Over time I have heard from listeners and readers in Canada, (quite a few actually). I know a little bit about Canadian Scouting (Scouts Canada) but I think it’s high time we all learned more don’t you?
So to all my Canadian Friends – Let’s talk Canadian Scouting!
To start I need to hear from you – (Yes YOU! if you wait for someone else to respond all is lost!)
- Where are you and what’s your role in Scouting?
- Were you a Scout as a youth? Where and when?
- What’s your favorite place to camping and canoeing?
- What’s the greatest thing about Scouts Canada?
- What else should I know about Scouting in your part of the world?
Email me and or call (484) 734-0002 and leave a voicemail message and I’ll start putting things together for a Canadian Scouting special edition of the Scoutmaster Podcast!
Not from Canada or the U.S.?
Get in touch and answer the same questions above so we can highlight your Scouting organization too.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow… it’s quiet here… nothing like trying to get Canadians to talk about themselves.
(I feel completely inadequate to be the first post, but maybe others don’t want to be first)
I am in Torrance Ontario. Which is in the SW corner of what is known as the Muskokas. I am a Scouter for 1st Gravenhurst Sea Scouts.
I was not a Scout as a youth… did a lot of similar things, but unfortunately I don’t have that history with Scouting.
(there are so many places…but I’ll nail a few)
My favourite canoe route would be somewhere on the French River. It has routes for beginner trips or the most advanced. Beautiful route.
For camping (and would also work for canoe trips too) it would be Algonquin Park… or a close second would be Tobermory Provincial Park.
The things that I think make Scouts Canada great (beyond what makes Scouting in general great) is:
1) Rovers – I think the oldest age group is an important part of our program… and a necessary part of moving us into the future (along with Venturers)
2) Winter Camping…. I know some states do this right, but until you’ve gone camping in a blizzard or -20 c (below 0 F) weather or built a quinzhee and slept in it , I don’t think you really faced a challenge. (I’m sure someone from Texas would argue with me)
3) Coed programming…. I’m glad we have made room for girls in our program. I think it makes sense and is a plus.
To some extent these are the obvious ones, but they are a good part of who we are.
I’m a first year Scouter with lots of camp experience (I work for a camp as a day job) I’m still learning about all that Scouts Canada is and also learning about the BSA and some of the neat differences you have. I think there is lots to be learned both ways.
thanks for Asking the question Clarke. And I look forward to the possibility of a Scouts Canada centric podcast…. the web seems to indicate you’re going to have that Scouter Harry fellow take part – good call on that one.
YIS
Greetings Scouters!
My Name is Scouter Ron Sturgess Sr. and I live in the heartland of the Oilsands – Anzac Alberta Canada, just down the highway from the oil town of Ft.McMurray.
I am a Group Commissioner and Section Lead for Scouts. Our Scouting group is made up of boys & girls from 5 – 16 yrs old. We are in our 3rd year of exsitance, and are having a TON-O-FUN!
I was involved in Scouting as a youth, at 5 years old I knew I would be a Scout for life. When I turned 17, I started chasing girls and doing what 17 yr olds do. I took a time out from Scouting, but still lived the adventurous Scouting lifestyle, living by our promise & law and certainly our motto “Be Prepared”!
Fast forward a few years and I’m back as a Scouter and enjoying Scouts with my family. My oldest son just started Beaver Scouts (5-7 yr olds).
We live in the Boreal Forest, so being a Scout is a challenge and adventure each and every day! We live in the bush, so Scouting and outdoors come hand in hand. Our community is located on the shores of the largest recreational lake in the area. Our Scout Camp is located 25 minutes down the highway, with one of the nicest views from a Scout Camp I have had the pleasure to visit!
Scouting in Anzac is alot of fun, we fish, geocache, canoe, snowshoe, ski, hike, build stuff, travel, and have fun weekly at our meetings.
For more info on Scouting in Anzac Alberta Canada be sure and check our website out or visit my blog. http://scouterronsramblins.blogspot.com/
Hello Clarke
Ok I am not from Canada but another country with a queen on their money, although sadly we don’t have Moose on our coins
I am in the UK, I live in the County of Gloucestershire which is on the west side of England near the border with Wales. My current role’s are Assistant County Commissioner for Explorer Scouts in Gloucestershire and I am also a National Project Team Member.
Scouting Youth, I started in Cubs at the age of eight (beavers were not around then) and I have been a Cub, Scout, Venture Scout and completed my Queens Scout award. I did all of my youth involvement with Scouting in North Wales.
during my time as a Venture I got the opportunity to join the international camp staff programme and spent the summer working on a Scout Camp in Wisconsin (good times)
I am not one for favourites so I would like to say I am still looking. I have not done it yet but I have hear camping on Brownsea island is magical, I guess it is camping at the home (so to speak) of scouting. I remember sleeping at 3000ft on a knife edge ridge in Snowdonia as part of completing the Welsh 15 peaks that was allot of fun as was sleeping at 10,000ft in the Pyrenees. I would also say camping with 50,000 people at the World Scout Jamboree in 2007 was pretty amazing.
What is the Greatest thing about Scouting in the UK, I have to say the programme. The UK scout association have worked hard and are still working towards making the scout programme about living the adventure. We offer a wide and diverse range of activities to a wide and diverse range of young people. It is amazing to see that in scouting creed colour, religion, sex, race, sexual preference are forgotten and friends are made.
What else do you need to know about Scouting in the UK well… we were the first (na, na, na,na,na,na OK so that is totally childish and not very scouting) but I am sure every scout know that BP was from the UK and set up the Scout Movement upon which so many other great movements have been build from. But in case you did not then there is it.
We are co-educational and we have been for almost 20 years now across all sections. We work toward our woodbadges as part of our leadership training scheme but unlike the US we only get 1 set of beads we previously have three beads for a Leader Trainer and four for a trainer trainer but that is no longer the case.
Our highest award is the Queens Scout, it will change when the the current monarch dies and it will become a Kings Scout.
Oh and if your a Welsh Scout you get to wear Dragons on your shoulders – very cool.
I think that about wraps it all up if you want more info get in touch or check out
http://www.jabbering.co.uk or http://www.scouts.org.uk
TTFN
K
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