In this Issue:
- Upcoming Events
- Meet your Council Commissioner and Youth Commissioner
- A message from your Council Relationships Manager
- Let's Talk about Us
- World Jamboree 2019
- Tips and Ticks to Make the Most of your Winter Cycle
- Become a Volunteer
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Upcoming Events:
February 16-23 2020: Scout Guide week
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Meet your Council Commissioner and Council Youth Commissioner!
Council Commissioner: Janet Focht
Janet is a life long resident of Saskatchewan, having lived in rural communities and not in Regina. Janet started her career in Scouting when her daughters decided they liked the adventure their brother was having in Scouts, and in 1991 she joined as a committee member with the 49
th
Regina. Over the years Janet has filled roles with the Council, 1
st
Wilderness Rendezvous camp, as well as a lengthy career in the Scouts Canada retail shop in Regina. Janet has “all the right stuff” to manage Saskatchewan Council, including a life-long love of the Saskatchewan Roughriders!
"I am looking forward to beginning the next chapter of my life, being retired. Included in my bucket list is a desire to do some travelling, spending more time with my family and to enjoy some leisure time.
I am very excited to continue to help develop well rounded youth in Saskatchewan and to help our membership grow in the province.
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Council Youth Commissioner- AJ Jaman
AJ is in his Third-year Student at the University of Saskatchewan. He is currently working as Child/Youth Program Associate with International Women Of Saskatoon and formerly worked for SaskTel as a Customer Service Technician. AJ has volunteered with the International Women of Saskatoon assisting them with fundraising, special events, and their summer youth program as well as volunteering at his High School and for Saskatchewan’s We Day.
AJ’s background in customer facing employment and volunteer roles will be an asset to him in supporting Scouters and Youth in Saskatchewan Council. He is excited to help youth be involved in the council team and help Scouting grow across the province.
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Message from your Council Relationships Manager:
Thank you for such a terrific fall! Our organization has made some big changes in recent months—certainly none bigger than the Group Support Model. It’s fair to say that, organizationally, we’re already beginning to see the benefits of this change. While there’s no doubt that we’re all still finding our footing, the holidays offered us a great opportunity to pause and reflect on how far we’ve come in such a short period of time. I hope that you were able to take time last month to celebrate some Scouting successes in your community, and maybe come up with a resolution for the year ahead. As your Relationship Manager, I’m here to lend a hand however I can!
YIS
Tia Lutz
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Lets Talk about us!
2
nd North Battleford Scouting Group
is “alive, alert, awake, enthusiastic” for this Scouting year! Our Group consists of Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. We are looking forward to participating in our yearly adventures such as attending the Scout Camp at Anglin Lake, our Jamboree on the Internet camp where we get to talk to Scouts from around the world and having our Christmas Potluck and Baked Goods Silent Auction where proceeds go to the Empty Stocking Fund to support the Battlefords.
We are also excited to take part in some new adventures this year! We are looking forward to attending the provincial Buggy/Kar/Truck Rally in April and are hoping to be re-invited to the Lloydminster Milk Jug Raft Race in June.
Our biggest goal this year is to raise money to send some youth and Scouters to the Canadian Cub Jamboree in Ontario this July! Here’s to a great year! *cheers* ~
Sarah Thompson, Group Commissioner
1st Outlook Scouts
has been operating for approximately 55 years. The size of the Troop has varied over the years but is currently in a growth phase and there are 25 kids registered for this year. The Beavers program in particular has seen growth, which is encouraging for the future of the group. We have recently resumed actively using the Troop’s Facebook site and had our first “Bring a friend” day at the end of last season. We hope these initiatives will provide further growth to the Troop.
We currently have 5 wonderful Scouter leaders who are supported by a few of the older Scouts and some very dedicated parents.
1st Outlook Scouts is planning and preparing for the new Scouting year. We plan to spend as much time as possible outdoors this fall.
We are also gearing up for our annual fall fundraising, namely our fall bottle drive and the annual popcorn drive. Beyond that, we have begun planning for winter camp, which we hope will be a fun and exciting event again this year!
"The Moose Jaw Kinsmen Beavers and Scouts
will commence their activity year at Wellesley Park 9 Sept. This year proves to be an exciting one with both beavers and cubs registered to capacity and three new Scouters taking part. The group has re surged over the last few years and this year will continue the momentum. Thanks given to the core of Kristin Pollock, Curtis Hallborg and Charles Colenutt for stepping up to keep the program running. A special thanks to Michael Kuntz, area support team, who routinely helps out and mentors the young cadre of Scouters"
The 1
st
Porcupine Plain Scouting Group
has been active in Porcupine Plain and area since 1950 and maybe longer. We typically have about 6 to 8 Beaver Scouts, 10 Cub Scouts, 8 to 10 Scouts and 5 or 6 Venturer Scouts. We have not had Beaver Leaders for the last three years, but we have a past Scout who is interested in bringing our Beaver Colony back to life with his own sons this year! We have attended numerous Canadian and Provincial Jamborees thru the years which were a very bright hi-light for the the Scouts and Venturers who were able to go! One of our favorite places to go has always been Anglin Lake Semi-Wilderness Scout Camp. Our first trip there was in 1994 and a lot of very good memories have been made there thru the years. We’ve been there for Woodbadges, Brownsea Camp, Venturer Challenge Camps, Composite Cub Camps, Provincial Cub Camps, Fall Cub & Scout Camp and just to camp on our own with the Service Corps in the summer. Always magic …
Our Community has always been very supportive of our Scouting Group. Our Kinsmen Club and then our Lions Club were our Sponsors until each Club eventually folded, and now our Local Co-op and Credit Union have become our unofficial Sponsors and have given us many great opportunities to raise funds for our adventures.
As with our Kinsmen and Lions and the many Scouting Groups we have lost in the North East, we have always struggled to have enough Adults involved. It is so important to instill in the young people of today the value and need for volunteerism in their community. Hopefully, along with Scouting’s mission, our time given as Scouters will help make that happen.
~ Shelly Schultz
Please Thank the Members and Alumni of the Saskatchewan Service Corps and their Advisors for their awesome hospitality and all of their hard work that makes every camp at Anglin Lake Semi-Wilderness Scout Camp an amazing outdoor adventure!!
We really appreciate having such a perfect place to take our young people for a great camping experience!
Wilderness Rendezvous
is a progressive program, 9 day hiking camp which will celebrate its 48
th
year in July of 2020! The camp takes place in the beautiful West Block of the Cypress Hills and is available to all 3
rd
year cubs (10 years of age) to Venturer age youth. WR offers 7 years of programming beginning with the most basic of hiking and compass instruction for our cub aged (Pioneer) youth and culminating in a 4
th
year program where youth spend 24 hours alone during which they hike approximately 10 km to a final destination. Following 5 years of intensive hiking instruction, focusing on map and compass skills, back country camping skills and wilderness survival, the youth enjoy 2 years of programming focusing on leadership training, search and rescue skills and the usage of technology to aid in program planning and implementation. There is no longer standing program, and no better way to learn these skills and build confident and self-reliant leaders and young adults. The scenery is breathtaking, and the memories and friendships made are guaranteed to last a lifetime. There is no better program, no more wonderful group of people and no opportunity better than Wilderness Rendezvous in Saskatchewan. We are a family and have created a legacy of 48 years of fine programming guaranteed to change lives and better youth. We hope you are able to join us in the years to come as we plan for, and celebrate, our incredible 50 year anniversary.
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As a scouter, attendance to the World Scout Jamboree is life changing. Words cannot describe the joy of sitting in a stadium with 40,000 Scouts and 10,000 volunteers. It was the largest gathering of Scouts in one place in the history of the world. The energy in the stadium and the exuberance of the crowd was mesmerizing, and could have lit the entire province of Saskatchewan for one evening.
Speakers included Ban Ki-Moon, former Secretary General of the United Nations, Bear Grillis and the UN Youth Ambassador. Their messages talked bout at the main gatherings were similar the the Jamboree Theme, “Unlock a new World”.
Activities for the Youth included white water rafting, rock climbing, bmx biking, STEM, Global development village, skateboarding, scuba diving, paddle boarding, fishing and shooting of all sorts just to name a few. We climbed to the summit of Mount Jack which is a 5 km hike uphill. The average distance travelled by our youth was over 15KM per day. Some days were in excess of 25km. Trading was also a big part of the Jamboree. Kneckers and badges were the most common items, but also t-shirts, back packs and hats were also popular for trading. Trading is a great way to share a part of your country and is also a great way to meet new people. All of the Saskatchewan badges were designed by our youth.
It is said it takes a community create leaders and people that excel in many facets of life. The young people I've met in the past week are extraordinary. Scouts is one group that creates leaders throughout the world. The World scouting organization is a community of people that support each other, to make the world a better place. In a way, it's no different than those businesses and individuals that of supports Scouts in Saskatchewan. A great thanks to everyone who supported the journey of a lifetime for the Scouts and Scouters who attended WSJ2019.
In Summary, one page is not enough space to describe the experiences and feelings all participants were left with by attending WSJ2019. If you are in Scouts, I would recommend to everyone to attend at least one International Jamboree during their scouting career. It will change your life forever.
Kent Latimer
Saskatchewan Council WSJ Co-ordinator.
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The 24
th
World Scout Jamboree
was held at the Summit Bechtel Scout Reserve in West Virginia July 22-August 4, 2019. Over 40,000 youth and over 10,000 volunteers came together to create a better world. For the youth who attended, they can say they met people from over 120 countries. Each youth will leave the jamboree having shared memories and interaction, and made friends with people from around the globe.
13 youth and 10 adults from Saskatchewan attended as Participants, Leaders and Volunteers. The journey began at the pre-camp in Washington, DC. While in Washington, the youth visited the Natural History Museum, Museum of American History, Boy Scout Memorial, Spy Museum, Hop on hop off tour, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Holocaust Museum. The youth participated in an “Amazing Race” around the Washington Mall and had the opportunity to mingle with Scouts from Brazil and Norway.
After 7 days in Washington, we loaded onto a bus for the 5 hour journey to the Summit. The Summit is the largest high adventure Scout Camp in the world. The estimated investment in the Summit is in the billions of dollars. It is truly an amazing place.
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Tips and Tricks to Making the Most of the Winter Cycle
Group Health Navigator Video:
Check out the short video tutorial explaining the
Group Health Navigator
. The Group Health Navigator can help your Group to develop an action plan to achieve sustainable Group Health by measuring behaviour against the
Five Priorities for Success
.
Navigating the Group Support Model:
The new Group Support Model impacts the way you should seek out answers and provides advice on how to best manage your Group. Check out the
infographic
for a better idea of where to go to for support.
Group Support Centre Website (Group Commissioners):
Fall Program Quality Assessments:
The first Program Quality Assessment can be completed after the fall program cycle (September – November). Please encourage your Section Scouters to share a review of their adventures with the youth. For older Sections, youth should engage in a conversation amongst themselves, facilitated by the Troop, Company or Crew Leader. The youth should reflect on the goals they set at the beginning of the year and how things are progressing. A review with Beavers or Cubs should be facilitated by a Scouter. After the assessment, Scouters should have a knowledge of whether or not the youth are happy with the program.
Following the youth review, the Section Scouters should also do an assessment. Scouters should find ways to better support the youth in achieving their goals.
Bring a Friend
Has your Group considered a Bring a Friend event? This is a great time of year to ask youth to invite friends to try Scouting! Many outside Scouting extracurricular activities wrapped up in December which means parents are seeking a new opportunity for their children for the new year. Also, they can take advantage of the reduced
membership fee.
Guide the youth in planning the event. Remember, the youth will know best what other kids their age like to do! Try to incorporate at least one Scout activity, song or skill that can be repeated at the next meeting, so that a new youth can build a sense of familiarity.
Consider including children from the community in addition to friends of registered members. Spread the word of your event to households around your meeting hall by delivering flyers or putting up posters in surrounding schools and community centres.
The most important thing is to get the name, phone number and email of the parent for each visiting guest. Following up is a must! Check out the Bring a Friend Resources on the
Group Support Centre
.
Winter Program Cycle:
It’s time to plan for the winter program cycle. Planning for this cycle can be fun! It’s a fresh start to a new year and there are so many great adventures that we can only have in winter. Snowshoeing, skiing, winter camping, ice fishing, quinzhee building… and the list goes on!
Achieving great winter adventures takes planning—the earlier you begin, the better. Once the youth have chosen their adventures (help youth consider the
Winter Outdoor Adventure Skills
), plan the schedule (Hint: Section planning templates, like the
Pack Planning Guide
, can be helpful) and let the parents know as soon as possible. Having as much time to plan in advance gives everyone more time to plan for all contingencies. Changing weather can happen at any time, so be flexible. Have back-up plans, and make sure you can adapt to anything
Remember to make use of the season. Scouts can do indoor activities all year round. If the meeting night happens to have optimum tobogganing weather (check out the
Toboggan Safety Tip
), be prepared to take the meeting outside.
Please keep safety in mind this winter. If the
roads are unsafe
, it’s better to postpone or cancel the meeting or event. Parents and Scouters will thank you for it.
Volunteer Readiness
Did you know that Wood Badge I isn’t required for a new Scouter to be active and on the floor?
For first year volunteers to be active and on the floor they need to complete the following:
- Police Record Check w/ Vulnerable Sector Search
- Interview
- References (3 references—cannot be family)
- Code of Conduct
- Scouting Fundamentals (includes Respect in Sport)
Once these steps are completed, Council Approval can be provided by your Membership Services Registrar. Please note that new Scouters is required to complete Wood Badge I within their first year. If a Scouter is in their second year and has not completed this training, they will not remain active in MyScouts, their status will be automatically flipped to inactive. The onboarding process has been documented for your reference (
click here
)
.
Volunteers will receive emails to remind them of what is outstanding at 30, 60, 85 and 90 days to remind them and guide them. As the Group Commissioner, you will be copied on these emails so that you can provide further support. If you want to look at your Group as a whole to see what readiness requirements are outstanding, you can pull a Volunteer Readiness Report in MyScouts under the reports tab (
click here
).
The New David Huestis Learning Centre
Scouts Canada has partnered with D2L (Desire2Learn) to implement a new Brightspace Learning Management System. The new David Huestis Learning Centre launched on November 22 2019.
Three key new features of the new Learning Centre will help the Scouters in your Group with their development:
- Scouter Development Map – Scouters can determine and track their personal development using the competency framework by completing a self-assessment quiz.
- Additional Learning – Additional learning content for Wood Badge I can be released to prepare Scouters for new roles.
- Sharing Awards and Learner Progress – As a Group Commissioner or Group Scouter, you can easily track your Section Scouters’ milestone achievements using the Learner Progress tool when they share their awards to their profile.
The David Huestis Learning Centre is accessible the same way as before: directly through your
MyScou
ts
profile. Once logged in, click on the “NEW David Huestis Learning Centre” button in the left-side menu.
CIBC Banking Solutions
In order to further support Scouts Canada Groups and leverage assets to support our mission, after careful consideration and assessment of all proposals, Scouts Canada management has accepted the offer from CIBC for a very unique banking solution which will benefit to all Scouts Canada Groups, Councils and National Operations as a whole.
CIBC owns a specialized team of professionals focused exclusively on providing financial services to NPOs across Canada. CIBC is offering a comprehensive suite of banking services to meet Scouts Canada’s unique banking requirements, including:
- Centralized online banking platform with most recent technology and security features
- Waived account service fees and reduced transaction fees
- Enhanced interest on deposit balances
- Online access for signing authorities to approve and view transactions, e-statements
- Local support from CIBC branches
- A treasury diagnostic review by CIBC NPO team
- An affinity program offer for all youth, volunteers and employees
- Sponsorship and Partnership opportunities
- Dedicated and experience client relationship team, 1049 braches, 3063 ATMs
For further detail or question, please feel free to contact the Help Centre.
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Become a Volunteer!
Rediscover adventure as a
SCOUTS CANADA VOLUNTEER
,
and have a great time doing it.
Do you...
- Enjoy the outdoors?
- Have the desire to learn new skills?
- Like to make new friends?
- Want to spend quality time with your children?
If you said yes to the above then you have found the right place!
What Makes Scouting a Great Volunteer Experience?
Many people are looking for ways to develop skills that help them achieve personal and professional goals. Scouting has a long tradition of providing such opportunities.
A fully trained Scouter completes thorough online and experiential learning in understanding youth, program planning, leadership and safety training.
Scouting offers many opportunities to develop marketing, communication, financial management and fundraising skills.
We need your help to allow more young people to experience the challenge and adventure of Scouting. At the same time, we will help you challenge yourself.
Visit
scouts.ca
to see how you can
make
a
difference
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