A Scout’s Scarf Values Talents, Not Defaults

(WSBERO/Geneva) – Diversity must not be perceived as a problem, but as a challenge and an opportunity to improve one of Scouting’s most important goals: Scouting open for all. All people. Including People with disabilities. People with a capital P, not a capital D.

People whose health condition, impairment or funcional problem makes it difficult to access or participate in life situations. Education, employment, social activities, sports… and the barriers are so many. Physical, social, political, but most of all, in terms of attitude from others and the way they react when faced with a disabled person, no matter what age.

A Scout’s Scarf Values Talents, Not Defaults

In Scouting, when the most of us take the activities for granted, others cannot.
Let’s look at the Person and perspective the benefits as member of a Scout group:

• they are be given considerable oportunities to discover their habilities and improve them;
• their self esteem and self confidance are boosted when given the opportunities to prove their value and show themselves as persons, as common boys and girls, with dreams and hopes, like all others;
• the families get suport and assistance and feel welcomed in the community;
• the other scouts learn the true meaning of understanding, tolerance, solidarity and inclusive friendship;
• the whole community around gets to modify its beliefs and the attitudes, thereby creating new partnerships and co-operations.

What are you waiting for, then? Let’s make Scouting for All really happen.

Source: Guidelines on Scouting for People with Disabilities (World Scout Bureau 2008)

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