edwardians. London: Houghton Mifflin Company. 3. Drewery, M. 1975. Baden-Powell: the man who lived twice. London: Hodder and Stoughton. 4. Jeal, T. 1989. Baden-Powell. London: Hutchinson. 5. Kiernan, R.H. 1939. Baden-Powell. London: Harrap.

Webography

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scouting#Age_groups_and_sections 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_Grylls

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