Concept Paper 1
National Scout Youth Forum
Introduction
Scout Youth forums provide opportunities for the young people in scouting to express their views and make recommendations on issues that interest them, enabling them to develop the skills necessary to strengthen their capacity to take part in decision making process. Youth forums provide opportunity to the national and local levels; to listen to the views of young members on issues concerning them.
Proposed Youth Forum Concept for Maldives
Provincial OR Regional Youth Forum:
The geographical distribution of Islands in Maldives makes it difficult for organizing any major scale event in the county.
A Youth Forum is a place where youth come together discussing various Youth Issues and discussing their role in the society to create a better world. Youth Forum should therefore NOT only be organized or held in the central region or held only for youth members available to attend in Male’. The Association should organize Provincial or Regional Scout Youth Forums where Rovers (Youth) can participate and discuss pressing issues they face in scouting as well as in the Society as resolutions or recommendations. The Scout Youth Forum should be a platform for the Rovers to come up with solutions and making actions plans to achieve recommendations and suggestion that the forum agrees to.
Every Provincial Youth Forum should elect a Provincial OR Regional Rover Council (PRC/RRC). Who will work with the leaders and headquarters of that region to work towards achieving the resolutions, suggestions and actions steps that the Youth forum agreed. Council should also work to strengthen Rover activities in the Province or Region. Becoming a platform for Rovers to conduct, Organize and carry out their activities.
Participation
Currently in the Government of Maldives is working to establish 7 provinces to make administrative functions easier and give way to provincial development. The Scout Association of Maldives previously also had divided the country into 3 regions (Central, North and South region) to handle communications and regional Scout development. Association should recognize either the provincial system of division or regional system either way the Association should become decentralized and branch out in order to achieve its purpose.
· Every Scout Group registered under the Scout Association that belongs to a region or province that the is categorized accordingly by the Scout Association has a right to take part in that region or provinces Youth forum
· Youth Forum Participants should be Members of the Scout Association of Maldives ( meaning that they should be invested and registered in the Scout Association of Maldives through their Scout groups )
· All Youth Forum Participants should be of Rover age ( current age in Maldives is 18-26 )
· All participants who represent their scout groups ( Rover Crews ) should have come after being democratically elected within the Scout group
· Should be an enthusiastic ACTIVE scout and who is able to contribute
Purpose and objectives
The Youth Forum is as mentioned before a platform for Rovers (Young Adults) to come together to discuss various issues, make recommendations and suggestions to different issues concerning Scouting and other issues that involves youth in the society as well as the community as whole. The Scout Youth Forum shall produce a set of resolutions and working steps in trying to achieve and implement the resolution it approved. The Forum should elect a Provincial OR Regional Rover Council (PRC/RRC) that will work o enforce and overtake the responsibility in ensuring that the recommendations, resolutions and work steps are carried out and implemented.
The participants of the Youth Forum will:
· Discuss issues regarding Scouting that they face
· Discuss the different youth related issues in the community
· Advise the provincial headquarters and commissioners on different issues giving youth recommendations and suggestions
· Prepare recommendations on different scouting issues that should be forwarded to the proncial Scout Council
· Identify the areas where Rovers can assist the local communities
· Set up and prepare action plans on how to implement recommendations and resolutions that the forum agrees
· Will elect a Provincial OR Regional Rover Council (PRC/RRC)
· Establish a network of Rovers that work together in organizing, conducting, facilitating etc … scouting activities in that province or region
· Identify different areas concerning youth in Scouting at provincial level
· Provide a learning environment through discussions on interesting topics and sharing of experience
· Enhance their decision making skills for scouting and society in general
· Develop friendship among the participants and creates a network that can be continued beyond the forum
· The resolutions, recommendations and suggestions should be presented to the Provincial leader’s assembly or annual general meeting.
· Each Scout group will have the voting right to make decisions at the forum
Rules of Procedure’s and guidelines for this forum should be prepared by the concerned departments of the Scout Association of Maldives (Program Committee).
National Scout Youth forum:
National Scout Youth Forum should be an event that is organized in an annual cycle or in every two or three years (to be decided by EXCO). The National Scout Youth Forum Provides opportunities for young people (Young Adults 18- 26) to express their views and make recommendations on issues of interest to them, and to develop the skills necessary to strengthen their capacity to take part in the decision making process.
This gives the opportunity for the National Scout Organization in Maldives to listen to the views of young members on issues that concerns them.
The purpose of this forum is to bring together Rovers (Youth) from different parts of Maldives that will prepare proposals that can be passed in the National Annual general meeting or Assembly. The National Scout Youth Forum can propose different issues in regard to scouting and its development in the country, they can identify the areas in the society and the community where they assist and help in terms of development and service working together to create a better society leading to the creation of a better world.
The National Scout Youth Forum provides the opportunity for delegates and observers who take part in the forum to develop the necessary practical skills that enables them to take part more effectively in the decision making activities and undertake leadership roles both within and outside the movement for their own personal development.
The World Scout Conference has repeatedly and strongly encouraged NSOs to organize and facilitate National level and local level youth forums for young adults in scouting for a long time. World level and regional level publications have been put forwarded to the NSOs to take the initiative to facilitate the Youth Forums. (Find details of the World Conference Resolutions at the end of this proposal.)
Participation
· Young Adults (Rovers 18-26) from all registered Scout Groups in Maldives should have the right to represent in the National Scout Youth Forum. (A fixed number of delegates and Observers to the forum should be made clear)
· Each Scout Group will have 1 vote that can be casted to make decisions at the forum
· Rovers who take part in the forum should be nominated among all Rovers from their groups in a democratic manner
· All Youth Forum participants should be members of the Scout Association of Maldives. (meaning that they should be invested and registered in the Scout Association of Maldives through their Scout groups)
· Should be an enthusiastic ACTIVE scout and who is able to contribute
Purpose and objectives
The participants of the Youth Forum will:
· Discuss issues regarding Scouting that they face
· Discuss the different youth related issues in the community
· Advise the headquarters and National commissioners, committees on different issues giving youth recommendations and suggestions
· Prepare recommendations on different scouting issues that should be forwarded to the National Scout Council
· Identify the areas where Rovers can assist the local communities
· Set up and prepare action plans on how to implement recommendations and resolutions that the forum agrees
· Will elect a National Rover Council (NRC)
· Review the Rover programs and other guidelines prepared for the Rover Section in Maldives
· Establish a network of Rovers that work together in organizing, conducting, facilitating etc … scouting activities in that province or region
· Identify different areas concerning youth in Scouting at National level
· Provide a learning environment through discussions on interesting topics and sharing of experience
· Enhance their decision making skills for scouting and society in general
· Develop friendship among the participants and creates a network that can be continued beyond the forum
· The resolutions, recommendations and suggestions should be presented to the Provincial leader’s assembly or annual general meeting.
Conclusion
To achieve the purpose and function of the National Scout Youth Forum and Provisional Scout Youth Forum it is important that both the forums be incorporated into the constitution and by-laws of the Scout Association of Maldives. As the constitution and by-laws will give further weight in involving youth in the decision making level of the NSO.
It should be remembered that the National or Provincial Youth Forum IS NOT and DOES NOT come under the Rover or Youth program but it is a more institutionalized body of the Scouting which has the intended purpose of INVOLVING YOUTH, to be specific YOUNG ADULTS, in all levels of decision making and leadership. Creating a generation of capable youth to make decisions and latter to replace Adults in leadership of the NSO. This will provide the opportunity to the Scout Association of Maldives to develop human resource and qualified leaders. Ultimately working for the greater good, in this case working to create a better society and a better community where scouts will become responsible citizens.
*This was the Second part of the proposal "Youth Involvement in SAM" I had proposed to the Scout Association of Maldives during July 2010. I will post the remaining parts as well ...
Part one:
Youth Involvement in Scouting - Maldives: Introduction
Find the original proposal in PDF available for download:
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