The mission of Scouting is to contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society.
Vision
Bhutan Scouts Association, by 2030, will be a premier and inclusive youth organization, providing quality program through competent leaders, producing responsible citizens, contributing towards Gross National Happiness.
Background
Scouting is the world’s largest educational youth movement providing value based programs. Currently, it has more than 54 Million members and is established in about 216 countries and territories.
Concept of Scouting in Bhutan started as early as 1960’s but it was only in 1996, when His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo while expressing concern on a number of issues on education, emphasized the need to adopt a systematic and comprehensive program to address youth related issues. Emanating from this wisdom, and realizing the usefulness and potential of the Scout program for the all-round development of youth, the then Youth Guidance and Counselling Division under the Department of Education, Ministry of Health and Education formally launched the School Based Scout Program as one of the channels to promote value education among the students. The Bhutan Scouts Association (BSA), then Druk Scout Tshogpa, became a full-fledged member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) on 26th July, 1999 during the 35th World Scout Conference in Durban, South Africa.
Scouting program supports wholesome development of youth through activities that focus on helping them to develop personal values to pursue excellence and positive attitude towards life as enshrined in the scout promise and law. Scouting therefore supports wholesome development of Bhutanese youths by:
Involving them throughout their formative years in non-formal, outdoor, experiential learning and educational activities to help achieve their full potential as responsible citizens.
Assisting them to acquire leadership qualities and build strong values of tha dam-tsig ley gju-drey.
At present, Bhutan Scouts Association functions under the Scouts and Culture Education Division, Department of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education. The Scouting program in Bhutan is operational in schools and communities covering all the 20 Dzongkhags and 4 Thromdes. In April 2013, under the Royal Command, the Scouting Program got revitalized to inject with the right DNA of tha- dam-tsig ley gju-drey to create a unique identity, which can unite and bond the younger generation. Such a revitalized scout program should not only be able to attract youth and channel their energy for positive development but also keep them away from unhealthy activities.
Sections of Scouting in Bhutan
Chey Chey Scout (Pre-Cub)
Chey Chey Scout is the first section in Scouting. The program is for children aged between five to seven years (class PP – lll)
Motto: “SHARING”
Nachung Scout (Cub)
Nachung Scout is the second section. The program is geared towards educating children on knowing themselves and their environment. It is designed for Primary School children aged between eight to eleven (class lV-Vl).
Motto: “DO YOUR BEST”
Nazhoen Scout
Nazhoen Scout is the third section. The program aims to promote character building, citizenship education and personal development. Children in Secondary Schools, aged between twelve to seventeen can take part in the program (class Vll – Xll)
Motto: “BE PREPARED”
Rover
Rover is the fourth section. It is initiated in the Colleges and Institutions for children aged between eighteen and twenty four. The program is designed to offer greater opportunities in decision making, skill development, leadership and management gearing towards preparing for the world of work and service.
Motto: “SERVICE TO OTHERS”
Community Based Scout
Community Based Scouting is the fifth section. It is put in place to provide opportunities to interested individuals including out of school youth and Scouts who wish to take up Scouting as a lifelong education.
Motto: “CREATING BETTER COMMUNITIES”
The Objectives are:
To provide opportunity to pursue scouting as a lifelong education
To engage youth and
To provide leadership skills to be responsible and productive citizens
To equip them with necessary life skills to tackle every day challenges
To inculcate a strong sense of social responsibility and volunteerism
Youth empowerment, leadership, active local and global citizen, lifelong values and skills, peace education are some of the major activities Community Scouts carry out on annual basis.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY AREAS
Youth Program
BSA offers an attractive, challenging, and value-based youth program geared towards the holistic development of young people to become responsible citizens. Young people are involved in decision making process at all levels.
Adults in Scouting
Bhutan Scouts Association will strive to improve the quality, competency and commitment of all Scout leaders by effectively implementing National Adults in Scouting Policy.
Resource Management
BSA shall endeavor to adopt a comprehensive Resource Management Policy that will enable the organization to judiciously utilize and manage its resources to ensure sustainability.
Good Governance
BSA shall move towards a participatory, consensus oriented, accountable,transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive, and an organization that enables Bhutanese youth to aspire and become responsible citizens. It focuses on efficient management of financial and human resources and development.
Communication and Partnerships
Bhutan Scouts Association ensures to establish an effective and efficient communication system among and within local and global partners through the application of ICT enhancing image and visibility of Bhutan Scouts.
Adults in Scouting
Bhutan Scouts Association will strive to improve the quality, competency and commitment of all Scout leaders by effectively implementing National Adults in Scouting Policy aligned with the WOSM.
Basic Unit Leaders Training
The Basic Unit Leaders training is given to volunteer adult leaders. A week long basic training provides them insight into the value of Scouting, an in-depth knowledge and skills, principles and method of Scouting. After the training, the new leader assumes leadership role as Nachung/Nazhoen/Rover/CBS Leader.
Wood Badge Training
The Wood Badge Training is another name for an Advanced Level course for Unit Leaders . It is conducted by the Bhutan Scouts Association for those who have undergone Basic Unit Leaders Training, also, specifically for leaders running Scout units. This is the first stage leading to the award of the Wood Badge scarf. Leaders are given a maximum of three years to complete the scheme.
Assistant Leader Trainers (ALT)Training
The Assistant Training of Trainer is designed to help unit leaders bring better Scouting to the Section they lead. The acquisition and development of knowledge and skills are necessary for accomplishing each function. Alongside, personal development of the leaders are equally important, therefore, it is an integral part of every leader’s activity to progress oneself.
Leader Trainers Training
The Training of Trainer is designed to help unit leaders bring better Scouting to the Section they lead. The acquisition and development of knowledge and skills are necessary for accomplishing each function. Alongside, personal development of the leaders are equally important, therefore, it is an integral part of every leader’s activity to progress oneself.
Sl.No
Leaders / Commissioners
Male
Female
Total
12
Leaders
1022
787
1809
3
DSA Commissioners
24
3
27
4
SSA Commissioners
510
14
524
5
GSA Commissioner
2
0
2
6
President
2
0
2
7
BSA
6
0
6
Total
1566
804
2370
2.RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
BSA shall endeavor to adopt a comprehensive Resource Management Policy that will enable the organization to judiciously utilize and manage its resources to ensure sustainability.
Manuals & Publications
To standardize the scouting program, manuals on all the sections of scouting has been developed. Systematic advancement schemes have also been developed to be implemented in schools. Following is a list of resource materials that have been developed:
Handbook for Nachung Scout Leaders
Handbook for Nazhoen Scout Leaders
A Guide to Rovering
Institutional Identity
Constitution and By- laws of the Bhutan Scouts Association
Guideline for Scouts Program Administrators
Advancement schemes for Nazhoen scouts and Nachung scouts in schools
Infrastructure Development
National Scout Center at Paro
The construction of the National Scout Center in Paro was initiated with funding support from the Boy Scouts of America in 2010. The National Scout Center covering around 27 acres can host both national and international events.
Regional Scout Center at Trashigang
With the growing popularity of scouting programmes and increase in the number of scouts, it was decided to have a Regional Scout Center in the East. Having such a center immensely helps organize camps and host regional and Dzongkhag/Thromde level programs and activities, thus leading to strengthening of scouting programmes in the country.
d.Good Governance
BSA shall move towards a participatory, consensus oriented, accountable,transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive, and an organization that enables Bhutanese youth to aspire and become responsible citizens. It focuses on efficient management of financial and human resources and development.