Rover Scouts
Encyclopedia
Rover Scouting is a service division of Scouting
for young men, and in most countries, women. A group of Rovers, analogous to a Scout troop, is called a 'Crew.'
The section was started in 1918, following the successful growth of the Scout Movement, and was intended to provide a Scouting programme for young men who had grown up beyond the age range of the core Scout section. It was quickly adopted by the national Scouting organisations around the world.
Since Rover Scouting began, it has undergone many changes. Some national Scouting organisations no longer include a Rovering programme, but have replaced it with other programmes. In many of these countries, there are alternative Scouting organisations who maintain the original programme. Despite the differences in programmes, all organisations continue to provide a programme for young men, and sometimes women, into their early 20s.
, called it a “brotherhood of open air and service.”
Rovering is the jolly journey of young people from adolescence to successful and responsible adulthood in the principles of service to God, country and his fellowmen.
The objectives of Rovering are to:
Rovering provides an experience that leads to a life enriched in the following ways:
Each of these elements, from character through service, finds expression in the crew's activities.
From the organisation's inception in 1918, Baden-Powell intended Rovering to have no upper age limit; however, after his death in 1941, the typical age shifted to 18 - 25. Traditional Scouting
Organisations such as World Federation of Independent Scouts
(WFIS), Confédération Européenne de Scoutisme
(CES), Baden-Powell Scouts
(BPSA), Pathfinder Scouts Association
(PSA), and the Rover Scouts Association (RSA) continue to honour the founder's intent by having no upper age limit.
includes young men and women between 17 years to 25 years of age. Though it may be a small section of Scouts Australia
it provides a great source of leader support and other service for the association. The section resisted attempts to abolish it, or even reduce the age range (Rovers famously threatened to pull out of Scouting entirely, surrendering the Rover Chalet on Victoria's High Plains and resigning as leaders and assessors for younger sections) as advocated in the "Design for Tomorrow" Committee's report in 1970 (unlike its British counterpart which disbanded Rover Scouts after the Advance Party Report
in the mid sixties), but did modernise during the subsequent decade. It admitted women in 1974.
The next great step, self-government, came about in the late 1970s with the Georges River Experiment (named after a Scouting district in New South Wales
). Rovers proved that they could govern themselves, as their leaders stepped back to become Rover Advisers. Rovers took up the challenge and the section has grown for the better. It is also around this time that the section came to be known as 'Rovers' (dropping the word 'Scouts').
Australian Rovers provide active service to the all sections. Service in the community is also valued, with many Branch Rover Councils (the governing bodies for Rovers in each State and Territory) making annual awards to Crews who provide exemplary service to the community and/or Scouting.
Another notable feature of the Australian Rover section is the existence of "Lone" Rover Crews in several states, drawing their membership from across the rural parts of the country, or from Rovers who (because of shiftwork or other reasons) cannot be members of regular Rover Crews. Meetings are held by correspondence, with opportunities to get together at an annual Crew camp and major state or national Rover activities.
National Rover Moots
are held every 3 years in Australia.
In 2008, the Rover section marks its 90th birthday, along with the 100th anniversary of Scouting in Australia.
program. The Rover program is the final stage in Canadian Scouting after the Venturer
(ages 14–17) program. Rovers, like all of Scouts Canada programs, are open to both males and females. This wasn't always so; possibly the first co-ed Rover crew was the 111th in Edmonton Alberta, which went co-ed in 1970. While female Rovers were eventually pretty much universally accepted, the 111th, as trailblazers, had a bit of a rough ride from some of the more traditional crews in the first few years.
Rover Knights are the Baden-Powell Scouts equivalent and is open to all adults (18+). It is the final stage after Senior Explorers (ages 14–17), and is open to both males and females as well. Informally, the term Knights is usually dropped and the section is referred to simply as Rovers.
The outdoors is an essential part of both Rover programs. Rovers often participate in adventurous activities like mountain climbing, white water rafting, or para-sailing. Rovers also help their local communities by running service activities such as food drives, park clean-ups, and tree plantings. Rovers meet in a group called a crew. Rovers develop and manage their own program under the mentorship of a respected advisor. Rovers adhere to the promise that is used in the Scout section onwards, and the motto "Service".
(BSP) separated from the Boy Scouts of America on October 31, 1936. However, following The Chief Scouts' Advance Party Report
in 1966, the section was discontinued in the Philippines, and was replaced by a different programme.
The Advance Party Report caused some disquiet amongst some leaders who believed that Scouting was progressing away from its traditional roots, and the Philippines was no different from other organizations affected by the programme changes in the late 1960s. As with countries like the United Kingdom, this led to the creation of independent Scouting organizations which continues the traditional Rover Scout programme.
In 1990, the BSP resumed a Rovering programme for men and women of 16 to 24 years in age, although there are considerable differences to the original programme. There is also a Rover Peers section for those over the age of 25.
On December 12, 2004, a number of Rover Scouts and Leaders grouped together and formed the Philippine Liahona Rover Crew as an affiliate of the Rover Scout Association. The crew became affiliated with the Baden-Powell Movement of Australia (BPSA-Australia) on August 14, 2005 and started to promote traditional Scouting programme to the younger sections.
In 2006, another independent group of Rover Scouts became part of the Rover Explorer Scouts Association, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom (The International HQ). This group was started as a single Rover crew on April 21, 2006 when their Rovermate and founder of the group was invested as a Rover Scouts, On the same year, the group gained a recognition as a Recognised COUNCIL or BRANCH Office of the Association in the Philippines. The Rover Explorer Scouts Association-Philippine Council was formed and recognised on August 2006. The Region has also adopted a local group from the United Kingdom, the Pathfinder Scouts Association(PSA). The Methodology, Practices, Programmes and beliefs of the Associations are based on the 1907 Original Scouting Programme and the Pre-Advance Party Report 1966.
Both Associations were founded by the Filipinos who are living in the Philippines through the help and assistance of Americans, Australians and British Scouts and Scouters who believe in Traditional Scouting and the Pre-1967 scouting programme as laid down by B-P on his Rovering to Success and Scouting for Boys.
Rover Scouts is no longer an active part of The Scout Association
, having been replaced in the late 1960s by the Venture Scout
programme, which in turn has been replaced by Explorer Scouts
and Scout Network
. There are other Scouting organizations (mainly the Baden-Powell Scouts Association
, European Scout Federation (British Association)
and Pathfinder Scouts Association
) which are not affiliated to the World Organization of the Scout Movement
.
Rovering began in 1918 in the UK, ten years after the start of the Scouting program. After an initially rough start, due in large part to the effects of the First World War, the Rover Scout program began to grow.
By 1931, Rovering had established itself internationally to the extent that it saw the organization of the first World Rover Moot in 1931 at Kandersteg
, Switzerland
.
Initially, the age range for Rover Scout membership was not precisely specified. In 1921 the Conference of Rover Scouts stated that 'A Rover Scout is usually a Senior Scout aged aged 17 years and over'. In 1956 the upper age range was fixed at 24.
badge that had red trim, together with their proficiency badges. In addition, they were qualified to achieve and wear the Rambler Badge
(metal version) on the left epaluette and the Rover Instructor badge.
In the 1930s, the number of badges were greatly reduced- no more First Class badge, King's Scout badge or proficiency badges. A Rover was only entitled to wear only two badges- the Rambler and the Rover Instructor. After World War II, even the Rover Instructor was not issued for a brief period. The situation improved after 1948 when the "Plan for Rover Scouts" introduced the "Progress Badge", initially a lanyard worn on the right shirt pocket, but later changed to a cloth emblem to be worn on the right epaluette.
In a bid to rescue the flagging Rovering section, the Scout Association introduced a new organisation and training scheme in 1956, where new badges were launched to attract new members. Queen's Scouts were entitled to wear a miniature replica on their left sleeves (or the Airman's badge/Seaman's badge or Bushman's Thong under the right epaulette, but not together with the Queen's Scout badge replica) before they qualified for the highest award in the Rover section- the Baden-Powell Award (a special epaulette worn on the left shoulder).
The Baden-Powell Award
still forms the award scheme for several of the traditional scouting associations that retained Rover Scouting, such as the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association. To qualify for the Baden-Powell Award, a Rover must gain the Rambler (cloth version), Project (renamed from Progress badge), Scoutcraft Star and Service Training Star. Rovers are also entitled to wear Interpreter emblems of the specialised language.
In 2003 The Scout Association introduced the Scout Network
, aimed at a similar age range (18 to 25) to the former Rover Scouts.
, glimmerings of Rovering emerged as local councils, Scout leaders, and Scouts worked together to deal with the "older boy" problem— that is, to find some way for Scouting to continue into young adulthood. As early as 1928 there were known to be Crews in Seattle, Detroit, Toledo
and elsewhere. The program particularly flourished in New England
around 1929, through the efforts of Robert Hale
, who produced an early Rover Scout booklet. By 1932, there were 36 official experimental Crews, with 27 of them in 15 New England councils. Finally, in May 1933 the National Executive Board approved the program, and starting plans for development of literature and helps to leaders (Brown, 2002). A bimonthly newsletter, the Rover Record, was inaugurated in 1935 as a means of communicating directly with Rover Scouts and Leaders. A number of regional Rover Moots also were implemented during this period.
To further support the start of Rovering in the Boy Scouts of America
, the first Wood Badge
course held in the United States was a Rover Scout Wood Badge course, directed by English
Scouter John Skinner Wilson.
Rovering, as it was conceived, was to serve as the oldest section in the program- the final stage of Scout training that started with Cub Scouts, continued with Boy Scouts, and was brought to fruition through Rovering.
(BSA). The national office did not promote it much, preferring to push other senior programs like Sea Scouts and Explorer Scouts
. Literature of the time, if it mentioned Rovers at all, gave them only a few paragraphs or a page or two. As the First World War had slowed the start of Rovering in the UK, the Second caused the same difficulties for Rovering in the USA, as many young men of Rovering age fought for their country overseas. The economic upheavals of the Great Depression
also hampered the development of Rovering.
By the time of the 1949 reconceptualisation of senior Scouting, the BSA only recognized 1,329 Rover Scouts. In 1952, the BSA decided to stop chartering new Crews. In 1953, only 691 Scouts were officially recognised as Rovers; after that year, they were counted together with Explorers. In 1965, when several other changes occurred in the Senior programs, National stopped renewing the registrations of Rover Crews. Those Crews that continued to exist were apparently re-registered as Exploring Posts (later Venturing
Crews), but continued to use the Rover program.
Another group maintaining a Rovering legacy in the USA is the United States Rovers. The United States Rovers was incorporated in Kentucky on 31 July 2008 (it was first organized in 2005 in Florida). It has no upper age limit for its members to earn awards (you can be 60 and become a Rover). It has members in a number of states and a few foreign countries. It is not associated with the Boy Scouts of America
, Girl Scouts of the USA
, World Organization of the Scout Movement
or World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
, this group is dedicated to perpetuating the history and traditions of Rover Scouting.
in 1918, although it no longer exists in Britain. Today, the Rover section remains an important part of Scouting in many Europe
an countries, in most member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations
(e.g. Canada
, Australia
, New Zealand
, South Africa
, India
, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong), across Central
and South America
, the Middle East
and in many other countries such as Ireland
, Japan
, Republic of China
/Taiwan
, Thailand
and Korea
. New Zealand Rovers, in particular, hold a National Moot every year over the Easter holiday weekend where international participants are always openly welcomed.
Rover Scouting continued among the troops during the Second World War, even in Prisoner of War
(POW) camps. Some artifacts of the Rover Crew at Changi
(Singapore), including the Crew flag, have been preserved; they are now held by the Scout Heritage Centre of Scouts Australia
in Victoria, Australia.
, Rovers have World Rover Moots
. The first occurred in Kandersteg
, Switzerland in 1931.
From the 8th World Moot, held in 1990 in Melbourne, Australia, the event was renamed World Scout Moot
because the term Rover is not used in many countries.
International Scout events in Europe aimed at the older age section usually keep the Rover name. There was a European Rover Moot in 1965 at Tived in Sweden. There is currently a series of events called RoverWay. This first occurred in 2003 in Portugal, followed by 2006 in Italy and Iceland 2009, the next is scheduled for 2012 in Finland.
The CES (Confédération Européenne de Scoutisme
) holds an annual International Rover Moot.
Australia:
Canada:
Ireland:
Malta:
Mexico:
Netherlands
New Zealand
Philippines
United States:
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
for young men, and in most countries, women. A group of Rovers, analogous to a Scout troop, is called a 'Crew.'
The section was started in 1918, following the successful growth of the Scout Movement, and was intended to provide a Scouting programme for young men who had grown up beyond the age range of the core Scout section. It was quickly adopted by the national Scouting organisations around the world.
Since Rover Scouting began, it has undergone many changes. Some national Scouting organisations no longer include a Rovering programme, but have replaced it with other programmes. In many of these countries, there are alternative Scouting organisations who maintain the original programme. Despite the differences in programmes, all organisations continue to provide a programme for young men, and sometimes women, into their early 20s.
Principles
Rovering provides enjoyable activities that combine personal development with meaningful service. A Rover Crew governs itself, but often has an older adult as a 'Crew Advisor' or 'Rover Scout Leader.' The founder of Rovering, Sir Robert Baden-PowellRobert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
, called it a “brotherhood of open air and service.”
Rovering is the jolly journey of young people from adolescence to successful and responsible adulthood in the principles of service to God, country and his fellowmen.
The objectives of Rovering are to:
- Provide service to the Scout Movement
- Provide service to the community
- Develop as individuals by expanding one's range of skills
- Enjoy fellowship, social, outdoor, and cultural activities
Rovering provides an experience that leads to a life enriched in the following ways:
- Character and Intelligence
- Handicraft and Skill
- Health and Strength
- Service for Others
- Citizenship
Each of these elements, from character through service, finds expression in the crew's activities.
From the organisation's inception in 1918, Baden-Powell intended Rovering to have no upper age limit; however, after his death in 1941, the typical age shifted to 18 - 25. Traditional Scouting
Traditional Scouting
The Traditional Scouting movement refers to a back to basics effort that returns Scouting to a scheme intentionally based on Baden-Powell's own model of Scouting; rejecting the world-wide trend to "modernize" Scouting in order to appeal to more youths. This movement is very popular in Canada and...
Organisations such as World Federation of Independent Scouts
World Federation of Independent Scouts
The World Federation of Independent Scouts is the non-governmental international organization which governs 82 affiliated Scout Organizations in 41 countries, with an estimated 200,000 members in 3562 Scout Groups...
(WFIS), Confédération Européenne de Scoutisme
Confédération Européenne de Scoutisme
Known in English as the Confederation of European Scouts, the Confédération Européenne de Scoutisme was formed in Brussels, Belgium on November 12, 1978, and is based in Belgium. CES stresses the European dimension of their Scouting program and that CES provides the "authentic Scouting of...
(CES), Baden-Powell Scouts
Baden-Powell Scouts
The Baden-Powell Scouts' Association is a youth organisation found in the United Kingdom, with affiliations in various countries. Baden-Powell Scouting focuses on the importance of tradition in the Scout movement...
(BPSA), Pathfinder Scouts Association
Pathfinder Scouts Association
The Pathfinder Scouts Association is an independent Traditional Scouting Association in the United Kingdom. The Association runs along the lines of Baden-Powell's original programme, upholding the traditions and practice set out by him in Scouting for Boys.-1982 - 2009:The 'Explorer Scouts' and...
(PSA), and the Rover Scouts Association (RSA) continue to honour the founder's intent by having no upper age limit.
- "Rover Scouting is a preparation for life, and also a pursuit for life."
- - Baden-Powell, 1928.
Rovers in Australia
In Australia, the RoversRovers (Australia)
Rovers, formerly Rover Scouts, is the fifth and final section of Scouts Australia, and began in 1918. Rovers are aged between 17 and 26 years of age and are organised into local Crews, which can be associated with a Scout Group or operate as a stand-alone Crew. Crews accept anyone interested in...
includes young men and women between 17 years to 25 years of age. Though it may be a small section of Scouts Australia
Scouts Australia
Scouts Australia is an organisation for children and young adults from 6 to 26 years of age. Scouts Australia is part of the global Scouting movement and has been a national member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement since 1953...
it provides a great source of leader support and other service for the association. The section resisted attempts to abolish it, or even reduce the age range (Rovers famously threatened to pull out of Scouting entirely, surrendering the Rover Chalet on Victoria's High Plains and resigning as leaders and assessors for younger sections) as advocated in the "Design for Tomorrow" Committee's report in 1970 (unlike its British counterpart which disbanded Rover Scouts after the Advance Party Report
The Chief Scouts' Advance Party Report
The Chief Scouts' Advance Party Report was a publication produced in 1966 by The Boy Scout Association in the United Kingdom, intended to modernise the Scout Movement...
in the mid sixties), but did modernise during the subsequent decade. It admitted women in 1974.
The next great step, self-government, came about in the late 1970s with the Georges River Experiment (named after a Scouting district in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
). Rovers proved that they could govern themselves, as their leaders stepped back to become Rover Advisers. Rovers took up the challenge and the section has grown for the better. It is also around this time that the section came to be known as 'Rovers' (dropping the word 'Scouts').
Australian Rovers provide active service to the all sections. Service in the community is also valued, with many Branch Rover Councils (the governing bodies for Rovers in each State and Territory) making annual awards to Crews who provide exemplary service to the community and/or Scouting.
Another notable feature of the Australian Rover section is the existence of "Lone" Rover Crews in several states, drawing their membership from across the rural parts of the country, or from Rovers who (because of shiftwork or other reasons) cannot be members of regular Rover Crews. Meetings are held by correspondence, with opportunities to get together at an annual Crew camp and major state or national Rover activities.
National Rover Moots
Australian Rover Moot
Australian Rover Moots are the major national event run by Australian Rovers who are part of Scouts Australia.- What is a Moot? :A Moot is a gathering of Rovers...
are held every 3 years in Australia.
In 2008, the Rover section marks its 90th birthday, along with the 100th anniversary of Scouting in Australia.
Rovers in Canada
Rovers (men and women ages 18–26) is part of the Scouts CanadaScouts Canada
Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association that, in affiliation with the French-language Association des Scouts du Canada, is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement...
program. The Rover program is the final stage in Canadian Scouting after the Venturer
Venture Scout
Venture Scouting is a section of the Scout Movement, mostly in countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, for young people roughly in the 14 – 20 age range.-Australia:...
(ages 14–17) program. Rovers, like all of Scouts Canada programs, are open to both males and females. This wasn't always so; possibly the first co-ed Rover crew was the 111th in Edmonton Alberta, which went co-ed in 1970. While female Rovers were eventually pretty much universally accepted, the 111th, as trailblazers, had a bit of a rough ride from some of the more traditional crews in the first few years.
Rover Knights are the Baden-Powell Scouts equivalent and is open to all adults (18+). It is the final stage after Senior Explorers (ages 14–17), and is open to both males and females as well. Informally, the term Knights is usually dropped and the section is referred to simply as Rovers.
The outdoors is an essential part of both Rover programs. Rovers often participate in adventurous activities like mountain climbing, white water rafting, or para-sailing. Rovers also help their local communities by running service activities such as food drives, park clean-ups, and tree plantings. Rovers meet in a group called a crew. Rovers develop and manage their own program under the mentorship of a respected advisor. Rovers adhere to the promise that is used in the Scout section onwards, and the motto "Service".
Rovers in the Philippines
Rovering started in the Philippines when the Boy Scouts of the PhilippinesBoy Scouts of the Philippines
The Boy Scouts of the Philippines is the national Scout organization of the Philippines. Its mission is to imbue in the youth the love of God, country, and fellow men; to train young people to become responsible leaders; and to contribute in nation-building.The BSP was chartered under...
(BSP) separated from the Boy Scouts of America on October 31, 1936. However, following The Chief Scouts' Advance Party Report
The Chief Scouts' Advance Party Report
The Chief Scouts' Advance Party Report was a publication produced in 1966 by The Boy Scout Association in the United Kingdom, intended to modernise the Scout Movement...
in 1966, the section was discontinued in the Philippines, and was replaced by a different programme.
The Advance Party Report caused some disquiet amongst some leaders who believed that Scouting was progressing away from its traditional roots, and the Philippines was no different from other organizations affected by the programme changes in the late 1960s. As with countries like the United Kingdom, this led to the creation of independent Scouting organizations which continues the traditional Rover Scout programme.
In 1990, the BSP resumed a Rovering programme for men and women of 16 to 24 years in age, although there are considerable differences to the original programme. There is also a Rover Peers section for those over the age of 25.
On December 12, 2004, a number of Rover Scouts and Leaders grouped together and formed the Philippine Liahona Rover Crew as an affiliate of the Rover Scout Association. The crew became affiliated with the Baden-Powell Movement of Australia (BPSA-Australia) on August 14, 2005 and started to promote traditional Scouting programme to the younger sections.
In 2006, another independent group of Rover Scouts became part of the Rover Explorer Scouts Association, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom (The International HQ). This group was started as a single Rover crew on April 21, 2006 when their Rovermate and founder of the group was invested as a Rover Scouts, On the same year, the group gained a recognition as a Recognised COUNCIL or BRANCH Office of the Association in the Philippines. The Rover Explorer Scouts Association-Philippine Council was formed and recognised on August 2006. The Region has also adopted a local group from the United Kingdom, the Pathfinder Scouts Association(PSA). The Methodology, Practices, Programmes and beliefs of the Associations are based on the 1907 Original Scouting Programme and the Pre-Advance Party Report 1966.
Both Associations were founded by the Filipinos who are living in the Philippines through the help and assistance of Americans, Australians and British Scouts and Scouters who believe in Traditional Scouting and the Pre-1967 scouting programme as laid down by B-P on his Rovering to Success and Scouting for Boys.
RoversPhil
In 2008, a national Rover Scouting network was established through the internet, a national network of Rover Leaders and Scouts in the Philippines. It is affiliated with the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and a founding national Rover organization in the Rover Scouts International. The dynamic network aims to promote the brotherhood of the open air and service by providing an avenue for a relevant journey of young people of Rovering age from their adolescence to responsible adulthood. On December 12, 2009, the leaders of the network elected its national committee which renamed the network as Rover Scouts Philippines with the netname- RoversPhil.Rovers in the United Kingdom
The Scout Association
The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...
, having been replaced in the late 1960s by the Venture Scout
Venture Scout
Venture Scouting is a section of the Scout Movement, mostly in countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, for young people roughly in the 14 – 20 age range.-Australia:...
programme, which in turn has been replaced by Explorer Scouts
Explorer Scouts
Explorer Scouts , a section of the Scout Association in the United Kingdom for 14- to 18-year-olds, was introduced in 2001 replacing Venture Scouts . This was part of a greater change in programme, including the introduction of Scout Network for 18- to 25-year-olds...
and Scout Network
Scout Network
The Scout Network is the fifth and final section of The Scout Association in the United Kingdom, catering for 18- to 25-year-olds and introduced in 2001, following the review of UK Scouting. It, along with the Explorer Scout section, replaced the Venture Scouts...
. There are other Scouting organizations (mainly the Baden-Powell Scouts Association
Baden-Powell Scouts
The Baden-Powell Scouts' Association is a youth organisation found in the United Kingdom, with affiliations in various countries. Baden-Powell Scouting focuses on the importance of tradition in the Scout movement...
, European Scout Federation (British Association)
European Scout Federation (British Association)
The European Scout Federation is a Traditional Scouting organisation. It is a part of the other Scouting in the United Kingdom. Original test work set out by Robert Baden-Powell is still used...
and Pathfinder Scouts Association
Pathfinder Scouts Association
The Pathfinder Scouts Association is an independent Traditional Scouting Association in the United Kingdom. The Association runs along the lines of Baden-Powell's original programme, upholding the traditions and practice set out by him in Scouting for Boys.-1982 - 2009:The 'Explorer Scouts' and...
) which are not affiliated to the World Organization of the Scout Movement
World Organization of the Scout Movement
The World Organization of the Scout Movement is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland...
.
Rovering began in 1918 in the UK, ten years after the start of the Scouting program. After an initially rough start, due in large part to the effects of the First World War, the Rover Scout program began to grow.
By 1931, Rovering had established itself internationally to the extent that it saw the organization of the first World Rover Moot in 1931 at Kandersteg
Kandersteg
Kandersteg is a municipality in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located along the valley of the River Kander, west of the Jungfrau massif. It is noted for its spectacular mountain scenery and sylvan alpine landscapes. Tourism is a...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Initially, the age range for Rover Scout membership was not precisely specified. In 1921 the Conference of Rover Scouts stated that 'A Rover Scout is usually a Senior Scout aged aged 17 years and over'. In 1956 the upper age range was fixed at 24.
Original programme and badges
In the 1920s, the progress badges of Rover Scouts (then known as "special proficiency badges") were not too different from the Scout section- Rover Scouts wore a First Class badge and the King's ScoutQueen's Scout
The Queen's Scout Award is the highest youth award achievable in the Scouting movement in several countries. It is awarded in realms of the Commonwealth, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where the Scouts operate under the ceremonial leadership of the monarch.The...
badge that had red trim, together with their proficiency badges. In addition, they were qualified to achieve and wear the Rambler Badge
Rambler Badge
The Rambler Badge is an award of the Rovers section of Scouts Canada. It is one of the few Rover merit badges, and the highest non-yearly award a Rover can receive. Rovers can receive multiple Rambler Badges over time. The award is, and has been, used by the Rover sections of other Scout...
(metal version) on the left epaluette and the Rover Instructor badge.
In the 1930s, the number of badges were greatly reduced- no more First Class badge, King's Scout badge or proficiency badges. A Rover was only entitled to wear only two badges- the Rambler and the Rover Instructor. After World War II, even the Rover Instructor was not issued for a brief period. The situation improved after 1948 when the "Plan for Rover Scouts" introduced the "Progress Badge", initially a lanyard worn on the right shirt pocket, but later changed to a cloth emblem to be worn on the right epaluette.
In a bid to rescue the flagging Rovering section, the Scout Association introduced a new organisation and training scheme in 1956, where new badges were launched to attract new members. Queen's Scouts were entitled to wear a miniature replica on their left sleeves (or the Airman's badge/Seaman's badge or Bushman's Thong under the right epaulette, but not together with the Queen's Scout badge replica) before they qualified for the highest award in the Rover section- the Baden-Powell Award (a special epaulette worn on the left shoulder).
Present day
All of the badges are now historic in The Scout Association, with the exception of the Queen's Scout Award, following their discontinuation of the Rover Scout programme.The Baden-Powell Award
Baden-Powell Award
The Baden-Powell Scout Award , or B-P Award, is the highest youth award achievable in the Scouting movement in several countries. Although, with the withdrawal of Rover Scouting from most Scout Associations it has become a less common award, it is still awarded by Associations in several countries,...
still forms the award scheme for several of the traditional scouting associations that retained Rover Scouting, such as the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association. To qualify for the Baden-Powell Award, a Rover must gain the Rambler (cloth version), Project (renamed from Progress badge), Scoutcraft Star and Service Training Star. Rovers are also entitled to wear Interpreter emblems of the specialised language.
In 2003 The Scout Association introduced the Scout Network
Scout Network
The Scout Network is the fifth and final section of The Scout Association in the United Kingdom, catering for 18- to 25-year-olds and introduced in 2001, following the review of UK Scouting. It, along with the Explorer Scout section, replaced the Venture Scouts...
, aimed at a similar age range (18 to 25) to the former Rover Scouts.
Early days
In the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, glimmerings of Rovering emerged as local councils, Scout leaders, and Scouts worked together to deal with the "older boy" problem— that is, to find some way for Scouting to continue into young adulthood. As early as 1928 there were known to be Crews in Seattle, Detroit, Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
and elsewhere. The program particularly flourished in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
around 1929, through the efforts of Robert Hale
Robert Hale
Robert Hale may refer to:* Robert Hale , physician of Beverly, Massachusetts* Robert Beverly Hale , art writer and curator* Robert F. Hale , Under Secretary of Defense and Assistant Secretary of the Air Force...
, who produced an early Rover Scout booklet. By 1932, there were 36 official experimental Crews, with 27 of them in 15 New England councils. Finally, in May 1933 the National Executive Board approved the program, and starting plans for development of literature and helps to leaders (Brown, 2002). A bimonthly newsletter, the Rover Record, was inaugurated in 1935 as a means of communicating directly with Rover Scouts and Leaders. A number of regional Rover Moots also were implemented during this period.
To further support the start of Rovering in the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
, the first Wood Badge
Wood Badge
Wood Badge is a Scouting leadership program and the related award for adult leaders in the programs of Scout associations throughout the world. Wood Badge courses aim to make Scouters better leaders by teaching advanced leadership skills, and by creating a bond and commitment to the Scout movement...
course held in the United States was a Rover Scout Wood Badge course, directed by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Scouter John Skinner Wilson.
Rovering, as it was conceived, was to serve as the oldest section in the program- the final stage of Scout training that started with Cub Scouts, continued with Boy Scouts, and was brought to fruition through Rovering.
Later development
The program was never very widespread in the Boy Scouts of AmericaBoy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
(BSA). The national office did not promote it much, preferring to push other senior programs like Sea Scouts and Explorer Scouts
Explorer Scouts
Explorer Scouts , a section of the Scout Association in the United Kingdom for 14- to 18-year-olds, was introduced in 2001 replacing Venture Scouts . This was part of a greater change in programme, including the introduction of Scout Network for 18- to 25-year-olds...
. Literature of the time, if it mentioned Rovers at all, gave them only a few paragraphs or a page or two. As the First World War had slowed the start of Rovering in the UK, the Second caused the same difficulties for Rovering in the USA, as many young men of Rovering age fought for their country overseas. The economic upheavals of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
also hampered the development of Rovering.
By the time of the 1949 reconceptualisation of senior Scouting, the BSA only recognized 1,329 Rover Scouts. In 1952, the BSA decided to stop chartering new Crews. In 1953, only 691 Scouts were officially recognised as Rovers; after that year, they were counted together with Explorers. In 1965, when several other changes occurred in the Senior programs, National stopped renewing the registrations of Rover Crews. Those Crews that continued to exist were apparently re-registered as Exploring Posts (later Venturing
Venturing (Boy Scouts of America)
Venturing is part of the program of the Boy Scouts of America for young adults, men and women, from the age of 14 years old or 13 years old and completed eighth grade through 21....
Crews), but continued to use the Rover program.
B-P and Diamond Willow Rover Crews
Among the most widely known of these Crews was the influential B-P Rover Crew of Glasgow, Kentucky, which delivered the Rover Scout program from the 1950s until 2000. The B-P Crew was instrumental in starting other Crews such as the Kudu Crew of Bardstown, Kentucky, and the Diamond Willow Rover Crew of Melrose Park (Chicago area), Illinois. The B-P Crew also hosted the internationally well-regarded Rover Wee Moot from 1953 until 1999. The Diamond Willow Crew organized the Rendezvous Moots in Herrick Lake, Illinois and Camp To Pe Ne Be in Michigan City, Indiana. All were well attended by Rovers, Venturers and Explorers from Illinois, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Indiana, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, and sometimes Australia and New Zealand. Lithuanian and Polish Scouts in Exile also came to the first Rendezvous Moot.Recent development
There are today Venturing Crews of the BSA following the Rover scheme and taking an interest in high adventure outdoor activities and international Scouting. To a great extent, these Crews follow B-P's idea of preparation for life and the pursuit of life. Typically, these Crews are made up of members who came up through the boy and girl Scouting programs and want to continue to serve the Scouting movement and the community while broadening and retaining the fellowship of Scouting and continuing self-development.Another group maintaining a Rovering legacy in the USA is the United States Rovers. The United States Rovers was incorporated in Kentucky on 31 July 2008 (it was first organized in 2005 in Florida). It has no upper age limit for its members to earn awards (you can be 60 and become a Rover). It has members in a number of states and a few foreign countries. It is not associated with the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
, Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
, World Organization of the Scout Movement
World Organization of the Scout Movement
The World Organization of the Scout Movement is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland...
or World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Scouting organizations in 145 countries. It was established in 1928 and has its headquarters in London, England. It is the counterpart of the World Organization of the Scout...
, this group is dedicated to perpetuating the history and traditions of Rover Scouting.
Rovering in other countries
Rovering spread to many other countries following its inception in BritainUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1918, although it no longer exists in Britain. Today, the Rover section remains an important part of Scouting in many Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries, in most member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
(e.g. Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong), across Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and in many other countries such as Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
/Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. New Zealand Rovers, in particular, hold a National Moot every year over the Easter holiday weekend where international participants are always openly welcomed.
Rover Scouting continued among the troops during the Second World War, even in Prisoner of War
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
(POW) camps. Some artifacts of the Rover Crew at Changi
Changi
Changi is an area at the eastern end of Singapore. It is now the site of Singapore Changi Airport/Changi Air Base, Changi Naval Base and is also home to Changi Prison, site of the former Japanese Prisoner of War Camp during World War II which held Allied prisoners captured in Singapore and Malaysia...
(Singapore), including the Crew flag, have been preserved; they are now held by the Scout Heritage Centre of Scouts Australia
Scouts Australia
Scouts Australia is an organisation for children and young adults from 6 to 26 years of age. Scouts Australia is part of the global Scouting movement and has been a national member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement since 1953...
in Victoria, Australia.
International gatherings
While the Scout section has the World Scout JamboreeWorld Scout Jamboree
The World Scout Jamboree is a Scouting jamboree of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, typically attended by several tens of thousands of Scouts from around the world, aged 14 to 17....
, Rovers have World Rover Moots
World Scout Moot
The World Scout Moot is a gathering of older Scouts, mainly Rover Scouts, ages 18–26 from all over the world...
. The first occurred in Kandersteg
Kandersteg International Scout Centre
Kandersteg International Scout Centre is an international Scout centre in Kandersteg, Switzerland. The centre provides lodges, chalets and campsites covering 17 hectares of land. It is open to Scouts year round, as well as to non-Scouts for most of the year...
, Switzerland in 1931.
- 1st World Rover Moot 1931: Kandersteg, Switzerland
- 2nd World Rover Moot 1935: Ingaro, Sweden
- 3rd World Rover Moot 1939: Monzie, Scotland
- 4th World Rover Moot 1949: Skjak, Norway
- 5th World Rover Moot 1953: Kandersteg, Switzerland
- 6th World Rover Moot 1957: Sutton Coldfield, UK
- 7th World Rover Moot December 1961-January 1962 Melbourne, Australia
From the 8th World Moot, held in 1990 in Melbourne, Australia, the event was renamed World Scout Moot
World Scout Moot
The World Scout Moot is a gathering of older Scouts, mainly Rover Scouts, ages 18–26 from all over the world...
because the term Rover is not used in many countries.
- 8th World Scout Moot December 1990-January 1991: Melbourne, Australia
- 9th World Scout Moot July 1992: Kandersteg, Switzerland
- 10th World Scout Moot July 1996: Ransåter, Sweden
- 11th World Scout Moot July 2000: Mexico City, Mexico
- 12th World Scout Moot July–August 2004: Hualien, Taiwan
- 13th World Scout Moot July 2010: Nairobi, Kenya
- 14th World Scout Moot August 2013: Quebec/Ontario, Canada (proposed)
International Scout events in Europe aimed at the older age section usually keep the Rover name. There was a European Rover Moot in 1965 at Tived in Sweden. There is currently a series of events called RoverWay. This first occurred in 2003 in Portugal, followed by 2006 in Italy and Iceland 2009, the next is scheduled for 2012 in Finland.
The CES (Confédération Européenne de Scoutisme
Confédération Européenne de Scoutisme
Known in English as the Confederation of European Scouts, the Confédération Européenne de Scoutisme was formed in Brussels, Belgium on November 12, 1978, and is based in Belgium. CES stresses the European dimension of their Scouting program and that CES provides the "authentic Scouting of...
) holds an annual International Rover Moot.
- June 2007: Het Naaldenveld in Bentveld. Netherlands
- June 2008: MettmannMettmannMettmann is a Rhenish town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Mettmann, Germany's most densely populated rural district...
Germany - June 2009: Hesley Wood UK
External links
- Rover Scouts International
- History of Rovers in UK
- Scouting Milestones describes Rover Crews in POW camps during World War II
Australia:
Canada:
Ireland:
Malta:
Mexico:
- Clan de Rovers 88 One of the largest Rover Crews in Mexico.
Netherlands
New Zealand
Philippines
United States: