Scouts Aotearoa, known internationally as Scouts Aotearoa New Zealand is a trading name of The Scout Association of New Zealand, the national Scouting association in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

and an affiliate of the

World Organization of the Scout Movement The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest international Scouting organization. WOSM has 173 members. These members are recognized national Scout organizations, which collectively have around 43 million participants. WOSM ...

(WOSM) since 1953. Scouts Aotearoa had 12,156 youth members and with 5,888 volunteers as of the end of 2020. The association actively participates in many Asia-Pacific Region and World Scout camps and Jamborees.

History

For the history of Scouting in New Zealand generally, from 1908 see Scouting in New Zealand. In 1923, The Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom formed a branch in New Zealand and set about re-organising scouting according to its ''Policy, Organisation and Rules'' and establishing its Wolf Cubs and Rover programs. The Boy Scouts Association's New Zealand branch was incorporated in 1941 as The Boy Scouts Association (New Zealand Branch), Incorporated which changed its name to The Boy Scouts Association of New Zealand in 1956 and then to The Scout Association of New Zealand in 1967. Until 1953 the New Zealand branch was represented internationally through The Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom. In 1953, the New Zealand branch became a direct member of the

. In 1963, the Venturer Scout section was introduced. In 1976, the first females became members of the Venturer section, on a trial basis. In 1979, females were formally admitted and the Venturer section became co-ed. In 1987, girls were formally admitted into the Scout section. This was followed by girls being admitted into the Kea and Cub programs in 1989. In 1979, Mr. Arthur W.V. Reeve was awarded the ''

Bronze Wolf The Bronze Wolf Award is bestowed by the World Scout Committee (WSC) to acknowledge "outstanding service by an individual to the World Scout Movement". It is the highest honor that can be given a volunteer Scout leader in the world and it is the ...

'', the only distinction of the

, awarded by the

World Scout Committee The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest international Scouting organization. WOSM has 173 members. These members are recognized national Scout organizations, which collectively have around 43 million participants. WOSM ...

for exceptional services to world Scouting.

Scout Law

The Scout Law was rewritten, and reduced to three key tenets in 2015:

Have Respect * For yourself and others * For the environment Do What is Right * Be trustworthy and tolerant * Have integrity Be Positive * Accept challenges with courage * Be a friend to all

An official Maori language translation was also created:

He whai whakaaro * Ki a koe, ki tangata kē atu * Ki te taiao Kia tika * Kia manawanui * Kia ngākau pono. Kia ngākau pai * Tū whitia te hopo * Hei hoa ki te katoa

Scout Promise

On 24 July 2017, the Scout Promise and Kea Promise changed to a new version:

''On my honour, I promise to do my best,'' ''To develop my spiritual beliefs,'' ''To contribute to my community, country and world,'' ''To help other people,'' ''And to live by the Scout Law.''

This Promise is now used by all members except youth members in the Kea section. The previous Kea Motto became the new Kea Promise:

''I share, I care, I discover, I grow.''

Sections

According to the curren
Scouts New Zealand website
(2018): * Keas - ages 5–8 * Cubs - ages 8–11 * Scouts - ages 11–14 * Venturers - ages 14–18 * Rovers - ages 18 to 26 (membership as an Associate Rover 26 - 28) *Kaiārahi (previously titled Leader) - ages 18+ * Associates - ages 18+ All section programmes are coeducational (mixed gender). Scouts Aotearoa has similar programme sections as

The Scout Association The Scout Association is the largest Scouting organisation in the United Kingdom and is the World Organization of the Scout Movement's recognised member for the United Kingdom. Following the origin of Scouting in 1907, the association was form ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, although the names are slightly different:

Beavers Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers a ...

are called Keas, Venturers in place of

Explorers Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...

, and Rovers in place of the

Scout Network The Scout Network is the sixth and final youth section of The Scout Association in the United Kingdom, catering for those aged between 18 and 25 years. The section was formally introduced in February 2002 alongside Explorer Scouts with both repla ...

. Scout groups focus on a variety of activities focusing on the Personal, Adventure and Community programme areas. In addition to regular Land Scout Groups, some groups specialise as

Air Scouts Air Scouts are a part of the Scout movement with a particular emphasis on an aviation themed programme and/or flying-based activities. Air Scouts follow the same basic programme as other Scouts, but they devote certain amounts of time focused o ...

and

Sea Scouts Sea Scouts are a part of the Scout movement, with a particular emphasis on boating and other water-based activities on the sea, rivers or lakes (canoeing, rafting, scuba, sailboarding). Sea Scouts can provide a chance to sail, cruise on boats, ...

, offering either specialised aviation or water activities.

Events

Jamboree

The first New Zealand Jamboree, the New Zealand Exhibition Jamboree was held in

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...

in the years 1925–6. An estimated 200 people attended. The next was held in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

in 1958–9. Since then they have been held every three years. The 20th New Zealand Jamboree was held from 2013 to 2014 in Feilding, and the 21st New Zealand Jamboree was held at Renwick Sports Ground, Marlborough, from 29 December 2016 to 7 January 2017.

Venture

There have been 13 National Ventures in New Zealand. The first New Zealand venture was held in Hastings. The 11th New Zealand Venture was held at Brookfield near

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...

from 1 to 11 January 2010, with Venture South 2013 being held at Riverton, Southland from 5 to 14 January 2013. The 13th National Venture (Inferno 2016) was held in and around Rotorua in January, 2016. Venture is held for Venturers approximately three years.

Moot

As of 2021, there have been 79 National Rover Moots in New Zealand. Moots are normally held locally and nationally once a year which are organised and run by Rovers. The 79th National Rover Moot (Déjà Vu Moot) was held at Aka Aka Primary school, Waiuku, Auckland over Easter weekend 2021.

Scouts Aotearoa elsewhere

Non-sovereign territories with Scouting run by Scouts Aotearoa include *

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

- Cook Islands Boy Scout Association *

Niue Niue (, ; niu, Niuē) is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Zealand. Niue's land area is about and its population, predominantly Polynesian, was about 1,600 in 2016. Niue is located in a triangle between Tong ...

- Scouting in Niue *

Tokelau Tokelau (; ; known previously as the Union Islands, and, until 1976, known officially as the Tokelau Islands) is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu, a ...

- Scouting in Tokelau

References

External links

* {{Authority control World Organization of the Scout Movement member organizations Scouting and Guiding in New Zealand Youth organizations established in 1923 1923 establishments in New Zealand