The recruitment of more leaders as well as the need to build a much stronger partnership with the community remain the biggest challenges of the Seychelles Scouts Association (SSA) this year.

This was revealed last Saturday during the association's annual general meeting at the Petit Séminaire, Mont Fleuri, during which Chief Scout Basil Soundy highlighted the association’s achievements as well as setbacks during 2001.

Also present at the meeting was a delegation from Daliat El Carmel, Israel, and amongst whom was the director of the scouts club.

Mr Soundy called on all those who believed in youth development to come forward and join the association as volunteer adults and leaders or simply as a friend of scouting.

With regard to the local area scouting development, Mr Soundy said the SSA had embarked on an implementation programme of its POR (Policy, Organisation and Rules) so that scouting in Seychelles could be better structured for the benefit of all young people.

As a result of that, he noted, the association had gone ahead with the creation of areas and elected volunteer area commissioners for the better organisation of scouting within specific geographical areas.

There are currently five area commissioners whose responsibilities include the implementation of decisions and policies of the association.

Mr Soundy said that during the past year, the area commissioners had spent time visiting scout groups to familiarise themselves with the progress of scouting in their areas and also to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each group.

On the issue of international friendship links, Mr Soundy pointed out that during the past year SSA had hosted several foreign scouts and in particular the Greater London South West Venture Scouts.

In collaboration with the "Scope de France" and the French embassy, he said, local training commissioners benefitted from a ten-day training in France whilst four others took part in a week-long workshop in Reunion.

Meanwhile, Mr Soundy revealed that the training team remained active locally by organising several programmes for leaders and venture scouts, the latter considered as potential leaders for the future.

Other activities undertaken by SSA include the founders' day, night hikes and community self-help events.

For the forthcoming year, Mr Soundy said that preparations were well ahead for the launching of the first Venture Seas Scouting Unit which will receive assistance from the Seychelles Coast Guard and probably the Sail Training Scheme.

Noting that SSA also wished to build a scout training centre, Mr Soundy launched an appeal for the community to assist them either by making a financial contribution or through the donation of a piece of land or better still a building for such a purpose.

He said that any contribution would be most welcome as it would help the young scouts in the realisation of their noble objectives through the association's training programme. Such a programme is aimed at preparing young people for life training that no educational institution can provide, he said.

Also during the meeting, there were elections in which most members retained their seats.

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