W O O D B A D G E       P R O J E C T

Approved Proposal

Develop spirituality-related program ideas to be incorporated into a Cub program.

Objectives:
· define, through research into Scouting and non-Scouting sources, spirituality (religion, Duty to God, etc.);
· determine an age-appropriate definition;
· create program ideas/activities that can be incorporated into the Cub program; and
· introduce an activity into an actual program.

Course Leader: Jacki Warner
Project Supervisor: Graham Bell

Introduction

Scouting is based on three fundamentals. They are Duty to My God, the Promise and Law, and the Aim of Scouting. We have a very clear grasp of the third, and the second is equally straightforward. But that first one, Duty to My God, causes difficulties for many of us. How do we fulfil the requirements of Duty to My God without being seen as pushing a particular religion on the youth?

And then, a second problem. Religion can be a very personal thing for a leader, who may not want to share his/her particular values and beliefs. How can we still manage to provide program ideas that do not conflict with our own beliefs?

And finally, the third problem. Many leaders are just too embarrassed to include programming that helps us to meet the requirements imposed by that first fundamental principle, the Duty to My God.

As I see it, we have a simple choice to make if we aren't to back away from this responsibility. We can introduce Cubs to more than one religion, in a very generic, vanilla way. We can provide equal time so that there is no preference, no bias. We can fall back upon the concept of spirituality and avoid religion-specific issues entirely while still providing an opportunity for the youth to explore their own beliefs. And if the programming of Duty to My God is interesting, it reduces the likelihood of being embarrassed. In this project I will look at program ideas that will cover all of the above, in a generic, spiritual, easy, and sometimes even fun way.

Spirituality versus Morality

Spirituality concerns our response to the teachings of our church or our religion and our responses within that framework. It is the responsibility to "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" -- not a legal requirement but a code to live by. It is our "Duty to God."

Morality concerns itself with what is legally or socially acceptable. It is those things that are right or wrong within the defined law and social mores. This is the "Duty to the Queen" -- a responsibility for legal correctness.

The concepts can be blurred, and if we impart values of both we won't be wrong.

Defining and Exploring the Concept of Spirituality

What is spirituality? We are comfortable with lots of similar words. Spirits are ghosts, and spiritualism is talking to long-dead ancestors! But change a few letters and we get a whole new concept.

1. From the Oxford English Dictionary: spiritual 1) of or concerning the spirit as opposed to matter 2) concerned with sacred or religious things; holy; divine; inspired 3) refined, sensitive; not concerned with the material 4) (of a relationship, etc.) concerned with the soul or spirit, etc. not with external reality.

2. In Rituals in a School Hallway: Evidence of a Latent Spirituality of Children, Don Ratcliffe, Ph.D explores the idea that spirituality is not exclusively a religious phenomenon, but an aspect of life that is affirmed by people of all faiths, as well as by those without faith in a transcendent Being.

3. Hay and Nye, in their Perspectives of Children's Spirituality tell us that spirituality does not necessarily mean religion, although religious experience can be one of the expressions of innate spirituality. A spiritual experience involves a heightened awareness and attentiveness (resulting from wonder), is not necessarily emotional, but is certainly the result of some form of perception. Hay and Nye outline three categories of spiritual sensitivity:
· awareness-sensing, including meditation or some association with the surroundings;
· mystery-sensing, the wonder and awe associated with the mystery of life or the use of active an imagination that carries one beyond an everyday experience;
· value-sensing, the delight or despair related to ideas of worth, value, goodness, and the quest for meaning in life.

They link spiritual awareness with moral behaviour. They suggest that the neglect or suppression of the child's natural spirituality results in meaninglessness and is a likely contributor to the lack of moral awareness and consequent lack of social concern for others demonstrated through violence and other anti-social behaviours. On the other hand they maintain that spirituality fosters justice and a concern for others and the physical environment, a loss of prejudice, and a decrease in materialism.

4. In Empowering Children Scott Sheperd explores the age differences in spiritualism. He notes that up until about the age of six, children do not generally have the aptitude to think in abstract terms. While they do have an active imagination, they ground their fantasies in real objects that they do recognize. The concept of God, for example, may manifest itself in the likeness of a man while courage is a brave deed. By the time they are twelve their concepts of religion have already been shaped, mainly by their family traditions and observations. By the time they are teenagers spirituality has been established. But even those who have not been subjected to daily demonstrations of faith may still evolve as spiritual beings. Sheperd goes on to suggest that empowering children with spirituality is an adult quest to which we should all aspire. We do this by providing age relevant experiences, answering questions, and allowing the youth to express their ideas. And most importantly, it means encouraging good thoughts and actions while discouraging mean spirited ones.

5. According to the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM 1998:10), spiritual development in Scouting is directed towards developing the ability to:
· acknowledge and explore a dimension beyond humanity;
· explore the spiritual heritage of one's community;
· understand the beliefs, practises, and customs of other world religions; and
· integrate spiritual values into one's daily life and in the global direction of one's development towards and higher and more unified state of consciousness.

6. Our course provided us with another version: "That which has to do with the qualities of life which are the result of our relationship with God, as He acts upon us and within us and we with Him; qualities which are expressed in our personal faith and in our relationships with other people."

Summary

There are some useful ideas here, and we can easily summarize them:
· spirituality can be, but is not necessarily, religion;
· the spiritual needs of youth vary with their age; and
· spirituality is an ideal, a wonder, and a life experience that is positive and contributes to a healthy development.

If we look back at our original problems, we will soon see how we can provide program ideas in a Scouting environment that will resolve all three of our original problems and help us meet the needs of this Scouting fundamental.

It is worth remembering that all members of the WOSM subscribe to the same general belief that a duty to God is an important aspect of the Scouting program. Various Scouting movements provide guidance on their own specific, religious components of programming, while others restrict themselves to being advocates of a generic spirituality. But all members recognize that age-appropriate activities can be instrumental in providing a level of spirituality that enables the youth to develop into confident and responsible adults.

Our definition then should be the (somewhat circular) one provided by WOSM. An age-appropriate method for including spirituality in our programs allows the youth to discover:
· various different religious ideas;
· their own meaning of God;
· interacting with others in an appropriate (spiritual) way; and
· the magic that is wonder
in an environment that encourages questions about self, experiences, ideas, and the world around us, and is guided by adults acting as suitable role models.

Programming Spirituality

There are some very good sources for program ideas, and I encourage you to look to your own available, favourite, and personal places. These can include libraries, the internet generally, local religious leaders, etc. Check out some of the links in this document for a start. I certainly found MacScouter to be a valuable source of information (as expected!) But even a simple web search will provide you with good program ideas, or will give you the germ of an idea that you can develop into something special for your own pack.

Take any opportunity offered to discuss spirituality with the Cubs. This means answering their questions and encouraging discussion by asking yours. These talks can be informal or formal, and can be a part of any other activity. "Why did you draw this?" could be a response to a favourite picture of a horse. "Why do you think that what the girl did was bad?" could be used after a story. Simple questions will at least start the thinking processes, and open the doors to discovery.

And remember, it isn't necessary to always provide specific, spiritual programming. You can work the ideals and concepts into many of your activities. Promote fair play. Encourage your youth to think of others before themselves. Help them to find the magic and wonder in nature. Give them the opportunity to create and be imaginative. Be a good role model.

Finally, remind Cubs of their promise. It is full of values that would make any creed proud.

Programming Ideas

Okay, enough of the theory. Let's get down to business. What kinds of activities can you provide that have a spiritual basis? Let's look at some examples by type of programming activity.

Skits
The easiest is to ask the Cubs to role play certain scenarios. Give both good and bad possibilities and ask the pack which is better and why. How could the bad situation be made better? If your group is more comfortable with this concept, be more complex. Give them specific situations and follow up with discussion. Ideas include: the shoplifter; don't wanna to visit grandma; can we get a new dog?; homework or the rugby game; a cigarette after school; the new babysitter; daddy has to leave me alone at home for half an hour; the list is endless. How many can you think of? Maybe the Cubs could come up with their own ideas? How about everyone put an idea in a hat, and teams draw at random (after the ideas have been appropriately edited by a leader...)

There are huge numbers of skits available on the internet. While many are purely entertainment, if you choose properly you could identify some worthwhile issues. Skits that make fun of others, or where there is damage (even if in good fun) to property or the environment, or where one character helps another (no matter how obscurely) are all examples of where the concepts we are trying to encourage can be highlighted.

Try these skits for ideas.

In a similar vein, charades are always popular. How about "Good Turn Charades"? Fill a bag full of topics on bits of paper that the Cubs can use to act out good turns. Subjects could be: helping carry groceries; mowing the lawn; washing dishes; making the bed; finishing homework; getting a cat out of a tree; picking flowers and giving them to mom; etc. Again the list is limited only by your imagination. Or have the Cubs put their suggestions into the hat.

Songs
There is a number of songs, that while spiritual, are not overtly religious. Many can be enhanced with a variety of actions to increase the interest. They include:
· If You're Happy and You Know It
· It's a Small World After All
· What a Wonderful World
· Let There Be Peace On Earth
· Morning Has Broken
· Day Is Done

Here are the words to a number of songs. Many have familiar tunes, and others are available on a number of internet sites. You will also find some more links, with words and music.

Finally, don't be afraid to take a common tune and make up your own words. Your song will always be perfect for the occasion!

Games
In any game that you can talk about fair play we have an obvious way to discuss this aspect of spirituality. But are there spirituality-specific games? Any game that can get the Cubs thinking about the values that we want them to learn counts as a spirituality game. A simple example would be the Colour Game. Give all the Cubs pieces of paper on which you've written the colours of the rainbow. Each Cub has to come up with a list of as many things as possible that are each (or at least predominantly each!) colour. Each Cub presents his or her list. Why did they choose those items? Why are those things those colours?

Try out some of these games.

Stories
Taking a few minutes at the end of a meeting will help the Cubs to calm down and relax after an active and fun program. Use this time to tell a short story, or part of a longer one. Talk about the story. Who did what? Why? Would a Cub have done things differently?

The Jungle Books offer a wide variety of stories with good moral lessons, and the tales come in a variety of lengths. And as a bonus, these stories help us to program the new emphasis on the Jungle Book that we have been encouraged to respect.

Look at a variety of series of children's books. Many of these have a good moral base and provide the opportunity to question and discuss. Try some of these series, or send me your favourites: Arthur, Magic Tree House, and Franklin.

Drawing and Crafts
Give the Cubs a theme, and let them do a design of their own. Themes could include: helping mother, doing a good turn, over the rainbow. Cubs could be encouraged to do a short comic strip or series of drawings to tell a positive story. Or they could be encouraged to do an illustration of their favourite part of a story. Ask them to pick a scene that demonstrates good Cubbing in action. Make posters and put them on the walls of your hall.

Given a selection of magazines and newspapers, can the Cubs do a collage of feel-good stories? Talk about the stories. Why have they picked the articles/photographs that they did? What are the good lessons to be learned?

Visits
Never pass up an opportunity to get the Cubs out of the hall. While visits to temples, churches, synagogues, mosques, etc. are obvious ways to help them explore different sides of religion (and remember to encourage questions!) you can use many other opportunities. Visits to a fire hall, Snowy Hydro, or an undertaker all provide the chance to discuss issues that touch on spirituality. What is death? Is there a heaven? Why do people get hurt? What causes fires? These are all are good questions that we can expect Cubs to ask, and in all cases we can take the opportunity and have them talk about their answers, ideas, and beliefs.

Prayer, the Scouts' Own, and the Scouter's Five
Prayer
The easiest and fastest way to incorporate spirituality in a Cub program is through the use of prayer. First of all, prayer time should be quiet and sincere. For Cubs, a prayer should be simple and should express concrete ideas. A simple thank you, an observation made on a good activity, or a statement about anything positive makes an effective short prayer. A Cub can be encouraged to personalize a prayer, either out loud or silently. This makes the spirituality a personal thing as well, and not just a rote activity at the end of a meeting.

Scouts' Own (from Scouter Liam Morland, 2000)
A Scouts' Own is an important part of programming that helps the youth search out the spiritual values of life (WOSM 1992:5). It is an important and often misunderstood part of a Cub program. What is a Scouts' Own? It is not a mini-church service. A Scouts' Own is a "gathering held to contribute to the development of their spirituality and to promote a fuller understanding of the Scout Law."

It is easy to run a Scouts' Own. Get your Cubs together in a group, of any size. Use this quiet time to discover the Scout Law and explore spirituality. Use the time to ask questions to encourage thought, and to explore the world. These are Cubs. Keep it short, and at a level that the youth can understand and accept.

More specifically, use a combination of stories with a moral or spiritual message; metaphors if appropriate (a glass, like life, can be half empty of half full depending on our outlook); prayers that the Cubs can use to express their hopes, fears, emotions, and thankfulness; songs; and the chance to share their thoughts with their peers.

The items that make up a Scouts' Own should be appropriate and relevant. Try to maintain a sense of wonder and serenity. Focus on one simple, concrete message. Don't moralize. Let the Cubs discover the message for themselves. Finally, hold your Scouts' Own in a special place, one that will bring an additional layer of meaning to the message.

Keep the Scouts' Own from being religion specific. "We are thankful for..." is better than "We thank God for..." as many religions, such as Jainism and Humanism, have no concept of God. "Amen" can be optional, to be used by those who wish.

It is important that the youth understand that spirituality is not reserved for a particular time and place. It should be an aspect of every day life.

Scouter's Five
A Scouter's Five is more simple than a Scouts' Own, but it is more than a prayer. It consists of one Scouter telling a short story, parable, or metaphor and allowing a few seconds of silence for the rest of the group to discover and think about the message. It should never last more than five minutes. A Scouter's Five could be held at the end of a campfire or meeting.

Questions
Here are some questions that you can use. They can be part of any of the games mentioned, or worked into play-acting, or just be used as a way to fill a couple minutes. There are no answers.

These questions are opportunities to explore some issues, and to examine different answers. For any question, there will certainly be a Cub or two with an answer that is inappropriate, or that the Cub thinks is a great joke. This is an excellent chance to reinforce appropriate behaviour. Ignore the inappropriate answers, and discuss (without placing blame or causing embarrassment) why some answers are less correct. Remember to congratulate both good answers and good attempts!

L I N K S (in no particular order...)
Supercrawler Scouting BSA's religious policy Labourlawtalk e-zine MPR Self-Knowledge
Susan Kramer Riaumont (French) Allsites Answers.com Ask Alana Beliefnet
Camp Rena Divinity Experience Festival 1 Experience Festival 2 Families On-Line Find Tutorials
Hippy.com n/a Magical Blend Open2 Net Presbyterian.ca Spiritual Parenting

T I M E L I N E (and a running total of hours)

Date Task Running Total (hours)
03Apr05 topic chosen 0.0
03Apr05 initial generic research and examine sites 1.5
04Apr05 more research (Scouting oriented) and begin the rough draft 3.0
05Apr05 start working on the draft text - lots to cut out 4.0
06Apr05 refine the draft text, start looking for programme ideas 5.5
07Apr05 finish (?) the text, incorporate the first ideas, and set up for the examples 7.5
10-11Apr05 working on sub-files - games, skits, songs 9.0
19Apr05 approval received in the mail today 9.0
19Apr05 revised the text, added some skits and a game 10.0
26Apr05 working on questions, some text editing 10.5
01May05 refining the text, including the definition! 11.0
02May05 complete section on songs 12.0
0Jun05 revise the printable version 13.0

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