This document setting out the Singapore Scout Association’s Youth Programme Policy has been several years in the making. In 2012, a programme review team was formed with the purpose of reviewing and designing the association’s existing programme. Shortly thereafter, this document began its life as first as the programme document written
initially to summarise and communicate the programme review team’s findings and proposals.
Thereafter in 2014, some of the members of the programme review team took up office in the National Programme Council to continue the journey. It has been a journey of discovery ever since, as the various reviews required us to examine current issues closely and come to a deeper wisdom about how Scouting should be in the Century ahead. It did not take long for us to come to a realisation that a key ingredient to this future is fidelity to our Founder’s thoughts and intentions about Scouting. Therefore, though the revised programme was completed between 2014 and 2017, the revised programme is a nod to Scouting’s fundamentals, and seeks to promote better outcomes in Young Person’s education through a deeper understanding of its fundamentals so that Scouting may be enacted with greater fidelity and stronger sense of purpose. Developed with the Renewed Approach to Programme, at the core of the revised programme is the understanding that Scouting is a process of character education through activities based in the outdoors and nature. As Scouting is predominantly based around outdoor activities and nature, Scouts would naturally receive education and knowledge about outdoor based skills and technical competencies. In fact, close association with camping, hiking exploration, pioneering and woodcraft over the period of a Century means that skills and technical competencies are closely intertwined with Scouting. However, these should not be confused as the educational objective of Scouting. These outdoor based skills and technical competencies support character education by providing avenues for effective and exciting activities to occur so as to challenge Scouts to develop their character further. In this manner, as a corollary to the core understanding, it is important to emphasise that outdoor-based skills and technical competencies, while important to quality Scouting, are not the focus of the educational process.
We have come some way along in this journey, but require the continued support of every Unit Leader for things to progress onward.
This document is dedicated to Unit Leaders who
- Have supported us in this process and are championing Scouting’s cause at the unit level.
- Eschew cookie-cutter Scouting, and strive to make Scouting meet youths’ needs.
- Are dedicated to self-improvement because it takes 21st Century Scout Leaders to develop 21st Century Scouts.
- Believe that while Scouting is a game for youths, it is a job for men, a real task for thoughtful leaders implementing carefully planned activities which look simple on the surface but have deep learning experiences.
Words of appreciation are due to Mr Eric Lam, National Programme Commissioner, Mr Eric Lim, Assistant National Programme Commissioner, Mr Yang Chen, Programme Commissioner (Scout), Mr Anbarasan Thuraimanikam, Programme Commissioner (Venture Scout), Mr David Wong, Programme Commissioner (Rover Scout) and Mr Han
Songguang, Assistant National Training Commissioner, who contributed and served alongside me in this term. The completion of this document also marks the completion of my term as Assistant National Programme Commissioner. I wish the new National Programme Council all the best in taking things to greater heights!
Print copies of this document were distributed to registered units of the Singapore Scout Association. Reproduction of the above document is authorised to registered units of the Singapore Scout Association. Credits for the source must be given. Others must request permission from the Singapore Scout Association at npc@scout.sg.
A Singapore Scouter's Log 