Grasshopper Scouts
Grasshopper Scouts (
Grasshopper Scout units are designated as "rings". At the age of 7½, participants can be promoted into Cub Scouts. Scouts wear the World Scout emblem and are formal members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.[3]
History
In the early 1980s, the Hong Kong Scouting Association launched a full-scale review of its Scout programmes.[4] A reform programme named
In 1987, the Hong Kong Scouting Association published the first programme guide for the Grasshoppers.[citation needed] A para-balloon (快樂傘) was selected as the symbol of the Section; this symbol makes regular appearances during Grasshopper Scout meetings.[citation needed]
Promise, law, yell and motto
'The promise'
- "I promise to be a Grasshopper Scout, to love God, to love people and to love my country" (in Chinese: 我願參加小童軍,愛神愛人愛國家).
Before 12 January 2001, the words Country and 國家 were Hong Kong and 香港 respectively.
'The Law'
- "A Grasshopper Scout does a good turn every day" (in Chinese: 小童軍日行一善).
'The Yell'
- "A Grasshopper Scout Goes Forward" (in Chinese: 小童軍向前進).
'The Motto'
- "Forward" (in Chinese: 前進).
Ceremonies
Grasshopper Scout sections have no formal ceremonies. Every ceremony is simple, serious and short. The most important ceremony is the induction ceremony. Other common ceremonies conducted at the meetings include a welcome ceremony, a goodbye ceremony, presentation of progressive badges, welcoming of guests, special events (such as an anniversary ceremony), departure from the Grasshopper Scout ring and promotion to the Cub Scout pack. Because children between six and eight years of age cannot concentrate for extended periods of time, Grasshopper Scout ceremonies should not take longer than five minutes.
The association suggests that, when inducting new members, three to four new members should be inducted together and no member should be inducted individually.
Organisation
Most Grosshopper rings are organised by
A ring is run by a Grasshopper scout leader with the help of assistant leaders and instructors. It is part of a Scout group that might have other sections like Cub Scout, Scout,
Badges
Four progressive badges are designated for the section programme to encourage members' active participation. They are square badges with four footprints coloured red, brown, blue and green progressively. The badges are awarded according to the number of hours that members have participated.
Uniform
The official Grasshopper Scouting uniform consists of only a group scarf. However, most rings also design their own T-shirts for the sake of uniformity. Badges of different kinds can be attached to the T-shirts.
See also
External links
- Grasshopper Scouts (in Chinese)
- Leaders and Sections Archived 2007-03-05 at the Wayback Machine