The Scouts

In the early 1900´s, the English Lord Robert Baden-Powell founded
a youth movement. His concept was new and very different - the simple life very close to nature and a life together with friends. The aim of the group is to encourage worldwide tolerance and understanding amongst young people. The members are encouraged and helped to develop a sense of responsibility, independence, self respect and become trustworthy.
The basic scouting concept has spread all over the world, and today the Scouts are one of the biggest youth organisations worldwide.

Our Association

The Association of the so-called "Globetrotting Scouts" wants to help young people together with parental support to grow and develop through Baden Powell´s ideals, to become free, responsible and tolerant citizens of a democratic country. Our organization is non-denominational but we naturally adhere to basic Christian ethics. We remain detached from any political or religious policies which have nothing to do with free independent youth work.
We have, however, got a healthy interest in politics which is important for the social development of all young people, as well as scouts.

History of the Globetrotting Scouts (Globetrotters)

In 1981, two groups of scouts founded the Bavarian Scouts. Over the years more groups joined us. In 1989, when the border to the east was opened, groups from Thuringa and Saxony joined us. We then changed our name to "Globetrotting Scouts". The "Globetrotting Scouts" is a registered charitable club, a member of the German Scouting Association and legally recognised as an independent group within youth organisations according to the Child/Youth Protection Laws.

Activities

Since its founding, the Globetrotting Scouts have played an important part in scouting activities all over Germany. Every year our trips, camps and activities have a far reaching effect on the surrounding communities. One of these events is the Lauterburg Lauf (Lauterburg hike/competition) which has become so well known that it draws scouts from different associations within Germany to participate in this exciting important event. It has become a joint Jamboree for multiple scouting affiliations.
Our trips and camps take us all over Europe from Gibraltar to the Arctic Circle in Norway.
Every year we offer new and interesting projects with the opportunities for exciting travels and adventures.

Projects

As well as the activities with our own members, we are active in general youth work. During the past few years, we have worked together with other civic groups concentrating on youth oriented projects, such as:
"Young people in farming communities"
"Careers for girls and women"
"The role of the child in the community"
"Voluntary work"
"Abuse prevention through adventure learning" We also participate in environmental projects.

Membership

The Globetrotting Scouts have got around 2,000 members to date. Young people aged from 4 to 27 and adults who enjoy working with young people.
Our groups are divided according to the age of the scout:
Beavers (the youngest; 4 - 7 years)
Wolfcubs (7 - 11 years)
Scouts (11 - 16 years)
Rover/Ranger Scouts (over 16 years)
Within each age range the youths are divided into small packs with a leader for each group who is not an authority figure, but more like a big brother or sister.

Regional groups

We have got groups of Globetrotting Scouts all over Germany. At present, there are groups in the following regions:
- Baden-Württemberg
- Bavaria (Bayern)
- Berlin-Brandenburg
- Hamburg
- Hesse (Hessen)
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Northrhine-Westfalia (Nordrhein-Westfalen)
- Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen)
- Thuringa (Thüringen)
- Saxony (Sachsen)
- Schleswig-Holstein

More information at:

Pfadfinderbund Weltenbummler e.V.
Bundesgeschäftsstelle
Ketschengasse 48
D-96450 Coburg
Phone: +49 9561 85 31 66
Fax: +49 9561 85 31 77
E-Mail: geschaeftsstellepbw.org

Translation: N.N.
Corrections by: Barbara Sarnow, 19th November 2001