Newsgroups: rec.scouting
From: robin@seaway.demon.co.uk ("Robin I. Hepburn")
Subject: Scottish Scouting - Organisation & Awards
Organization: I.C.S.
Reply-To: robin@seaway.demon.co.uk

As I said previously, I am posting some information on Scottish Scouting to 
try to get the ball rolling. My intention is that others from other countries
will post similar info so that we may all get a better idea of what Scouting
round the world is like.

Organisation:

Countrywise we are split into Scouting Areas which can be subdivided into 
Districts. We have an AC (Area commisioner) with Assistants for each section.
Districts have a similar compliment of uniformed people.

Within each area are the different Scout Groups. Within each group can be any
combination of up to four section - Beaver Scout Colony (6-8yrs), Cub Scout 
Pack (8-10.5yrs), Scout Troop (10.5-15.5yrs) & Venture Scout Unit (15.5-20yrs)
For each section there is one Leader in charge (Cub Scout Leader, Scout Leader
etc). and a number of assistants (ABSL, ACSL, ASL, AVSL). We can also have
uniformed or non-uniformed instructors with specific remits. The title of
Instructor has recentry been, IMHO patronisingly, retitled *Helper* - fine if
you are a parent helping occasionally but not really on for those who wear the
uniform or who are providing professional training on a topic but, I digress.

N.B. Naming conventions:
Groups within an district are allocated a number 1..n and are known by this and
their District name e.g. 7th Inverness. In addition we have a trivial name
which can be chosen and it is by this name that most groups are talked about.
In out case we tend to name them after the area of the town or the name of the
village in which the Group is based. My Group is based in Kirkhill - a small
village around 8 miles from Inverness and are therefore the 7th Inverness
(Kirkhill) Scout Group. Other Groups e.g. Kingsmills, Crown are named after
areas of the town of Inverness. We have one sponsored Group who are known as
the 14th Inverness (St. Andrews Cathedral) Scouts.

We have, in addition, a Group Scout Leader (GSL) who is effectively a bridge
between the uniformed and non-uniformed (parents commities) sides of the 
group. The other job of the GSL is to ensure that standards are maintained 
within sections and that each section maintains good communications.

Within the Troop itself we have patrols, usually of around 6 lead by a Patrol
Leader (PL) assisted by their APL and finally, we have a senior PL (SPL) who
I tend to give a role somewhere between Scout and Leader depending on the
abilities of the Scout concerned.

AWARDS.

The Scout section has four main progressive awards:

Scout Award : 10.5-11.5yrs
Pathfinder Award : 11.5-13yrs
Explorer Award : 13-14yrs
Chief Scout Award : 14-15.5yrs

In addition we have a 
  Patrol Activity Award
  Leadership Award
  Chief Scouts Challenge

If anyone is interested, I will post requirements for these badges but the 
scheme has changed just recently and as yet I haven't rejigged my software to
cope with the changes. (As a programmer by trade, I have written my own Troop
management software which contains all of the badge requirements for quick 
referencing on-line - I'd post the resource files)

In addition to these there are around 80 different proficiency badges which 
can be gained. 

The UK Scout Assoc. Went *co_ed* around 3.5 years ago so that sections other 
than the VSU (co-ed since 1967 I think - correct me if I'm wrong) could admit
girls if they wished with the proviso that the sections above take girls. e.g
a Cub Pack could not take girls if the Troop didn't.

The *Guidelines* we have on Girls in Scouting (Dated June 1991) could win 
awards for vagueness and woolliness which causes me endless trouble (I have a 
mixed Troop) but I can truly say that in our case the transition has been 
fairly painless and very rewarding. We have had few problems with integration 
and where they have existed they are more often than not attributable to 
personality problems rather than specifically gender problems.

I would greatly appreciate comments from other leaders in a similar position
of leading a mixed Troop and to hear how you deal with situations which may
arise as a result of the mixing of the sexes (Oh, dear - perhaps not the best 
choice of words there. . .) I would love to get opinions on activities, Troop
nights, outings etc to see if we can help form some rules and regs - Well,
nobody else is . . . (Ooh, did I really say that?)

We currently have around a 60/40 split boys/girls and have 1 female PL and 3
males. The way these four individuals work together is testament to the success
of the integration idea. It is currently a toss-up as to whether my 
proficiency badge holding record will be broken by our female PL or by one
of the male PLs. It will be interesting to see how this one pans out. We all
have, from time-to-time really outstanding individuals in our Troops and,
looking back, we can pick out the best Scouts that we have had. We have had
two girls so far that have fitted that description and the Troop is the
better for having had them as members. 
For those of you who have mixed Troops, I hope that it has been as rewarding
for you. For those who don't - don't knock it and, once the rules are in place
to support it - why not consider it?

I know that the Scandinavians have been mixed for a good while now - If there
are any of you reading this, please post or E-mail your associations rules
and regulations with regards to mixed-sex issues. 

YIS
-- 
Robin I. Hepburn
Scout Leader, 7th Inverness (Kirkhill) Scout Troop