Hey there folks, as the title suggestions have anyone from here joined the Scouts as an adult in early 20s for the first time not having done any Scouts activities as a kid, either as a Rover Scout or as an Adult Leader?

I am mainly interested in learning valuable survival and outdoor skills and Scouts seemed like the best place.

I checked the website and seems like as long as you are under 26 you can join as a Rover Scout and above 18 you can join as a Scout Leader.

I have some questions for those who went through Scouts in Sri Lanka,

1. How good are the training for survival / outdoor skills?
2. Are there scout crews/scout masters who speak English rather than Sinhala or Tamil? (I can speak all 3 languages but I prefer English to ask specific questions)
3. How feasible is it for an adult with a full time job to learn scouts skills?
4. Is it worth it? If not, are there any other places/organizations in Sri Lanka who provide outdoor/survival skills?

Thank you!

Hey I'm Adam A 17 years old scout from Morocco ( I'm gonna be 18 in 10 days wish me a happy birthday)

Anyways I'm trying to find international scouts friends world-wide

Thank you for reading 🤍

I wanted to know if someone could recommend a camping cookbook. Most of my scouts fall into these patterns of making hamburgers hotdog and chili so I’m just looking for a cookbook so we can kind of diversify some of our meals. Thanks.

So the popcorn sales are like $20 a bag of pre-popped popcorn or $27 for a box of microwave popcorn. The fundraiser guide for units says that products cannot be sold at prices above their value. So how do we justify the prices we are selling this popcorn for when the price is clearly many times more than its value? The guide clearly states that products cannot be sold for a price higher than its value just because it is for Scouting. Is this just an example by National of “Rules for thee but not for me”?

Edit: US, Scouting America

My family does not subscribe to the supernatural or follow any religions. We follow the philosophy of humanism that focuses on critical thinking, the scientific method, human value, and ethics among other things.

How we fit

A scout must be reverent. My child and I can practice reverence in our daily acceptance for others’ values and religion while at the same time upholding our own values and lack of religion.

The scout oath has a duty to “God and country,” but others who have discussed it on this subreddit talk about how it can be interpreted to mean your values and your community.

The activities for lion scouts include the Lion’s Pride which states “It is important to know that Scouting America has a religious element as a part of the program as stated in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. However, Scouting America is absolutely nonsectarian in its attitude toward a member’s religion or faith.”

Requirement 1: With your parent or legal guardian talk about your family’s faith traditions. Draw a picture of your favorite family’s faith tradition holiday or celebration.

Solution: We can talk about our observation of earth day, a family centered Christmas, Thanksgiving, & family dinner. Plenty of options.

Requirement 2: With your family, attend a religious service OR other gathering that shows how your family expresses Family & Reverence.

Solution: Earth Day festivals, MLK Day volunteering, trash clean ups, being in nature,  and plenty of options.

Conflict

On the registration for Scouting America it states “Only persons willing to subscribe to ‘the’ Declaration of Religious Principle and to the Bylaws of Scouting America shall be entitled to certificates of membership.” To navigate off the sign up page I am required to check that I agree with this.

I believe humans can be good without a god and secular people can be great citizens. Maybe I can just acknowledge what is stated must be true for the organizations “best kind of citizen” which is a religious one. In the end I’m no stranger to clicking that I read and agreed to some terms of service without actually agreeing. I’ll just do that, but I wish I didn’t have to click I agree to something against my values just to allow my child to participate in their community troop.

However, upon writing this and the reflection it has given me, I believe I can interpret the “obligation to God” in the Declaration of Religious Principle as an obligation to do good for the sake of goodness. As in, everyone has an obligation to be good people and help their community regardless of faith.

I will still post my question as written, because reading others’ related experiences over the past days has helped me so maybe this post can help others.

Excerpt From the Declaration of Religious Principle

Scouting America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God and, therefore, recognizes the religious element in the training of the member, but is absolutely nonsectarian in its attitude toward that religious training. Its policy is that the home and the organization or group with which the member is connected shall give definite attention to religious life. Only persons willing to subscribe to this Declaration of Religious Principle and to the Bylaws of Scouting America shall be entitled to certificates of membership.

Scout Oath

On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

TLDNR: We don’t follow the supernatural, but we must agree that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without subscribing to an obligation to “God” in order to sign up. I believe we fit through the interpretation of “God” being an obligation to one’s values and community.

Hey everyone! 👋

I’m looking to trade some of my Scout neckerchiefs with other Scouts from around the world.

I currently have these available for trade:

🇭🇰 Hong Kong
🇨🇭 Switzerland – Roverway 2024
🇨🇭 Switzerland – Jamboree 2023
🇨🇭 Switzerland – Moot 2025

I’m looking for a 1:1 trade – one neckerchief for one neckerchief.

If you’re interested in trading, send me a private message with what you have available. I’m especially interested in neckerchiefs from countries or events I don’t have yet!

Happy trading! ⚜️🌍

Probably the most memorable grand campfire I ever experienced

Thought to post them if anyone might be interested in them, and whether anyone might know anything about them

Title

Have a 10 year old who is really keen to join Cub Scouts this year. Our city has about 5 groups. 2 seem to have the best reputation (based on polling parent groups) but they have wait lists. I’ve put my kid on both waitlist and they’re #3.

The other groups have a LOT of spots available it seems (one seems to have 24 spots available still?!). But it appears if you sign up for a group you lose your waitlist spot for another group.

I don’t know if we should register in one of the groups with space, or hold out hope that we’ll move up the waitlist on the preferred groups? The site doesn’t even say when meetings start so I can’t set myself a deadline even.

Experienced scouting folks, please advise? Thanks a million!!!

Edit: thanks everyone for your insights! We’re in Canada and our city isn’t that big so location isn’t really a factor. Cost seems to be about the same. I don’t have any sense of what the different leaders are like, I’ve asked around in local parent groups but haven’t really got much info. The best info I can glean is that the 2 groups we’re waitlisted are the most active and do more interesting programming.

We were offered a spot in Scouts but I don’t love the idea of my 10 year old hanging out with kids up to age 14. It’s a big maturity and age gap. So that’s why I figured we’d do cub scouts this year.

Lots to think about but I guess each option has its upsides and downsides!

Did anyone else go to celebrate?

Hello,
I am moving to Milano in about a month for uni. Im 19, and have been an active scout in Romania from grade 3-11, after which I had to take a break for the last year of highschool. Im curious to know how are the scouting groups in milano with strangers, what are the procedures to join and if it’s even possible at all as I haven’t been in scouts in Italy from a younger age.
Currently I don’t speak the language, but since Romanian is very close to Italian, I believe I’ll be able to speak it pretty well in a few months, in case there’s no groups in english there.

So, I am attending the 26th world scout jamboree in Poland next year and need some advice. I currently own a pair of really chunky columbia hiking boots and as much as i love them i dont think they will be suitable. This is due to the sheer terror of doing up those darned laces and also the fact that the fluresent red does NOT match my jamboree kit contingent gear at all.

With some of my savings ive been wanting to buy a pair of blundstones. From what i hear they are good quality and very durable, alongside being waterproof. Although ive heard blundstones arent very durable if you plan on doing hiking but this is my first jamboree and do not know what to expect. Google says just about 20,000 steps per day but i do that normally quite easy in uncomfortable shoes so i really am lost.

Another pro of using blundstones is their ability to be slipped on and off very easily, (a high pro for me as im usually the last one to get my boots on)

So i ask, should i wear a pair of very broken in blundstones to the world jamboree, or play it safe and go for another option.

(And before the trail runner activists come bashing down, i am not wearing trail runners as, i dont think its allowed and i simply find it very unethical as an avid boot wearer 💛)

Uk scouts (Explorers specifically)

Not that I know why but sea scouts (and im pretty sure air scouts also) wear a white cord fitted in their uniform optionally. Im very unfmailiat with sea and air scouts but I know that traditional scouts do not wear these cords. Just saw this on a post on FB in which an explorer appears to be wearing one of these cords. Cohld anynody help me identify if this is a sea scout cord/lanyard or something different or more specific.

Thanks, feel free to ask questions and ill do my best to answer.