Disability Scouting

Today is Whit Bank Holiday over here and we are almost going full circle today in looking at something that does matter: Disability Scouting.

This blog started with the tale of how Scouting for the Disabled to use a very period phrase was a well kept secret, officially existing and practised but somehow not passed on adults whose job was to inform parents about what their children could do so we didn't get told about it, never mind encouraged to join.

Today things are thankfully different.

Children with physical disabilities, visual impairments and leaning disabilities have a place in scouting world-wide at all levels and in all sections.

Here we have a Beaver with physical disabilities - and we need to start young - and at that age you need to learn about your Abilities given the medical profession see you a lot about your disabilities and that can easily lead to forming a restricted view on achievement potential and so a pattern of being included rather than left out needs to start.

Well trained, adaptable and prepared to think out of box grown ups are a must to work around supporting you as part of your colony, pack or troup and the first thing to remember is barriers are often in our heads so a welcoming, prepared to work with you approach really helps.

Things always worth considering is physical accessibilty not that we don't mind a challenge when it comes to activity centres, camp bases and the like.

If the layout can be made easy for us to use and storage areas easy to get at, we too can help everyone else out. Trust me the last thing you want to feel is unable to contribute to whatever everyone else does, mucking in.

It's not all one way traffic.

Having a person who works with you, encouraging through disability awareness all those around from fellow scouts to help out hopefully learn something about how they can help whatever form that might be depending on your specific needs.

Things like fastening stuff was something I struggled with back then so rather than being sat there waiting, why not ask if you can help at all.

Another may find seeing things difficult,  a third may get very anxious or need to be kept informed of what's happening next.

It's a balence between learning over time how you can help and taking away from us our independence.

Surprisingly enough there are disabled adults in scouting as volunteers which is kind of useful not just as role models for all scouts young and old but even as mentors.

Having the life can really make a difference to somebody along the path.

Because you may not do everything doesn't mean you should have a place to help out and in just the same way appropriate adjustments to the training program are made for disabled youngsters they also have place for adult volunteers to make the most of your abilities.

Being more visable can help - not everyone knows who the local go to person is if you wish to help out - and being seen does spread the message and breakdown any idea scouting is just for the able bodied.

Youngsters are often very receptive to learning how to help and get along with disabled people especially tehir peers if we can break the iceberg around knowing how to help and that you're just as likely to want join in all the fun, having a laugh like any other child.

We're all different but we all belong in the same pack, caring for each other.

Moving your own way

 

There is a tendency to say "but kids today are too soft, lacking grit" and possibly some are although it wasn't unknown in the past either but generally it's wrong to castigate all  and here we see one lad who clearly has the detirmination to make his move in life whatever his personal challenges are in much the same way I had to, all those years ago.

He's getting about, earning his badges and no doubt playing a full part in his Six as in truth as the late Tom Petty remarked we can't remain laying like a refugee left and abandoned expecting others to pick us up.

We have to do that for us and not be defined by what has happened but more by what we are making happen in our lives.

People have a part to play, a social responsiblity to help each other, movements such as Scouting can help a lot - and scouting was ahead of the game for a long time - to help those of us with disabilities but we have to help ourselves to go foward.

****Short news update****

In the unstable world of Tumblr where initially this blog started and many others just seem to go the blog "roverscoutandy" that specialized in continental specifically German speaking vintage scouting blog appears to have had its account terminated a few days ago.

While taking no pleasure from what has happened to him, it only goes to show that my decision  to back up to here and host images on blogger rather than using any direct from Tumblr was right as while I lost my account, at least I'm still standing making a unique Scouting related blog

Mastering your conditions

Well, I was and am more excited about being outdoors and everything I may discover because I'm curious about things, what they are, how they came to be and so on which cannot be undertaken in mere seconds but may mean looking for signs and slowing down.

Learning to stay alert, discerning the smallest of signs as you stay focused is a skill I have struggled with not least with being autistic and having adhd but I am finding my abilities are improving since all this started.

When you do, you can prepare for the most rapid of movements such as capturing these pigeons in a split second.

Post 600

Today we mark what is the 600th post on Scouting and Me which began back in 2018 in conjunction with a Tumblr because in the throws of issues with tumblr itself, losing an account I realized I was blogging a fair bit around scouting and felt what would be the replacement for that tumblr should have a focus just on Scouting.

Part of  that idea was to plan posts better so I could look at scouting as it was during my youth and part was looking at scouting in today's world which while being different many of the skills and character building needed remain the same, as for that matter do the children and young people.

But then there is another bit which is looking at a age dysphoric eternal boy's needs,  what the resumption of scouting related activities can do meet my needs, helping me to be more independent, be involved in and form interests in things, making a life with a sense of purpose.

That without going into things that belong elsewhere can be a problem where adult roles may be beyond you but you are officially too old for youth sections even if you may have more supervisory needs than those over 12.

So it was initially with company I picked up from where my life had been parked and started to go out exploring in terrain that with my physical disabilities is challenging sometimes requiring to pulled with two or three others to go forward standing up over step hills or like last year over rocks becoming more resilient and toughened up.

Then lockdown struck which cut out meeting up and exploring  at the same time as being expected to stay home was as with a good number of others taking its toil on my outlook, I decided to plan periods around the regulations I could manage by myself to do that taking notes.

Thus the "and me" side of the blog grew because if children and young people in scouting could and were adapting to lockdown then so could I setting challenges that could be done which helped with the mental health issues around lockdown and also moved me along towards what with my limitations I could actually do and feel I now had a goal in life.

We all hope many of the restrictions we've had can be lifted for good and that being together outdoors  can resume so I can work on some more challenging things with support as in its own way for children and young people in scouting it can too.

Days can be spent again together under sunlight and nights under the stars.

Having got our tent erected in a secluded spot, we've got our fire going quite nicely.

That looking towards the future is really what I am looking forward to as we move past this post seeing that eternal boy grow in character and confidence.

The Wolf Cub

Another one I ordered came from 1957, this would of been around the time my Father would of been in the Boy Scouts as he was a Wolf Cub a few years before.

One thing that is quite telling is the level of expectation when it came to your abilities being of the age to of been a Wolf Cub are quite high from the accounts of what people did, suggested activities, stories about being a scout and also the language used.

It has rigour written right through it.

Here are a few sample pages of which perhaps the most important is the illustrated story of Peter working on getting his badges, taking on fresh challenges and moving forward which is part of growing as a boy is all about. 

There is a good entry which I'll type out in full.

GOOD HUNTING TO ALL WOLF CUBS

THERE are two kinds of people in the world.
One is the kind that goes through life never getting any better or any worse.  Never trying anything new or trying to conquer hard things or learning something they didn't know before.
The other kind of people are those who spend every minute in learning something new; trying to do something they have never done before.
Most Cubs belong to this kind of people,.
They are always trying to get on.   When a Cub has gained his First Star he sets to work to learn the tests for his Second Star.  Then he tries for badges, so that he learns something about gardening and first aid and swimming, and badges which make him useful about the house.
Of course it is hard work, but a Cub likes that.  He lives up to the Cub motto-DO YOUR BEST.  A Cub is always doing his best in any job he takes up.
So Good Hunting to you-and jolly good Cubbing on the Jungle Trail 

Getting through this with my disabilities was a challenge, a very good example of a hard thing I rose to the challenge of wet, uneven and very muddy but I did it.
I have what it makes to be a good Cub and a true Scout.

Fastening ones shoes

The one real bane in the doing the same as any other boy no matter what life I had as a boy was and remains my inability due to dexterity and very poor hand-eye coordination to fasten shoes in an era where unlike sandals which I loved as a younger boy I simply could not fasten the laces.

This also would work its way into such staples as football boots given that was obligatory for boys not that I took any issue with as it taught me resilence big time but also hiking boots which went into scouting type activities so having to take a pair of due to say stone getting lodged was difficult.

To do what I did I always needed a 'shoe boy' prepared to fasten them back up even if I had to do everything else.

Scouting for the Disabled

One thing I am passionate over is Scouting for the Disabled because for one thing this blog writer was a disabled boy, these days a disabled adult little boy who believes we should not be denied the same sorts of experiences as non-disabled boys either because organizations choice to exclude us of which the Scouting Association and others certainly haven't before it was fashionable to talk about inclusion or because of parental misunderstandings about what actually is possible.

The second thing I will say I know will cause some offence but I shall anyway and that is too many parents and so-called professionals are so tied into the notion of fragility they simply won't let a disabled boy do what he's programmed to do cos on the inside he's still a boy with same urges and needs.

It often means he doesn't learn to do as much as he could even if he needs help because they'd soon do it all that which also cuts him off from other boys, removes sources of pride, self-respect and grit all of which he'll need perhaps more than his non-disabled peers in coping with his condition and challenges that go with it.

Many Scouting Associations manage through support from the District and above to include disabled children in regular scouting at all levels while in some situations, special units may be set up, possibly attached to special S.E.N. boarding schools.

The unit show in a vintage picture is Glasgow Disabled Scouts, in Scotland, U.K.  which has been providing scouting for the disabled since 1933.

A pause in the journey

Source: schooloutfitter

When you read this I will be away engaging with others, helping out and exploring which is really what is the best thing for me as difficult as doing some of things can be with my disabilities.
The preparedness to give my all, accept challenges and push my way forward as a wolf cub in spirit is helping me move on and make a life for myself.