Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:20 am
Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:41 am
International Development
As I expect many of you know, Tri-Shores Council is working on an international development project in Madagascar. Of course, the current political situation there has thrown a spanner in the works, but we're working on contingencies. This is the second project that we have undertaken and it's definitely ambitious. Our first project was to Belize in 2006 to build a hurricane shelter/community centre for the village of Valley of Peace. Our youth had such an incredible experience on that project that the seeds for the MAD Project were planted before we caught our flight home.
I got involved in the Belize project because I wanted my daughter, a Venturer at the time, to go. Although she's incredibly independent, she still insisted she would only go if I went as well. It wasn't a tough sell.
As a Venturer advisor, I can see the challenges of helping a group find a purpose. Without a purpose, they tend to flounder or wander and never really accomplish anything. They finish Scouts and 'what's next'?
On the Belize project, I quickly saw what the youth could accomplish with some motivation, direction and a purpose. I realized that providing these kinds of opportunities would provide the purpose, they simply have to do the work. Unfortunately, that first project was driven more like a Scout program and jobs were assigned, etc. Possibly necessary to get things started but it never became a youth-led effort.
The MAD Project was developed with a strong core of youth from the Belize Project and they have definitely made it their own. We took a few lessons from the earlier project and we've added a few requirements for this effort. For example, every member of the team (youth and adults) is expected to provide at least two presentations to other groups about our project. These have been done to Scouting groups, service clubs, churches, anyone who will listen. This puts our youth in front of these outside groups and really builds on the image and value of Scouting.
The project/program is youth led with a few key Rovers really driving things. Iain Tait, our Council Youth Commissioner, has been instrumental in driving this project forward with a good core of people to help him. (Unfortunately, one of his core members has been away with Katimavik and another just went to Kandersteg.) By establishing this project, the youth who were instrumental in the organization, have provided a theme or purpose for other senior youth to jump onto. In effect, we have established a composite Company/Crew from across the Council to work on this effort.
I can go on about what the youth are learning, their involvement in their groups, areas and council, and what they can accomplish in the future but I'm speaking to the converted. What it comes down to is, if we can give them a purpose or help them find it, they'll be thrilled to stick around and contribute for the long-term. The senior youth are the life blood of our future movement. I believe that providing them with a purpose, as 'canned' as international development can be, will keep them motivated and involved in our programs.
Although this is only our second project, I can see it becoming a recurring effort. We'll have guidelines about how many youth can return for the next project (we want to share the experience with as many as possible). For many, it will be their 'swan song' on their way out of Scouting (as a youth) but for many more it will become the hook to keep them around much longer.
In effect, this kind of effort, at a Council or national level could become the Canadian equivalent of the Peace Corps. We already have the training, people, communications and international connections available. We just need to put it together as a 'program' that the youth can latch onto. In fact, Iain (who has joined the group) is going to be tough to keep up with in this regard.
International development can become a great tool to PULL youth through our programs to the Holy Grail that is Venturing and Rovering. As we do our presentations, you'd be amazed at the number of Scout-aged youth who ask if they can join the team or get on the next project.
I got involved in the Belize project because I wanted my daughter, a Venturer at the time, to go. Although she's incredibly independent, she still insisted she would only go if I went as well. It wasn't a tough sell.
As a Venturer advisor, I can see the challenges of helping a group find a purpose. Without a purpose, they tend to flounder or wander and never really accomplish anything. They finish Scouts and 'what's next'?
On the Belize project, I quickly saw what the youth could accomplish with some motivation, direction and a purpose. I realized that providing these kinds of opportunities would provide the purpose, they simply have to do the work. Unfortunately, that first project was driven more like a Scout program and jobs were assigned, etc. Possibly necessary to get things started but it never became a youth-led effort.
The MAD Project was developed with a strong core of youth from the Belize Project and they have definitely made it their own. We took a few lessons from the earlier project and we've added a few requirements for this effort. For example, every member of the team (youth and adults) is expected to provide at least two presentations to other groups about our project. These have been done to Scouting groups, service clubs, churches, anyone who will listen. This puts our youth in front of these outside groups and really builds on the image and value of Scouting.
The project/program is youth led with a few key Rovers really driving things. Iain Tait, our Council Youth Commissioner, has been instrumental in driving this project forward with a good core of people to help him. (Unfortunately, one of his core members has been away with Katimavik and another just went to Kandersteg.) By establishing this project, the youth who were instrumental in the organization, have provided a theme or purpose for other senior youth to jump onto. In effect, we have established a composite Company/Crew from across the Council to work on this effort.
I can go on about what the youth are learning, their involvement in their groups, areas and council, and what they can accomplish in the future but I'm speaking to the converted. What it comes down to is, if we can give them a purpose or help them find it, they'll be thrilled to stick around and contribute for the long-term. The senior youth are the life blood of our future movement. I believe that providing them with a purpose, as 'canned' as international development can be, will keep them motivated and involved in our programs.
Although this is only our second project, I can see it becoming a recurring effort. We'll have guidelines about how many youth can return for the next project (we want to share the experience with as many as possible). For many, it will be their 'swan song' on their way out of Scouting (as a youth) but for many more it will become the hook to keep them around much longer.
In effect, this kind of effort, at a Council or national level could become the Canadian equivalent of the Peace Corps. We already have the training, people, communications and international connections available. We just need to put it together as a 'program' that the youth can latch onto. In fact, Iain (who has joined the group) is going to be tough to keep up with in this regard.
International development can become a great tool to PULL youth through our programs to the Holy Grail that is Venturing and Rovering. As we do our presentations, you'd be amazed at the number of Scout-aged youth who ask if they can join the team or get on the next project.
