Girl Scouts of Jamaica
| Girl Scouts of Jamaica | |||
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| Country | Jamaica | ||
| Founded | August 5, 2008 | ||
| Founder | Mrs Lavinia McClure | ||
| Affiliation | Order of World Scouts | ||
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Website http://girlscoutsjm.freehosting.net/ | |||
Girl Scouts of Jamaica (G.S.J.) is a Christian faith based scouting organization for girls in Jamaica founded on August 5, 2008. The girls-only organization is a member of the Order of World Scouts.
Membership is voluntary and open to all girls and young women regardless of creed, race, nationality or any other circumstance, provided that the member is willing and committed to uphold the promise and the law of the movement. Leaders must uphold the promise, law and constitution.
History
Robert Baden-Powell began his youth work in the Boys Brigade where he was responsible for the areas of scouting and camping.[1] He believed that the boys enjoyed these areas of the Brigade programme the most, and eventually left them to focus on these activities. In 1907, he held an experimental camp on Brownsea Island[2] which was a great success and lead to a series of books called "Scouting for Boys" being published in early 1908[3].
The The Boy Scouts Association was officially registered in 1908 with 11 thousand members. Within a year this group was joined by several other associations, including the British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts who were founded by Sir Francis Vane on May 24, 1909. Sir Francis also went on to form the first International Association, the Order of World Scouts in 1911[4][5] Vane became the Grand Scoutmaster of the Order of World Scouts.[5] . Lord Baden-Powell founded the Girl Guides Association in 1910.
Scouting came to Jamaica in 1910, the first troop being started by the Rev.J.W. Graham in St Ann.[6] Scouting spread quickly and it was at the home of a Spanish Town Scoutmaster, Mr Fitz Herbert Messias, that the first group of girls met. On March 11, 1915, his daughter invited over friends to discuss beginning a Girl Scout Troop. Clare Messias wrote a letter, dated March 16, on behalf of the group asking Miss Daisy Jeffrey-Smith to be their troop leader. Miss Daisy agreed and regular meetings began. Miss Marguerite Aitken was her assistant. The group met at "Durham House", home of the Jeffrey-Smiths. These Girl Scouts were renamed Girl Guides when they received their warrant from Miss Agnes Baden-Powell.
The Girl Scouts of Jamaica were established in August 2008 as part of the Order of World Scouts[7], out of concerns about administration and the changing of the programme of the Girl Guides Association of Jamaica. The Girl Scouts of Jamaica desire was to have a democratic structure and to embrace the traditions of the eight point programme[8] and camp craft.
Ideals
- The Promise
On my honour,
I promise that I will do my best:
To do my duty to God,
To serve my country and help other people,
And to obey the Scout Law
- The Law
A Scout's honour is to be trusted.
A Scout is loyal.
A Scout is helpful.
A Scout is a friend to all.
A Scout is courteous.
A Scout respects the environment.
A Scout obeys orders.
A Scout is cheerful under all difficulties.
A Scout is thrifty.
A Scout is pure in thought, word and deed.
- The Motto
Be Prepared
Age groups
- Peenie Wallies; 4 to 8 years, kindergarten to grade 3
- Doctorbirds; 7 to 12 years, grades 3 to 6
- Junior Scouts; 10 to 16 years, grades 7 to 10
- Senior Scouts; 14 to 19 years, grades 10 to 13
- Assistant Leaders; 16 to 17 years
- Leaders; 18+ years
National Service Project
The Girl Scouts of Jamaica have selected the Special Olympics Jamaica as their National Service Project for the period 2008-2012. Scouts at all age levels participate in fund-raising, while senior and junior scouts also help by volunteering at sporting events which are held all across the island.
Special Events
- September 1 - Start of the Girl Scout year, coinciding with the school year start
- October 5 - Founders' Day, Anniversary of the first promise ceremony
- November - World Scouting Month, coinciding with National Youth Month
- November 11 - Anniversary of the founding of the Order of World Scouts (1911)
- December - Service Month
- January - Leaders' Planning Month
- January, last Saturday - Annual Leaders' Conference
- May - Girl Scouting Month, coinciding with National Child Month
- May 24 - Anniversary of the founding of the British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts (1909)
- August 5 - Anniversary of the founding of the Girl Scouts of Jamaica
- August 31 - End of the Girl Scout year, coinciding with the school year end
See also
References
- ↑ Baden-Powell and the Beginnings of the World Scout Movement
- ↑ "Brownsea Island". Brownsea Island. http://eng.brownsea2007.org/. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
- ↑ "The History of Scouting". ScoutBase. http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/history/. Retrieved 2007-08-18.
- ↑ Christopher Wagner (2002-02-06). "Boy Scout Movement: Internationalism--Order of World Scouts" (html). Historic Boys' Uniform Web Site. Christopher Wagner. http://www.histclo.com/youth/youth/org/sco/int/sco-intows.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Victor M. Alexieff (September 1982). "Other Youth Programs" (html). SOSSI Journal Vol. 37, No. 9. SOSSI. http://www.sossi.org/others/others.htm. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
- ↑ Scouting in Jamaica
- ↑ Order of World Scouts G.S.J.
- ↑ GSJ - Doctorbirds