Purpose

Scouting's main purpose is to develop young members into independent, self sufficient and responsible adults. This is achieved using a training program with outdoor recreation and practical activities, teamwork in small groups (patrol system), and by actively using the "learning by doing" method.

Themes

Program of the Norges speiderforbund is structured into five themes:

• Outdoor Life
• Creativity
• Friendships
• Community Involvement
• Life quality

The program is structured to provide members with progression to continually meet new challenges. The methods are very much based on practical aspects and mastery over theory. As might be expected in Norway, outdoor activities is emphasized, with much of the program centered around classical themes like first aid, camping, pioneering, field cooking, woodcraft and hiking.

Age structure

To be adapted to the individual member's level of development, the program is divided up into age groups by grade (division varies):

• Beavers – ages 6 to 8
• Cubs/Brownies – ages 8 to 10
• Scouts/Guides – ages 10 to 16
• Rovers – ages 16 to 24

The start of boy scouting

Thanks to Norway's economical and constitutional ties to Britain, Norway was among the early nations where scouting emerged. The first scouting activity took place in 1909, and in 1910, the 1st Christiania Scout group was established in the then named Christiania (later Oslo) as Norway's first official Scout group. In early 1911 the 2nd Christiania was founded. These two initial scout troops founded the Norwegian Boy-Scout association (Norsk Speidergutt-Forbund) in February of the same year, marking the official beginning of the Scout Movement in Norway.

Girl Guides in Norway

In 1916, the head of the Danish Girl Guides (Dansk Pikespejerforbund) was invited by Queen Maud to Christiania to give a lecture on girl guiding. This resulted in a working committee to establish scouting for girls, but an association failed to form. The Norwegian branch of YWCA had however taken up the challenge, starting several scouting groups for girls. On 3rd of November 1920, a number of these groups formed the Norwegian YWCA-scouts (Norges KFUK-speidere). The association's oldest squad, Trondheim 1 had been established back in 1915 in Trondheim.

Girl scouting groups had however emerged in Norway in connection to the established boy-scout groups, well before the initiative by the Queen. An article on boy scouting in Stavanger Aftenblad from back in 1910 stated that scout work has already spread to the girls. These independent girl scouting groups eventually merged into the Norwegian girl scouts association (Norsk Speiderpikeforbund). The official foundation date was set to 1st of July 1921.^[1]

Later development

In 1922, the Norwegian scouting associations gained recognition by the World Bureau in 1922, as a founding member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. Several religious associations like the YMCA, Methodist Church and Salvation Army started their own scouting groups.

During the Second World War Norway was occupied, and with their international ties and obvious militarily useful skills, the collaborator government fared the scouts could become a center for resistance work. All forms of scouting were banned in September 1941. The funds, equipment, banners and even uniform details were to be turned over to authorities. Scout leaders spirited away what they could, but many groups lost much of their equipment and funds.^[2] The youth wing of collaborator political party Nasjonal Samling was the only allowed scout-like activity allowed.^[3] After the war, scouting was quickly taken up again.

The 14th World Scout Jamboree in 1975 took place in Norway.

On April 23 1978 unit Norsk Speidergutt-Forbund (NSF) og Norsk Speiderpikeforbund (NSPF) merged to form the Norges speiderforbund (NSF) for both girls and boys, while the YMCA/YWCA, Methodist and Salvation Army groups elected to remain separate, though they often participate and cooperate with the NSF-groups and participate in their jamborees.

In 1985, Dr. Gisle Johnson was awarded the Bronze Wolf, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting.

Adjusting the religious aspect

In its original form, Christianity was a central pillar of scouting.^[4] Both the Scout law and Scout pledge reflect this. All members organizations of the World Organization of the Scout Movement are required to have a spiritual aspect.^[5][6] As the association viewed itself as a Christian organization based on Christian values, several non-religious groups applying for membership in the Norwegian Guide and Scout Association had been rejected.^[1]

With an increasingly secular society and rising number of immigrant youth with religious background other than Christianity in post-war Norway, the 1st paragraph of the Norwegian Scouts law requiring Christian faith became contentious. It was rewritten in 1978 to a non-denominational "A Scout is open to God and His Word", but this too was seen as excluding for the increasingly non-religious member mass. Based on changes to the British Girl Guide pledge a few years earlier, the paragraph was changed again in 2016, to "A scout will seek their own belief, and respect that of others".^[7] In 2018 the scouts pledge was changed accordingly.^[8]

Norsk Speidergutt-Forbund (NSF)

1914 Christiania (Oslo)

1916 Bergen

1920 Trondheim

1924 Hamar

1928 Åndalsnes

1932 Mandal

1936 Jeløya

1940 Tromsø (Cancelled due to WW2)

1948 Mandal

1952 Verdal

1956 Voss

1960 Brunlanes

1964 Bodø

1968 Lillehammer

1972 Røros

1976 Åndalsnes

Norsk Speiderpikeforbund (NSPF)

1923 Brandbu

1925 Stabekk

1929 Steinkjersannan

1933 Jørstadmoen

1937 Mandal

1948 Borre

1953 Olberg

1957 Rømoen

1961 Ringerike

1965 Følling

1969 Kongsted (in Fredrikstad)

1973 Alvdal

1978 Ulven in Os

Norges Speiderforbund (NSF)

1981 Åsnes, where the uniform and plaid neckerchief of the new organization was introduced.

1985 Notodden, noted for an event of extreme flooding, putting much of the campsite under water during the camp.

1989 Skaugum

1993 Eidskog (Ingelsrud)

1997 Austrått (at Austråttborgen)

2001 Urban 2001 (Fredrikstad)

2005 Fri:05 (Ingelsrud/Eidskog)

2009 Utopia (Åndalsnes)

2013 Stavanger 2013 (Stavanger/Hafrsfjord)

2017 Nord 2017 Bodø

2021 Agenda 2021, held as a distributed camp of 100 smaller camps due to the COVID-19 pandemic^[10]

Guide and Scout Law

The Norwegian scouts translated to English:

1. A Guide and a Scout seeks their own belief and respect that of others.
2. A Guide and a Scout feel responsibility for themselves and others.
3. A Guide and a Scout are helpful and considerate.
4. A Guide and a Scout are a good friend.
5. A Guide and a Scout are honest and reliable.
6. A Guide and a Scout know nature and protect it.
7. A Guide and a Scout think and act on their own and try to understand others.
8. A Guide and a Scout do their best in hard times and difficulties.
9. A Guide and a Scout are modest and try to manage on their own.
10. A Guide and a Scout work for peace and understanding among people.

Guide and Scout promise

I promise, to the best of my ability,
to seek my own belief,
to help others and
to live according to the Guide and Scout Law.