Why Scouting Works (from SL Tan Sheau Gang on 25 October 2006)
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art60214
Feb 20, 2009, 7:42:39 AM2/20/09
to Hwa Chong Scout Group, Singapore
From: art60214 (Original Message) Sent: 25/10/2006 17:28
An interesting article from a major Hong Kong Chinese newspaper Ming
Pao dated 23 Oct 06 on the impact of Scouting on the youths.
參與制服團隊 人生更美滿
(香港明報 Ming Pao Daily) 10月 23日 星期一
【明報專訊】英國首相貝理雅、航空公司維珍集團主席布蘭森、球星碧咸、新聞節目《Newsnight》主播柏斯(相關新聞 - 網站)曼等成功人士有何
共通點﹖原來他們都當過童軍。英國一項調查發現，青年透過參與童軍一類制服團隊，有助建立嚴謹的性格，亦可令日後人生更美滿.
英國工黨公共政策研究所向1958至1970年出生、約千名市民進行分析。結果發現，青年期間曾參與課外活動，特別是參與制服團隊的人，一般生活較為快
樂、與別人有良好關係及具備高學歷。
調查更發現，曾參與童軍的人，至30歲時仍單身或已離婚的少於5%。調查機構稱，曾參與童軍者，30歲時多數有穩定收入及家庭，少於3%會感到沮喪或失
落。機構引述「12個曾於月球漫步的人，11個曾是童軍
訓練紀律 加強抗逆能力
聖公會油塘基顯小學校長李少鶴從事童軍活動超過35年。他說﹕「現時管理學校的智慧及經驗，不少累積自童軍活動。」他指，童軍徽章制度驅使學生不斷進
步，小隊制度則可訓練學生紀律，日行一善的精神更可加強童軍間及其他人的人際關係。他說﹕「種種均與教育理念不謀而合，典型例子是『童軍勇敢不怕難』的
口號，加強學生抗逆能力。」香港亦有不少名人是活躍於童軍的核心人物，如前警務處(相關新聞 - 網站)長許淇安、前建築署長鮑紹雄。
----------------------------------------------------
From: art60214 Sent: 27/10/2006 23:30
The original article from UK Sunday Times refers:
The Sunday Times - Britain (October 22, 2006)
Dib dib dib – the way to a better life
Isabel Oakeshott, Deputy Political Editor
Labour think tank urges schools to champion merits of Scouts and
Guides
WIITH their stiff tunics and itchy hats, they were seen as bastions of
tradition. Now the efforts of the Brownie Guides and their brothers
the Scouts to overhaul their image have achieved the pinnacle of
modernisation — approval from new Labour’s favourite think tank.
Research published by the Institute for Public Policy Research finds
that young people who join up to clubs offering the sort of rigorous
character-building activities promoted by the scouting movement do
better in later life. They are calling on schools to adopt the
principles of the scouting movement.
Researchers who examined what became of thousands of children born in
1958 and 1970 found they were more likely to be happy, in a good
relationship, have good qualifications and be earning a decent income
if they had joined such clubs, especially if it involved wearing a
uniform, when they were young.
According to the study, former Scouts and Guides were 3% less likely
to be depressed and 5% less likely to be single, separated or divorced
by the age of 30. They were also more likely to own a home, achieve
good qualifications and be earning a decent income, even after
correcting for their class background.
The scouting movement, founded by Lord Baden-Powell in 1907, is said
to promote self-discipline, teamwork and a spirit of adventure. Of the
12 men who have walked on the moon, for example, 11 were Scouts.
Other famous former Scouts include Tony Blair, Sir Richard Branson,
Lord Attenborough, David Beckham and Jeremy Paxman, the Newsnight
presenter. “I was in the Cubs and then the Scouts for about seven
years and I loved every single minute of it,” said Paxman. “I became
absolutely obsessed with making rope bridges, camping out and eating
flapjacks over open fires. The whole experience taught me to be
resourceful, self-reliant, and inventive.”
So convinced is the institute of the benefits of “structured and
purposeful extracurricular activities” — including martial arts, drama
classes and team sports — that it is calling on the government to
extend the official school day to ensure all youngsters reap the
rewards.
The report says parents should have a legal obligation to ensure their
children participate in at least two hours of extracurricular activity
a week. An institute spokesman said: “Scouts and Brownies may have
gone out of fashion, but they are a good example of the type
of organised activity that benefits young people in later life. They
are well supervised, with recognised structures and in-built goals.”
A million children in the UK are members of the Brownies, Cubs, Scouts
or Guides. This year has seen the first increase in numbers for 13
years, after a major drive to modernise the movement.
Brownies and Guides used to be encouraged to develop skills such as
flower arranging and keeping a tidy home. Now, instead of winning
badges for cookery, girls are rewarded for skills such as circus-
performing and “communicating”. For both boys and girls, uniforms have
been modernised with the adoption of baseball cap-style headgear.
Neil Young, a spokesman for the Guides, said: “We are happy that
people acknowledge the role the organisation plays in modern Britain.
We take 500,000 girls away from their television and computer games
every week to encourage them to take part in new activities. We see it
as our job to equip girls and young women with the confidence, skills
and real experiences necessary to manage the challenges and
opportunities in modern life, broaden their horizons and reach for new
goals.”
Brownies and Scouts can still take the old pledge to “do their duty to
God and the Queen”, to “help other people and keep the Scout law”, but
because they now define themselves as a “multi-faith, co-educational
youth movement” there are variations for people of other faiths.
Andrew Thorp, a spokesman for the Scout Association, said: “We think
that the key thing to life is adventure. Baden-Powell said, ‘If it
wasn’t for adventure, life would be deadly dull’. These young people
will be the world leaders of tomorrow.”
The institute report contrasted the benefits of “structured
activities” with attending youth clubs, where young people are less
likely to be mentored by adult activity leaders and more likely to mix
with “deviant” peers.
It warns that Britain is in danger of becoming fearful of young
people, with British adults less likely than other Europeans to
intervene to stop teenagers indulging in anti-social behaviour.
An interesting article from a major Hong Kong Chinese newspaper Ming
Pao dated 23 Oct 06 on the impact of Scouting on the youths.
參與制服團隊 人生更美滿
(香港明報 Ming Pao Daily) 10月 23日 星期一
【明報專訊】英國首相貝理雅、航空公司維珍集團主席布蘭森、球星碧咸、新聞節目《Newsnight》主播柏斯(相關新聞 - 網站)曼等成功人士有何
共通點﹖原來他們都當過童軍。英國一項調查發現，青年透過參與童軍一類制服團隊，有助建立嚴謹的性格，亦可令日後人生更美滿.
英國工黨公共政策研究所向1958至1970年出生、約千名市民進行分析。結果發現，青年期間曾參與課外活動，特別是參與制服團隊的人，一般生活較為快
樂、與別人有良好關係及具備高學歷。
調查更發現，曾參與童軍的人，至30歲時仍單身或已離婚的少於5%。調查機構稱，曾參與童軍者，30歲時多數有穩定收入及家庭，少於3%會感到沮喪或失
落。機構引述「12個曾於月球漫步的人，11個曾是童軍
訓練紀律 加強抗逆能力
聖公會油塘基顯小學校長李少鶴從事童軍活動超過35年。他說﹕「現時管理學校的智慧及經驗，不少累積自童軍活動。」他指，童軍徽章制度驅使學生不斷進
步，小隊制度則可訓練學生紀律，日行一善的精神更可加強童軍間及其他人的人際關係。他說﹕「種種均與教育理念不謀而合，典型例子是『童軍勇敢不怕難』的
口號，加強學生抗逆能力。」香港亦有不少名人是活躍於童軍的核心人物，如前警務處(相關新聞 - 網站)長許淇安、前建築署長鮑紹雄。
----------------------------------------------------
From: art60214 Sent: 27/10/2006 23:30
The original article from UK Sunday Times refers:
The Sunday Times - Britain (October 22, 2006)
Dib dib dib – the way to a better life
Isabel Oakeshott, Deputy Political Editor
Labour think tank urges schools to champion merits of Scouts and
Guides
WIITH their stiff tunics and itchy hats, they were seen as bastions of
tradition. Now the efforts of the Brownie Guides and their brothers
the Scouts to overhaul their image have achieved the pinnacle of
modernisation — approval from new Labour’s favourite think tank.
Research published by the Institute for Public Policy Research finds
that young people who join up to clubs offering the sort of rigorous
character-building activities promoted by the scouting movement do
better in later life. They are calling on schools to adopt the
principles of the scouting movement.
Researchers who examined what became of thousands of children born in
1958 and 1970 found they were more likely to be happy, in a good
relationship, have good qualifications and be earning a decent income
if they had joined such clubs, especially if it involved wearing a
uniform, when they were young.
According to the study, former Scouts and Guides were 3% less likely
to be depressed and 5% less likely to be single, separated or divorced
by the age of 30. They were also more likely to own a home, achieve
good qualifications and be earning a decent income, even after
correcting for their class background.
The scouting movement, founded by Lord Baden-Powell in 1907, is said
to promote self-discipline, teamwork and a spirit of adventure. Of the
12 men who have walked on the moon, for example, 11 were Scouts.
Other famous former Scouts include Tony Blair, Sir Richard Branson,
Lord Attenborough, David Beckham and Jeremy Paxman, the Newsnight
presenter. “I was in the Cubs and then the Scouts for about seven
years and I loved every single minute of it,” said Paxman. “I became
absolutely obsessed with making rope bridges, camping out and eating
flapjacks over open fires. The whole experience taught me to be
resourceful, self-reliant, and inventive.”
So convinced is the institute of the benefits of “structured and
purposeful extracurricular activities” — including martial arts, drama
classes and team sports — that it is calling on the government to
extend the official school day to ensure all youngsters reap the
rewards.
The report says parents should have a legal obligation to ensure their
children participate in at least two hours of extracurricular activity
a week. An institute spokesman said: “Scouts and Brownies may have
gone out of fashion, but they are a good example of the type
of organised activity that benefits young people in later life. They
are well supervised, with recognised structures and in-built goals.”
A million children in the UK are members of the Brownies, Cubs, Scouts
or Guides. This year has seen the first increase in numbers for 13
years, after a major drive to modernise the movement.
Brownies and Guides used to be encouraged to develop skills such as
flower arranging and keeping a tidy home. Now, instead of winning
badges for cookery, girls are rewarded for skills such as circus-
performing and “communicating”. For both boys and girls, uniforms have
been modernised with the adoption of baseball cap-style headgear.
Neil Young, a spokesman for the Guides, said: “We are happy that
people acknowledge the role the organisation plays in modern Britain.
We take 500,000 girls away from their television and computer games
every week to encourage them to take part in new activities. We see it
as our job to equip girls and young women with the confidence, skills
and real experiences necessary to manage the challenges and
opportunities in modern life, broaden their horizons and reach for new
goals.”
Brownies and Scouts can still take the old pledge to “do their duty to
God and the Queen”, to “help other people and keep the Scout law”, but
because they now define themselves as a “multi-faith, co-educational
youth movement” there are variations for people of other faiths.
Andrew Thorp, a spokesman for the Scout Association, said: “We think
that the key thing to life is adventure. Baden-Powell said, ‘If it
wasn’t for adventure, life would be deadly dull’. These young people
will be the world leaders of tomorrow.”
The institute report contrasted the benefits of “structured
activities” with attending youth clubs, where young people are less
likely to be mentored by adult activity leaders and more likely to mix
with “deviant” peers.
It warns that Britain is in danger of becoming fearful of young
people, with British adults less likely than other Europeans to
intervene to stop teenagers indulging in anti-social behaviour.
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