Welcome to Scout Scene! Scouts Canada’s National quarterly newsletter. In each edition, we’ll share updates on fundraising, national initiatives and highlight some of the great partnerships that help support Scouting youth across this great country.
It’s hard to believe that spring is just a few days away! It’s been a long, hard winter for many, but true to form, our Scouts and Scouters have been showing resilience and perseverance throughout. All our sections are busily planning their spring and summer outdoor adventures; it’s the time of year that every kid looks forward to. Whether it’s an afternoon canoe trip, a hike through a local nature reserve or learning to build their first campfire, it wouldn’t be possible without our network of amazing volunteers and the generous support of our corporate partners and donors.
So now that spring is here, let’s all get out and Scout!
This is the second year for the Scouts Seeds fundraiser, but we’ll forgive you if you missed it last year. The inaugural campaign was launched in March 2020, and well… as you know there were a few other things going on at the time. However, despite the timing, the campaign did prove a hit with over $50,000 raised to support local Scouting groups. That’s a lot of seeds!
Scout Seeds is back for 2021 and momentum is growing. We’re more than halfway through our campaign period of Feb 1 to March 31 and so far over 361 groups have registered! We’ve doubled our goal from last year and hope to raise $100,000 for local Scouting groups.
Our Scout Seeds store launched on February 1 and there are several different garden kits to choose from, some even include their own mini-indoor greenhouse kit so you can get planting before the snow melts. We have partnered again with our 100% Canadian supplier, Make it Sow and offer everything from a collection of Gourmet Chef’s garden seeds including a great variety of herbs, to weird and wacky vegetables like the giant pumpkin! With the purchase of each kit, 40% of the retail price goes directly to supporting local groups. You can even direct your support to a specific local Scouting group.
The Scout Seeds fundraiser is also a great way to help our young Scouts connect with one of Scout Canada’s newest initiatives, the Scouts for Sustainability program which is aligned with the larger United Nations’ Sustainable Development (SDGs) movement. This program empowers youth to make a difference, moving from individual actions to collective acts and advocacy for causes affecting their communities. The Scouts Seeds fundraiser is directly aligned with three of the 17 goals including, #3- Good Health and Well-Being, #11-Sustainable Cities and Communities, and #12-Responsible Consumption and Production. It’s yet another great initiative that connects youth to their community while educating around the need for sustainability.
So, if you have a green thumb, or even if you don’t, the Scouts Seeds fundraiser is a great way to kick off the spring planting season all while supporting local Scouts.
Launched in the fall of 2020 as a pilot fundraising campaign, Scout Coffee proved it has the beans! Run entirely online, the campaign proved so popular that Scouts Canada will be bringing it back with on-going sales which will continue to support Scouting groups across the country.
You’ll soon be able to get your caffeine fix year-round all while supporting youth! Stay tuned!
Everyone eats popcorn in a different way — some eat one kernel at a time while others try to stuff as much as they can. But no matter how people eat popcorn, everyone can get behind a good cause.
We are pleased to announce the return of our Popcorn fundraiser this spring! We have partnered with a new Canadian popcorn supplier and we will be offering a new range of delicious products which are nut-free, gluten-free and, of course, products of Canada. We will be selling our Scout Popcorn online through our user-friendly Shopify platform in order to provide a safe and easy customer experience.
When you buy Scout Popcorn, you help support Scouting groups in funding more great adventures and activities and give kids something to look forward to. Plus, all net profit will be going back to Scouts Canada’s No One Left Behind subsidy program, helping youth facing economic barriers experience the benefits of Scouting.
Satisfy your craving with Scout Popcorn and support your local Scouts.
It’s a total win-win!
“We figured out pretty quickly with Damian that he was not going to fit in any sort of box ever, even before he was officially diagnosed with autism. Scouting has provided him with a place to be himself, meet others and discover new things in a more informal framework with no pressure like organized sports or school.”
For parents like Alicia, who’s son Damian has thrived in Scouts, having a program like Scouts has been priceless. Yet often the cost to register can be a barrier to participation. Fortunately for parents like Alicia, the No One Left Behind program helps to reduce these financial barriers and ensure kids like Damian still get all the fun and experiences Scouting has to offer.
Created in 2007 the No One Left Behind Program (NOLB) has helped thousands of youth since it’s inception. In 2016, Scouts Canada double it’s commitment to the program with a goal of raising over $450,000. Today, that goal has been increased again, to $1 million dollars. Scouts Canada is committed to ensuring all youth have the ability to join, no matter their financial circumstance.
Scouting is needed now more than ever. With the onset of the pandemic, the challenges facing families and youth have never been so great. For many, the extra cost to keep children registered with Scouts, might now be too much. This is why Scouts Canada has increased its commitment to ensure every child gets to experience a world of adventure and self-development.
We’re well on our way to supporting over 4300+ youth this year. A portion of all our fundraisers goes towards the NOLB program along with the generous support from corporate sponsors, partners and donors. While Scouting is already very affordable, there are still thousands of youths across the country whose families face economic barriers and need the support of a program like No One Left Behind. Every youth deserves to experience the world fun, friendship and adventure Scouting offers.
The past year has had such a significant impact on societies around the world, and the organizations that serve them. Even before the public health and social events of 2020, we at Scouts Canada questioned whether we were living up to the full potential of our values for today’s Canadian youth and families.
We have realized that in order to provide an authentic and safe sense of belonging for our members and the communities we serve, we need to take a close look at ourselves, including how we need to transform and improve in meaningful ways.
Scouts Canada has formally committed to Diversity Equity and Inclusion. In order to demonstrate this genuine commitment, it means taking small but deliberate first steps on a very long journey. For us, that will mean more than recognizing a single month, or single groups of people; it means taking a step to look at ourselves first, and doing what it takes to become a Movement that embraces a holistic, tangible, and actively anti-racist approach to inclusion.
It Starts with Self Awareness
With over 100 years of legacy in the Scouting movement, there is a lot of history that has shaped who we are and what we mean – and don’t mean - to Canadian youth and families today. Our leadership is beginning with, first a learning journey – to gain a critical understanding of the history of our movement, and its consequences – both intended and unintended – of our origins. This means a commitment to having difficult conversations, and undergo a learning journey, to get clear and confident on the full picture first. This is a true pre-requisite to seeing any changes – whether small or overhauls – to ensure at our core, we have a stance on our past and principles about our future.
What has been done so far – existing Wins
We continue to grow as individuals, as Canadians, and as Scouts within a global Scouting movement. With that said, we have made a few small steps towards a bigger change of an authentic culture of belonging and cultural safety. With a public anti-racism commitment of 2020, a first-time active recognition of Black History Month, a board Diversity Equity and Inclusion Sub-Committee, and the hiring of a Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion to work alongside our CEO, we are ensuring that we have set up the things we need at a leadership level for any change to begin.
Where can you get involved in this early stage?
While we are very early on in this journey, we wanted to find ways to begin being open to feedback and dialogue with our communities across Canada. We are determining some of the more formal ways to gather questions, concerns, and input. We also will host informal drop in virtual listening circles (parking lots) every month. These listening sessions are not our “solution”, but rather a beginning in the listening journey. More details to follow. Our first session will be in April, centered around the theme of Spiritual Diversity.
Want to support Scouts in a fun new way? Looking for a cheeky, one-of-a-kind gift for yourself or someone you know who’s really earned a Quarantime Badge? Don’t miss the auction of our unique and quirky Quarantime Badges, with all proceeds going to support our No One Left Behind subsidy program!
Creating a legacy gift as part of will planning is a generous and thoughtful way to provide a lasting impact. Your legacy gift could help Scouts Canada create more exciting opportunities and new programs to help youth discover their true potential.
When you partner with Scouts Canada you demonstrate to Canadians, your community and your customers a commitment to youth, families and the future of Canada. Impact over 75K households across Canada, directly connect with over 56K Canadian youth with a proven media reach of over 30 million impressions annually.
Media inquiries, please contact Anissa Stambouli: anissa.stambouli@scouts.ca
Scouts Canada Charity Number: 107761694RR0028