Speak like a Scout

Have you ever wondered about a woggle or who B-P is? Scouting has its own weird and wonderful language that can be a challenge to decipher.

Here are some of the words and phrases:

Achievement Pathways – The Achievement Pathways are an individual journey of personal development recognition. These achievements are recognised through progressive series of uniform badges. Achievement Pathways consist of the Program Essentials, the Outdoor Adventure Skills, the Special Interest Areas, and additional requirements for the peak award.

B-P – When Scouts talk about B-P, they aren’t referring to a servo! These initials are our simple abbreviation for the man who started it all back in 1907, Lord Robert Baden-Powell. 

Cuboree – This is a mix of mud, water and plenty of laughter as 3500 Victorian Cub Scouts share an action-packed camp every three years.

Gang Show – This is an annual stage show, named after the UK original. The Melbourne Gang Show has been running since 1953, written, performed and produced by Scouts and Guides. Melbourne Gang Show is one of seven shows put on by Victorian Scouts. Apart from Sunraysia and Albury Gang Shows, there are “Showtimes” – Camberwell, South Metro, Strzelecki and Whitehorse Showtime.

Gilwell Park – B-P’s famous UK training base inspired our own Scouts Victoria campsite at Gembrook, which has the same name.   

Good Turn – This is a traditional phrase that’s still used by Scouts and Guides around the world. It’s all about doing something good for somebody else every day.

Grey Wolf Award – This is the highest award available to Cub Scouts.

Group – The organisational level, which delivers the Scout Program in the local community. This is our key delivery level of the Scouting Program.

Handshake – Scouts traditionally shake their left hands for greetings and badge presentations.

Jamboree – You probably already know the meaning of this one, because these large scale Scout camps are famous around the world! Our own version, held every three years, is known as ‘AJ’ for Australian Jamboree.

JOTA / JOTI – The 'Jamboree of the Air' and 'Jamboree of the Internet' are a massive, once a year opportunity for Scouts around the world to get to know each other through amateur radio and the internet.

Kangaree – This is a weekend camp for Joey Scouts, held every two years

Moot – Every three years, Rovers converge on one location for a ten-day extravaganza of activities at the National Moot.

Patrol – A small group of Scouts within a Section, who work together and experience Scouting together, led by a Patrol Leader, with the help of an Assistant Patrol Leader.

Plan>Do>Review> – Plan>Do>Review> is a means of planning, doing, and reviewing all activities, making them better all the time.

Project Patrol – A small team of Scouts share an interest in a project or activity, so they form a Patrol and elect a project Patrol Leader. 

Salute – B-P came up with our global Scout salute - holding up three middle fingers with the little finger tucked under the thumb – and we still use it at Scout ceremonies.   

Scout – Any invested member of the Scout Movement, no matter their age or Section. We are all Scouts.

SPICES – The six areas of personal growth that Scouting’s Purpose aims to develop young people in. The six areas are Social, Physical, Intellectual, Character, Emotional, and Spiritual.

The Scout Method – The Scout Method is the "how" of the Scouting Program, how we conduct our youth program so our youth members get the most out of their experiences. There are 8 elements to the Scout Method.

Unit – A group of Scouts within a Scout Group, from the same age Section. That is, a Joey Scout Unit, Cub Scout Unit, Scout Unit, Venturer Scout Unit and Rover Scout Unit.

Unit Council – As the main decision-making body within a Unit, the Unit Council supports the development and running of the program, mentors project patrols, deals with issues within the Unit, reviews programs, supports Achievement Pathways, and much more.

Unit Leader – The Unit Leader is a youth member(s) who leads the Unit, chairs the Unit Council and is the primary leaderships role within the Unit.

Woggle – This is a handy one to know for trivia nights. It’s the name of the ring used to hold the Scout scarf, and it dates back to the 1920s. (The Americans had their own version, called Boon Doggles.)

Wood Badge – Advanced qualification for Leaders which ends in presentation of wood beads, a parchment and a Gilwell Scarf.

Venture – This is the Venturer Section's version of the Jamboree.

YiS – This signoff on emails or letters is an abbreviation for 'Yours in Scouting'.

Youth Leading, Adults Supporting – Youth Leading, Adults Supporting is young people taking charge of their scouting journey while being
assisted and mentored by adults.

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