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Fun-Filled Fall!

It’s almost hard to believe that the summer is almost over, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to end.  Many groups will be meeting in-person for the first time since the pandemic started, so it’s a great time to start to rev up the fun-factor! 

In this edition of The Woggle you’ll find a lot of information on the new Fall Challenge: Around the World in 60 Days, updates about the launch of the final SDGs and a calendar full of fantastic Scouter Sessions taking place all season long.    

And as always, we’d love to hear from you and get your ideas for the next edition.  Make sure to drop us a line and complete the quick poll to let us know how we’re doing. 

Can you Travel Around the World In 60 Days?

Are you ready to rove around the world with Scouts Canada?  Even though international travel is still not open, this fall Scouts from across Canada will be exploring the world, connecting with fellow Scouts from countries like Egypt and Sri Lanka and collectively working towards global sustainable initiatives. What exactly are we talking about?  We’re talking about the new fall challenge: Around the World in 60 Days!  

 

Over the course of eight weeks starting October 4, the challenge will take youth to all corners of the world, learning about different cultures, sustainable initiatives and inspiring innovations in eight different countries.  The Around the World in 60 Days challenge will be fully integrated with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) on the Canadian Path.  Each week’s challenge will incorporate one of the 17 SDGs, such as Life Below Water, Zero Hunger and Good Health and Well Being.  This is a great opportunity for youth to see first-hand how easily activities can connect and impact various SDGs.  In addition, the weekly challenges are supported by challenge partners such as Ocean Wise, Zero Waste Canada and 4H Canada, where youth can expand their knowledge and learn more about how these organizations are supporting a healthy and sustainable future.    

As Scouting is a worldwide movement, we’ve tapped into this network of fellow Scouters from across the globe.  Each week, Scouters and youth from the eight represented countries will kick-off the weekly challenge with a video.  Youth will get to see Scouts from around the world and see the impact the Scouting movement can have across the globe. And who knows, maybe some new long-distance friendships will be made! 

We couldn’t have another challenge without prizes, right?  Like the Great 8 Challenge, there will be great weekly Scout Shop prizes that Sections can win, as well as other fun prizes throughout the challenge.  Did we mention the crests?  Yup, there’s another really cool crest that will accompany this challenge.  All youth and Groups who participate in each weekly challenge will earn a piece of the crest which when put together, will create one cool composite crest.  There may even be some glow-in-the-dark Ghost Crests up for grabs too!  And more good news: the crests will be in-stock towards the end of the challenge—no more pre-order sales.   

To make sure our Scouters are fully prepared to deliver the Around the World in 60 Days Challenge, we have put together a comprehensive Scouter’s Guide that outlines all the details for each week’s challenge.  Along with the Scouter’s Guide, the Program Support team has put together a fantastic line-up of Scouter Skills Nights and Info sessions throughout the next four months – it's a great way to build up skills and deliver an awesome program.  Need another reason to attend?  We’ll be giving away some fantastic Scout Shop camping gear to lucky attendees.  You won’t want to miss it!   

So, get your compass ready to travel and explore the world - it’s going to be another fantastic adventure! 

 

What's New

SDG's Fully Launched

Last year we launched the Scouts for Sustainability program with a plan to integrate the 17 Sustainable Development Goals into Scouts Canada’s program – The Canadian Path. We’re pleased to announce that as of September 1st, all 17 SDGs will be fully launched.  

The SDGs are a global plan for a better world and a brighter future. Created by the United Nations in 2015, the SDGs encourage positive change across the world.  The 17 Goals are a road map for 2030, a timeline for making a global difference to eliminate poverty, reduce inequalities and fight climate change. 

What does this mean for you, the Scouter? It means connecting the dots between the SDGs and the fun adventures that Scouts already do and demonstrating the links between them, such as environmental impacts,community giving and reducing inequalities.  After each fun adventure, be sure to log your activity on the “Take Action” map of the Scouts for Sustainability page – and see the number of pins grow as we collectively work towards a more sustainable future. 

Scouter Development Sessions

From Mug-Ups to Townhalls to Skills Nights, there’s something for everyone this fall.  Sessions will be on-going throughout the next four months and there will be extra incentives for Scouter’s to participate, but you’ll have to sign up to find out.  To see all the sessions, scroll down to the Mark Your Calendar section or check out the David Huestis Learning Centre to sign up.  In the meantime, here are a couple sessions you won’t want to miss: 

August 23/25 & September 13/15 — Fall Challenge Info Session 

Find out everything you need to know about the up-coming fall challenge.  

August 26th — Scouter’s Mug Up 

Reconnect and get some great ideas from other Scouters to start the fall season off right! 

September 8 — Being a Scouter — The FUNdamentals 

If you are a Scouter in your 1st to 3rd year of Scouting, this is the session for you - learn  how to put theory and concepts into practice. East and West coast sessions available. 

Mental Health Resources

Are your Sections struggling with challenging behaviours? Are you finding it hard to work with your younger Sections? These are the resources for you!  

If you missed the webinar held on June 8th, 2021 check it out here. Find out more about what may be triggers, which strategies may help and other great resources. 

We have also developed the Mental Health and Behaviour Management Support Resource, it gives you solid strategies to help when working with younger sections, youth with Autism, ADHD and anxiety. It also comes with the Child Development Map that helps you determine if the activities that you are doing with your section are age and developmentally appropriate for your youth. Check it out here. 

Additionally, we’ve collected together a number of general mental health resources specifically for our Scouters.  Many are related to loneliness, anxiety and parenting during a pandemic, along with working from home strategies, healthy relationships and other resources.  You can find them all here.  

 

Fundraising Townhalls

As we begin the new program year, it’s also time to start preparing for the fall fundraising.  Be sure to sign up to one of the two Fundraising Townhalls to hear what’s in store for Scout Popcorn, Scout Coffee and Scout Seeds and ensure you’re ready for a great fundraising season.   

September 12 & 19 – Fundraising Townhall 

Get all the details about Scout Popcorn, Scout Coffee and Scout Seeds to make your fundraising year a success! 

Scroll down to the calendar to find the dates and sign-up!

Recruitment Campaign Resources

The fall Recruitment campaign is ramping up.  To assist Scouters with their local recruitment initiatives, we’ve pulled together a number of resources to help get the word out and to assist with promoting local group growth. Resources will be added to the Scouts Canada Trello page by the end of August. You’ll find recruitment resources such as: social media content, press releases, graphics, email footers and more.    

Cyber Security

You make sure your child is safe when they’re online, using parental controls and managing access, but are you practicing good cyber security?  Cyber threats are happening more frequently than ever before with so many working remotely.

Here are some practical tips to allow you to stay cyber safe and protect Scouts Canada data and your digital identity from being stolen or compromised.

Cyber Tips.pdf

The Silver Fox Awards

 Scouts Canada is honoured to recognize this year’s recipients of the Silver Fox Award.

 The Silver Fox is awarded for service of the most exceptional character to Scouters in the international field who are NOT members of Scouts Canada but who are associated with the World Organization of the Scout Movement.  To learn about this year’s recipients click here. 

Registration Support

Scouts Canada is enhancing its customer service and moving to a national queue for all registration support and requests. Your one-stop-shop email is now:

registration@scouts.ca 

As of August 16th, a new, single email address will be in place to support members, volunteers and parents with any registration-related inquiries. This new email address will replace the three regional email addresses that are currently in use: 

Atlantic.membershipservices@scouts.ca; 

westregistration@scouts.ca; 

centralregistration@scouts.ca 

This Fall – New SC Strategic Plan

Scouts Canada’s Board of Governors has been busy developing a new Strategic Plan to set the direction of the organization over the coming years. This fall members will have an opportunity to review and provide feedback on the Board’s best ideas to lead Scouts Canada into a post-pandemic world. 

Watch for more information soon! 

 

Program: Fall

Yup, it’s that time of year: Fall planning.  To help with your fall planning and to get your group energized for in-person Scouting this year and the Around the World in 60 Days Challenge, the Program Design and Program Support teams have pulled together an awesome schedule of online sessions to make planning easier.   

  We’ve got something special planned for our Scouters, but you must sign up to a session to find out. 

Check out the brief descriptions below to get a sense of which sessions may be of interest and then scroll down to check out the full calendar of Scouter Sessions and sign up.    

Fall Challenge Support:

Fall Challenge Info Night 

  • Join us for an overview of the Around the World in 60 Days Challenge. We’ll touch on information included in the Scouter’s Guide for the Challenge and we’ll get into the details, including approaches for Scouters and Youth to successfully add the weekly challenges into your Section’s fall program as well as how to best showcase these adventures on social media!  

Check out the calendar →

 

Skills Nights 

  • Similar to the Great 8 Challenge skills nights, specific special sessions will be run prior to each week’s challenge to ensure you are prepared, as Scouters, with the skills and tools needed to support your section in deciding and planning how they will take on the weekly challenges.  Here’s a sample of what is to come: 
  • As humans, we depend on oceans, rivers, and lakes every day for transportation, food, and enjoyment and so much more. This week, we are focusing on sustainable methods of water transportation, which is a big component of the Life Below Water goal. Learn how to think outside the box to build buoyant boats, develop Outdoor Adventure Skills and to involve your youth in taking challenges beyond the basics and how they can help protect our waterways. 
  • Climate change is having both visible and invisible effects around the world. This week’s challenge is all about learning how our actions can melt ice around the world, which is crucial for controlling our global climate. Unearth ways to melt ice, make fire and have your youth connect the dots on how they can reduce their impact on the climate! 

Check out the calendar → 

 

Program Support/Scouter Development Sessions:

  • Being a Scouter – the FUNdamentals 
  • Many Scouters have joined Sections in the past few years and many more are being onboarded for this fall.  If you are a Scouter in your 1st to 3rd year of Scouting, come and participate in a session designed to help bring understanding of what it means to be a Scouter and how to put theory and concepts into practice.   
  • Scouters’ Mug-Up 
  • An hour-long opportunity in the evening to take-part in conversation, guided by a timely general theme or topic. Whether you come with questions or ready to share tips, tricks and experiences; grab your mug and join virtually along with fellow Section Scouters across the entire country! 
  • Involving Parents 
  • Parents can be a valuable asset in many ways and here we will look at some of the benefits of involving parents from both Program and Group Support perspectives.  We’ll explore tactics used by Scouters with parents to increase their understanding of their youth’s Scouting journey as well as ways to have fun with parents that could lead to new volunteers; all of which add to the fabric of your Section or Group and the overall sense of community. 

 

Group Support Sessions:

The sessions listed above are all geared toward Section Scouters. For Support Scouters and Group Commissioners another set of interactive sessions will be available as well. Here is a sneak peek of a couple of sessions coming your way Tuesday evenings this fall: 

  • Group Meetings and Group Committee 
  • Group Committee meetings are a great platform for building team work, developing new skills, understanding the needs of the group, and keeping in touch. Join us as we talk about the needs of your group, customizing your team, as well as effective and engaging meeting structures and design. 
  • Scouter Development Plans 
  • The Canadian Path Navigator is a go-to tool for consistently and confidently improving the elements of your sections, but did you also know that it's perfect for helping volunteers to plan ahead in their skills development to deliver awesome adventures? Let's chat about the awesome potential that our program planning holds when Scouters want a fulfilling, customized experience in reaching higher within themselves to deliver a diverse program every time. The CP navigator is your gateway to individual, as well as, team improvement! 
Fall Season Icon

Top 5 Tips for Integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Into Your Journey on The Canadian Path

Although the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to help serious issues that we are facing, each connected project or activity can be fun and rewarding. Youth are in the position to make Scouts for Sustainability exactly what they want, and it feels great when you make a positive difference with your fellow Scouts and Scouters. Here are 5 tips to get started on integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into your journey on The Canadian Path! 

  1. Start the conversation with some easy, fun introduction activities.  

What are these Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), anyways? Try some general introduction activities to get the conversation started, such as these activities found on the Scouts for Sustainability website. As a Section, learn a bit about why the Sustainable Development Goals were created, who made them, and why they’re so important! 

2. Next, connect the dots to what you already do! 

As a Section, take a look at all of the awesome activities you’ve done and try connecting to them to different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Does your Section do a yearly shoreline clean-up? You’re connecting to SDG #14 Life Below Water! On outdoor adventures, do you prioritize Leave No Trace and leaving places better than you found them? That is SDG #13 Climate Action! Making these connections to activities you’ve already done should help youth see how easy it is to connect to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), learn a bit more about what they’re all about, and help with ideas to strive for more. Another top tip – you just might find that many activities will connect to more than one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)! 

3. Start broad! Encourage youth to explore one of the 3 themes to start. 

17 Goals can seem like a lot to explore at once. Have youth explore the themes to start! Is there interest in Environment, Society or Innovation? From here, discuss what theme is most interesting to the Section and begin to explore the different Sustainable Development Goals within the theme. What Sustainable Development Goals (or Goals!) do youth want to explore first? Which is the easiest to connect to? 

4. Explore the Activity Finder to get the ball rolling. 

The Activity Finder makes things even simpler! There are anywhere from 10 to 15 activities connected to every single Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). After narrowing to a Goal (or more than one!), youth can explore all the connected activities and find some that seem interesting and fun. As a bonus, there’s even a “Keep It Simple” and “Take It Further” option for every activity – allowing youth to scale up or down depending on age, interest, etc. 

5. Put your actions on the map and look for other ideas!  

Put your awesome adventures with an impact on the interactive map. Be sure to take pictures and document all of the awesome activities your Section is doing. It’s a place to celebrate and see the impact Scouts are making on the Sustainable Development Goals. Even better, look through the map to find ideas from what other Sections and youth are doing across the country to keep things going!  

 

Planning for Safety

Prevention is better than cure. Ensuring the safety of every youth entrusted to our care during fun and exciting adventures is a paramount responsibility, and the Emergency Response Plan tool comes in handy to identify risks and plan to prevent injuries and unsafe situations. 243rd Tuscany has recently done some great work in identifying risks specific to the planned adventures. Scouter Will, the GC of 243rd Tuscany, has shared some tips to help other Scouters have great ERPs too. 

Safety Tip from Scouter Will

Scouter Will says, “First and foremost. Don’t look at Emergency Response Plans as forms that ‘must be done,’ rather they are a tool to be used for you and your fellow Scouters (and youth) to put your thoughts down for assessing everyone’s safety. As Scouters, we are being trusted by other parents to take their youth on safe adventures, and they believe that we have done everything to look at the risks to ensure it is safe for their child.”

At a planning meeting, Scouter Will says to:  

  1.  Brainstorm injuries and unsafe scenarios that could occur. 
  2. Discuss the chance of occurrence of those injuries/scenarios. 
  3. Use the Risk Matrix to determine the level of each risk. 
  4. Discuss with all Scouters & youth how each risk can be reduced or avoided. For example, “Ask the Group how they can prevent a youth from tripping.” The risk mitigation plan to reduce the risk of tripping could be to “wear proper footwear, point out dangers to each other, and a conversation about watching where you step.” 
  5. If you have previous risk assessments, utilize them to start and then build on them. 
  6. Review the Risk Assessment and Mitigation Plan before submitting – “Scouters should always participate in these. If an individual generates the form, they need to forward it to all Scouters or responsible persons that will be participating to review and provide feedback. If the youth are involved, discuss in their Patrols. The youth have great thoughts and ideas as well.” 

  

Around the Campfire

Leave No Trace – even with a campfire!

Many of us are familiar with how to make a fire in a fire pit – but do you know how to make a fire that leaves no trace that it was ever there? A mound fire is a simple way to build a fire that will not damage the ground around it and offers simple clean up! 

Start by collecting mineral soil, sand or gravel – it should be from a source that is already disturbed, to minimize your impact. 

Lay a ground cloth down and pile your soil into a round, flat-topped mound. This mound should be at least 3-5in (8-13cm) thick. This thickness is important as it is required to insulate the ground from the heat of the fire. The ground cloth will also be insulated from the heat – its only purpose is to make clean up easier! The circumference of your mound should be larger than your intended fire, to keep coals from falling onto the ground.  

Light your fire in the centre of the mound and enjoy your fire. After everything has burned down to coals and cooled, grind up any remaining coals into ash and mix them into your soil. Then, return your soil to where you found it.  

 

Tips for Running Your Best-Ever Campfire!
  • Keep things moving: often, campfires happen at the end of a long and exciting day at camp. Having songs that involve lots of movement or actions will help keep people moving and help them to stay awake. 
  • Know Your Audience: as much fun as it is to be in the spotlight, campfires are even more fun when everyone is in on the fun! Repeat after me songs, short skits with simple punch lines and cheers that make everyone laugh are a great way to make your whole audience feel included.
  • Don’t Sweat It: While there are many traditions associated with a Scouting campfire (like no flashlights or clapping allowed, or a certain order to your program), sometimes, it’s best to let these things fall by the wayside. 

Maybe you’ll scrap the traditional order of things in favour of some chaotic Cub skits, or maybe your Beavers love Boom Chika Boom so much you let it go on for a while. While there’s a place for traditional campfire magic, sometimes a bit of silliness has a place too.  

  • Keep it Short and Sweet: If you have younger members around your campfire, especially over a weekend camp, consider having an intermission where they can leave for bed. Camp days are long for the best of us, and you don’t want audience members falling asleep on you! 

 

Scouts Popcorn Numbers

With a new Canadian supplier on board and loads of great popcorn to choose from, the spring Scout Popcorn fundraising event was a winning combination. 

 400 groups from across Canada participated, selling over $468,630 in product.  Group profits totalled over $93,952 with the No One Left Behind program also receiving $66,535. 

Top 5 Selling Groups

Group Amount
1st Whitehorse Group $12958.70
1st Paradise Group $11856.71
59th Greenfield/Royal Gardens Group $11239.60
210th McKenzie Group $7299.64
1st United Gander Group $7003.87

Top Selling Youth

Youth, Group Amount
Ethan — 86th Regina Group $1659.49
Jason — 186th Knottwood Group $1216.25
Scott — 169th Glen Allan Group $1047.77
Ryker —77th East Glenmore Group $1044.00
Highmore, Norman, Fulton and Daeninck — 163rd Winnipeg Group $1015.46
Tweet from St Michael's Scouts

#ScoutsDoStuff

It’s that time of year when Scouts and Scouters really get to enjoy the season and get out and Scout.  It's awesome to see youth from coast to coast taking in the great Canadian summer and yes, we had to include at least one post of a campfire. 

Tag @scoutscanada in your #ScoutsDoStuff pics for your chance to be featured in our next edition of The Woggle. 

Explorers Needed Calendar

Explore all of the great Scouter Sessions planned for this fall. Links to sign-up are within the Calendar.

 

Event Calendar

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Mark your Calendars

August 26 — Women’s Equality Day  

September 1 — Early Registration for returning members starts

September 10 — World Suicide Prevention Day

September 20-26 — Science Literacy Week

September 21 —UN International Day of Peace 

September 27 -October 4 —Truth and Reconciliation Week

September 30 — National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

October 1- 31 — Cyber Security Awareness Month 

October 1 — Scout Popcorn Fall Campaign Launches

October  4 — Around the World in 60 Days Fall Challenge starts

October 4  — World Animal Day

October 11 — International Day of the Girl

October 15-17 — JOTA JOTI Jamboree

October 18-24 — Waste Reduction Week

 

BTW Scout Coffee is back as a year-round fundraiser. More details coming soon.

Coming up in the Next Edition of The Woggle

Are you having fun participating in the Around the World in 60 Days?

We’ve got another fantastic, interactive and youth-led challenge coming this winter. More details coming soon!

Ideas? Questions? Comments?

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