In Scouting we spend a lot of time outdoors in the natural world, however, it is important that we do more than just enjoy it. Understanding the natural environment helps young people grow a deeper respect and find their place in the world. This can be done by looking into natural processes and interactions in the environment, to then better understand human impacts and the flow on effects to management and sustainability.
As a Youth Member in Scouting, I was always the weird child, playing with a bug, or a plant or just running away and getting lost in the bush. I was fortunate that my Leaders took this and inspired a love of nature, that has lasted into my adult life. As an adult Leader, I am a strong believer that nature is the world’s biggest classroom. If we can capitalise on that, we can inspire thousands of young people to really home in on that aspect of the Scout Law ‘care for others and the Environment’.
My first focus is to make it easier for our members to access quality programs. I love the current youth program, but I know it can be hard to understand at times, particularly when asked ‘where does environment fit’. I want to make sure that all members can access programs which are clearly defined, making it easy to see where into the program they fit.
I also want to demystify and support our members in setting and completing Special Interest Area projects. We have a vast range of knowledge and resources in our Region available to our youth to complete these projects, but again, the process to access these can be difficult. Did you know for example, that Camp Ku-ring-gai has a whole heap of lantana that needs to be removed? Do you know who to contact to get involved? I want to be a contact to facilitate these connections with environmental projects for our youth members.
Upcoming Events
- Cub Scout Environment Activity Day – Saturday Sept 19
- Water Bugs Morning Activity Day – Sunday Sept 20