Rover Scouts South Australia Diversity and Inclusion Workgroup OVER SCOUT RSOUTH AUSTRALIAS Diversity and Inclusion Recommendations Report 2016 Lead Authors: Patrick Smith Rebekah Hobbs Gavin Matthews Rover Scouts South Australia Diversity and Inclusion Recommendations Report 2016 CONTENTS Executive Summary 2 Introduction 5 Methodology 10 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recommendations 11 Current status of the Section 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Rovers 14 Multiculturalism and Rovers 16 Transition into Rovers 17 Special Needs 18 In June 2015, a paper was proposed to the South Australian Branch Rover Council (SABRC) seeking to establish a working group to look into the possible issues and initiatives surrounding diversity and Training 20 inclusion within the Rover Scout Section in South Australia. The Diversity and Inclusion Workgroup was established and tasked to gather a ‘current status’ report of the Rover Scout Section and further Rovers who are LGB or T 22 recommend actions to be taken by the SABRC. Women and Rovers 24 The Workgroup then looked into the issues surrounding the current status of the Section in regard to its make up and diversity, and found that while the Section was open to anyone, it’s make up lacked Leaders under-26 25 diversity of cultures, languages and experiences. Research and recommendations then turned to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Multiculturalism, Special Needs, LGBT+, Women, Leaders under-26, Rural and Regional Rovers 26 and Rural and Regional Rovers, where a variety of diverse and wide ranging outcomes and ideas were developed and matured. Leaving the Section 27 Upon looking at the potential different sectors of society and culture within the Section, the workgroup Religion, Spirituality and the Rover Scout Section 28 then looked at structural and organisational changes that may need to be considered by the Section and ultimately the Branch. The workgroup then broadened its reach and looked at other National Scout Balanced Programming 29 Organisations, Branches and Rover Councils for examples demonstrating best practice for diversity and inclusion ranging from low-level grassroots support through to ensuring that Scouting is for all. Community involvment 30 The workgroup then turned its focus onto getting Rover Scouts into the Section, supporting them Organisational changes 32 through the Section and then ultimately leaving the Section and the Youth Program discussing what could and should be provided at each stage. This staged insight into the journey of the Rover Scout Implementation of Recommendations 36 ensured that each step of the way was accounted for including the need to have a balanced program that following the basic fundamentals of Scouting including the Scout Method and the Areas of Personal Growth. Barriers to Implementation 37 Acknowledgements 38 In short, the Recommendations Report is a foundational document that will provide the basis for growth, sustainability and ultimately diversity and inclusion within the Rover Scout Section in South Australia. Glossary 40 The 32 Recommendations of the Report are devised in such a way that each will require a varying degree of effort regarding their implementation and cooperation from National, SA Branch, the Branch Rover Council, Crew Leaders, Crews and importantly from each individual Rover Scout in South Australia. References 41 Appendicies 42 2 3 Rover Scouts South Australia Diversity and Inclusion Recommendations Report 2016 INTRODUCTION In June 2015, a paper was proposed to the South Australian Branch Rover Council (SABRC) seeking to establish a working group to look into the possible issues and initiatives surrounding diversity and inclusion within the Rover Scout Section in South Australia. The Diversity and Inclusion Workgroup was established and tasked to gather a ‘current status’ report of the Rover Scout Section and further recommend actions to be taken by the SABRC. This is the report recommending those further actions. Due to the broad scope of what could possibly be covered in the topics of diversity and inclusion, the working group has taken this to be interpreted as ‘how to make Rovers open to all”. In turn, actions that will increase the diversity and inclusion of the Rover Scout Section are fully supported by international and World level Scouting: The World Organisation of the Scout Movment’s Youth Program Policy (February 2015) outlines on page 17 and 18 the following: “Key Principles For The Youth Program: Have Young People at its centre Be about Education Develop Active Citizens Be locally adapted and globally united Be Up-to-date and relevant Be open to all Be attractive, challenging and meaningful.” It goes further and explains “be open to all” as: “The Youth Programme should meet the needs of all young people. The programme must be flexible to adapt to each society’s culture, economy, race, religious diversity and gender. It should also include people with disabilities.” This is further enhanced by the inclusion of Australia’s representation on the Work Stream for Diversity and Inclusion and Social Impact (Reaching Out for All) as part of the Triennial Plan for 2014-2017, and various World Scout Regions at various degrees of intensity having some form of Diversity and Inclusion working group implementing initiatives. The Triennial Plan states: “Scouting should reflect the societies in which it exists and actively work to welcome all individuals without distinction. This diversity should not only be reflected in the membership, but also the methods and programmes used within the Movement.” Rover Scouts South Australia actively works to This therefore provides the rationale and basis from which the welcome all individuals without distinction. This Diversity and Inclusion workgroup for the Rover Scout Section in South Australia bases it work on. diversity is reflected in the membership, the methods and programmes used within the Section. 4 5 Rover Scouts South Australia Diversity and Inclusion Recommendations Report 2016 SCOUTING IS FOR ALL DISCRIMINATION AND EXCLUSION It is very well documented that Scouting was established as a male-only organization based within the Exclusion is preventing someone or a group for partaking in an activity or a process. Discrimination is the socio-cultural norms, religious ideals and values of the early 20th Century. This has changed over the unjust and prejudicial treatment of people based on certain criteria and characteristics. Discrimination subsequent 100+ years where females have been allowed to joining and the emphasis of religion in can be in the following forms: Scouting has lessened. However, there has always been the underlying notion that Scouting is for all and that Scouting is able to cater for everyone regardless of who they are, what they can do and where they • age are in the world. As such Scouting has grown to cover all continents and is present in almost all nations. • carer and parental status Although there has been a great penetration of Scouting into all nations, it is within those nations that • disability (including physical, sensory and intellectual disability, injury, medical conditions, and mental, some inclusion and discrimination issues can arise. psychological and learning disabilities) SCOUTING’S CORE DEMOGRAPHIC • employment activity • gender identity, lawful sexual activity and sexual orientation Australia and South Australia’s make up of Scouting is generally centred on Caucasian males, based • industrial activity on observation and anecdotal evidence. There is some diversity in regard to socio-economic status, • marital status however most tend to be from middle to higher socio-economic bands (Although is are some suggestions from anecdotal evidence to suggest otherwise). While there are some instances of more • physical features diverse Scout Groups having been in existence, notably Scout Groups for Hungarian, Latvian, Estonian • political belief or activity and Vietnamese people and Scout Groups linked to the Universities, Private Colleges (Pembroke, • pregnancy and breastfeeding Christian Brothers and Rostrevor Colleges) and some religious organisations, in 2016 there is little diversity from a cultural and religious aspect that is visible to the non-educated observer. With • race (including colour, nationality, ethnicity and ethnic origin) education and some insight, Scouting in South Australia does present itself to be diverse and inclusive • religious belief or activity of other cultures and identities, however examples need to be explicitly pointed out and described. It • sex and gender should go without mention that Scouting, clearly is more varied and colourful in its fabric and make up, as it does include all people from all nations, all religions and non-religions, all genders, all identities • personal association with someone who has, or is assumed to have, one of these personal characteristics. and all abilities. It is noted that some discrimination does occur by virtue of having separated sections based on age and having a set of membership criteria. Some justified discrimination is needed to create a safe, fun place DIVERSITY for all members, however unjust discrimination is not acceptable anywhere including in Scouting. Diversity tends to lend itself into being a buzz word or jargon that is thrown about to the point of near meaninglessness, however Diversity, derivative from divergent is to move off, away from a predetermined norm or convention. As previously highlighted, under the surface, Scouting caters for all