The Baden-Powell Service Association (BPSA), a traditional scouting group, has a difficult predicament to navigate its way out of if it hopes to continue providing services to eager local children looking to learn outdoor and youth leadership skills.
“We have three active groups in Quesnel and they’ve been growing very consistently for the last couple years, but we’ve always had a shortage of leaders,” says Sara McManus, Group Scoutmaster for 1st Baker Creek.
“We’ve had to wait list kids until we’ve got new leaders to join.”
McManus says this year, BPSA is expecting several dedicated, long-term leaders to vacate their positions at the end of the camp season.
“They’re going to finish out the summer, but we’re going to have a severe leader shortage for the number of kids that we have, which means that the kids that are in the groups may not even have a spot.”
It is unlikely that new sign-ups will be able to join, and a possibility of one or more groups closing isn’t out of the question.
In the past, McManus says, they have gained their leadership from families joining the association, but lately it is proving a challenge to find individuals who are willing to give relatively consistent commitment.
“We’re hoping to find members in the community who may be former guiders or scouters whose children are grown and are looking for an opportunity to give back.”
A love for the outdoors is a must for a potential candidate, as the program is based in the wilderness and camping is an activity often practised.
Previous scouting experience isn’t a requisite, however. The group is happy to provide training in scouting, as well as leadership skills.
Any concern of being out-of-pocket should be null and void too, as BPSA ensures zero expense to the leaders, paying for their camps through fundraising efforts.
As it stands, the three groups have a dozen leaders who are in charge of 105 youths, but stand to lose a third of their support within the next few months.
BPSA Canada was established in Victoria, B.C., in 1996. It is unaffiliated with Scouts Canada; however, it follows much of the same doctrine established by Robert Baden-Powell, the orginator of the scouting movement.