Speaking during a workshop on adult recruitment organised by The Scout Association of Malta in conjunction with the European Scout Region Office, Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said that he has always admired the work and contribution that scouting can contribute to the formation of one’s character and the life skills that one can learn and acquire through being a Scout.

The minister said that he came across individuals who used to be scouts and who now are in responsible and high positions in the public and private sectors and who impart all around a sense of responsibility, commitment and leadership. “Scouting exists for the benefit of young people. It is a Youth Movement in which adults provide guidance and support to the youth members within the various Groups and Associations. It is evident that the delivery of the various programmes forming part of the day to day instructions to the members of the Movement have to be imparted through competent and dedicated adults,” said Minister Zammit Dimech.

He further stated that although the Scout Movement is a voluntary organisation that contributes to, and gives a non-formal educational process to its members, it can be likened to the formal education system existing in each country. He said that without the input of dedicated and competent teachers, the education system will fail. He said that this was similar with the Scout Movement.

“There is the need of continued professional training. Today in professional circles we refer to this as Continued Professional Development (CPD). However, the situation applies as well to the Scout Movement, even though it is a voluntary organisation. This is even more important when one considers that the many leaders and volunteers engaged in the Movement are imparting skills and life long educational principles to adolescents who will one day be the leaders in our world,” stressed Minister Zammit Dimech.

The Minister said that it is thus important that besides looking at the proper recruitment process, each and every Association has to look into sustaining the adult volunteer with the necessary skills and competencies to fulfill their tasks. He said that as in every professional organisation retention of the trained human resource is a prime requisite. If the human resource does not have job satisfaction it will be difficult to retain him or her in the organisation. He said that this is also true where a volunteer organisation is concerned.

The minister also dwelt on the 100th anniversary of scouting world-wide in 2007 and the 100th Anniversary of Scouting in Malta in 2008. The very fact that the Movement has steadily grown over the years and survived for 100 years world-wide and today counts about 28 million Scouts in 150 countries is evidence in itself of the positive impact that the Movement has had. He added that likewise, the fact that the Scout Association of Malta has grown and survived for 100 years is evidence of the good that it has done over the years. The Scout Association is still considered as an organisation that young people should belong to.