Scouts of the World Award (SW)
Scouts Canada is now interested in accepting applications for the volunteer position of “National Coordinator, Scouts of the World Award”.
Read the job description - English - Français
Interested members should forward their complete resume along with an accompanying paragraph on why they would like this position to nyc@scouts.ca by March 1, 2010.
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The Scouts of the World Award is an initiative to help National Scout Organizations (NSO’s) revitalize their program for senior sections by giving young people more opportunities to face the challenges of the future as identified by the Millennium Declaration unanimously adopted by the 189 member countries of the United Nations in 2000. The Scouts of the World Award concerns global citizenship preparation for young adults and emphasizes three core-themes which demand understanding, skills and knowledge, for improved life on a small planet.
The Scouts of the World Award is an accessible youth Award with the intent of turning “globalization” into a vigorous tide of positive change for humankind. It aims to help National Scout Organizations enrich the programs of their senior age sections by opening up new fields of action and genuine responsibility to young adults, through partnerships with all the other actors in civil society. It is not a temporary project. In the years to come, Scouting’s credibility as a non-formal educational movement will depend on its capacity to bring forth from its ranks tens of thousands of young men and women who have the knowledge, skills and motivation to take an active part in bringing about social change at local, national and international levels, in order to create a more open, just and peaceful society
The Scouts of the World Award program was developed by the World Bureau to revitalize the senior section of National Scout Organizations while encouraging members to create a better world by exploring and taking action in one of three key areas:
· Environment,
· Development, and
· Peace
The Award program contains three main steps:
1. A formalized Discovery process,
2. Volunteer Service, and
3. An Evaluation
Interest in the Scouts of the World Award Program has blossomed globally over the past two years and dozens of NSO’s are now actively participating and opening up permanent SW Discovery Bases.
SW in Canada
The SW program was designed to target youth in the highest section of each NSO. Therefore in Canada SW is being promoted to the Venturer and Rover sections whose members consist of youth and young adults aged 14-26. The program is open to all youth within the target age range, regardless of whether they are in Scouting or not. This is a great opportunity to reach out to thebroader community. It will also allow youth who are in very small Venturer Companies and Rover Crews to undertake a project with friends from outside the organization to ensurethe success of the initiative.
The Discovery portion of the program is actually a formalized training event. It is not sufficient for youth to do their own independent research to complete the Discovery. The Discovery event typically runs for 4-8 days with a pre-established schedule that lets youth actively explore their chosen area of interest (environment, development, or peace) as well as gain skills which will be essential for designing and implementing their Volunteer Service project (ie. budgeting, conflict resolution, goal setting, etc). The Discovery should be interactive to allow for youth to learn by doing. For example, to learn about the effects of habitat loss on salmon stocks, the group could visit a nearby salmon hatchery and hear from a local salmon expert. The Discovery adventure can be undertaken near the participant’s home, or in a different country at a SW Discovery Base run by a partner NSO. By the end of the Discovery event, the participant will have completed an action plan to use as a roadmap in the planning of their Volunteer Service project. Discovery events should take place at permanent Discovery Bases or at temporary Discovery Bases, provided they have been pre-approved by Scouts Canada. The formality of the Discovery Bases is to ensure quality control of the experiences so that youth participants can receive the full benefit of the program.
It is essential that the individual youth chose the objectives of their 14 day Volunteer Service project. While they may complete their project as part of a larger team effort (such as a Crew trip to Paraguay to build a school), they must develop their own sub-goals within the project. For example, a youth with an interest in health sciences may teach all the children about proper hand hygiene to reduce disease in the community as part of the initiative. The participant may not be a passive member of a project directed by someone else and still receive the SW Award. The SW Award is about the personal development of capable youth at an age where they should be able to formulate and reach their own goals. This is a fundamental principle and will be assessed during the Evaluation phase.
Evaluation throughout the program is a vital aspect of the learning. All stages of the program are important and exist for a reason. The Discovery phase is as essential as the 14 equivalent days of full-time Volunteer Service.
To Earn the Award
Step 1 - Obtain Passport
Download from the website a "Passport" with which to track your accomplishments. These Passports are to be signed off by a Commissioner as you complete the award.
Step 2 - Complete Requirements
Each individual will complete the requirements for the award and have the Passport signed off by a Commissioner upon completion.
Step 3 - Return the Passport
Upon having the Passport signed off by the Commissioner each participant will make a copy for themselves and return the original Passport for review to scoutsoftheworld@scouts.ca or to the following address:
Scouts Canada
Scouts of the World Review
1345 Baseline Rd.
Ottawa, ON.
K2C 0A7
Step 4 - Receive the Award
Upon receiving a completed, signed off Passport, you will be presented a Scouts of the World Certificate and badge.
Step 5 - Become Part of the worldwide SW Network
Upon receiving the award participants should register to be part of the SW Network by forwarding a copy of their Award Certificate to the World Bureau by email (network@scoutsoftheworld.net )
