Beyond 'Messengers for Peace' - WOSM programs

[Protoclete]

I recently started a term as a global consultant for WOSM, working with their "Better World Framework" programs. Given the popularity of Messengers of Peace with BSA scouts and scouters, I'm always surprised some of the other programs have not caught on as much. I'm particularly invested in Dialogue for Peace and the Interreligious Dialogue badge, but thought this might be a good place to draw attention to the others, too:

Has anyone had experience with any of these? Mind sharing? Or maybe contacts through another country's scouting program that's done some of them? I'm curious to hear stories, or questions, from BSA scouters if they have any knowledge of or experience with any of them. 

[SSScout]

Greetings and salutations !  I personally have not heard of 90% of these awards.   The "Uniform Police"(tongue firmly in cheek) would wonder and wish the "offishul" reference that it is OKAY to wear these when earned on the BSA uniform.    COuld you verify that?   I would love to forward these on to my Scout here in Maryland.... 

 

[qwazse]

16 hours ago, SSScout said:

Greetings and salutations !  I personally have not heard of 90% of these awards.   The "Uniform Police"(tongue firmly in cheek) would wonder and wish the "offishul" reference that it is OKAY to wear these when earned on the BSA uniform.    COuld you verify that?   I would love to forward these on to my Scout here in Maryland.... 

 

Rise up, oh insignia dorks!

Here’s the official on Messenger of Peace: https://www.scouting.org/international/messengers-of-peace/

[Protoclete]

On 3/7/2023 at 3:20 PM, SSScout said:

Greetings and salutations !  I personally have not heard of 90% of these awards.   The "Uniform Police"(tongue firmly in cheek) would wonder and wish the "offishul" reference that it is OKAY to wear these when earned on the BSA uniform.    COuld you verify that?   I would love to forward these on to my Scout here in Maryland.... 

 

There's a good question there, one I'm trying to track down. What is the BSA procedure for adopting a WOSM program and is it different than allowing any Scout who has earned a WOSM badge to wear it on their uniform even if not a BSA adopted program? 

Like, who decided that we promote Messengers of Peace in the BSA but not Patrimonito? I don't know. Working on finding out. 

But, as far as i can tell, BSA scouts and scouters could wear any WOSM badge they earn in the temporary insignia area (or on a jacket, etc) unless otherwise indicated (like the MoP ring around the world crest), even if the program is not promoted by BSA in a specific way. 

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

I recently dug round the WOSM pages for MoP, and even looking for some of these other programs there I end up at Scouts for SDGs over and over because so many of the links go there. That may explain some of the lack of awareness.

It never occurred to me to ask if it's ok for BSA members to execute WOSM programming, I just did it. I took their SDG training, selected from their suggested exercises, used their materials - but with modifications.

Why I modified might be another reason why some of the WOSM programs aren't popular here. Several of the SDGs veer into politics in the US by their very existence, and because scouting is one of the few community organizations in which liberal and conservative people work side by side to build community, I dropped several SDGs to not alienate the parents whose attire makes me think that they might find some of the SDGs aggravating or offensive.

I don't know if I was right, but coming in from another NSO I have to say that I got an off-in-your-own-corner vibe from the BSA. After taking the leap and joining, I see it's not quite like that, but there does seems to be a general lack of sense of being part of a global movement in scouts here. Some people very much have interest, but the global community perspective can't be taken for granted. When I read WOSM's materials, I experience a sense of relaxation and familiarity with the perspective. I can't know for sure, maybe someone else can comment, but a lot of WOSM programs come out of of a view that doesn't seem to be generally shared by the BSA. 

Now, why is MoP an exception? I raised some eyebrows at the BSA suggestion that you can tag basically any service project a MoP project for the extra badge. Not sure how many MoP projects are actually executed primarily from the WOSM guidance and view, or how one would even know the answer to that question. See below for just one example.

"How is Messengers of Peace different from Good Turn for America? In terms of project reporting, MOP is very similar. However, MOP emphasizes peace and the influence Scouts around the world can have. It also adds a global recognition to the local and national recognition Scouts already receive for their service.

Why do we need a new program? Messengers of Peace is less a new program than a new focus—and an opportunity to connect and share with Scouts around the world without leaving home. It’s designed to integrate with Journey to Excellence reporting, as described below."

[qwazse]

@AwakeEnergyScouter Note that part of your comfort with the way WOSM presents its awards may be because Scandinavian countries have a long track record of service at WOSM. They often set the tone. The BSA intentionally steps back from WOSM programming. That’s partly because the American scouters involved in WOSM did not want to have undo influence based on their position as the largest financial donor. Also, many of us in America see WOSM as a way to connect with our cultural heritage. (It’s very interesting to see my scouts at Jamboree seeking out scouts from the countries of their grandparents.) So, BSA’s representation at WOSM is aimed at bringing hat diversity forward as opposed to foisting our way of doing things on the rest of the world.
The financial picture is changing — as is BSA membership, so I don’t know how that will affect WOSM going forward.