Investing the New Generation
Saturday 23rd October 2010 marks an important day in the Scouting lives of 3 committed and passionate Rovers who decided to take on the leadership challenge. It may seem an insignificant event to some. Well even I didn’t have the opportunity to have an investiture as a leader, only had one when I received my woodbadge, and even then, having it at some district meeting in the presence of a few leaders that I basically do not know holds no significance. I would not have this repeated for the next generation as far as I could help it. The senior leaders among us must not underestimate the significance of such events in symbolic terms for the junior leaders.
Any doubts that I previously had with respect to the significance of this event were laid to rest when a group of Rovers gathered, of their own accord, to witness the event.
Thus, on Saturday 23rd October 2010, 3 Rovers were invested in the presence of the Scout Unit, the group of gathered Rovers, and the teacher Scouters.
The 3 Pre-Investiture
I’d like to take this time to congratulate the 3 for taking up the mantle of leadership and and thank them for their further service. One amongst the three was a mere Sec 1 that joined the Scout Unit in the very year that I became an active Scouter, back in 2003.
The next segment of my post shall dwell on the symbolism of investitures.
Symbolism of Investitures
The investiture is a recurrent theme in the life of a Scout, as we progress through the various sections and stages of our Scouting life. Leaders are encouraged to have youths renew their Scout promise in an investiture at the beginning of every distinct stage that they move into, so as to prompt the youth to revisit their vows and commitment, and to come to a more mature understanding of it.
Presiding Leader Standing Behind the Unfurled Flag
Rovers in Mini-Horseshoe within the Group Horseshoe
For an investiture in which Rovers are being invested as Leaders, it is fitting for the most senior active leader (preferably once a Rover, but a long serving teacher would also be suitable) to preside over the ceremony, and not necessarily the GSL or the RSL.
To begin, the presiding leader stands behind an unfurled unit flag, before the scout group, assembled in horseshoe formation.
Leader-To-Be renews his Scout Promise
An investiture cannot be without a renewal of the Scout Promise, so with we begin fittingly with just that, a renewal of the promise first made almost 10 years earlier.
On my honour,
I promise that I will do my best to do my duty to God and the Republic of Singapore, to help other people and to keep the Scout law.
Changing Woggle
In my unit’s investiture, the basic woggle is swapped for a Gilwell woggle, to symbolise completion of the basic phase of training that all leaders must go through as a Rover.
Leaders’ Epaulettes
The basic red Rover epaulettes are then swapped for leaders’ epaulettes for the respective section, to symbolise receiving the mantle of leadership.
Presiding Leader Salutes the New Leader
Receiving Salutes From the Group
Finally, the invested leader receives a salute from the presiding leader, symbolic of the reversal of roles, and the new generation taking on more responsibilities. The invested leader then turns to face the horseshoe, and receives a salute from all present.
[Cross reference the typical Scout investiture, where it is the invested Scout that salutes the presiding leader, and turns to salute all present.]
Rovers and New Leaders
A Singapore Scouter's Log 