Month: January 2023

Dear Leaders,

This is to welcome and onboard our new leaders in South Area, and to facilitate their questions in running units, program planning and goal setting. We would like to take this opportunity to meet them, and exchange pointers on how we improve our Youth Programme Support for the South Area.

 

As the training involves a lot of hands-on activities and for the ease of trainers providing immediate assistance, the session will be conducted face-to-face at the Singapore Scout Association.

 

Details are as follows:

Eligibility	: All newly joined Adult Leaders or Leaders who need administration clarifications
Date and Time	: 11 February 2022, Saturday, 9:15 am to 11:45 am. Reporting at 9 am
Attire	: Smart Casual with Scout scarf
Equipment	: Computer with Desktop OS (avoid mobile OS)
Venue	: The Singapore Scout Association, Training Room, Level 2
Course Fee	: NIL

 

 

Topics covered:

• Brief Scouting introduction
• HQ & Area Structures
• Brief intro to the Scout Method
• Unit Admin (Creating MSDS account, Frank Coopers Sands Award)
• National & Area Programme for the year
• Checking Youth Progress Scheme criteria via scout-sg web app
• Fund Raising
• National Training Calendar 2023
• Breakout room by sections

 

Registration for the course will be available at: bit.ly/south-2023-onboarding

 

For any queries, please feel free to contact Fong Kah Chun at kahchun.fong@scout.sg or HQ at 62592858.

Singapore will be celebrating 60 years of nationhood in 2025. To strengthen the importance of a non-formal, value-based educational youth programme, the Singapore Scout Association (SSA) embarked on a four-year project called Diamond Jubilee Challenge (DJC), launched in 2022 by Chief Scout, President Halimah Yacob.

 

This year’s theme, ‘Environment’, aims to raise awareness on climate change among Scouts and encourage them to take climate action through ground-up initiatives. The DJC theme was launched by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, on Saturday, 14 January 2022. Following which, our Scouts will continue their learning journey to be environmental advocates through the learning process of Be Aware, Cooperate and Act to Engage.

 

The annual challenge is split into 4 quarters. In every quarter, Scouts will carry out activities to complete the quarterly challenge and upon completion, they will be awarded a challenge badge. Submission must be made on the prescribed form (Annex C) and to be submitted at this link: https://forms.gle/kpFAp7qjZeVztZHb6

 

Kindly refer to Annex A, an infopack enclosed in the circular sent via email for information on Diamond Jubilee Challenge and the quarterly challenges in 2023.  Annex B includes the Climate Action Ambassador Badge that Scouts can pursue. For more information on the Better World Flagship Initiatives, please visit here: https://scout.betterworld.sg/repository/

 

In support of the Steward Pillar of the Forward Singapore exercise, our Scouts are encouraged to make their Green Nation Pledge to commit to making Singapore a green, liveable and climate-resilient nation. Pledge can be made here: https://www.mse.gov.sg/greennationpledge

 

We hope you will support our Scouts in their DJC learning journey. Your support for the challenge would be greatly appreciated as we prepare our Scouts in “Creating A Better World”.

 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to your Area Commissioners or Area Better World Coordinator if you require more information. Thank you.

In line with the resumption of height-based activities as outlined in MOE’s Press Release on 28 November 2022, this circular serves to update Leaders of the following:

Leaders are advised to ensure that they engage accredited operators and qualified instructors to conduct height-based activities for their Scouts.

Operators running challenge course activities – which include zipline, high rope and obstacle courses that require belaying – will resume at a reduced tempo of 50% or less of their normal operational capacity from 1 February to 31 March 2023. Leaders should consider allowing time for operators to progressively scale-up and run-in their operations after the two-year hiatus.

Abseiling and climbing activities can resume in full from 1 February 2023, given that commercial operators and instructors for these activities have remained operational at commercial sites for the public.

Leaders are to carry out Risk Assessment as per Unit’s safety committee requirements (to seek advice from the Safety ICs of the schools or organisations) before conducting pioneering projects, as these projects may require Scouts to climb to heights which may pose as a safety issue.

 

For Scouting activities at both unit and Area level, Scouts are advised to continue to exercise good personal hygiene and social responsibility. Additionally, Scouts who have just completed their vaccination or booster shot must be excused for two weeks from strenuous physical activities. Scouts with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 infection should also avoid strenuous physical activity for 2 weeks after their first positive COVID-19 test (PCR or ART). Thereafter, they may gradually resume physical activity as tolerated. Leaders are also reminded to monitor and be vigilant to their Scouts’ health conditions to ensure the safety of all members.

For further clarifications, do speak to your Area Commissioner, or call Headquarters at 62592858.

Greetings from The Singapore Scout Association and a Happy 2023!

2022 started-off as a challenging year for Scouting with COVID-19 restrictions and the differentiated safe management measures for the various Scout sections. However, we were glad that the year ended with the resumption of many Scout camps and activities.

As an annual exercise, Scout HQ would be having the Annual Leadership Kick-Off on 4^th February 2023 to update leaders on the latest developments in Scouting and administrative procedures. Details of the Leadership Kick-Off 2023 will be held as follows:

 

Date	:	Saturday, 4 February 2023
Time	:	9:30am (Registration starts at 9:00am; event is expected to end by 12:00pm)
Venue	:	Zoom Meeting
Dress  code	:	Scout Uniform or smart casual for new Unit Leaders.

 

Meeting agenda and login details will be provided via email closer to the meeting date.

 

It is essential that at least one leader-in-charge of the Scout group attends the session.

 

Kindly register for the meeting using the following link by 5pm, Friday 20 January 2023 : https://forms.gle/4HfJH2fC77329Rsq8

 

Should leaders have any questions or concerns, please direct them to our Leadership Kickoff Q&A form: https://forms.gle/tdy8zpJYuk9gv3tz8

We will answer your questions during the meeting to the best of our abilities.

 

Feel free to contact us at 6259 2858 or email us at hq@scout.org.sg for any further clarifications.