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SCOUTING IN DENMARK
FAELLESRAADET FOR DANMARKS DRENGESPEJDERE
THE DANISH SCOUT COUNCIL
In Denmark there are several Scout associations. The major ones are:
The Danish Guide and Scout Association ( Det Danske Spcjderkorps = DDS)
YMCA Scouts ( Kristeligt Forening for Unge Maend = KFUM)
YWCA Scouts ( Kristeligt Forening for Unge Kvinder = KFUK),
The minor organizations and those associated with Denmark are:
Baptist Scouts of Denmark ( Danske Baptisters Spejderkorps = DBS)
Guide and Scout Association of Greenland (Det Groniandske Spejderkorps=DGS)
The Scout Council of the Faroe Islands.
YMCA Scouts are mixed. DDS, DBS and DGS are merged. YWCA is for girls only.
The uniform of DDS Scouts is dark blue supplemented by a scarf, colored according to the group's choice. The uniform of YMCA scouts is green with a red scarf. The uniform of YWCA scouts is a T-shirt (white or orange or blue), green shirt, green pants or bike-shorts or leggings (blue or green or orange) and finally a checkered scarf. DBS uses a light blue uniform with a turquoise blue scarf. The uniform of the DGS is a dark blue anorak and checkered scarf.
Membership numbers are listed below as of 1995, but they all stay quite stable. Both adult leaders and children are counted:
DDS: 35,000.
YMCA: 33,000.
YWCA: 10,000.
DBS: 2,000.
DGS: 1,500.
DDS
DDS is the only Danish scout organization that does not require religion to be a part of scouting. DDS recognizes the moral standards of the Danish society as well as Christianity. The only requirement about religion for the DDS is that the scouts "Find their own faith and respect others" (part of the Scout Law). All the other associations are required to inform the scouts about Christianity as a part of their scouting work.
DDS uses the following age division guidelines:
The age divisions are only suggestions. Approximately one-fourth of the groups in DDS do not distinguish between mini and junior scouts and have both age groups in the same pack.
The other Scouting organizations have slightly different age divisions and generally use more inspiring names. In general the youngest scouts are around 6 and the oldest are up to 25.
All Scouting organizations in Denmark are based on groups. A group is usually a combination of a unit from each of the age groups. It is normal to stay in the same group in all of your scouting life. Leaders occasionally move from group to group, but scouts seldom do. The groups cooperate in divisions. The national leadership is very different from organization to organization.
In DDS, the groups are organized in 43 divisions, that must consist of at least 600 scouts. The districts are combined in 7 areas.
Leaders are from almost all age groups. It is not unusual for a unit to have leaders of quite different ages. Leaders are both old scouts and parents. There is a majority of non-parents. It is not a tradition that parents follow their kids through the different age groups; instead they tend to stay in the same unit a number of years.
There no ranks system in any of the major scouting organizations in Denmark. A few groups implement something on their own, but the general emphasis is not on advancement. There are merit badges for mini scouts, junior scouts, and normal scouts, but in many places these are not often used. Most cub scouts (mini and junior scouts) rarely have more than 5 merit badges, of which one is the "knife award". These badges are often used to help the leaders and the scouts remember that safe use of some tools require training.
DDS was founded November 19th, 1909 in Hellerup near Copenhagen. The girls and guides of Denmark formed the DPS (Danish: Dansk Pige Spejderkorps) October 10th, 1910. DDS was for boys and DPS for girls until they merged in 1973. This means that most local units now are coeducational, though a unit may . prefer the single sex option. Every 5 years, DDS gathers in one big Camp (Danish: BIA Sommer). The peak number of people in the camp was close to 23,000 in 1994.
The main object of work in DDS is to help children and young people develop into self-reliant persons, who can assume responsibility in their own environment and in the world around them.
Most of the activities in the association are based on the patrol system, through which children learn to lead children, and thus develop responsibility and self-reliance. The youngest children, however, naturally have adult support and are not left entirely to themselves.
YMCA SCOUTS
YMCA was founded September 28th, 1910. Later it was included in DDS until 1916, where it became an organization on its own. It was recognized internationally in 1922 (founding member of WOSM). A referendum was held in 1982, the result being that YMCA should be open equally for boys and girls, while YWCA should continue as an organization exclusively for girls. Now, some 40 percent of the members in YMCA are girls. It is decided on a local level whether boys and girls are in mixed or single sex patrols and troops.
The association is confessional based on the Danish National Church, which is Lutheran Evangelical. The program emphasizes the participation in a Christian Scout community and stresses living in nature, democratic education and international understanding.
The program makes it possible for the unit as a whole or the individual member to choose between a large number of activities. Individual, family and group activities are all integrated in the program scheme. Community involvement, international contacts, nature conservation and religious activities are also included.
Scout Oath:
I promise to do my best to listen to God's words, keep the Scout Law and everyday, do something to make others happy.
Scout Law:
A Scout listens to Gods words
A Scout is thoughtful and helpful
A Scout respects other people
A Scout cares and protects nature
A Scout is trustworthy
A Scout takes responsibility at home, church and community
A Scout forms his/her own opinions
DBS
The Danish Baptist Guide and Scout Association offers guide and scout programs in accordance with the international guide and scout promise and law. In practice, this is shown by a financial and other support given to the Baptist associations in Burundi and Rwanda (Africa).
It is a religious association where all local groups can only exist in close co-operation with a local Baptist church. The Baptist Church is an evangelical free church practicing adult baptism. It is not a necessity to be a Baptist to be a member of the association.
It has widespread democracy and equal rights for both sexes. All leaders (unit, group, district) are elected by the other leaders (in the unit, group or district). The 2 Chief Commissioners (I of each sex) are elected by the general assembly to which all adult leaders above 15 years are invited. Each district has 2 District Commissioners (I of each sex).
The Danish Baptist Guide and Scout Association is a merged association.
DGS
The Guide and Scout Association of Greenland was founded in 1973 and is the only Guide and Scout Association in Greenland. In 1943, the Danish Scout and Guide Associations introduced Guiding and Scouting in Greenland.
Guiding and Scouting in Greenland is closely related to the Church which is Lutheran Evangelical.
The Association cooperates closely with the Danish associations and has international contacts to WAGGGS and WOSM. Among the many different activities the following are characteristic: beadwork, the preparation of fur, cleaning of fish.
Particular emphasis is put on wildlife in a sometimes quite rough environment. Here the Guides and Scouts learn how to survive on natural resources. Hence most activities take place out doors.
Due to enormous distances from village to village, Guides and Scouts rarely meet other scouts from other units except once a year, namely in district camps. Leader training is arranged every year alternately in North and South Greenland.
Motto:
Vaer beredt
Be prepared
This information was obtained from the Danish Scout and Guide Association and WOSM. Inge Nillsen provided translations of the Scout Oath, Scout Law and Motto.
If you have additional information, please send it to me at:
Last updated on October 9 1999