From the Chief Commissioner
Hi everyone, hope you are having a great month!
Can I highlight the opportunity of AJ2025. Applications for the Jamboree are open. We would love for you and your young person to consider expressing interest in attending what will be a major event, now less than 12 months away. Applications need to be lodged by 31 March 2024. As I have indicated previously it is critically important that we encourage as many youth members and adults as possible to attend. The intent is to provide the opportunity at Jamboree for those who missed out in 2022 by extending the invitation to Venturer Scouts to 16 years of age to attend as participants or support workers.
It is also important that our youth members understand that the next Jamboree is not until 2029. So please encourage your unit to consider how they can participate in this wonderful Scouting event. The link to apply is here.
There are Branch based events that are currently in planning for 2024. There is a list below:-
- Kiwi Woggle – Wide Bay Burnett / Suncoast Region
- Joey Scout Jaunt – Baden-Powell Park
- LEAP 24 – Baden-Powell Park and Townsville
- Brisbane Gang Show / Limestone / Redlands and Wonargo Scout Revues
- Agoonoree – Baden-Powell Park
- Operation Nighthawk – Darling Downs Region
- AJ2025 the 26th Australian Scout Jamboree Maryborough January 2025
There will also be a host of events run at Groups / Districts and Regions – so get in touch with your Group Leader / Unit Leader to ensure your young person does not miss out on any opportunities to participate in the above events or local events.
I am excited to announce that the Queensland Government has indicated their support for AJ2025, which is fantastic. We are currently working through the details of that opportunity and will share more details in the coming weeks.
An update on the EOI process from late last year and the $1M funding agreement. We are continuing to work with the Department to finalise the next steps in the process, which is Government Review of the submissions, followed by submissions going to Branch Executive, for final approval which I hope will be completed by the end of February.
Next week we have Scouting on the Green, where we are taking twenty-five youth members to Queensland Parliament. This event allows us to promote Scouting to our elected representatives through activities on Speakers Green. Now in its 4th year we believe this engagement activity has delivered a stronger brand presence of Scouting to Government. The support noted above I believe is a direct result of this ongoing relationship.
I would again encourage you as parents / carers / guardians to reach out to other members of your family / community to let them know what Scouting is delivering for your young person. We would love the chance to provide our program to more young people and our best advocates are our current members and their families.
This month we celebrate Founders Day on 22 February – the birthday of our founder Lord Robert Baden-Powell of Gilwell. The Scouting program began in 1907 so that is 117 years of working with and developing the youth of the world, whilst, in Queensland Scouting launched in 1908 through 4 small patrols.
- Charles Smethurst Snow, a boy’s club leader in his 20s formed a patrol at the Kangaroo Point Church of England
- Lesleigh J Williams, a Sunday School Teacher at the Bowen Hills Congregation Church started a patrol which met at New Farm
- Leonard Lovejoy from the Methodist Church Gordon Club at Ashgrove started a patrol which called itself the Ithaca Patrol and
- Middle aged Septimus Davis who conducted a boy’s club at St Thomas Church of England Toowong
How appropriate that ‘patrol’ still resonates today and is the basis of our Scout program.
I hope you and your young people have a great Scouting year full of Adventure, Fun Challenge, and inclusive activities.
Have a great month and good Scouting!