Scouting for help

Local scout groups seek adult volunteers for programmes

The scouting community in Dubai is looking for volunteers yet again as earlier appeals failed to muster the required support. Formally known as the British Groups Abroad but stemming from the UK-based Baden Powell movement, the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts Association is in dire need of adult supervisors who can volunteer a few hours of their time every week.

Barring holidays, each Beaver, Cub and Scout group meets once every week for not more than one-and-a-half hours. And since the only qualification really required is a sensible attitude and a weekly commitment, a whole lot of dads, moms and adults are quite qualified to join and help the adult support programme.

The newly-appointed UAE district commissioner, Susan Jalili, enthuses, "It is a very enjoyable activity for the young boys and teaches them skills and games that they wouldn't normally learn at school.

The interaction with different boys from other schools and communities also prepares them for adult life. Moreover the clean-up and environmental campaigns, the field trips, overnight camps and visits to local heritage sites are a good learning experience.

If only we had more volunteers we would admit many more boys. At present because of the limited adult support in the form of volunteers we have a long waiting list.

"Though the work is totally voluntary and has no monetary benefits, the pleasure of seeing young boys enjoy, learn and grow up to be responsible citizens of the world is a reward in itself. We recently had a successful training programme of the present volunteers. The programme was a good learning experience and great fun too."

Susan adds that they are looking for a piece of land in Umm Sequeim to make the 'scout hut' - a base which can be their own for scout meetings and also to store equipment. There is also a need for a new Quartermaster to take charge of the camping equipment and to check it in and out after each usage.

The movement admits young boys in a Beaver Colony between ages six and eight. From here they graduate to a Cub Pack between ages eight and 11 after which they go on to a Scout group until they are 16. Venture Scouts take over here.

At present, Dubai has three Beaver Colonies, three Cub Packs, one Scout Group, but no Venture Scouts. Sharjah has only one Cub Pack and Al Ain has just one Beaver Colony.

Abu Dhabi, however, has better luck with one pack each in Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Venture Scouts. All of these packs are run by volunteers and constantly face the fear of closure due to volunteers moving and a total lack of more signing in.