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September '97
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Written by John Partlo
Would you get behind the wheel of a car or truck without some training in how to drive? Certainly you would not. You would be handling a 1-2 ton lethal weapon with little or no knowledge of how to do it.
Scouts Canada feels a similar way about you guiding and influencing the lives of children and youth because we believe that you need skills and ongoing support to deliver an effective program. We provide training opportunities for all Scouters. Wood Badge Training is a basic part of these opportunities and should be taken by all members of Scouting.
PART I WOOD BADGE
Part I Wood Badge introduces you to various aspects of Scouting and the section program in which you are participating. Although some theory is involved, the course basically gives you the fundamentals to get your program started and a whole lot of fun. It provides training in many facets of the Scouting program through both examples and hands on experience. It is designed to introduce you to fun of the Scouting game so that, in turn, you can carry this back to your youth.
Part I Courses are 12-15 hours held in various formats (four nights, or two days, or two nights and one day). They are presented at the Area level for Colony, Pack, Troop, and Group Committee, Company, Crew and Service Part I's are presented by the Region. For further information contact your AAC-Traing or your Area Commissioner.
If time to take this course is a problem, an alternative is being introduced this fall. Part I's by correspondence will be available through lessons and videos supported by a mentor who is available to answer questions. This method does not have the value of classroom training but is a good second choice for those who cannot arrange the regular course.
PART II WOOD BADGE
For the most part, Wood Badge II expands on the introduction provided in Part I and it gives you more time for in-depth study, theory, discussion, and practice in many areas. It is best to take a Part II within the first twelve months, after you have had time to become familiar with the program, practice some of the skills learned on Part I, and see some of the problems.
Part II Wood Badge is presented by the Region, and consists of three weekends or one week of training. In addition, a new format is being introduced this fall, that of two weekends and some home study. For further information, contact the Training Department at (416) 490-6364 ext.237.
After completing Part II, you and your mentor will assess your results based on a Skills Chart, which records your progress. On completion you will be presented with your Gilwell Scarf and Beads.
ONE DAY PART I
If you have completed a Part I and, through moving to another section, you wish to take the Part I for it, the Region offers special one day courses to upgrade you. It presents only the material for that section that is different from the Part I you have already completed.
TAKE NOTE:
If you found the training valuable and enjoyable, please encourage others to take it. If you did not find it valuable and fun, tell your training committee (it is supposed to be enjoyable and we want to be sure it is).
On the occasion of the
Jewish New Year,
Rosh Ha Shana 5758, we
wish all our
Jewish members
Le Shana Tova
May you be inscribed for
a happy, healthy and
peaceful New Year.
The Regional Conucil,
the Regional Staff and
the Jewish Advisory Committee
on Scouting & Guiding.
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| GROUP RETENTION |
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Written by Laura Jarvis, 132nd Toronto
I knew we had had an enthusiastic turn out at registration, but now I had to pull together the numbers. It didn't take long for a smile to start forming on my face as I saw just how strong our returning numbers were. Retention was between 76% and 96%. Why is our Group retention rate so high? Here are 12 reasons I came up with. You have heard them all before and that is because they work.
- STRENGTH BREEDS STRENGTH We are lucky, our Group has run continually for 51 years in the same location with the same sponsor. We have great Leaders who recruit more great Leaders.
- FUN PROGRAMS Our Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers and Rovers have fun!! Our Leaders meet frequently and plan a variety of programs for the youth. Sources for program ideas include Leader Magazines, Junpstart programs, tried and true favourites, suggestions from training sessions and fertile imaginations.
- COMMITTED ADULT VOLUNTEERS This includes our 25 uniformed Leaders, many parent volunteers and Group Committee. The Group Committee is blessed with a strong, thoughtful Chair, outstanding Fund Raising Co-ordinator, experienced and ever cheerful Treasurer and very organized Secretary/Registrar.
- LOTS OF OUTDOOR MEETINGS It doesn't matter what the weather or Section we go outside. One outside meeting a month is the norm. We play soccer in the dark and snow, have winter campfires, play wide area games with neighbouring Groups, take environmental clean up walks at all time of year and go on bike rambles.
- CAMPING, CAMPING, CAMPING From Beavers to Rovers we go camping! The Beavers have one day camp at Woodland Trails every autumn and then finish their season with an overnight family cmap in June. Our Cubs went on five weekend camps in all seasons at a variety of Scout locations. The Scouts have weekend camps throughout the year as well as a weekend re-enacting the War of 1812 at Fort George and a week at Haliburton Scout Reserve. The Venturers and rovers plan their own camps with their advisors that range from canoe trips to wimp camps to vigils to moots.
- TRAINING In the past year our Leaders have taken Woodbadge I in several Sections, Group committee Training, Jungle Awareness Training, Project Wild, St.John's Ambulance First Aid, Water Charge and attended the Scouter Forum. We even had an Introduction to Camping course taught by our more serior scouters. Just try to come back from training without feeling recharged and refreshed!!
- LEADER'S FORUM AND SUPPORT Early in the Scouting year, we gathered all our Scouters together to spend an evening talking about our Groups strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. We identified a need for an in-house orientation/training session for new Leaders and we worried about our Group size. Over the year we met twice as a whole Group and the sub Groups met monthly and reported progress or lack of at monthly Group Committee meetings, On the social side, we had two Leader and partners pot luck parties and even bought a table at the local school parent's dance!
- COMMUNICATION Yes, we send home lots and lots of notes and follow up with lots and lots of phone calls. Hopefully everybody knows where to be and when. In addition we have a Leader's newsletter and have published our first parents newsletter.
- RECOGNITION This takes many different forms - from lots of badge nights for Cubs, to participation badges for Beavers for Apple Day to annual service stripes to each and every registered members to ribbons from the annual hobby show. We also thank our Keeo's, Kin's and parent volunteers for their special contributions. This is of course in addition to the special words that Leaders have for efforts made by youth every level.
- INVOLVEMENT OF YOUTH Our Cub Sixer and Seconders attended a one day session and brought their new skills back and established a council. Our Venturers and Rovers and represented on our new area youth council. Less formal input from our youth is taken into consideration in all program planning.
- FEELING PART OF THE SCOUTING FAMILY We are a large Group that operates all five Sections. We are also co-ed and welcome youth with disabilities. We start and end each season with an all section family bargecue and campfire in our local park. Seeing more than 125 uniformed youth and Leaders plus parents and siblings singing and doing campfire skits is an amazing advertisement for what fun scouting is. You should see the number of people who stop and ask us for information about our Group and scouting. All Sections also work together on Apple Day, Food Drives, Christmas Tree Sales and ScouTrees.
- SKIP Skip is that special ingredient that is hard to quantify, but I suspect each truly successful Group has their own Skip. Our Skip was pressed in to service a s a Beaver Leader with his son, 9 years ago. He is now the Rover advisor, having served in all Sections and was responsible for the establishing both the Venturer and Rover Sections. He exemplifies all that is good and magical about scouting. The Beavers listen to his every word in complete silence, the Cubs stand prouder and taller after he explains the importance of wearing their uniforms. The Scouts can almost taste the Chief Scout Award after his pep talks and the Venturers and rovers just believe in him and know that he is there for them. Skip gives a lot to Scouting, but not to the exclusion of other things in life. And in the true spirit of scouting he encourages all of us to reach a little higher, and he recruits as he goes. His son is now a Venturer, his daughter is a Rover and Assistant Cub Leader.
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4th
Annual Oba Challenge
at
Camp
Oba-Sa-Teeka
SEPTEMBER 26 - 28, 1997
Scouts who have completed 1 year
in your Troop form teams of 4 and
compete in Scouting and camping skills
against teams from other Troops in GTR
and surrounding regions.
Contact the Camping Department
(416) 490-6364, ext.233
Camp Oba-Sa-Teeka
G T R ' s F o r g o t t e n T r e a s u r e
CAMPING OUT?
Written by Brian Cooke
As we have described in previous articles, Oba-Sa-Teeka is an adventure oriented camp which is fully forested and has quite a varied terrain. Given these fairly rugged features, Oba offers a surpresing variety of accommodation options. This month we will look at where you can stay while camping out.
With respect to tenting, there are eighteen sites scattered throughout the camp, each being able to handle a number of tents if required. There is also a huge open field on the north side of the camp which could accommodate a small jamboree-sized group.
For those who do not have tenting equipment, Oba offers isx large Tent Villages. Each Village has seven permanent canvas tents erected on raised wooden platforms, and each tent is able to accommodate five campers.
Groups that enjoy the camping experience may, nevertheless, like to spend the nights indoors. No problem! The camp's Lodges await you. Oba offers three of these very popular facilities which can sleep between twenty-four and thirty people, and eachlodge has separate Leader rooms.
And finally, for those who want to add a little flavour to their Group's camping experience, there is the "Oba Junction" theme site. Three railway cabooses have been outfitted with sleeping and cooking facilities and have proven to be of great fun to the kids who want to spend a "night on the rails".
As you can see, there is no lack of accommodation facilities at Oba, from a spot on the ground to a berth in a caboose, to help you and your group to have an excellent camping experience. If you want further information or to make a reservation, call the Camping Department at Scout House Tel. (416) 490-6364 Ext.233.
PARENT/KIDS SHOW - Oct 17,18,19
These dates conflict with Apple Day but this event is an excellent promotion for Scouting, so we hope you can find a way to meet this commitment - call Harry Bruce, 490-6364, #228
ADVENTURE IN ISRAEL II
Announcing "The Second Trip" of Scouts Canada to the Holy Land. Accommodation: Youth Hostels and Kibbutz Guest Houses. Transportation: air-conditioned bus.
Dates: MARCH 11-22, 1998 Min. age 16 years. For registration or information contact Robert Engel, 416-490-6364 #246 Fax: 416-490-6911
SCOUTER'S CONFERENCE 1998
Mark your calendar for Saturday January 24, 1998 at Monarch Park Collegiate
BADGE WORKSHOPS
A really wild way to earn your badge!
The Metro Toronto Zoo is offering badge workshops on weekends for Cubs and scouts. Each workshop features presentations, biofacts, activities and tours that meet the specific adge requirements. For more information or to book, call (416) 392-5947.
OPERATION SANTA
122 days to Santa's delivery! Attention all Scouters. Block off the dates: December 1 to 21 for Santa.
Join the most satisfying service project of our region. If you never did it before, ask others how much fun it is for youth and adults alike.
Areas start recruiting and planning now. Groups make your own plans, recruit your sleigh drivers and delivery elves now.
Last year we delivered over 18,000 parcels. This year it might be more. Don't let Metro down!
For further information call: Robert Engel ext 246 or Santa's Hot Line ext 226.
COSTUMES AVAILABLE
Our Buddy the Beaver and Mowgli the Cub costumes free of charge for special occasions for your Group or Area. first come, first served.
A deposit of $20 is required. For reservations call Robert Engel, 490-6364, #246, or Harry Bruce, #226.
HELP RESTORE THE ENVIRONMENT IN HIGH PARK
Sunday, September 28,
9:30 to 12:00.
To sign up and receive more information for your Pack or Troop, please contact Christopher Harris, co-chairman of the High Park Volunteer Stewardship Program at 416-935-6395, or Carol Guy, Superintendent of High Park at 416-392-0727 before Sept 20th.
GONE HOME
MRS D. GOUGH
It is with sorrow that we advise you of the passing away of Mrs. D. Gough, mother the Regional Commissioner Doug Gough on June 16, 1997. May the Lord rest her soul in peace.
DONATIONS IN MEMORY
OF KAY CLARK
Beverley Blake
David Overland
Robert Engel (Campership Fund)
OF MR. ROMAN BONDAR
Gloria and John Partlo
OF MR. RALPH HAINES
Mr. & Mrs. J. Lalonde
GENERAL DONATION
Jim Farrell, Air-Serve Canada Inc.
Ontario Hydro Employees Charity Trust
Jim Georgeff
Scouting News is printed 5 times a year
for all adult members of Scouts Canada
in the Breater Toronto Region, 265
Yorkland Ave, North York M2J 5C7. The
Scouting News telephone is 490-
6364, #453. Randy Brown is the editor. |
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Disclaimer: Anything posted to this Home Page
are the opinions of the individuals who posted them
and are not the views of Scouts Canada.
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