110 years of New Zealand Scouting....
...and more opportunities than ever
Thursday 22 February saw 200 Scout Leaders and guests attend an event held at Government House to celebrate 110 years of Scouting in New Zealand.
The evening was very graciously and generously hosted by Their Excellencies, Dame Patsy Reddy, Governor General of New Zealand and New Zealand Chief Scout, and Sir David Gascoigne.
The event leads off a year long celebration which started on 22 February, and which is a day of significance for Scouts all over the world being the birthday of Founder, Sir Robert Baden Powell (known as BP).
As well as celebrating 110 years, the event also launched a new Scouting Opportunity Fund to support young kiwis into scouting who face barriers to participating in the world’s most popular youth Movement.
“While BP may not have envisaged the scale of modern scouting - 50 million people worldwide, he would have approved of the fund and aim to include all who want to participate in our Movement”, says Joshua Tabor, SCOUTS New Zealand Chief Executive
“Being able to participate in Scouting should not be a privilege afforded to a few, because all Kiwi kids deserve an adventure, ” he says.
“Scouting supports young people to be the best versions of themselves; to gain resilience and confidence, and give back to their communities.
“110 years is a long time, and like most long standing charitable organisations, SCOUTS must adapt to an ever changing environment. The Scouting Opportunity Fund is just one of many SCOUTS Initiatives that seeks to meet the needs of all young New Zealanders who seek adventure and challenge”.
To
find out more about SCOUTS New Zealand go to: www.scouts.org.nz , to find out more
about the Scouting Opportunity Fund go to: www.supportscouts.org.nz.
ENDS
About SCOUTS New Zealand
As New Zealand’s best-known youth organisation, SCOUTS New Zealand offers 15,000 plus young people a programme full of new adventures, outdoor experiences, personal challenge and leadership opportunities that will set them on a pathway of lifelong success. Supporting both girls and boys in almost 400 communities across New Zealand, SCOUTS’ national programme focuses on the outdoors, community, personal development and new experiences, equipping 5 to 26-year olds with life skills such as problem-solving, team work, leadership and citizenship, supported by over 5,000 trained and accredited volunteers.
www.scouts.org.nz
0800 SCOUTS (0800 726887)
www.supportscouts.org.nz