Scouts of the Year; powerful agents of change
Scouts Australia NSW is proud to announce the four category winners of the inaugural Scout of the Year Award, Megan Visser, Jacinta Gomez, Aimee Savva, and Jack Millet.
Megan Visser was named Cub Scout of the Year, Jacinta Gomez, Scout of the Year, Aimee Savva, was Venturer Scout of the Year and Jack Millet, named Rover Scout of the Year.
The award, created by the Scouts NSW Youth Council, celebrates young people who demonstrate exceptional contributions in the community through Scouting, making a considerable impact delivering on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Scouts NSW Youth Commissioner Meg Cummins said: “Scouts enables youth members to take an active role from as young as five years of age. Through Scouting, we all develop an understanding of our capacity to create change on issues that relate directly to us and our future, without exception. The Scout of the Year Award is our way of shining the light on some our youngest community role models. Young people like Megan, Jacinta, Aimee, and Jack are the future of our country”.
Scouts NSW Chief Commissioner Neville Tomkins OAM JP said: “Our youth leading, adult supporting approach is fundamental in guiding leadership principles in today’s youth. Young people don’t have limitations that society imposes on adults, so it is critical for us as senior leaders to understand and respond positively to their priorities and provide a supportive, enabling and safe environment for them to lead their own program and future”.
Last year, Scout representatives from the 170 National Scout Organisations, including Australia, launched Scouts for SDGs at the United Nations. Scouts across Australia have delivered on all 17 of the UN’s SDGs goals which include; no poverty, zero hunger, responsible consumption and production, protecting the planet, good health and wellbeing. Scout youth members use the SDGs to help design and deliver on challenges and projects that fulfil a key Special Interest Area of the Youth Program, to make a difference within NSW communities and beyond. In fact, the Australian
Scouting movement is one of the most active around the world, collectively delivering over 400 projects against the UN’s SDGs so far.
The Scout of the Year Award ceremony took place on Saturday 28 September in at the Baden-Powell Activity Centre, attended by Scouts Australia NSW Chief Commissioner Neville Tomkins OAM JP, Chief Commissioner of Australia, Phil Harrison, and Deputy Chief Commissioner Luke Saunders.
