Re: Service
dfair@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
Thu, 16 Jan 1997 23:04:11 -0700 (MST)
Susan,
I've been involved in Venturers -- our equivalent of Explorers -- for a
number of years, first as an advisor, Jamboree program coordinator, a few
other things, and now Assistant Provincial Commissioner. Our regional
camp uses Venturers as staff (as do Canadian Jamborees) and many of our
local events. Your problem, getting Explorers to do service projects, is
a common one but I think can be dealt with if the jobs they do are
meaningful and "fun."
Our camp counsellors have quite a bit of control over the program, and my
Jamboree staff kids lead groups of Scouts on a long mountain bike trip
with only occasional adult supervision. As soon as we make them into
"grunts" doing menial tasks, we seem to lose them. Our summer high
adventure camp "The Ultimate Challenge" will use older Venturers as
leadership assistants, and they are quite looking forward to guiding other
youth up mountains, through caves, and on mountain bike trails.
We also find that they (service Venturers) need some time to be kids too,
to play and blow off steam. When the camp counsellors reminisce, they
talk about the stunts they pulled off, the late night pizzas, the toilet
paper around the leaders' cabin.
Please don't think we have all the answers -- nobody has them. We are
including youth in more and more of our adult committees, and find that
their input at the planning stage really helps.
Good luck,
Dave
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* David Fairfield email: dfair@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
* Edmonton, AB, Canada T6L 3B2 phone (403) 463 8765
*
* "Due to the current workload, the light at the end of the tunnel has been
* turned off"
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