At last, something for the young! Raising youngsters in the spirit of scouting.

Aleksandra Podhorodecka

At last, good news. In a sea of bad, depressing and upsetting news – war in Ukraine, Paris in flames, Johnson, Trump, political correctness, LGBT – a ray of joy and hope. The British government has decided that it will put serious money into supporting activities that aim to engage, involve and educate young people. ‚Young people in England will have access to more activities, trips away from home and volunteering opportunities as part of a new National Youth Guarantee backed by a £560 million investment,’ announced Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries. Of particular note was English Scouting, which not only does the things mentioned above, but also teaches skills such as how to set up a tent, how to make a campfire, how to tie a knot to keep it tight, how to use a map to get to a destination. All healthy, practical skills that develop independence and promote human contact! Bravo. I don’t know who in the current cabinet came up with the idea that promoting such a lifestyle was useful not only for the youngsters themselves but also for the environment as a whole, but it has to be said that this was the last moment to capture the interest of the youngsters, whose attachment to the phone, the computer and the couch threatens to become a tragedy – mentally, health-wise and intellectually.

It is not difficult to see the logic in this move. We know how much time young people spend staring at a small mobile phone screen; how used they have become to being alone during the pandemic and how difficult it is for them to make friends. Health service statistics confirm these facts. Add to this the massive construction of huge blocks of flats, where space is tiny and there is no communal space where young people can meet and safely spend time together.  We know, there is a shortage of houses and flats in England and the impossibly high prices are stopping young people from buying their own accommodation, so this programme is right on target, but it is often carried out without any forethought. The motive behind this programme is frequently a desire to make a quick buck rather than concern for young couples, pensioners or young people. So blocks of flats are built; they have no parking, no gymnasium, no football pitch, no playground or green space. And the young, if they are not sitting at home staring at a screen, often wander around not knowing what to do with themselves. This is how gangs form, which can be a bane to the environment and a danger to lone travellers. It is good that, at last, someone in authority has realised that the numerous crimes, knife attacks and drugs are often the result of a lack of motivation in life and the right conditions to do something more constructive. Creating just such opportunities for them is to become one of the government’s priorities.

And why exactly was the scouting movement singled out by the authorities? For us, Poles living abroad for years, such a proposal is not at all surprising. After all, the Polish Scouting Association is very active on these islands, bringing up hundreds or thousands of righteous and noble young Poles who grow in friendship with nature and other people. All assemblies, bivouacs and camps aim to bring up a generation of mature, resourceful, friendly young  people, aware of their Polish roots, noble, joyful and cheerful. The Scout Promise obliges young people to serve God, Poland and their neighbours and to keep the Scout Law. And the Scout Law is demanding! Troops, squads and groups gather at Saturday schools or Polish parishes and learn how to live to make the world a better place. 

English Scouting – on which Polish Scouting also bases its principles – has equally firm requirements. Founded by Baden Powell in 1909, it has carried on its activities, uninterruptedly, to the present day. By the 1920s, the association was already enjoying a membership of one million and was rapidly spreading throughout the world, involving an ever-increasing number of enthusiasts who were very much attracted to the Scouting lifestyle. Saying farewell to the scouting fraternity in 1937, Baden Powell wrote to them:

‚I have had a very happy life and I want each of you to have a happy life too. I believe that God has placed us in this beautiful world to be happy and to enjoy life. Happiness is not based on wealth or career success or indulging yourself. One of the steps to happiness is taking care of your physical and mental health so that you can help others. Being in touch with nature will show you what a beautiful world God created for us to enjoy. Enjoy what you have and make the most of it; look at every issue positively. Remember, however, that the best way to achieve happiness is to give happiness to other people. Try to leave this world a little better than you found it! And when your time comes you can die happy, with the knowledge that you have not wasted your time on earth. ‚Be prepared’  and stay together.’ And be true to the oath. And the British Scout Oath is not much different from ours: ‚On my honour I promise to do my best to do my duty to God and King, to help other people and to obey the Scout Law.’ And a Scout, according to the Scout Law is: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and respectful. That is to say, the Scout Law describes the values that every Scout should follow in order to become an honest member of his community.

It’s great that the UK government is committed to such values. Raising youngsters in the spirit of scouting values certainly won’t hurt them. But it doesn’t stop there. The government is not limiting its planned support to Scouting. Its intentions go further. It intends to support a variety of other youth organisations: choirs, folk groups, arts, cookery, crafts and gymnastics skills, voluntary work, development circles. In effect, anything that breaks up gangs, gets young people out of the home, redresses social injustices and gives them healthy and useful interests. What a great programme.

And what an opportunity for us Poles, for years involving youngsters in scout life, mornings spent in Saturday schools or rehearsing folk bands or choirs. After all, what Saturday schools have been doing for the last 70 years follows precisely this line of ‚exploratory’ government policy. Young Poles attending Saturday schools, preparing for state Polish language examinations at GCSE and AL level, spend most of their Saturdays in the care of qualified teachers and dedicated members of their parental committees. We suspect that the British authorities are not very aware of this, but after all, the Polish environment provides youngsters with a safe morning in the company of colleagues with whom they share not only an interest in learning but a warm friendship and a desire to continue that friendship after school hours. Thanks to Saturday schools, scout meetings, camps, bivouacs and dance rehearsals, young Poles do not sit at home in front of screens or gather in gangs to seek adventure at the expense of other citizens. The Polish community has been fulfilling government recommendations for years: educating, teaching, engaging youngsters. It is time for the British authorities to realise this and to begin financially supporting our activities. This is a good time to appeal to local authorities for material assistance. We deserve it too!