Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not in europe.
Well, that depends where in Europe.
the top left side.
you're not going to freeze to death in southern italy
Scouts and guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’
31–40 of 180 posts
Re: Scouts and guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’
#32I was in scouts and cadets here in New Zealand when I was a teenager and continue to spend a fair amount of time in the outdoors (I also did Outward Bound when I was 16), and I can definitely relate to the researcher's findings. When you're 2 days walk from civilisation, it's pissing down with rain, and you're cold, wet, hungry, and tired, you get a different perspective on life and the "soft" challenges that you fac…
> if you fail to pay the bills, you aren't going to die. I don't know where you live, but in certain places failing to pay your bills means you end up in the cold rain with nothing to eat.
> I don't know where you live, but in certain places failing to pay your bills means you end up in the cold rain with nothing to eat.
That's still not the same as dying. There are homeless people who still manage to get by for years on, despite having no means whatsoever.
Re: Scouts and guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’
#33Re: Scouts and guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’
#34I was a boy scout in the late '70s and early '80s. Loved it, and although I was too young to care at the time, my son will probably not join because religion. Yes, they have a "non-religious promise" now, but you're still subjected to it. I don't care for it, and my son will (like I did) get to choose for himself but (unlike me) without being forcibly subjected to the propaganda. All that said, scouting has changed s…
What country did you have that experience in?
I'm an atheist and a Scout leader in the UK. When writing my programme I always include a spiritual component to it but leave it non-religious. We definitely discuss and explore different religions (in past year visited a Mosque, an Abbey and a Synagogue to learn about their cultures) but never focus hard on a religion or even suggest that holding a religious belief is necessary to be a Scout.
Recently at an event where I renewed my promise I took the Atheist promise which is as follows:
I promise that I will do my best Uphold our Scout values Do my duty to the Queen Help other people And to keep the Scout laws
I find the majority of Scouters I meet, despite saying the original promise follow this non-denominational one throughout their Scouting. We promote the "worldwide family of Scouts" more than a religious grouping.
If you do look for a Scout group for your son, make sure to talk to the leader there. Different groups approach the issue differently so try to find one that suits you and lets your son avoid being 'forcible subjected to the propaganda' though it can be good for a young person to experience it and make that decision for themselves.
Re: Scouts and guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’
#35It might be one of the cases where correlation doesn't imply causation. For an objective study, we would need to assign children to groups randomly. Otherwise, we can miss various obscure selection effects. (For example, if children who are more likely to be scouts, are also likely to be from a particular socioeconomic background).
Totally agreed - very flawed study.
Did you look at the study?
I'm biased to pile on too social science studies but the study in question made efforts to address these considerations.
From another article [0]:
"On average, scouts and guides were 15 per cent less likely to
have developed mental illness or depression by middle age,
even those from poorer backgrounds whose initial risk was higher."
Re: Scouts and guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’
#36I was a boy scout in the late '70s and early '80s. Loved it, and although I was too young to care at the time, my son will probably not join because religion. Yes, they have a "non-religious promise" now, but you're still subjected to it. I don't care for it, and my son will (like I did) get to choose for himself but (unlike me) without being forcibly subjected to the propaganda. All that said, scouting has changed s…
Funny, here in The Netherlands, my son recently joined as I also had fond memories growing up with the scouts. I don't remember anything really religious except building the make-shift christmas church with the animals and a renegade priest in the woods. I was actually disappointed that God was left out of the vow (I am catholic) with my son, perhaps I should have asked. I don't know where you live, but do you really…
In almost all countries the reference to God is mandatory, but in the Netherlands it is not.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scout_Promise#Alternative_prom... https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belofte_(scouting)
Of course if you're not a member of the "World Organisation of the Scout Movement" you can do whatever you want :-)
Re: Scouts and guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’
#37It might be one of the cases where correlation doesn't imply causation. For an objective study, we would need to assign children to groups randomly. Otherwise, we can miss various obscure selection effects. (For example, if children who are more likely to be scouts, are also likely to be from a particular socioeconomic background).
>It might be one of the cases where correlation doesn't imply causation.
This was my first thought. I would bet it has more to do with the kind of parents who would enroll their kids in scouts (either for socioeconomic reasons as you mentioned or maybe just whatever else that means about the type of parents they are)
Re: Scouts and guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’
#38It might be one of the cases where correlation doesn't imply causation. For an objective study, we would need to assign children to groups randomly. Otherwise, we can miss various obscure selection effects. (For example, if children who are more likely to be scouts, are also likely to be from a particular socioeconomic background).
This is almost certainly the case. Being a scout/guide strongly correlates with parental income in the US at least – I don't know how it is in the UK. But if that is true, the headline might as well be "Being rich provides a mental health boost for life".
My scouts (was Scoutmaster for 20 years) definitely did not fit the 'rich kid' profile. Farm kids, rural community, parents working 2 jobs or driving a truck.
We went to mountains, deserts, rivers and lakes. We swam in a lake on an island in a lake. We canoed, hiked, camped, cooked, woodworked, laughed and ran.
Our Troop tried to keep event costs down to around $15, so everybody could participate. Succeeded for the most part. And we did regular fundraisers so anybody who wanted to go, had a way to get there.
Scout Troops can be expensive too. Our district has that kind. That can drive the perception of the demographic. But our Troop was top-rated in our District for years. And not because of money. It was because our youth led a very rigorous program, invested themselves in it, and expected a lot from one another.
That's actually the whole point of Scouting - getting the youth invested in something worthwhile. In the process, modeling behaviors and training skills and leadership.
Re: Scouts and guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’
#39I was a boy scout in the late '70s and early '80s. Loved it, and although I was too young to care at the time, my son will probably not join because religion. Yes, they have a "non-religious promise" now, but you're still subjected to it. I don't care for it, and my son will (like I did) get to choose for himself but (unlike me) without being forcibly subjected to the propaganda. All that said, scouting has changed s…
My father and I went to cub scouts when I was younger. Very quickly in the first session the religious focus arose and my dad said, "Ok, we're outta here." (We are jewish/atheist)
It's a shame to make something like this religious because I think I would have really enjoyed everything else about the scouts. I'd do the same with my children in the future if the tone is the same.
Re: Scouts and guides provide ‘mental health boost for life’
#40correlation != causation.