Adrian Tennant, Chairperson, Scouting Ireland has announced the mobilisation of every scout group, across the whole island of Ireland to respond to the Covid-19 crisis.
In a video message to all scouts, posted on Scouting Ireland media channels, Mr Tennant said Scouting Ireland has been asked by Government to help in the country’s response and he was establishing a task force which would include County and Provincial Commissioners, Board members and key staff members. The taskforce will plan details of Scouting Ireland’s national response, which will be shared in the coming days.
Scouting Ireland is the largest youth organization and has the largest corps of volunteers of any organization with over 50,000 members. Scouting Ireland’s experience in planning largescale operations will now come to the fore as the largest mobilization in the history of scouts is put in place.
“Every generation has a major defining moment. This is our time, this is our defining moment and we stand ready to help our communities, to help our country in whatever way we can,” said Mr Tennant.
Addressing younger scouts, Mr Tennant said: As a scout, we promise to do our best, to serve our community and to help other people.
- To our beaver scouts – can you help around the house? Do things like fill the dishwasher, make the bed or tidy your bedroom. It’s the small things that count.
- Maybe our cubs and scouts, it’s a good time now to get those video conferencing apps up and running and maybe video call someone, like their grandparents, every day to say hello? Your grandparents would be delighted to see your beautiful faces! Do that and do it regularly and let them know they are not alone. A kind word means so much at these times.
- To our Venture and Rovers now is the time to consider your local community and how you can volunteer in your community. Many of you are already doing that and I commend you for that.
He congratulated and thanked adult volunteers for all they are doing to keep their units and groups activated, healthy and helpful and commended them for their work in this regard. He also commended groups who have already been involved in their local communities helping those most at risk.
Mr Tennant made a special appeal to all Rover and Venture scouts, in particular, to be careful over the next few weeks. “I ask our Venturers and Rovers to look after yourselves over the coming weeks. This is the time to show your leadership and to show you can easily keep in contact with your friends socially and otherwise, online via video conferencing”.
Mr Tennant’s address to Scouts across the island of Ireland can be watched on https://www.facebook.com/ScoutingIreland/
Meanwhile Scouting Ireland has launched a new online programme called ’17 days, 17 SDGs’ for young people stuck at home during the current school shutdown. Anyone can take up the challenge, which brings users on an important journey learning about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and challenges them to live a sustainable lifestyle for 17 days! The challenge can be found daily on www.scouts.ie .
