Finding ways to make AIS and Training System more effective

14 September, Tokyo -- Ten National Scout Organizations with 25 participants are gathered at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Centre for a four-day regional workshop on Effective National Adult Resources Committee and National Training System. The workshop aims to provide an understanding on the importance of the revised World Policy on Adults in Scouting (AIS), strengthen Adult Support for effective implementation of adult training and serves as a platform for adult leaders from different NSOs to exchange ideas and share their experiences.

At the opening ceremony, workshop participants observed a minute of silence for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan last March, including the late APR Adult Support Sub Committee member Takahashi Yuzuru.

Guest of honour for the opening ceremony was Mr Kouji Katsuyama, Director of Youth Division, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Regional Scout Committee First Vice-Chairman Dr Mohd. Mukhyuddin bin Sarwani, on behalf of the region, welcomed everyone and appreciated the work of Scout Association of Japan (SAJ) in organizing the workshop.

He commended the versatility, dynamism and the passion of adult leaders, which all national scout organizations have to reckon with. He posed the challenge on how can we sustain leaders and volunteers and apply the basic principles of 3Rs: Recruit, Retain and Recognize. Among the key scout leaders Ms. Mari Nakano, member of the World Scout Committee and many from SAJ including Mr Takayasu Okushima, Chairman of the Board of Directors, spoke at the opening ceremony and welcomed the participants and he said he was grateful for the privilege of hosting the event.

SAJ is hosting the workshop, in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Region, attended by key national leaders who are responsible for Adult Resources/Support, Adult Training from Australia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Maldives, Philippines, Singapore and Japan.

Key resource persons are from Adult Support Sub-Committee, including Chairman Dr Mak Wai-ming and Vice-Chairman Paul Parkinson. Joining them are Adult Support Sub-Committee member Kataro Uemiachi. Reiko Suzuki is directing the workshop, supported by Regional Director Abdullah Rasheed, Director Thian Hiong-Boon, and other local facilitators.

Taking advantage of having the presence of external resource persons, SAJ is also organizing a 3-day dialogue with the key scout leaders from 47 prefectures of Japan who will be briefed by Dr Mak Wai-Ming and Paul Parkinson on the key elements of AIS. Over 50 Scout leaders across the country are expected to attend in this special dialogue.