Beavers is a programme associated with some Scouting organisations generally for children aged 5/6 to 7/8 who are too young for the Cub programme.
Beavers programmes had their origins in the Northern Irish organisation The Little Brothers, founded in 1963 and renamed "Beavers" in 1966 to provide a programme for boys who were too young to be Wolf Cubs. [1] A Beavers programme for Scouts Canada was designed and tested in 1971 and adopted in 1974. Since then, other scouting organisations in some countries have developed their Beavers or similar programmes. Some organisations do not call their programmes "Beavers" and often use an animal local to their region instead. Many share common ideas between them, such as:
Many Beaver groups that began as boys only now allow girls into their programmes as well, and many Beaver programmes which were not initially considered official parts of their parent scouting organisations are now fully embraced by them.[ citation needed ]
The Boy Scouts of America never created a distinct identity for children of this age. Instead, over time, their Cub programme has expanded to fill this age group. Others, such as some Traditional Scouting organisations, have never adopted programmes for younger children at all, typically on the grounds this was not one of Robert Baden-Powell's original programmes.
A pre-Cub scheme was set up in Northern Ireland by the 1st Dromore Group in 1963 and it was called The Little Brothers spreading to Belfast with seven groups two years later. [2] [3] The creation of an under-eight provision was sparked by the launch of other younger sections in other youth organisations at the time including the Anchors section of the Boys' Brigade which some feared was partly causing a drop in numbers of Cubs experienced at the time. [4] As the scheme expanded throughout the rest of the province, it was given the official name of Beavers in 1966, having been a name considered by Robert Baden-Powell when creating Wolf Cubs. [2] [3]
A Canadian Beaver programme was designed and tested in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1971 by Harry McCartney, Alan Jones, and Gordon Hanna.[ citation needed ] and in 1972 it was expanded across the Scouts Canada organisation.[ citation needed ] It was made an official programme of Scouts Canada in 1974.[ citation needed ]
This was closely followed by the Republic of Ireland in the same year. Beaver became an official section of the Scout Association of the United Kingdom in 1986. Beavers and programmes for similar ages spread to a few other Scouting organisations around the world. Beavers were not formally adopted by many Scouting organisations until well into the 1980s.
The Baden-Powell Scouts' Association in Australia has a programme called Koalas, although some Groups do not operate Koalas as they were not part of Baden-Powell's concept. The programme serves 5 to 8-year-olds and is followed by Wolf Cubs. The Koalas programme uses a catchphrase and themes around "Koalas climb high" with participants reciting the phrase and mimicking the motions of a climbing Koala.
Scouts Australia has a programme called Joeys for 5 to 7-year-olds. A joey is an infant kangaroo. The Joeys' programme uses a catchphrase and themes around "Hop, Hop, Hop" such as Help Other People with participants reciting the phrase and mimicking the motions of a hopping joey kangaroo.
In Scouts Canada, Beavers are aged five to seven. Members normally wear a brown vest as a uniform with a brown Beaver coby hat.
The Scouts Canada Beavers programme is based on the specially written short story Friends of the Forest written by Harry McCartney. McCartney was the Manitoba Executive Scout Director in 1971. With the help of two others, Alan Jones, and Gordon Hanna, the Beavers programme was tested and successfully brought to Scouts Canada officially and country-wide, by 1974.
A five-year-old Beaver is a brown tail, a six-year-old is a blue tail and a seven-year-old is a white tail. The tail is attached to the back brim of the Beaver Hat on a Beaver's uniform.
Beavers, at the end of their third (white tail) year, participate in a "swim-up" ceremony to become Cubs.
In the Association des Scouts du Canada Castors (Beavers in French) are aged from seven to nine. Members normally wear a yellow T-shirt and tan or brown pants. The programme is based on a specially written story called Les aventures de Cartouche et Namor (The Adventures of Cartouche and Namor).
Castor Promise: Je m'engage à faire des efforts pour jouer avec et comme les autres. (I promise to do my best to play with and like others)
Castor Motto: Effort (Effort)
The new Beaver receives his neckerchief and uniform at a promise ceremony where the Beaver, generally, must demonstrate that he has joined the unit. From that moment, the new Beavers have entered the Beaver programme.
Beavers collect individual badges following a four-step programme:
They can also collect two technique badges which are called buchettes (splint): Security and Environnement.
When they climb to Cubs, they receive a badge called "Castor découvreur" (discovering beaver).
In the Baden-Powell Service Association in Canada, the corresponding section for this age group is called Otters. [5]
Beaver Scouts (Japanese: ビーバースカウト) started in Japan in 1986. Like all of the Scout Association of Japan units, Beavers have been coed since 1995. [6] Beavers are the youngest age group in Scouting Japan, a 2-year programme that covers 1st and 2nd grades.
In Asociación de Scouts de México, A.C. there was a Beaver Section, but it has been closed down. [7] However, there are many beaver groups or "castores" in Spanish working unofficially in parallel.
Scouts New Zealand has a programme called Keas for this age group. Kea is a New Zealand parrot.
In 2019, Scouts South Africa launched a Meerkats programme initially started by Sherley Southworth, and officially recognised under Chief Scout Dr. Brendon Hausberger, for children aged 5 and 6. The motto "Stand Tall" is based on the upright posture of a meerkat standing guard near its burrow. [8]
Various troops in Switzerland also have Beavers (in some Cantons also called Fünkli, Füchse or Murmeli), but they are not officially recognised by the Swiss Guide and Scout Movement. [9]
They usually only wear the troop's neckerchief but have no uniform.
The Scout Association officially recognised Beavers in 1986, but there had been a fully-fledged Beaver section in Northern Ireland since 1966, plus informal colonies in other parts of the UK for many years before 1986. The programme is run for 5¾ to 8-year-olds and precedes Cubs.
The Beavers section currently makes up the largest proportion of participants within The Scout Association in the United Kingdom, with many colonies having waiting lists, some of which may have several times as many waiting as there are actual members.[ citation needed ]
The uniform is a turquoise sweatshirt or T-shirt, with the group colours for the neckerchief. The motto, shared with the rest of the UK Scout Association sections, is "Be Prepared".
The Baden-Powell Scouts' Association recognised Beavers in 1982, although some Groups do not operate Beaver colonies as they were not part of Baden-Powell's concept. The programme serves 5 to 8-year-olds and is followed by Wolf Cubs. [10]
The uniform is a vest that can be of many colours, with the group colours for the neckerchief. Some groups also issue Beavers with caps.
The Boy Scouts of America never organized a multi-year Beavers programme separate from Cubs. While the modern incarnation of Cubs in the United States contains programmes for grades K through 5, the path to this structure was evolutionary.
As of 1981, the earliest program available in Cubs was the Wolf Scout programme, intended for boys 8 years of age. In the fall of 1982, BSA introduced the Tiger Cubs programme for 7-year-olds, as a programme distinct from the Cubs. [11] When BSA participation was changed to grade-based instead of age-based in 1986, Tiger Cubs became the 1st-grade programme, effectively changing the eligible age of most Tiger Cubs boys to 6. Tiger Cubs were opened to Cub Packs in 1993, and Tiger Dens were introduced in 1995. By 2001, Tigers (as they are now called) were fully integrated into Cubs and had their merit badge.
In 2016 a pilot programme began for Kindergarten (age 5-6) boys with a new rank, Lion. Lions became a permanent rank inside Cubs in 2018. Also in 2018, as part of the larger structural change of allowing girls into all Cub programmes, [12] girl dens at all ranks, including Lion and Tiger, were allowed. [13]
In the Baden-Powell Service Association, the corresponding section for this age group is called Otters. [5]
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth social movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking, and sports. Another widely recognized movement characteristic is the Scout uniform, by intent hiding all differences of social standing in a country and encouraging equality, with neckerchief and campaign hat or comparable headwear. Distinctive uniform insignia include the fleur-de-lis and the trefoil, as well as merit badges and other patches.
A Scout is a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section. Scouts are organized into troops averaging 20–30 Scouts under the guidance of one or more Scout Leaders or Scoutmasters. Troops subdivide into patrols of about 6–8 Scouts and engage in outdoor and special interest activities. Troops may affiliate with local, national, and international organizations. Some national Scouting associations have special interest programs such as Air Scouts, Sea Scouts, outdoor high adventure, Scouting bands, and rider Scouts. In the USA there was around 6 million scouts in 2011.
A neckerchief, sometimes called a necker, kerchief or scarf, is a type of neckwear associated with those working or living outdoors, including farm labourers, cowboys and sailors. It is most commonly still seen today in the Scouts, Girl Guides and other similar youth movements. A neckerchief consists of a triangular piece of cloth or a rectangular piece folded into a triangle. The long edge is rolled towards the point, leaving a portion unrolled. The neckerchief is then fastened around the neck with the ends either tied or clasped with a slide or woggle.
The Baden-Powell Scouts' Association (B-PSA) is a worldwide youth organisation originating in the United Kingdom, with friendly relationships with similar traditional scouting organisations in various countries. Baden-Powell Scouting focuses on the importance of tradition in the scout movement.
Cub Scouts, Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programmes associated with Scouting for young children usually between 7 and 12, depending on the organisation to which they belong. A participant in the programme is called a Cub. A group of Cubs is called a "Pack".
The Scout Association, which also uses the name Scouts UK, is the largest Scout organisation in the United Kingdom. It's the World Organization of the Scout Movement's recognised member for the United Kingdom. Following the origins of the Scout movement in 1907, The Scout Association was formed in 1910 and incorporated in 1912 by a royal charter under its previous name of The Boy Scouts Association.
Cub Scouting is part of the Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), available to boys and girls from kindergarten through fifth grade, or 5 to 10 years of age and their families. Its membership is the largest of the five main BSA divisions. Cub Scouting is part of the worldwide Scouting movement and aims to promote character development, citizenship training, personal fitness, and leadership.
Scouts South Africa is the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) recognised Scout association in South Africa. Scouting began in the United Kingdom in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell and rapidly spread to South Africa, with the first Scout troops appearing in 1908. South Africa has contributed many traditions and symbols to World Scouting.
Traditional Scouting is "old-fashioned" or "back to basics" Scouting in some form, often with an emphasis on woodcraft and scoutcraft activities. As a pluralist movement, there is no one set definition for the term, but most traditionalists share a common set of values and procedures. Traditionalists aim to return the Scout Movement to something approximating its original style and activities; rejecting the trend of modernizing the program in an attempt to widen its appeal and/or use the name "Scouts" for new programs for ever-younger children.
A Scout leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.
Scouts, often referred to as the Scout section to differentiate itself from the wider movement and its parent organisation, is a section of Scouting run by The Scout Association for ten and a half to fourteen year old young people. The section follows on from Cub Scouts and precedes Explorer Scouts. Since 1991, the section has been coeducational and today the Scout section accepts young people from all backgrounds, faiths and genders.
Beaver Scouts, often shortened to Beavers, is the second youngest official section of Scouting operated by The Scout Association in the United Kingdom. The core age range for Beaver Scouts is six to eight years. Sections of Beaver Scouts are known as Colonies and are run locally by Scout Groups. After reaching the age of eight, a Beaver Scout will then move on to Cub Scouts. The section officially launched in 1986 but had existed before this as trial and unofficial sections as far back as 1963.
The Wolf Cub's Handbook is an instructional handbook on Wolf Cubs training, published in various editions since December 1916. Early editions were written and illustrated by Robert Baden-Powell with later editions being extensively rewritten by others. The book has a theme based on Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book jungle setting and characters.
The Pathfinder & Rover Explorer Scouts' Association (P-RESA) is an independent Traditional Scouting Association in the United Kingdom, with International branches. The Association's training programme runs along the lines of Baden-Powell's original Scouting for Boys, upholding the traditions and practices set out by B-P, using the 1938 Boy Scouts' Association Policy Organisation & Rules (POR) as its basis.
Cub Scouts is the section of Scouts Australia for boys and girls aged 8 to 11 (inclusive), often known simply as 'Cubs'. The Cub Scout section follows after Joey Scouts and is before Scouts. Cub Scouts wear a uniform shirt with navy blue panels, and yellow shoulders.
Cub Scouts, often shortened to Cubs, are a section of Scouting operated by The Scout Association with a core age of eight to ten and a half years of age. This section follows on from the Beaver Scouts and precedes the Scout section.
Beaver Scouts, usually referred to as Beavers, is the youngest section of Scouting operated by the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association. The core age range for Beaver Scouts is six to eight years, though exceptions can be granted. Individual sections of Beaver Scouts, known as a Colony, are run by the local Scout Group. After reaching the age of eight, a Beaver Scout will then move on to Wolf Cubs.
Wolf Cubs, usually referred to as Cubs, is the 3rd youngest section of Scouting operated by the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association, following on from the Beaver Scouts section. The core age range for Wolf Cubs is eight to eleven, though exceptions can be granted. Individual sections of Wolf Cubs, known as a Pack, are run by the local Scout Group. After reaching the age of ten and a half, a Wolf Cub may move on to Scouts.
The Boy Scouts Association's The Chief Scout's Advance Party Report 1966 attempted to address the association's falling enrollment numbers and modernise its programs. It resulted in changes to traditional iconic uniforms, changes to awards, training schemes, the association's name and other nomenclature, reduced distinctions between Cubs and Scouts and discontinuation of Rovers. However, the changes failed to halt decline in older enrolments, resulting in a shift to younger ages and also resulted in disaffection, a schism in the organisation, growth of the alternate British Boy Scouts and European Scout Federation, formation of independent Scout groups and further alternate Scout organisations, particularly the Traditional Scouting Baden-Powell Scouts' Association and helped to re-establish understanding of Scouts as a movement rather than a single organisation.
Beaver Scouts is the Beavers section of Scouts Canada for children aged 5 to 7. When a Beaver graduates from the third year of the program, they become Cub Scouts.
