Re: Co-ed Scouting
Gino Lucrezi (lucrezi@DSIAQ1.ING.UNIVAQ.IT)
Fri, 26 Nov 1993 18:55:40 +0000
> Something that I have been interested in for a while, and want to get
> started in discussion here is the topic of co-ed Scouting. Most members
> of the World Scout Organization have some form of co-ed scouting. In
Definitely. Most associations in WOSM (World Association of the Scout Movement)
have at least a co-ed section - even BSA!
Also, I don't know of any excluding women from leader roles. This
dates to the earliest days of scouting (in _The Wolf Cub's Handbook_
BP remarks that often the best Pack Leaders were women!!!).
The situation is different with WAGGGS (World Association of Girl
Guides and Girl Scouts). Most associations there are female-only, and
have restrictions on men as leaders, though some associations, such as
AGESCI and CNGEI (the two italian associations) belong to both.
> on this matter? How can other contries do it and we can't? What are the
> pro's and co9n's of the matter? Have the other nations experienced these
> cons?
I don't think that someone shoudl do something just because "other
countries can do it". As an example, in Burkina Faso the Scout
movement was helped in its development by AGESCI. Local leaders
decided that *in their environment* it would be much better to have
separate organizations for Scouts and Guides; this because in their
culture women are always expecte to be subservient to men, and it
would be difficult to break this prejudice soon; so, a spearate
association for girls allow them to develop among peers.
In different situations it is often more useful to have co-ed
associations. I think the only significant non-co-ed association in
Europe is FSE (Federation Scouts d'Europe), but it doesn't even belong
to WOSM.
Usually a co-ed environment allows boys and girls to learn to live
together, and learn that the relationship between man and woman can be
based on friendship instead of physical attraction. This is easy to
accomplish if children of differnt sexes are used to playing together
and sharing experiences before hormones push them...
Ciao!
Gino
--
Gino Lucrezi @ Universita` "V. Rivera" - L'Aquila - Italy
INTERNET: lucrezi@dsiaq1.ing.univaq.it
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