Rover Scouts

**Rover Scouts**, or "Rovers" is the fifth and final youth section of Scouts Australia, and began in 1918. Rover Scouts are young adults aged between 18 and 25 years of age and are organised into local Crews, which can be associated with a Scout Group or operate as a stand-alone Crew. Crews accept anyone interested in taking up Rovering, whether or not they have been in Scouting before. The section is based on Baden-Powell's book *Rovering to Success* and the theme of knighthood. Rover Scouts are actively encouraged to become better citizens through taking part in Scouts Australia's nationally accredited training programs, developing leadership skills, participating in outdoor activities, attending national and international events, providing service to the community and generally building their life skills.

The Rover Scout Section is organised from a National level down, however the day-to-day running of the section is organised at a Branch (state) level. The larger states (Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland) are split into Regions, which in turn are made up of Crews. There are around 250 Crews Australia-wide.

During 2005 and 2006, the Centenary of Scouting Peace Boomerang completed a journey of over 18,000 km around Australia spreading a message of peace and unity leading up to the Scouting 2007 Centenary. Australian Rovers developed the boomerang project as a Gift for Peace initiative that would involve Rovers, other sections of the Scout Movement and the general public, to raise awareness and generate discussions amongst young people about peace.

## Australian Rover Moot

Australian Rovers run an Australian Rover Moot every three years which is open to Rover Scouts and senior Scouts from around the world over the age of 18. The next Australian Rover Moot will be held in the Australian Capital Territory in December 2019/January 2020.

## Uniform

Rover Scouts are distinguished by a red shoulder panel on the blue Scout uniform shirt, with green badges on each shoulder if the wearer is a fully invested/knighted member, as well as the traditional 'knot' of five ribbons (tan for Joeys, yellow for Cubs, green for Scouts, maroon for Venturers and red for Rovers) - this distinguishes Rovers from every other section.

## Levels of Management In Rovering

### Self Management

Unlike the other sections of Scouts Australia, Rover Scouts are self-managing with Rovers under 26 years taking on positions of responsibility while still taking part in the program. After the 1970 Design for Tomorrow Report, instead of becoming a new section, Rover Scouts began to admit young women into their Crews and asked their over 26 leaders to step back to become Rover Advisers, with the Crew Leaders, Region Chairs and Branch Chairs taking up the responsibility for their Rovers. The National Rover Council, a group of Rover representatives from each state, who coordinate interstate efforts was also founded in 1979 and just like the Crew, Region and Branch Chairs are all under 26 years old.

### The Crew System

A Rover Crew is run by its members and led by an elected committee. The committee normally consists of a Crew Leader, Deputy Crew Leader, Secretary and Treasurer but large Crews may also add a Fundraiser, a Quartermaster and other roles. Rover Scouts are young adults and make their own decisions but sometimes Crews wish to have input from people over the age of 26, called Rover Advisers. These people are selected by the Crew because of their previous experience, both in Scouting and in life.

### Region Rover Council

After the Crew, the next step in the Rover Scout Government ladder is the Region Rover Council (called Rover Communities in Victoria). These bodies run Rovering in their geographic areas and are typically based on the same Regions in the other sections of the Scouting Movement. These regions can also run various Branch events on behalf of the Branch.

There are currently a number of Region Rover Councils in both New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, assisting the Crews in their area by offering service, organising social functions, distributing information, assisting with training, facilitating the Baden-Powell Scout Award and many other tasks. Not all states have Region Rover Councils, with Crews in the smaller states reporting directly to their Branch Rover Council.

### Branch Rover Council

The Branch Rover Council is formed by representatives from each of the Region Rover Councils (in states that have them) or directly from Crews, and may also have representatives from sub-committees (for events, property, marketing, risk management, motorsport etc.). This body approves Branch awards, co-ordinates training, liaises with other Branch Rover Councils and National Rover Council, develops polices and initiatives and encourages the further development of Rovering.

Branch Rover Councils also have a number of sub-committees which organise various parts of Rovering life. For example, these may include Event Committees, which organise some of the main events in Rovering, Project Committees, that run ongoing projects or activities and other various interested parties.

Some states have a Lones Rover Crew, which accept members from country or other areas where the nearest Rover Crew is further than practical travel allows or who cannot attend a regular Rover Crew due to work or other commitments.

### National Rover Council

The Australian National Rover Council (NRC), is the body that manages the Rover Scouts section at a National Level. It coordinates the program and management of Rover Scouts conducted at the Branch level and between Branches, and designs policies that affect Rovering as a whole in Australia. This team works together to develop a strategic plan and then implement this over the course of their elected year. They also liaise with the Branch Rover Council Chairmen and the Branch Commissioners for Rovers (or their equivalent) in each state to help them with any issues, ideas or help that they may need.

The NRC is composed of an executive consisting of a Chair, Vice Chair, a Training and Development Officer, the NRC Adviser; and two delegates from each Branch and their Branch Rover Adviser. Members of the National Team, the Chair of the National Youth Council, the New Zealand NRC Chair and other Rover representatives from the Branches may attend as observers. The NRC meets face to face annually and via teleconference throughout the year. The annual meeting usually runs over three days and incorporates State/Territory reports, discussions and workshops as well as networking activities. The Conference is an excellent opportunity for Branch Rover Council Chairs, their delegates and observers to meet with Rovers from other states and share their knowledge and ideas and learn from one another in a positive environment. It is also an opportunity for States to put forward papers, plans and ideas to the council to be voted upon so the Chair can then take the resolutions to the National Operations Meeting. It is also when the elections for the following year's executive take place.

The National Rover Council Chairman is a member of the Scouts Australia National Team and attends National Team, National Operations, National Executive, and National Council meetings and through direct participation at the highest level possible puts the "Rovers view" into Scouts Australia, Rovers is the only section with this direct access.

## The Rover Scout Award Scheme

The Rover Scout Award Scheme leads to the Baden-Powell Scout Award - the highest award in Australian Scouting. This begins with Squire Training - the training required to be completed before being invested as a fully invested Rover or Rover Knight.

Following this is a Rover may work towards any of the following badges: Rover Skills, Physical, Service, Personal Growth badge and Community Development in any order. On completion of the Squire Training Rover Skills, Physical and Service badges, Crews will award the St George Award.

The Baden-Powell Scout Award consists of the St George Award, Personal Growth badge and Community Development badge.

Rovers are supported nationally to undertake the Rover Scout Award Scheme by the Baden-Powell Scout Award Team. These teams are responsible for promoting the award, helping individuals and Crews agree to suitable challenges and conducting a self-reflection discussion at the completion of the required badges.

## Motorsport

While Queensland still runs its motor sport under Scout Insurance and operates independently, Rover Scout Motorsport clubs exist in several other states and are the bodies responsible for the safe operation of Rover car racing. They are Confederation of Australian Motorsport-affiliated racing clubs, with strict drink-driving, safety and racing policies. They are operated by an elected and assigned team of Rovers and are under the control of that states Branch Rover Council. They oversee events like Mudbash (VIC) Sandblast (SA), and Bush Baja (WA).

All Rover Motorsport activities were stopped in the early 2000s because of a loss of insurance, but a new affiliation with the Confederation of Australian Motorsport led to the resumption of Rover Motorsport in many states.