Leppävaaran Korvenkävijät – A local scout group in Leppävaara, Espoo
The aim of scouting as a hobby, is to help both children and youth to grow into independent and responsible citizens. An important principal of scouting is its strong set of values, which include: respecting other people and nature, and taking actions. The mottos of scouts are “be prepared” and “I want to do my best”.
In scouts the upbringing is based on the idea of learning by doing. This means that everybody gets to do activities suitable for their own age, which strengthen their sense of responsibility, initiative and confidence. Leppävaaran Korvenkävijät local group has a special emphasis on outdoor skills. Using our own wilderness program along the common program of the Guides and Scouts of Finland, we go on hikes, train outdoor life and survival skills, practice first aid, learn social activity and work together.
Scouting is culminated in outdoor hikes, which are held 1-2 per season, totalling into 4-6 outdoor hikes per year typically. A longer camp is organized in the summer.
We operate in our meeting place called partiomaja Kanerva, which is located on Säterinmetsä, Leppävaara, Espoo. Currently our local group has about 170 members in ten active patrols. In addition to the cub scout program (7-10 years old) and the scout and rover programs (10-22 years old) we provide family scout activities (under 7 years old with an adult) and there are plans to set up a patrol for adults. The patrols are open for all genders.
All our activities are based on volunteer work of the scout leaders!
The weekly meetings are in Finnish, ergo participants need to have sufficient knowledge of the Finnish language. In addition, the parent or guardian must be able to understand the communication related to the hobby, as it is highly important that, for example when going on outdoor hikes, all the right items, which are mentioned in the hike instruction letter, are packed. If the parent or guardian have acquaintances who are fluent in Finnish this person can act as a “scout godparent” who helps the family in the communication. Depending on the language skills and resources of the patrol leaders, parents can also be communicated to in English.
