Japan Prefectural Commissioners and Rovers get further briefing on important elements of Adults In Scouting

18 September, Tokyo – Two seasoned resource people in the Asia-Pacific Region conducted an extensive orientation and briefing on World Adults in Scouting Policy (WASP) and on selected elements of the Life Cycle of an Adult. The special orientation, organized by the Scout Association of Japan (SAJ), was led by Dr. Mak-Wai Ming, Chairman of the APR Adult Support Sub-Committee and Assistant Professor of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, together with Mr Paul Parkinson, National Training Commissioner, Principal of the National Institute of Education and Training of Australia and Vice Chairman of the APR Adult Support Sub-Committee.

More than ninety participants comprised of 47 Prefectural Commissioners, including 48 Rovers attended the sessions in the presence of many key Scout leaders, including National Commissioner Mr. Nobuo Shindo, World Scout Committee member Ms. Mari Nakano and Chairman of the Training Committee Mr. Sadaaki Murata. The participating Prefectural Commissioners and Rovers came from all over Japan. Prefectural Commissioners are key scout leaders who are responsible for the implementation of Educational Method components at the prefectural level. On this special orientation, Rovers had the privilege of presenting before the Prefecture Commissioners their recommendation on how to strengthen the Rover Section across Japan which was discussed during the 2011 Youth Forum held just prior to the Commissioners Forum.

Dr Mak introduced the Adults in Scouting (AIS) World Policy recently adopted at the 2011 Brazil World Scout Conference under the title “West meets East,” highlighting the cultural differences between East and West, and the need for Adults In Scouting policy and possible solutions for its effective implementation. He emphasized AIS policy as being flexible, and compared the aspects and the evolution of the Human Resource Management principles outside the Scout Movement against the Adults in Scouting Policy elements of the World Scout Movement. He explained further by sharing the 8-point Tree Model, used in Hong Kong for trainers, which encompasses the core values of Scouting and the need for a new mindset to meet the elements of the System Thinking and Learning Organization.

Paul Parkinson, in his session covered the “In-service Support” as one of the key elements of the life cycle of an adult in Scouting. He explained the role of support in the life cycle, why is it important and why support should be there. Paul also shared the working support strategies of Australia, including the Personal Leader Adviser (PLA), Adult Support Plan (ASP), Group Support Plan (GSP), and Adult Development Plan (ADP) system, which are very crucial today to keep adult leaders updated and retained in the Movement.

Among the support strategies, he covered largely was PLA including the Tools, that could be used as good support system of adult leaders. He even shared the sample tools used in Australia which have been in place for a long time, and continuously being improved from time to time, through studies and experiences, making support more personal.

 

Source: http://www.scout.org/