Singapore Scout Association

Singapore Scout Association
Country Singapore
Founded 1910
Membership 10,292
Chief Scout Tony Tan Keng Yam
President Tan Tee How
Chief Commissioner Tan Cheng Kiong
Affiliation World Organization of the Scout Movement
Website
http://www.scout.sg

The Singapore Scout Association (simplified Chinese: 新加坡童军总会; traditional Chinese: 新加坡童軍總會; pinyin: Xīnjiāpō Tóngjūn Zǒnghuì; "SSA") is one of the oldest youth movements in Singapore. Scouting encourages the holistic physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and social development of youth with a strong emphasis on duty to God, duty to country, help other people as stated in the Scout Promise and Scout Law.

History

Troop photo, circa 1937

Scouting was first introduced in Singapore in 1908 but was officially founded on 2 July 1910. A young Scoutmaster named Frank Cooper Sands arrived from Nottingham in September 1910 and spent the next 40 years helping to create the Singapore Scout Association. He is often called the "Father of Malayan Scouting". Starting with a small troop of 30 boys, the movement has grown immensely over the last 90 years, surviving two world wars and producing countless leaders in every sphere of human endeavour. Scouting for local boys only started in 1919 by Captain N.M. Hashim and A.Z. Alsagoff. From 1922 schools in Singapore adopted the Scout Programme as an extra-curricular activity resulting in the formation of school-sponsored troops registered as 2nd Raffles Institution, 3rd Anglo-Chinese School and 4th St Joseph Institution. The 04 St Joseph's Pelandok Scout Group, formed in the 1911, became the oldest surviving Scout troop after the First Singapore Scout Troop disbanded.

Present

Arrow Scout Group at Youth Rally, circa 1949

Today, there are 10,292 Scouts[1] in Singapore serving in four mainstream Scout sections. Each section caters to the needs of Scouts in a specific age range through its different program focus. The Cub Scout section comprises youths between ages 7 and 12 (primary school) while the Scout section is made up of youths from 12 to 16 (secondary school). In addition, there are the Venture Scout and Rover Scout sections which accept youths between the ages of 15 and 18 and young adults from 17 to 25 respectively. Besides the mainstream Scout sections, there is also the Sea Scout section, which comprises Sea Scouts, Sea Venture Scouts and Sea Rover Scouts, and the Extension Scouts which is open to all physically or mentally disadvantaged youths who enjoy Scouting.

Previously, there was also the Air Scout section which was abolished. However, in 2011, the Air Scout programme has been restarted and the section has been renamed as Black Knights Air Scouts. On 24 March 2012, an investiture ceremony was held to officially welcome the latest batch of Air Scout Rovers.[2] Some 20 students and two lecturers from ITE College Central’s Black Knights Air Scouts, completed the airborne training conducted by the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) from 5 to 8 July 2012, during their Overseas Training Program 2012, in Bangkok, Thailand.[3]

Scouting in Singapore is not only available to schools but also to the general community. The Scout units based in community are usually open units. They often work hand in hand with their respective RCs with community projects while using these RCs as their Scout's "base". There are also several foreign Scout groups, mainly the international schools, in Singapore that actively participate in the Singapore National & Area Scouting events.

The emblem uses the red and white from the Flag of Singapore, plus the 5 stars and crescent symbolizing unity of Scouts regardless of ethnic origin, religion or mother language.

Singapore Scout Association

The Scout Association has developed and has kept pace with Scouting program to meet the needs and aspirations of the people. The association continues to identify itself actively with the process of nation building by organising relevant activities and is not connected with any political party.

The President of the Republic of Singapore is the Chief Scout. The Chief Scout holds the highest authority in the SSA and grants warrants and awards to uniformed adult leaders and commissioners who are recommended by the Association Headquarters. The Chief Scout also awards deserving and outstanding youth members who have attained the Standards of the Highest Award — the President's Scout Award.

The Association Headquarters is led by the Scout Council, which comprises both the uniformed and lay officials who assist the Chief Scout in his functions. The Scout Council is responsible for finding funds to support the Association's activities and provides strategic direction and financial oversight on the Association while the Commissioners' Council formulates operational policies and directives in the respective fields and departments. The Area Council and the Districts implement the various National policies and directives to the grassroot units. Full-time professional staff provide day-to-day management of the Association Headquarters and provide support services to Commissioners' Council and Scout Council.

The Scout Council is headed by an elected President of the Association, together with his Vice Presidents and Council members. There are several committees formed up to look into the various aspects of the Association including the Finance Committee, Uniform Committee, and Scout Shop Committee.

The Commissioner's Council is the highest operational policy and directive body headed by Chief Commissioner. The Commissioner's Council structure as follows:

The National Training Commissioner is the head of National Training Team whose role is to provide adult leader training towards Woodbadge.

The National Program Commissioner is the head of National Program Council whose role is to provide Scouting Programs and updates for all youth members.

The International/Relations Commissioner is the head of International/Relations Department that handles both relations within Singapore and internationally.

Mission

The mission of Scouting[4] 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. This is achieved by:

Vision

Better Scouting for more young People

Motto

Be Prepared

Slogan

Do A Good Turn Daily

The Scout Promise

[5] On my honour,

I promise that I will do my best
to do my duty to God and
to the Republic of Singapore,
to help other people and
to keep the Scout Law.

The Scout Law

A Scout is to be trusted.

Trusted here means that a Scout can be relied upon to carry out his duties faithfully. In his personal bearing and conduct, he is able to win the trust and confidence of other people. There is no need to check to see if such a boy has done the job he said he would do, or telling the truth. People can rely on him not to let them down.

A Scout is loyal.

Being loyal to people means being on their side and showing that you are when the chance offers. It is easy to be loyal when things are going well, but the real test of one's loyalty comes when trouble comes or hard work is involved.

A Scout shows loyalty to his home, to his friends, to his Scout Unit, to the Singapore Scout Association and to his own Nation. He will do anything to uphold the good name of Scouting. He will show respect to the Nation Flag and the National Anthem (viz. Majulah Singapura in Singapore) because he is loyal to his Nation.

A Scout makes friends, establishes and maintains harmonious relations.

Making friends is very much a part of Scout training. Enlarge your circle of friends; this includes making friends with local Scouts as well as Scouts from other countries. You want your friendship to last; having made friends, you are to do your best to be friendly, to share what you have with them. In this way, they learn to like you, to help you no matter what race they belong to. Learn to live with them and live happily together.

A Scout is disciplined and considerate.

A disciplined Scout is a boy who understands what is orderliness and what is unruliness. He likes discipline because things can be done quickly where there is order. He learns to accept praise without getting swollen-headed and is ready to be corrected if he has done wrong. In the same way, he acknowledges success with humility and accepts defeat with equal grace. To be considerate is to be thoughtful of others. You are not going to do anything that will hurt others whether in thought, deeds or words. Also, understand that consideration for others paves the way for happy and harmonious living.

A Scout has courage in all difficulties.

A Scout who has courage is ready to face any difficulty what comes along. He is not going to give up easily but tries very hard to overcome his difficulties. The reason is that without courage, without being strong in spirit, a person has less chance of survival or success than one who is brave and refuses to give up until he succeeds. Difficulties can be solved if you have courage.

Every Scout should learn to strive and to achieve and this is only possible if he has the courage to do the right thing at the right time.

You need to have courage because through your training, you know what to do in an emergency. Courageous deeds come about because you know what to do, how to do it, and most important of all, do it.

Bid for 23rd World Scout Jamboree

The SSA made a bid to host the 23rd World Scout Jamboree, to be sited at its campsite on Coney Island in 2015.[6] In a decision made at the World Scout Conference in 2008, the Jamboree was awarded to the Scout Association of Japan .[6][7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Triennal review: Census as at 1 December 2010" (PDF). World Organization of the Scout Movement. Retrieved 2011-01-13.
  2. ↑ Picture taken to commemorate Black Knights Air Scouts Investiture Ceremony
  3. ↑ Black Knights Air Scouts Awarded the Prestigious RTAF Honorary Paratrooper Wing
  4. ↑ http://www.scout.sg/about/what-is-scouting/mission/
  5. ↑ http://www.scout.sg/about/what-is-scouting/promise-law/
  6. 1 2 Singapore bids for World Scout Jamboree 2015. Coney Island, Singapore: The Singapore Scout Association. 11 July 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2015 – via YouTube.
  7. ↑ The Conference Report - 38th World Scout Conference (PDF) (Report). World Organization of the Scout Movement. 2008. p. 4. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
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