Scout Active Support

Scout Active Support
Owner	The Scout Association
Country	United Kingdom
Website http://www.scouts.org.uk/activesupport

Scout Active Support is a division of The Scout Association in the United Kingdom that provides support to units and activities. Formerly known as the Scout Fellowship, it was renamed in September 2009.

Scout Active Support provides a resource base from which Groups across the District or County can access skills instructors, administrative support, or training.

Typical roles for Scout Active Support members are to provide specialist skills to Scouting activities, for example, kayaking instruction or pioneering.

Scout Active Support can also provide extra hands on camps, enabling the camp leaders to run and organise activities without having to overstretch themselves with much of what could be considered a support function (for example, cooking meals).

Organisation

Scout Active Support is open to all adults over 18 years of age, including warranted leaders and members of the Scout Network, subject to satisfactory checks under the Scout Association Child Protection Policy. Active Support members must choose whether to become full or associate members of the Scout Association.

History

At the International Scout Conference in August 1947, a resolution was passed which recommended that national Scout Associations should form extended association of Old Scouts. This was to coincide with the 40th Anniversary of Scouting in 1948.

The precursor to the Scout Fellowship came into being in June 1948, and was set up to be a distinct organisation which was separated from the training sections in The Scout Association (then known as the Boy Scouts Association). This new organisation was named The B-P Guild of Old Scouts. It was a further five years before the new organisation gained its own constitution, and held its own elected council and committee.

A review was also made at this time, due to the new Guild not being as involved with The Scout Association as had been hoped, and a five point agreement was made to remedy this:

• Membership of the B-P Guild of Old Scouts should be encouraged by and from the ranks of the Scouts and Scouters themselves. Responsibility for recruitment should be a joint one shared between the Boy Scouts Association and the Guild.
• There must be direct liaison between the Boy Scouts Association and the B-P Guild of Old Scouts at all levels.
• The B-P Guild of Old Scouts and the Boy Scouts Association should share each other’s publications.
• Each branch should perform services to local Scouts with individual members of each branch doing as much or as little as they were able. There was still a real place for those who could contribute only fellowship and moral support.
• The B-P Guild of Old Scouts desired to include in its membership all associations of old Scouts whatever their titles. The Boy Scouts Association supported the Guild in this and urged all former Scouts to become members.

Shortly after this new agreement, the Guild became a founding member of the International Scout and Guide Fellowship, and subsequently adopted the official badge of the international organisation.

The Scout Fellowship was formed in 1976 as part of a plan to restructure the support given by the old members of Scouting. Each District now has its own Fellowship, which replaced The B-P Scout Guild and also merged other District level support groups into their folds. The Fellowship was made a full part of The Scout Association in 1999, and was integrated under the auspices of Adult Support. This move meant that the Fellowship, now a part of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, is no longer a member of the International Scout and Guide Fellowship.

From September 2009 the Scout Fellowship has been renamed 'Scout Active Support',^[1] following a review which saw the need to broaden and strengthen the activities of Scout Fellowships, to make them more proactive and flexible support units for Scouting.

National Scout Active Support Units

National Scout Active Support Units are groups of volunteers who have formed an Active Support Unit registered directly with the Scout Association. These include special interest, activity centre, faith-based and international organisations.

Special Interest

• Scout Internet Support— providing internet and technology services at events^[2]
• Brownsea Island Scout Fellowship- operates a trading post and museum at Brownsea Island Scout camp
• Deep Sea Scouts— aims to connect Scouting to the sea^[3]
• Epping Forest Scout Conservation Project — supports an annual conservation project for Explorer Scouts and Scout Network members^[4]
• Active Support Unit for Lesbians and Gays in Scouting (FLAGS)— provides active support to those associated with Scouting regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues^[5]
• National Scout Fellowship Security Team— provides security for Scouting and Guiding events^[6]
• Queen's Scout Working Party— assists with the running of major national Scout Association events^[7]
• Scafell— Scout Climbing Activities Active Support Unit^[8]
• ScoutMed— provides on site first aid and medical services at Scouting and Guiding events^[9]
• Southern Stars— provides support for Scouting and Guiding events
• Nationwide Scout Communications Team - providing Radio Communications and Telephones for Scout Events, Jamborees and International Camps.^[10]
• Scout Radio - The national team for all things broadcast radio within Scouting in the UK including event based radio station's, or support & guidance to those running them. ^[11]

Activity Centre

These units provide support to national activity centres

• 2nd Gilwell Park— a service team to support Gilwell Park^[12]
• Downe Scout Activity Centre Fellowship— supports the Downe Scout Activity Centre
• Hawkhirst Scout Fellowship— supports the Hawkhirst Scout Activity Centre
• Youlbury Service Team Fellowship - provides support to the Youlbury Scout Activity Centre.

Faith

These organisations promote and support Scouting and Guiding within their faith:

• Anglican Fellowship in Scouting and Guiding^[13]
• National Catholic Scout Fellowship^[14]
• Jewish Scout Fellowship
• Muslim Scout Fellowship^[15][16]
• United Reformed Church Guide and Scout Fellowship is a national fellowship in the United Kingdom that works with members of Guide and Scout groups who are affiliated with the United Reformed Church, as well as members of the United Reformed Church who have an interest in Guiding or Scouting. It hosts camps for both Guides and Scouts, and has previously organised a national Fellowship of United Reformed Youth camp. It aims to provide leaders of all Scouting/Guiding Sections with resources to engage with the Faiths And Beliefs side of the programme and produces a magazine, "Linkline".

International

These organisations support members interested in Scouting around the world:

• Africa Network Scout Fellowship
• GAPP Network
• International Scout Fellowship
• Kandersteg Scout Fellowship
• Network Russia Scout Fellowship
• Serbia and Montenegro Scout Fellowship
• UK-Arab Region Scout Fellowship ^[17]

References