Youth Programme
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ROG TH P RAM YOUTH PROGRAMME: OU M Y E THE WORLD PROGRAMME POLICY World Organization of the Scout Movement Organisation Mondiale du Mouvement Scout S STRATEGY THIS DOCUMENT IS A PART OF THE IMPLEMEN- TATION OF THE STRATEGY © Copyright 1990 - 1992, World Scout Bureau Reproduction is authorized to national Scout associations which are members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. Others should request permission from publishers. World Scout Bureau P.O. Box 241, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland [email protected] http://www.scout.org TABLE OF RESOLUTION No. 4/90 ADOPTED BY THE 32nd WORLD SCOUT CONFERENCE 1 WORLD PROGRAMME POLICY 3 CONTENTS Definition of Youth Programme 3 Process of Youth Programme development 3 Delivery of Youth Programme 3 Responsibility of a national Scout association 4 Responsibility of the World Organization of the Scout Movement 4 INTRODUCTION 5 Background 5 What is the World Programme Policy? 6 Why a World Programme Policy? 6 Evolution of Youth Programme 7 EXPLANATION 9 Introduction 9 What is Youth Programme? - a definition 10 The process of Youth Programme development 11 The delivery of Youth Programme 12 The responsibility for Youth Programme of a national Scout association 12 The responsibility for Youth Programme of the World Organization of the Scout Movement 12 REFERENCES 13 APPENDICES 15 1. The National Programme Commissioner 15 2. The National Programme Committee 16 3. The World Programme Committee 17 4. The World Scout Bureau, Geneva and Regional Offices 18 EXTRACTS FROM THE DOCUMENT “TOWARDS A STRATEGY FOR SCOUTING” At the 31st World Scout Conference in Melbourne, Australia in January 1988, a document called “Towards a Strategy for Scouting” was presented and adopted.That document described six major issues which are obstacles to the development of Scouting in many parts of the world. These issues include Mission and Youth Programme. Mission There is a potential danger of departing from the mission of Scouting, as described in the Constitution, namely: 1. An educational movement which uses recreational means to achieve its aims - and not simply a recreational movement which tends to be how it is perceived... 2. A movement intended to prepare an individual to make a positive contribution to society, and therefore closely related to social realities - and not divorced from them... 3. A movement for young people of all ages, which is particularly suited to the adolescent age-group - and not primarily a children's movement. These three essential and inter-related elements of the mission of Scouting risk being subordinated or lost, which would constitute a threat both to the role and image of Scouting. They are therefore of critical and general concern, and have important implications for practically all aspects of the work of national associations. Youth Programme Weakness in the area of Youth Programme, which is the means by which Scouting's purpose is achieved and is the key to attracting and retaining members, is perhaps the single most important issue facing Scouting. 1. There is a lack of understanding of what constitutes “Youth Programme” in Scouting. It is often mistaken for simply “activities”, or the “progressive scheme”, ignoring other elements such as education, method, structure and style. Moreover, leaders, in particular those who are new to Scouting, often do not understand that the programme is based on the principles of Scouting and is the means to achieving the purpose of Scouting. 2. There is a need to continuously develop and deliver an educational youth programme adapted to the needs of young people in the society in which they live, and based on the fundamentals and method of Scouting. The Conference • adopts the statement RESOLUTION contained in Conference recognizing that Youth document No. 6 as the World N° 4/90 ADOPTED Programme is the principal Programme Policy* means of achieving the purpose of Scouting and is the key to • strongly urges National BY THE 32nd attracting and retaining Scout Organizations to take members the necessary steps to WORLD SCOUT reflect this policy in their mindful that the document own policies and CONFERENCE “Towards a Strategy for procedures and to dedicate Scouting” identified weakness in adequate resources to the the area of Youth Programme as development and delivery of perhaps the single most their Youth Programme important issue facing Scouting • requests the World Commit- tee to take all necessary steps to continue to provide support to national Scout associations in this field. * Text reproduced on pages 3 and 4 of the present document. Youth Programme: The World Programme Policy - Page 1 Page 2 - Youth Programme: The World Programme Policy DEFINITION OF YOUTH PROGRAMME PROCESS OF YOUTH PROGRAMME The Youth Programme of an WORLD DEVELOPMENT association should be evaluated Youth Programme is the totality regularly. A major review should PROGRAMME of. what young people do in Programme development is the be carried out at least every 5-10 Scouting (the activities), how it is process of regularly reappraising years. POLICY done (the Scout method) and the and adjusting the Youth Pro- reason why it is done (the pur- gramme of a national Scout A Youth Programme resulting Adopted by the 32nd World Scout pose) association to suit the changing from this process of programme Conference, Paris, 1990 needs and aspirations of young development will reflect the unity Totality: Youth Programme people in their society and thus of Scouting through its purpose covers the complete span of a improve its quality. and method, which are funda- young person's experience in the mental; and the diversity and Movement. It is a progressive Youth Programme development flexibility required to respond to process of education and personal requires: the variety of social, geographical, development. economic and other situations. • reflection on the purpose, What: Youth Programme encom- principles and method of DELIVERY OF YOUTH PROGRAMME passes all activities in which Scouting; young people in Scouting take Youth Programme is implemented part. They must be attractive and • analysis of recent trends in the through a partnership between challenging to young people. needs and interests of young young people and adult leaders, people and the society in taking into account the partici- How: Youth Programme, funda- which they live; pants' interests, needs and abili- mentally, uses the Scout method ties. in carrying out its activities. • consideration of the aims, objectives and priorities of the A high quality Youth Programme, Why: Youth Programme is the national Scout association; which is attractive to young means of achieving the purpose of people and is perceived to be Scouting, based on its fundamen- • evaluation of practical experi- relevant to the social reality in tal principles. ence with the current Youth which it is offered, will also Programme. attract adult leaders committed to supporting its implementation. Youth Programme: The World Programme Policy - Page 3 Those responsible for Youth Adequate specifically designed associations through the provi- Programme and Adult Leader support materials (handbooks, sion of information, through Training in a national Scout etc.) must be available to support the creation of opportunities association should, together: the implementation of the Youth for exchange of experience Programme. and through improved com- • analyse the role of leaders, munications between key The national Scout association volunteers and professionals • identify their training and should ensure that those respon- engaged in programme devel- personal development needs, sible for Youth Programme and opment and delivery through- Adult Leader Training cooperate out the world. • evaluate the effectiveness of closely. that personal development in terms of its impact on the RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WORLD implementation of the Youth ORGANIZATION OF THE SCOUT Programme. MOVEMENT RESPONSIBILITY OF A NATIONAL The responsibility of the World SCOUT ASSOCIATION Organization of the Scout Move- ment in relation to Youth Pro- The development and delivery of gramme is twofold: an effective Youth Programme which achieves the purpose of • To promote unity in the Scout Scouting is the responsibility of Movement through the Youth each national Scout association. Programme in national Scout In each association there should associations which expresses be a National Programme Com- the fundamentals of Scouting missioner and an appropriate and maintains its specific National Programme Committee character. (or equivalent titles) charged with this responsibility as their main • To stimulate the ongoing task and backed by the necessary development of the Youth financial and human resources. Programme in national Scout Page 4 - Youth Programme: The World Programme Policy BACKGROUND society and the fundamentals the World Scout Bureau, to sup- INTRODUCTION of Scouting. port the adoption and implemen- The World Programme Policy tation of the World Programme responds to the request contained The World Programme Policy is Policy. in Resolution 3/88 of the 31st also based on the World Organi- World Scout Conference, (Mel- zation of the Scout Movement's bourne, 1988) which stated: priorities outlined in the docu- ment “Towards a Strategy for Programme Development Scouting”. That document identi- fied weakness in the area of The Conference, recognizing the Youth Programme, which is the crucial importance of a relevant principal means by which Scout- youth programme for the contin-