Scouting in Ukraine

Scouting in Ukraine is in a transitional phase and received World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) recognition in July 2008. The Eurasian Region headquarters is located on Ukrainian territory. Ironically, it may be Ukraine's longstanding tradition of plurality that may have delayed the creation of a federated Scout organization to serve all Scouts in the nation.

Recent history

In 2004, the Ukrainian Scout Youth Public Organization "Spilka Pionerskykh Orhanizatzii Kyïva" (literally Kiev Pioneer Movement Organization or SPOK, with a membership of 3,750 in 18 of 26 Ukrainian oblasts) applied for WOSM membership. In January, 2005, this motion was recommended by the World Scout Bureau. Since more than 5% of the National Scouting Organizations voted against the application, Germany and the Boy Scouts of America among the opposing votes, SPOK was not admitted to WOSM and withdrew the application. As a result of this, a special mission of the World Scout Committee was sent to Ukraine. Presently Ukrainian Scouting is trying to set up a new Scouting body unifying Plast and SPOK in order to satisfy WOSM requirements, to be worked out by 2008, as all parties are motivated to join the international community.

Following the recommendations of Resolution 2/05 adopted by the 37th World Scout Conference in Tunisia, the constitutive congress of the National Organization of Scouts of Ukraine (NOSU) was held on 27 March, 2007. The congress, which gathered Scout representatives from most regions of Ukraine, approved the Constitution of NOSU and elected its governing bodies. This event was made possible thanks to efforts of three Scout associations (Plast, SPOK and Sich) to work towards unification of Scouting in Ukraine in a new single National Scout Organization so as to be able to join WOSM.

The Constitution of NOSU was officially registered by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine in November 2007, thus confirming the creation of a single National Scout Organization in Ukraine. An amended version of this Constitution was received on 4 February, 2008 and has now been formally approved by the Constitutions Committee and the World Scout Committee.

WOSM Acting Secretary General Luc Panissod visited NOSU in mid-March 2008. He had the opportunity to meet and talk with various groups of young people (candidates to join, patrol leaders, summer camp young leaders) and adult leaders responsible of local Scout groups. He also met with the Deputy Minister of Family, Youth and Sports, one of the founding members of one of the Scout associations, who confirmed full support of the authorities to NOSU. He also had several working sessions with leaders of NOSU to assess the level of development of the organization.

The organization has a loaned headquarters and several campsites. Elements of a progressive scheme include merit badges, which are illustrated in their handbook and are obtained on a progressive basis. At present, NOSU is a small organization and has only one professional staff regularly employed in application of existing legislation. Being a new organization, NOSU still has to develop an efficient working organization.

NOSU membership is open to girls and boys, women and men, in three age sections: cubs (6-10), Scouts (11-16) and Rovers (16-24). As at 31 December 2007, NOSU comprised 2,475 members including 718 female youth members, 1,546 male youth members, plus some 200 adult leaders and Council members.

NOSU membership is made approximately of 40% from Plast, 40% from SPOK and 20% from Sich. The same percentages are reflected at the National Council level. While double membership still exists (one can be member of NOSU and member of one of the three above associations), direct membership for new members is strongly encouraged. It is the objective of NOSU's leadership that NOSU will be successful enough to attract more members from the three associations who are not yet members of NOSU. Further unification of Scouting through integration of other Scout groups in Ukraine is envisaged through the chartering system.

The Chairman of the National Council is Mr. Lev Zakharchishin, the Deputy Chairman of the National Council is Mr. Valeriy Tantsiura and the International Commissioner is Mr. Andreiy Chesnokov. In becoming a member of WOSM, NOSU will become, as it so desires, a member of the Eurasia Scout Region.

2008 WOSM recognition

The World Scout Bureau received an application for membership of the World Organization from the National Organization of Scouts of Ukraine (NOSU). [http://www.scout.org/en/content/download/11029/90938/file/C0811Ukraine_e.pdf] In accordance with the requirements of the Constitution of WOSM, the World Scout Committee considered this application at its meeting on 29 February-2 March, 2008, and recommended that it be accepted. Under the terms of Article VI.2 of the WOSM Constitution, “if within three months the recommendation is unopposed or opposed by less than five percent of the Member Organizations”, NOSU was declared a Member, as the National Scout Organization of Ukraine, of the World Organization of the Scout Movement as from 1 July 2008.

Ukrainian Scout organizations

* Plast, the largest Scouting organization in Ukraine
** "Chornomortsi", "Sailors of the Black Sea"
** "Ulad Starshoho Plastunstva" ("Order of Senior Scouting", Ukrainian Rovers)
* "Spilka Pionerskykh Orhanizatzii Kyïva" ("Ukrainian Scout Youth Public Organization", SPOK)
* "Asotsiatsiya Skautiv Ukraïni" ("Association of Scouts of Ukraine" ASU, Ukrainian-speaking)
* "Asotsiatsiya Haydov Ukrayiny" ("Association of Ukrainian Guides"), member of World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, with 968 members
*
* "Kárpátaljai Magyar Cserkészszövetség" (KáMCSSZ), ethnic Hungarian Scouts in Ukraine linked to Magyar Cserkészszövetség
* "Khar'kovskaya Oblastnaya Organizatsiya Skautov" ("Kharkiv Oblast Organization of Scouts", Russian-speaking)
* "Luhans'ka Oblasna Organizatsiya Skautiv" ("Luhansk Oblast Organization of Scouts", Ukrainian-speaking)
* Ruthenian Girl and Boy Scouts
* "Spilka Ukraïns'koï Molodi" ("Ukrainian Youth Association", "SUM")
*
* "Organizatsiya Ukraïns'kych Skautiv" (Organization of Ukrainian Scouts), provisional member of the World Federation of Independent Scouts
* YMCA Scouts of Ukraine

Program sections

Plast

* "Novaky" (Cub Scouts) - aged 7 to 11
* "Yunatstvo" (Scouts) - 12 to 18
* "Starshi plastuny" (Rovers) - 18 to 30
* "Sen'yory" (Seniors) - 30+

pilka Ukraïns'koï Molodi ("Ukrainian Youth Association")

* Cymeniata (youngest members) - ages 3 to 5
* Molodshe Yunatstvo (younger members) - ages 6 to 12
* Starshe Yunatstvo (older members) - ages 13 - 17
* Druszynnyky (Councillors/Leaders) - ages 18 - 49
* Seiniory (Seniors) - ages 50+

A Ukrainian who attributes themselves to the СУМ organization is named "Sumivets".

Program and methods

The Plast Scout Motto is "Skob!", an acronym for "Syl'no! Krasno! Oberezhno! Bystro!" meaning "With Strength! With Beauty! With Care! With Speed!" in Ukrainian. The Scout Motto for other ethnic Ukrainian Scouting organizations is "Hotuis!", "Be Prepared". The Scout Motto for ethnic Russian Scouting organizations in Ukraine is "Bud' gotov", "Be Prepared" in Russian.

The Ukrainian noun for a single Scout is "Skaut" or "Plastun". Plast was founded by Oleksander Tysovsky in 1911.

Emblems

International Scout units in Ukraine

In addition, there are Girl Scouts of the USA Overseas in Kiev, serviced by way of USAGSO headquarters in New York; as well as Cub Scout Pack 3980 and Boy Scout Troop 980, both of Kiev, linked to the Direct Service branch of the Boy Scouts of America, which supports units around the world. Finally, Russian emigré Scout organizations, generally aligned to either NORS or ORYuR but not connected with RAS/N, have independent branches in Ukraine.

ee also

*Scouting in displaced persons camps
*Ukrainian Sich Riflemen

External links and references

* [http://cym.org/ UYA/СУМ Homepage]
* [http://www.plast.org.ua/ Plast homepage, in Ukrainian]
* [http://Scouts.org.ua/ SPOK homepage]
* [http://www.scout-uso.narod.ru/index-ukr.html Homepage of the Organizatsiya Ukraïns'kych Skautiv]
* [http://scoutsluga.narod.ru/ Homepage of the Luhans'ka Oblasna Organizatsiya Skautiv]
* [http://iskra-scouts.da.ru/ ISKRA - Crimean Scouts]
* [http://www.scoutskiff.narod.ru/ Skif PLUS - Scouting in Dnipropetrovsk]
* [http://www.ymca.org.ua/en/article/Scouting YMCA Scouts-Ukraine]
* [http://www.girlguiding.org.ua/ Association of Ukrainian Guides]