Association des Scouts du Canada
Encyclopedia
L'Association des Scouts du Canada (ASC) is a World Organization of the Scout Movement
"affiliated organization" through affiliation with Scouts Canada
in Canada
. The biggest difference between the two associations is the language spoken and the religion behind it. Though Scouts Canada
have French speaking members, the bulk of their members chose to carrying out Scouting operations in English, whereas the ASC exists primarily for French speaking members.
. In 1925, a Longueuil
teacher called Georges-Henri Sainte-Marie started his own unit in the Saint-Antoine de Longueuil parish and decided not to affiliate with the Boy Scouts
. In 1928 a group of five troops located in Montreal
created a separate association, the . The ASC was created in 1961 and in 1975 three new federations were created-Ontario, Atlantic, and West.
In June 1994, the Association des Guides Francophones du Canada (AGFC, "Canadian French-speaking Guides Association") voted against a new protocol from the Girl Guides of Canada
which asked for the return to female-only leaders and management, which would have resulted in the loss of approximately 60% of adult members, many of who were men. In August of the same year the AGFC recommended to its members to go with the ASC and in October it became official. Since then, French speaking Girl Guides have generally ceased to exist.
In October 2004 the four federations were dissolved and the 40 districts are now under the direct responsibility of the ASC.
Each one of these use a precise program. The number of youth per unit varies from 5 to 30 youth and adults, 1 adult per 5 to 8 youth, depending on their age. There are unisex units as well as mixed units. When a unit is a female only one, they can either use a girls-only program or the boys (mixed gender) one.
The association was built on the Catholic religion, but Canada being a multicultural country, their official stance on religion is left to each individual unit (some units include Muslim members, for example).
Though the association has units in every province, a large amount of members are located in the province of Quebec
. At present, the biggest district is located in the city of Montreal
.
(Badge de bois).
that is widely used throughout the Association des Scouts du Canada. It consists of the following six steps (parts):
World Organization of the Scout Movement
The World Organization of the Scout Movement is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland...
"affiliated organization" through affiliation with Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association that, in affiliation with the French-language Association des Scouts du Canada, is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The biggest difference between the two associations is the language spoken and the religion behind it. Though Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association that, in affiliation with the French-language Association des Scouts du Canada, is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement...
have French speaking members, the bulk of their members chose to carrying out Scouting operations in English, whereas the ASC exists primarily for French speaking members.
History
The very first Canadian unit was founded in 1908 in St. Catharines, OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. In 1925, a Longueuil
Longueuil
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
teacher called Georges-Henri Sainte-Marie started his own unit in the Saint-Antoine de Longueuil parish and decided not to affiliate with the Boy Scouts
Scouting in Canada
The Scout and Guide movement in Canada is served by several organizations with various supernational alignments.-WOSM member associations:In Canada, two Scouting associations cooperate for membership in the World Organization of the Scout Movement :...
. In 1928 a group of five troops located in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
created a separate association, the . The ASC was created in 1961 and in 1975 three new federations were created-Ontario, Atlantic, and West.
In June 1994, the Association des Guides Francophones du Canada (AGFC, "Canadian French-speaking Guides Association") voted against a new protocol from the Girl Guides of Canada
Girl Guides of Canada
Girl Guides of Canada - Guides du Canada is the national Guiding association of Canada. Guiding in Canada started in 1910 and was among the founding members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1928. As of 2006, the association had 116,206 members.-History:Mary Malcolmson...
which asked for the return to female-only leaders and management, which would have resulted in the loss of approximately 60% of adult members, many of who were men. In August of the same year the AGFC recommended to its members to go with the ASC and in October it became official. Since then, French speaking Girl Guides have generally ceased to exist.
In October 2004 the four federations were dissolved and the 40 districts are now under the direct responsibility of the ASC.
Youth
They have 8 different programs:| Age | Boys or mixed | Girls only |
|---|---|---|
| 7–8 years old | Castors | Hirondelles |
| 9–11 years old | Louveteaux | Exploratrices |
| 11–14 years old | Éclaireurs | Intrépides |
| 14–17 years old | Pionniers (always mixed) | |
| 18–21 years old | Scouts-Ainées (always mixed) | |
Each one of these use a precise program. The number of youth per unit varies from 5 to 30 youth and adults, 1 adult per 5 to 8 youth, depending on their age. There are unisex units as well as mixed units. When a unit is a female only one, they can either use a girls-only program or the boys (mixed gender) one.
The association was built on the Catholic religion, but Canada being a multicultural country, their official stance on religion is left to each individual unit (some units include Muslim members, for example).
Locations
See also Scouting in QuébecScouting in Quebec
Scouting in Quebec has a long history, from the 1900s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.-Anglophone Scouting in Quebec:...
Though the association has units in every province, a large amount of members are located in the province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. At present, the biggest district is located in the city of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
Neckerchief
No matter which association, in Canada there is only one official set of colours for the neckerchief (for Scouts), which is blue with a yellow border. ASC authorizes units to have their own colors, however, and these are permitted to be worn during everyday types of activities. It is only necessary that members wear the official Scouts Canada neck tie at national and international level events.Uniforms
The uniforms authorized for ASC members are different than those worn by members of Scouts Canada. Except for Beavers, who wear a yellow t-shirt, all uniforms consist of a colored shirt (the color depends on branch (age group) of the ASC), beige-khaki pants, a neckerchief, and a leather belt. The color of the shirt is green for 9-11 year olds, blue for 12-14 year olds, red for 15-18 year olds, and pale gray for 18-21 year olds. Scout leaders wear the same color as the youth that they are in charge of. Since both girls and boys wear the same uniform (whether they are in single sex or mixed gender units), the only way to know which program they belong to is by looking at their badges, which are quite different from one another.Adults
There are three primary functions served by adults in the association. Even as adults, members may progress further and be eligible to receive awards.Monitors
Monitors are those who have contact with youth members in person. They organize activities following the VCPREF method as suggested by the ASC. Their mission is to assist the youth in developing their physical, spiritual, intellectual, social and affective potential. Such (adult) leaders are eligible for the following awards: Gilwell knot (Noeud de Gilwell), and the Wood BadgeWood Badge
Wood Badge is a Scouting leadership program and the related award for adult leaders in the programs of Scout associations throughout the world. Wood Badge courses aim to make Scouters better leaders by teaching advanced leadership skills, and by creating a bond and commitment to the Scout movement...
(Badge de bois).
Managers
Managers help monitors by doing administrative tasks such working in areas of the organization such as budget, census, communication, etc.VCPREF method
The VCPREF method is a project management methodProject management
Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing, securing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals. A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end , undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value...
that is widely used throughout the Association des Scouts du Canada. It consists of the following six steps (parts):
- Voulu (Wanted)
- Choisi (Chosen)
- Préparé (Prepared)
- Réalisé (Realized)
- Évalué (Evaluated)
- Fêté (Rewarded)
See also
- Guides franco-canadiennes
- Scouting in QuébecScouting in QuebecScouting in Quebec has a long history, from the 1900s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live.-Anglophone Scouting in Quebec:...
Publications
The ASC publishes the following materials for their members:- Castors en plongée (7-8 year olds), 2000
- L'Itinéraire des Hirondelles (7-8 year old girls), 2000
- Meute en chasse (9-11 year olds), 2002
- Réseau en exploration (9-11 year old girls), 1996
- Parcours d'Éclaireurs (11-14 year olds), 1998
- Le Club des Intrépides (11-14 year old girls), 1996
- Cimes (14-17 year olds), 1995
External links
- Official ASC website (French)