Appropriate way to contact another NSO for a joint adventure?

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

I recently realized that the Nepali Scouts have some of the most amazing high adventure around, because of course they do. I can't unsee the call to a climb up Mt. Baden-Powell or the existence of the Lumbini scouting district.

I would love to organize a BSA trip to Nepal. What is BSA's modus operandi for this kind of thing? 

Normally, I would go the organizational route and contact someone in an administrative position to see what ts need crossing and whatnot, but based on the rate of success on contacting national I'm going to assume I won't hear back and need to organize it all myself. Is there some other administrative unit I should contact to avoid stepping on anyone's toes? Or am I free to create a Nepali trip committee and start contacting scouters in Nepal?

P. S. Interested in climbing training tips 🧗‍♀️

Edited April 18, 2023 by AwakeEnergyScouter
Could use some help with a training plan!

[HashTagScouts]

Chances National wants to advertise something that compete to their own programs? Zero. Many councils operate HA camps. You might check out this link: https://www.highadventurescouting.com/council.html

[Eagle94-A1]

Yes, National and Councils will not advertise competition. heck I am surprised https://www.highadventurescouting.com/council.html exists because it is in direct competition with with the 4 national HA bases.

Back in the day, the International Division could help out with International Letters of introduction, national Scout organization info, and restricted international swag, i.e. BSA international neckerchiefs, jacket, slides,  and if you earned it World Crest (pre-1990), International Activity Badge, International Youth Exchange Badge, or the current International Spirit Award. 

Back in the day, my district created their own exchange program. The city my troop was in had a twin city in Canada. Relationships were developed between troop  up there, and where I was at. They worked with us to create trips to us, and vice versa. They lent us 5 Scouts and Scouters to be our guides, and I was one of the 2 Scouters who were their guide a few year later.

If you got contacts in Nepal, I would contact them. I would also contact International Department,  https://www.scouting.org/international/ for assistance. 

BE ADVISED (emphasis) BSA's rules still apply, even if  the visiting organization allows it. Folks overseas get shocked at some of BSA's rules and regulations.

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

Thanks guys! This is very helpful. 🙏

[qwazse]

@AwakeEnergyScouter, also try contacting WOSM Asia Pacific Region, https://www.scout.org/where-we-work/regions/asia-pacific/region If I find the card of one of the representatives who I met at the World Scout Jamboree, I’ll PM you with his info.

If come August, you get absolutely no where, while I’m at the next WSJ, I’ll stroll over to the Nepali troop’s campsite and let the leaders know that a stranger on the internet would like to talk to them.

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

6 hours ago, qwazse said:

I’ll stroll over to the Nepali troop’s campsite and let the leaders know that a stranger on the internet would like to talk to them.

I'm sure they will be not at all suspicious 😂

Joking aside though, this does seem like the sort of thing that will probably take multiple stabs. Appreciate the help.

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

Nepal Scouts got right back to me! Off to a good start. May this benefit all sentient beings 

[Protoclete]

The BSA Far East Council runs what they call a "trilogy camp" - a rotating high adventure camp that occurs in a different part of the Council every year. This year happens to be Nepal. (The other two countries in the cycle are Mongolia and Thailand). 

https://scoutingevent.com/803-Nepal2023

You could either jump in on that or at talk with the team that plans it to get some ideas. 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Protoclete

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

@Protoclete That's a great tip, thanks! The timing isn't right, but I bet the FEC has existing contacts with Nepal Scouts and some ways of working. No need to reinvent the wheel. 🙏

[MattR]

Just curious, what does NSO stand for? I looked online and found the following:

	National Statistics Office (Philippines)
	National Symphony Orchestra
	New Student Orientation
	Nashville Symphony Orchestra (Nashville, TN)
	National Statistical Office
	Novosibirskaya Oblast (Russian federal subject)
	Nintendo Switch Online (paid online gaming service)
	National Solar Observatory
	Nalu Service Object
	Naming Service Object
	Names Supporting Organization
	Nevada Site Office
	Nurses Service Organization (liability insurance company)
	National Service Officer (Disabled American Veterans)
	Northern Spotted Owl
	No Such Organization (Vassar University; Poughkeepsie, NY)
	Network Security Officer
	Nonqualified Stock Option
	Nevada Solar One (Boulder City, NV)
	Nederlands Studenten Orkest (Dutch: Netherlands Student Orchestra)
	Northern Star Online (Minnesota)
	Neighbourhood Specialist Officer (UK)
	Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra (Canada)
	New Store Opening
	National Security Office(r)
	National Census and Statistics Office (Philippines)
	National Sales Organizations
	North Sydney Oval
	National Socialist Society (political group; Russia)
	NATO Standardization Organization
	National Safeman's Organization
	Numeric Stockage Objective
	New Student Outreach
	Nonferrous Smelter Order
	Network Systems & Operations
	Nuclear Safety Officer
	Non-Skating Official (roller derby)
	Non-Subscriber Order
	Naval Staff Officer
	Natural Spin Orbital(s)
	Non-SIOP Option
	Nuclear Support Office
	Nuclear Safe Orbit
	Non-Standard Option
	Navy Subsistence Office
	Neutral Start Output
	Non Standard Operation
	Navy Supply Officer
	Non-Streaming Overhead
	Nail Solution for Onychomycosis
	Normal Sustained Operations
	NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organizations) School Oberammergau (Oberammergau, Germany)
	National Support Officer

[InquisitiveScouter]

National Scouting Organization?

Context?

Edited April 27, 2023 by InquisitiveScouter

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

Yes, national scouting organization. We are one of two in the US, I am contacting the one in Nepal as an agent of one in the US. 

[Protoclete]

"Just curious, what does NSO stand for? I looked online and found the following:"

Yes, NSO is National Scout Organization. That is the terminology used by the World Organization of the Scout Movement to identify national body (equivalent to BSA in the US). 

There is only one NSO per country. These are the official members of the World Scouting movement. 

If a country has more than one National Scouting Association, they can form a federation or umbrella group to act as NSO.

[This is the case in Italy, for example, which has the Italian Scout Federation acting as NSO, which is comprised of two NSAs, AGESCI (Italian Catholic Guide and Scout Association) and CNGEI (National Boy and Girl Scout Corps, which is nonsectarian), and a couple of smaller organizations for German-speakers and Slovenians within Italian territory.]

 

In the US, the BSA is the only recognized NSO. (The Girl Scouts of America belong to the World Association of Girl Guides and Scouts, rather than the World Organization of the Scouting Movement). 

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

I thought WAGGGS also called them NSOs? I'm not always clear on the difference since Scouterna (SSF in my time) is aligned with both and it just doesn't seem that important. Scouting is scouting. If WAGGGS calls them something else then I guess it's a guaranteed one per country on definition grounds.

[InquisitiveScouter]

3 minutes ago, AwakeEnergyScouter said:

I thought WAGGGS also called them NSOs? I'm not always clear on the difference since Scouterna (SSF in my time) is aligned with both and it just doesn't seem that important. Scouting is scouting. If WAGGGS calls them something else then I guess it's a guaranteed one per country on definition grounds.

BSA and GSUSA make it that important here, because it is about MONEY!  BSA has badgered other organizations who wanted to call themselves "Scouts", by threatening legal action for calling themselves that.  Again, those moral and ethical decisions...

Baden Powell Scouting Association (now Outdoor Service Guides due to "cancel culture") and Trail Life...

Looks like SpiralScouts is ignoring them 😜