This week, I am leading the Canadian contingent at the XXIV Interamerican Scout Conference in Panama City, Panama. It is very exciting to meet fellow Scouts from all over North, Central and South America. We are a part of an extraordinary worldwide organization.
In a network meeting today, I reviewed an initiative called Route to Excellence, which is an evaluation and planning system for National Scout Organizations. Several points jumped out. I believe they pose an interesting challenge to Canadian Scouting.
Indicator number 21 - Volunteers should receive annual performance assessments to help them grow and develop within Scouting. This is not presently part of our organizational culture.
22 - Every volunteer should have a personal training advisor to guide, mentor and coach them. This is an essential component of our volunteer development process that is not working well today. We need to quickly find a solution.
29 - A National Scout Organization should grow by at least 5% annually. Our current vision for growth will hopefully get us to where we need to be.
31 - The average youth in our program should stay for at least four years. Our retention rate is much worse. We need to help all of our Sections achieve the Program Quality Award -- if we are running great programs, more kids will join, and they will stay longer.
32 - All National and Council events should be subject to a formal evaluation process. This is not presently built in to how we do business.
36 - 70% of the youth in our programs should be over 11 years of age -- that would mean we should have many more Scouts, Venturer Scouts and Rover Scouts. And we should! We need a strategy to get there.
38 - Scouts Canada should have formal strategic ties/partnerships with at least three other National Scout Organizations. There is opportunity for improvement here.
39 - We should deliver educational programs to non-Scouting youth, with participation numbers equivalent to at least 10% of our membership. Think summer camping! We have great potential to reach out to many more non-Scouting youth.
If we are grow, we need to continuously improve our processes. These success indicators are definitely worth exploring further, as we continue our journey to growth. And by working more closely with Scouts in other countries, we can learn more about what's working elsewhere.
Steve
Cette semaine, je dirige un contingent canadien qui participera à la XXIVe conférence interaméricaine scoute dans la ville de Panama, à Panama. Il est très intéressant de rencontrer d’autres scouts en provenance de l’Amérique du Nord, de l’Amérique Centrale et de l’Amérique du Sud. Nous faisons partie d’une extraordinaire organisation mondiale.
Au cours d’une réunion de réseau tenue aujourd’hui, j’ai revu l’initiative appelée Route vers l’Excellence, qui est un système d’évaluation et de planification pour les organisations scoutes. Plusieurs points ressortaient. Je crois qu’ils présentent un défi intéressant pour l’Association des scouts du Canada.
Indicateur numéro 21 - Les bénévoles devraient recevoir une évaluation annuelle de rendement pour les aider à se développer au sein du scoutisme. À l’heure actuelle, cela ne fait par partie de la culture de notre organisation.
22 - Chaque bénévole devrait avoir un conseiller personnel de formation pour le guider, pour agir comme mentor et pour l’encadrer. C’est un composant essentiel de notre processus de perfectionnement des bénévoles qui ne fonctionne pas très bien actuellement. Nous devons trouver rapidement une solution.
29 - Une organisation scoute nationale devrait progresser d’au moins 5 % par année. Notre vision actuelle pour notre croissance nous mènera, espérons-le, au point où nous devrions nous trouver.
31 - En moyenne, le jeune qui participe à notre programme devrait rester avec nous pendant quatre ans au moins. Nos statistiques sont loin d’être aussi reluisantes. Nous devons aider toutes nos sections à réaliser le prix de qualité du programme – si nous avons d’excellents programmes, nos enfants se joindront à nous et ils resteront plus longtemps auprès de nous.
32 - Tous les événements organisés au plan national et des conseils devraient faire l’objet d’une évaluation officielle, ce qui n’est pas le cas chez nous actuellement.
36 - Quelque 70 % des jeunes de nos programmes devraient avoir plus de 11 ans – ce qui signifie que nous devrions avoir beaucoup plus de scouts, de pionniers et d’éclaireurs. Et nous devrions nous situer ici ! Nous avons besoin d’une stratégie pour y parvenir.
38 - L’association des scouts du Canada devrait avoir des liens stratégiques/partenariats officiels avec au moins trois autres organisations scoutes nationales. Il y a possibilité d’amélioration ici.
39 - Nous devrions fournir des programmes d’éducation aux jeunes qui ne sont pas des scouts et avoir un taux de participation représentant au moins 10 % de nos membres. Pensez au camping d’été ! Nous avons une excellente possibilité d’attirer un grand nombre de jeunes qui ne sont pas des scouts.
Si nous devons nous développer, nous devons continuellement améliorer nos méthodes. Ces indicateurs de succès valent certainement la peine d’être explorés plus à fond si nous voulons poursuivre notre croissance. En oeuvrant de plus près avec les scouts des autres pays, nous pourrons en apprendre plus sur ce qui donne des résultats ailleurs.
Steve
Monday, August 16, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Our journey to growth continues... Congratulations!
Friends in Scouting
I am pleased to tell you that a milestone was reached in recent days that has not occurred in Canada in over THIRTY YEARS. For the second consecutive year, Scouting in Canada GREW!
Congratulations. And thank you. I continue to inspired by your efforts. And I am very proud of all the Groups, Areas and Councils that have been successful in growing Scouting.
I wholeheartedly believe that more young people in Canada deserve to benefit from the efforts and successes of our extraordinary volunteers. We owe it to Canada's kids to keep going and keep growing.
But the journey is far from over. In fact, with prospective members still on our books in every Council in the country, I am also writing to ask for you to help us really put a push on for the remaining weeks in this year to help achieve great results. With so many prospective members waiting to be activated, and with so many amazing summer programs running, it IS possible that we could finish the year (as of August 31) with 5 percent growth! So, please, pull tgoether, do your part, and help us get there. We can do it!
And if I can be of assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Thanks for what you to do to enrich the lives of Canada's youth. Let's keep the momentum going. In the months and years ahead, I'm confident that we'll make history.
For decades, we've been helping young Canadians reach their full potential and go on to do amazing things in our society. It starts with Scouts!
Best wishes, and congratulations once again!
Steve
I am pleased to tell you that a milestone was reached in recent days that has not occurred in Canada in over THIRTY YEARS. For the second consecutive year, Scouting in Canada GREW!
Congratulations. And thank you. I continue to inspired by your efforts. And I am very proud of all the Groups, Areas and Councils that have been successful in growing Scouting.
I wholeheartedly believe that more young people in Canada deserve to benefit from the efforts and successes of our extraordinary volunteers. We owe it to Canada's kids to keep going and keep growing.
But the journey is far from over. In fact, with prospective members still on our books in every Council in the country, I am also writing to ask for you to help us really put a push on for the remaining weeks in this year to help achieve great results. With so many prospective members waiting to be activated, and with so many amazing summer programs running, it IS possible that we could finish the year (as of August 31) with 5 percent growth! So, please, pull tgoether, do your part, and help us get there. We can do it!
And if I can be of assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Thanks for what you to do to enrich the lives of Canada's youth. Let's keep the momentum going. In the months and years ahead, I'm confident that we'll make history.
For decades, we've been helping young Canadians reach their full potential and go on to do amazing things in our society. It starts with Scouts!
Best wishes, and congratulations once again!
Steve
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Hawkeye on Media
Here’s a post from talkscouts.ca about a Group that simply invited media to its meeting, and an article that’s in the local paper as a result!
http://talkscouts.ca/forum/topic30-15.html
Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:47 pm
Re: Marketing Scouting
"Hello all,
All it took was a quick e-mail to the local newspaper to invite them to see what we could do. She came out for ~30 minutes and here is what we got:
http://www.orleansstar.ca/Living/Commun ... d-skills/1
Some quick suggestions on how to make this easy for everyone:
1) Prepare a cool night where the media and your section would be interested;
2) Prepare notes for yourself as to what message you want to get across;
3) Find a parent who can also speak with enthusiasm. Suggest some speaking points for them; (Note from Steve -- it may be even better to have a Scout, Venturer or Rover act as spokesperson)
4) About 2 weeks before the event, send an e-mail to the local media people to invite them. Follow up 4-5 days in advance;
5) Arrive 10-15 early to brief the media and then carry on as if they were not there. They'll do the rest.
Fingers crossed that between this and the invitations we made, Monday will be a bustling night with lots of early registrations.
Hawkeye"
Great work, Hawkeye! Imagine the impact we could have if every Group in the nation appeared in the media at least once a year. Let's get out there and tell the story of the difference we're making.
http://talkscouts.ca/forum/topic30-15.html
Re: Marketing Scouting
"Hello all,
All it took was a quick e-mail to the local newspaper to invite them to see what we could do. She came out for ~30 minutes and here is what we got:
http://www.orleansstar.ca/Living/Commun ... d-skills/1
Some quick suggestions on how to make this easy for everyone:
1) Prepare a cool night where the media and your section would be interested;
2) Prepare notes for yourself as to what message you want to get across;
3) Find a parent who can also speak with enthusiasm. Suggest some speaking points for them; (Note from Steve -- it may be even better to have a Scout, Venturer or Rover act as spokesperson)
4) About 2 weeks before the event, send an e-mail to the local media people to invite them. Follow up 4-5 days in advance;
5) Arrive 10-15 early to brief the media and then carry on as if they were not there. They'll do the rest.
Fingers crossed that between this and the invitations we made, Monday will be a bustling night with lots of early registrations.
Hawkeye"
Great work, Hawkeye! Imagine the impact we could have if every Group in the nation appeared in the media at least once a year. Let's get out there and tell the story of the difference we're making.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Some thoughts on change management
A caring and thoughtful Scouter in BC sent me a gift recently. It's a book that I'd urge you all to read. "SWITCH: How to change things when things are hard," by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. Thanks to Ken Pepin for his kindness.
The book suggests a three-part framework for successfully executing change....
1. Direct the Rider -- provide crystal clear direction.... Challenge each group to add one youth for every 10 and one adult for every 20.... Repeat for ten years. Very clear.
2. Motivate the Elephant -- we need to ignite people's passion for Scouting's mission.
3. Shape the Path -- what looks like a people problem is often a situation problem. If we believe, for instance, that we need more young leaders, let's welcome them and give them access to training and development opportunities.
So.... A few thoughts that I thought I'd share, for what they're worth, based on what I've read so far. (I have more reading to do!)
- We need to truly focus on making things easier for our volunteers. We also need to make it easy for people to declare their commitment to growth and change. Let's publicly honour our groups and our areas and our councils that grow. We need mentors, and simple training, and easy to use tools.
- Along the same lines, we need to find the bright spots. We won't solve our servicing challenges overnight, because there's no quick fix. That said, while we work on solving the problem, let's find practical examples of success -- groups and areas that are growing. Let's go find out why and how. Then let's emulate their efforts. We could sit back and reflect on why our servicing model isn't achieving great results, or we could go and find out why one area in northern BC grew by over 140 percent so far this year. (And I think we'll find that the common thread is strong and inspiring leadership.... leadership that is supporting volunteers in running amazing programs..)
- And all that said, knowledge won't change behaviour. We've got to practice it. We each have to live it. We don't all have to be experts in program or training or youth development.... We don't have to have every answer. But we have to have faith in the power of great leaders and great programs (the bright spots!).
- Too much analysis can impede progress. In many ways, we just need to get on with it. Let's inspire people to join in our growth adventure, and help them understand what they need to do and exactly how to do it, and WHY growth matters -- it helps us better achieve our mission and realize B-P's vision, and the program works better if the numbers are strong, and more kids deserve to benefit from the efforts of our amazing volunteers, etc... (To this day, in my view, our basic training programs don't speak to our vision for the movement and growing it -- they don't inspire our new volunteers to better fulfill our mission by reaching out to more youth.)
- There are exceptions to every problem. There are lots of sections who are running good programs and have good retention rates. Let's figure out what they're doing and help others do the same. Again, let's find the bright spots and find ways to emulate them.
- Big problems are rarely solved with big solutions.... Instead, they are often solved by a series of small solutions. In some ways, that's what our Action Plan is all about. What would happen to our leader retention rate if every Area Commissioner in the country sent a personal thank you card to every leader before the end of this Scouting year? Maybe it wouldn't make any difference. But I bet something that simple would make some difference. Small solutions.
- We need to script the critical moves. Big picture/hands off leadership isn't likely to work well in a change situation, because the most difficult part of change is in the details. So any successful change requires tranlsation of big goals (i.e., doubling our membership) into concrete behaviours. So what are our critical moves? What exactly do we need our leaders to DO? Clarity dissolves resistance. People want to run great programs for youth. We need to make it much easier.
- We need to point to the destination. If it's compelling, people won't get lost in analysis. If we're not growing, we are dying. John Chow's been right about that for five years. And it resonates. We have to grow.
I'll leave it there for now. I'd encourage you to order a copy of the book if you're interested!
Steve
The book suggests a three-part framework for successfully executing change....
1. Direct the Rider -- provide crystal clear direction.... Challenge each group to add one youth for every 10 and one adult for every 20.... Repeat for ten years. Very clear.
2. Motivate the Elephant -- we need to ignite people's passion for Scouting's mission.
3. Shape the Path -- what looks like a people problem is often a situation problem. If we believe, for instance, that we need more young leaders, let's welcome them and give them access to training and development opportunities.
So.... A few thoughts that I thought I'd share, for what they're worth, based on what I've read so far. (I have more reading to do!)
- We need to truly focus on making things easier for our volunteers. We also need to make it easy for people to declare their commitment to growth and change. Let's publicly honour our groups and our areas and our councils that grow. We need mentors, and simple training, and easy to use tools.
- Along the same lines, we need to find the bright spots. We won't solve our servicing challenges overnight, because there's no quick fix. That said, while we work on solving the problem, let's find practical examples of success -- groups and areas that are growing. Let's go find out why and how. Then let's emulate their efforts. We could sit back and reflect on why our servicing model isn't achieving great results, or we could go and find out why one area in northern BC grew by over 140 percent so far this year. (And I think we'll find that the common thread is strong and inspiring leadership.... leadership that is supporting volunteers in running amazing programs..)
- And all that said, knowledge won't change behaviour. We've got to practice it. We each have to live it. We don't all have to be experts in program or training or youth development.... We don't have to have every answer. But we have to have faith in the power of great leaders and great programs (the bright spots!).
- Too much analysis can impede progress. In many ways, we just need to get on with it. Let's inspire people to join in our growth adventure, and help them understand what they need to do and exactly how to do it, and WHY growth matters -- it helps us better achieve our mission and realize B-P's vision, and the program works better if the numbers are strong, and more kids deserve to benefit from the efforts of our amazing volunteers, etc... (To this day, in my view, our basic training programs don't speak to our vision for the movement and growing it -- they don't inspire our new volunteers to better fulfill our mission by reaching out to more youth.)
- There are exceptions to every problem. There are lots of sections who are running good programs and have good retention rates. Let's figure out what they're doing and help others do the same. Again, let's find the bright spots and find ways to emulate them.
- Big problems are rarely solved with big solutions.... Instead, they are often solved by a series of small solutions. In some ways, that's what our Action Plan is all about. What would happen to our leader retention rate if every Area Commissioner in the country sent a personal thank you card to every leader before the end of this Scouting year? Maybe it wouldn't make any difference. But I bet something that simple would make some difference. Small solutions.
- We need to script the critical moves. Big picture/hands off leadership isn't likely to work well in a change situation, because the most difficult part of change is in the details. So any successful change requires tranlsation of big goals (i.e., doubling our membership) into concrete behaviours. So what are our critical moves? What exactly do we need our leaders to DO? Clarity dissolves resistance. People want to run great programs for youth. We need to make it much easier.
- We need to point to the destination. If it's compelling, people won't get lost in analysis. If we're not growing, we are dying. John Chow's been right about that for five years. And it resonates. We have to grow.
I'll leave it there for now. I'd encourage you to order a copy of the book if you're interested!
Steve
Monday, March 29, 2010
Scouts Participate in Earth Hour
This past weekend, the Council Commissioners and the National Leadership Team of Scouts Canada gathered just outside Toronto to work together to move our great organization forward. I am pleased to say that the meetings were very productive and that there are great things ahead for Scouting in Canada.
As many of you know, Earth Hour took place Saturday evening. As we gathered for supper, we celebrated the event. The folks at the restaurant were nice enough to turn the lights off, light some candles and we also brought glow sticks. We were happy to take part in this event to reaffirm our commitment to the environment.
As Scouts, we were environmentally friendly long before it was cool or trendy. We have many years of environmental stewardship experience behind us and will continue with our environmental initiatives in the years to come. We have ensured that we are "leaving no trace" when we go on outdoor adventures, and that we continue to promote environmental activities in our programming.
I hope that you all took the time this past Saturday to celebrate Earth Hour and, if not, it's not too late! Why not run this week's section meeting outside and educate our youth about Earth Hour and the environment, clean up around your community or hold a recycling drive. We should all do our part to help our environment.
I look forward to Earth Day coming up next month. That will be yet another opportunity for us all to do our part.
Until next time, Good Scouting!
As many of you know, Earth Hour took place Saturday evening. As we gathered for supper, we celebrated the event. The folks at the restaurant were nice enough to turn the lights off, light some candles and we also brought glow sticks. We were happy to take part in this event to reaffirm our commitment to the environment.
As Scouts, we were environmentally friendly long before it was cool or trendy. We have many years of environmental stewardship experience behind us and will continue with our environmental initiatives in the years to come. We have ensured that we are "leaving no trace" when we go on outdoor adventures, and that we continue to promote environmental activities in our programming.
I hope that you all took the time this past Saturday to celebrate Earth Hour and, if not, it's not too late! Why not run this week's section meeting outside and educate our youth about Earth Hour and the environment, clean up around your community or hold a recycling drive. We should all do our part to help our environment.
I look forward to Earth Day coming up next month. That will be yet another opportunity for us all to do our part.
Until next time, Good Scouting!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
We are changing the world! Action Area 4 - Meaningful Youth Involvement
There has been so much progress with our SCOUTING NOW Action Plan for Canadian Scouting, and I intend to use this blog to post periodic updates on our progress.
I want to talk about what's already been accomplished in terms of achieving real youth involvement.
At Scouts Canada's Annual General Meeting, members of our Nominating Committee were elected and appointed. TWO youth were elected, and TWO youth were appointed -- the majority of the committee are youth members! This has never happened in the history of our Movement in Canada. Congrats to Neal, Alex, Apoline and Kaylee. And thanks to Glenn Armstrong for being so supportive of engaging younger members in this process.
Also at the AGM, Jessica Page was elected to the position of Vice-Chair - Strategic on the Board of Governors. As Jessica is still a youth member, she is now the youngest person to ever have served as an officer of the corporation. Another great milestone!
It is also worth noting that as the new Board of Governors was elected at the Annual General Meeting, the average age of Board members dropped by more than NINE years!
The Area Youth Commissioner welcome package has been released, which helps focus the AYC's role.
In addition, most areas in the nation now have AYCs in place.
We're also working to connect more youth to international opportunities. There will be an international project in Africa later this year, and youth across Canada were invited to apply.
There has already been lots of great progress, but there is still a great deal of work ahead.
Achieving meaningful youth involvement is all about balance. If we're not attracting and welcoming new blood that can be mentored and supported by our experience volunteers, then we are dying. A continuous injection of young leadership is essential for our survival.
For more information on our vision for greater youth involvement, check out the Action Plan at www.scoutingnow.org.
I want to talk about what's already been accomplished in terms of achieving real youth involvement.
At Scouts Canada's Annual General Meeting, members of our Nominating Committee were elected and appointed. TWO youth were elected, and TWO youth were appointed -- the majority of the committee are youth members! This has never happened in the history of our Movement in Canada. Congrats to Neal, Alex, Apoline and Kaylee. And thanks to Glenn Armstrong for being so supportive of engaging younger members in this process.
Also at the AGM, Jessica Page was elected to the position of Vice-Chair - Strategic on the Board of Governors. As Jessica is still a youth member, she is now the youngest person to ever have served as an officer of the corporation. Another great milestone!
It is also worth noting that as the new Board of Governors was elected at the Annual General Meeting, the average age of Board members dropped by more than NINE years!
The Area Youth Commissioner welcome package has been released, which helps focus the AYC's role.
In addition, most areas in the nation now have AYCs in place.
We're also working to connect more youth to international opportunities. There will be an international project in Africa later this year, and youth across Canada were invited to apply.
There has already been lots of great progress, but there is still a great deal of work ahead.
Achieving meaningful youth involvement is all about balance. If we're not attracting and welcoming new blood that can be mentored and supported by our experience volunteers, then we are dying. A continuous injection of young leadership is essential for our survival.
For more information on our vision for greater youth involvement, check out the Action Plan at www.scoutingnow.org.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Happy Birthday, B-P!
Toward the end of his life, B-P wrote two "last messages" -- one, the more famous, is his 'last message to Scouts.' But he also wrote a 'last message to Scouters,' which I'd like to share with you all today:
"To my Brother Scouters and Guiders:
Cecil Rhodes said at the end of his life (and I, in my turn to feel the truth of it), "So much to do and so little time to do it." No one can hope to see the consummation, as well as the start, of a big venture within the short span of one lifetime.
I have had an extraordinary experience in seeing the development of Scouting from its beginning up to its present stage. But there is a vast job before it. The Movement is only now getting into its stride. (When I speak of Scouting I include in it Guiding also.). The one part which I can claim as mine towards promoting the movement is that I have been lucky enough to find you men and women to form a group of the right stamp who can be relied upon to carry it on to its goal. You will do well to keep yours eyes open, in your turn, for worthy successors to whom you can, with confidence, hand the torch. Don't let it became a salaried organization: keep it a voluntary movement of patriotic service.
The Movement has already, in the comparatively short period of its existence, established itself onto a wide and so strong a footing as to show most encouraging promise of what may be possible to it in the coming years. Its aim is to produce healthy, happy, helpful citizens, of both sexes, to eradicate the prevailing narrow self-interest, personal, political, sectarian and national, and to substitute for it a broader spirit of self-sacrifice and service in the cause of humanity; and thus to develop mutual goodwill and co-operation not only within our own country but abroad, between all countries. Experience shows that this consummation is no idle or fantastic dream, but is a practicable possibility if we work for it; and it means, when attained, peace, prosperity and happiness for all. The "encouraging promise" lies in the fact that the hundreds of thousands of boys and girls who are learning our ideals today will be fathers and mothers of millions in the near future, in whom they will in turn inculcate the same ideals, provided that these are really and unmistakably impressed upon them by their fathers of today.
Therefore you, who are Scouters and Guiders, are not only doing a great work for your neighbour's children but are also helping in practical fashion to bring to pass God's Kingdom of peace and goodwill upon Earth. So, from my heart, I wish you God-speed in your effort.
Baden-Powell"
Thank you all for your service to our youth and to this great Movement we all belong to. You should be proud of the work you do.
On this day, our Founder's birthday, I pledge to you that I will continue to agressively pursue our Action Plan for Canadian Scouting. In my heart and soul, I believe we can double our membership and revitalize this movement. Children and youth across this nation deserve no less.
Last night, I attended a huge birthday party for B-P in Paradise, NL. This evening, I will be celebrating with the 3rd Fredericton Cub Pack in New Brunswick. Tomorrow, I'll be partying with the Kirkland Northwest Cubs and Scouts in Quebec. (Check out their awesome website and videos if you haven't done so yet.). I look forward to hearing about the amazing celebrations that will take place across Canada in the days ahead.
We have lots to celebrate about the recent growth and development of Scouting. And we're just getting warmed up.
Happy birthday, Baden-Powell. I continue to be inspired by your legacy, and it's very clear to me that our collective responsibility is to build on that legacy for the benefit of generations of Canadians that are yet to be born.
Good Scouting!
Steve
"To my Brother Scouters and Guiders:
Cecil Rhodes said at the end of his life (and I, in my turn to feel the truth of it), "So much to do and so little time to do it." No one can hope to see the consummation, as well as the start, of a big venture within the short span of one lifetime.
I have had an extraordinary experience in seeing the development of Scouting from its beginning up to its present stage. But there is a vast job before it. The Movement is only now getting into its stride. (When I speak of Scouting I include in it Guiding also.). The one part which I can claim as mine towards promoting the movement is that I have been lucky enough to find you men and women to form a group of the right stamp who can be relied upon to carry it on to its goal. You will do well to keep yours eyes open, in your turn, for worthy successors to whom you can, with confidence, hand the torch. Don't let it became a salaried organization: keep it a voluntary movement of patriotic service.
The Movement has already, in the comparatively short period of its existence, established itself onto a wide and so strong a footing as to show most encouraging promise of what may be possible to it in the coming years. Its aim is to produce healthy, happy, helpful citizens, of both sexes, to eradicate the prevailing narrow self-interest, personal, political, sectarian and national, and to substitute for it a broader spirit of self-sacrifice and service in the cause of humanity; and thus to develop mutual goodwill and co-operation not only within our own country but abroad, between all countries. Experience shows that this consummation is no idle or fantastic dream, but is a practicable possibility if we work for it; and it means, when attained, peace, prosperity and happiness for all. The "encouraging promise" lies in the fact that the hundreds of thousands of boys and girls who are learning our ideals today will be fathers and mothers of millions in the near future, in whom they will in turn inculcate the same ideals, provided that these are really and unmistakably impressed upon them by their fathers of today.
Therefore you, who are Scouters and Guiders, are not only doing a great work for your neighbour's children but are also helping in practical fashion to bring to pass God's Kingdom of peace and goodwill upon Earth. So, from my heart, I wish you God-speed in your effort.
Baden-Powell"
Thank you all for your service to our youth and to this great Movement we all belong to. You should be proud of the work you do.
On this day, our Founder's birthday, I pledge to you that I will continue to agressively pursue our Action Plan for Canadian Scouting. In my heart and soul, I believe we can double our membership and revitalize this movement. Children and youth across this nation deserve no less.
Last night, I attended a huge birthday party for B-P in Paradise, NL. This evening, I will be celebrating with the 3rd Fredericton Cub Pack in New Brunswick. Tomorrow, I'll be partying with the Kirkland Northwest Cubs and Scouts in Quebec. (Check out their awesome website and videos if you haven't done so yet.). I look forward to hearing about the amazing celebrations that will take place across Canada in the days ahead.
We have lots to celebrate about the recent growth and development of Scouting. And we're just getting warmed up.
Happy birthday, Baden-Powell. I continue to be inspired by your legacy, and it's very clear to me that our collective responsibility is to build on that legacy for the benefit of generations of Canadians that are yet to be born.
Good Scouting!
Steve
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