Did you know…
… Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting and his wife, Olave Baden-Powell, the first Chief Guide, shared the same birthday – 22nd February? They met in January 1912 on the ocean liner SS Arcadian when Robert was on his way via the Caribbean to New York to start a lecture tour promoting Scouting. At the time he was very famous and it caused a media sensation when at 23 and him being 55, they were married later that year.
Image by Freepik
… the first camp Baden-Powell ran to test his principles, was held on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, in August 1907? He invited a diverse range of 20 boys, working in patrols and including activities from woodcraft to life-saving.
… Scouting and Guiding has grown from this first camp to now having 38 million Scouts and Guides all over the world.
… there are Scouts and Guides in 216 countries – with just 5 countries in the world not represented.
… during the time Bear Grylls has been Chief Scout, membership of the Scout and Guide movements has grown.
… as well as using World Thinking Day to think of our fellow Scouts and Guides across the world, there is an 
annual theme? This year it is “Our World, Our Peaceful Future: The environment, peace and security”.
So why is World Thinking Day so significant for me in my world of leadership development?
Being an Assistant Scout Leader and County Scout Leader since 1990, created a solid foundation in how to lead, inspire and motivate others, how to recognise the value of diversity both with volunteers and with young people and most importantly, the value of teamwork. After all, ‘life is a team sport’ and from the age of 6, Beaver Scouts learn through fun and activities, the principles of Scouting, which continue through Cub Scouts, Scouts, Explorer Scouts and adult Network – where the aim is to provide “fun, adventure and skills for life and give young people the opportunity to enjoy new adventures, experience outdoors and take part in a range of creative, community and international activities, interact with others, make new friends, gain confidence and have the opportunity to reach their potential”.
Isn’t this pretty similar to my own EG People Development purpose ‘to energise and enthuse others to realise their potential and opportunity for personal growth’? I really love enabling people to recognise and realise their potential and like Scouting, this is done with new experiences, learning, creative activities, working with others and improving confidence. This is the reason I get out of bed in the morning!
Scouting gave me the best foundation for life, leadership, team and personal development and when I volunteered for 3 months at KISC – the Kandersteg International Scout Centre in Switzerland in 2010, I was able to expand my global perspective through working with diverse Scouting volunteers – from Sri Lanka to Sweden, Brazil to Australia. I had visited KISC as a guest on four previous occasions but on this occasion, it was to take a career break, be away in a place of safety and volunteer in a truly global setting with fellow Scouts from around 
the world.
The story behind KISC started with the construction of the
Lötschberg tunnel and in 1908 a chalet was built to support the workers and families who were connected with the tunnel building. In 1913 the tunnel was opened and thereafter, the chalet lay empty until it was discovered by the Chief Scout of Switzerland, Walther von 
Bonstetten, during a visit to Kandersteg in 1922. Robert Baden-Powell meanwhile is busy promoting Scouting across the world and in 1920 runs his first World Jamboree in Olympia, England where 27 countries are represented. He announces his dream of a ‘permanent jamboree site’ and in 1923, with Bonstetten, achieves this dream with the establishment of the Kandersteg International Scout Centre – ‘the permanent mini jamboree’.
Now, 100 years later, KISC is celebrating its centenary – how proud would
Baden-Powell be! KISC now has the ability to accommodate 1200 guests and has a substantial campsite and several buildings to accommodate guests – 365 days of the year. His dream was to enable Scouts to experience adventures in the mountains and these now include curling, skiing, sledging, snowshoeing, hiking, white water rafting and climbing – to name just a few!
Scouting is of course open to boys and girls, however, back in 1923, Olave wanted the same opportunities for Guides and opened ‘Our Chalet’ in Adelboden in 1932. My own mother visited Our Chalet when she was young and talks happily about sledging down the lane from the chalet followed by the challenge of walking back up! I’m pleased to say I’ve visited Our Chalet twice and it is so beautiful and in such a magical setting.
KISC is now part of my DNA and once a year, I cart 20kg of Insights Discovery training
materials over to Kandersteg to train the volunteer leaders at the centre on their Leadership Academy.
Supported by Insights, we develop self-awareness through the use of the colour 
preferences and through good old fun which BP would be pleased about, we explore those preferences and how they impact the way they lead and inspire others – two global organisations making a positive difference in the world.
Image by Freepik
So if you’re wondering how to inspire and engage young people, look no
further than Scouting and Guiding. Or if you would like to make a positive difference in an amazing youth movement, think about volunteering yourself. Scouting and Guiding provides a great foundation on valuing diversity, how to work in a team and great leadership techniques.
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteer/volunteering-with-scouts/
If you are already part of the Scout or Guide movements or have been in the past, please do pause on
22nd February to remember everything you have benefited from, the people you have met and the positive impact it has made on your life. Here – the volunteer KISC Pinkies of Autumn 2010 – what a season!
Here they are in Kandersteg.
Happy Birthday Robert and Olave – we’re thinking of you.