The British Boy Scouts & The British Girl Scouts Association
BBS Rover Scout Handbook
The British Boy Scouts and The British Girl Scouts Association BBS Scout Badge Guide Rover Scout Training Scheme
25th FEBRUARY 1999 ISSN 0267-4068
Admission Tests and Proficiency Badges This Handbook replaces that of the same title in the same series.
Rover Scouts/Imperial Scout Corps.
Publishing History First Edition 1984 Second Edition 25th February 1999
1. Uniform - Rover Scouts.
1.1 General Conditions.
In the description of uniform 'Scout Colours' refers to the traditional colours of Khaki, Blue, Green or Grey (with variation in shade allowed).
Where options are provided, with the exception of Officers the option chosen must be uniform within a Section.
1.2 British Boy Scouts - Rovers.
Shirt or Jersey; of Scout colour & Shorts or Trousers (Officers); of Scout colour. Shorts (BBS): of Scout colour. Long Socks or Socks (Officers); of a suitable shade. Garter Tabs; Rover Squires, Green; Invested Rovers, Red. (except for Senior Scouts who may continue to wear Maroon until invested as a Rover). Headgear; Scout Hat (Khaki) or Beret (Green) (except for Senior Scouts who may continue to wear Maroon until invested as a Rover).
1.3 British Girl Scouts - Rovers.
Skirt and Shirt/Blouse or Sweater; of Scout colour & Skirt or Culottes; of Scout colour. Or Dress, or Culottes & top combined; of Scout colour. Lady's Stockings or Tights (Officer & Scouts over 15); of appropriate shade. Long Socks (BGS); of a suitable shade. Garter Tabs (for long socks); Rover Squires, Green; Invested Rovers, Red. (except for Senior Scouts who may continue to wear Maroon until invested as a Rover). Headgear; Scout Hat (Khaki or Blue) or Beret (Green or Blue) (except for Senior Scouts who may continue to wear Maroon until invested as a Rover).
1.4 Rover Marine Scouts.
As British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts with the following variations:
Headgear (Officers); Dark Blue Cap with black band and white cover. Headgear (Scouts & Senior Scouts); Bluejacket's cap with a white cover and a ribbon inscribed 'Marine Scouts' or similar. Shirt or Jersey; Dark blue, Jerseys with the words 'Marine Scout' or similar in white letters across the chest; or shirts with an anchor badge on the right breast. White Shirt without badges (but with neckerchief) may be worn other than parade 1st May - 30th September. Shorts or Trousers (Officers); Dark Blue. Shorts (BBS), Skirts (BGS) on shore, Trousers, when afloat in bad or cold weather; Dark Blue.
1.5 Rover Aviation Scouts.
As British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts with the following variations;
Shirt or Jersey; Grey. An Aviation Scout Badge may be worn on the left breast above any service stars or medal ribbons. In place of this Aviation Scout Wings Badge is worn by those qualified as a pilot or equivalent. Shorts or Trousers (Officers); Dark Blue Shorts (BBS) Skirts (BGS); Dark Blue
1.6 Neckerchief.
Scout Officers when they are with their Group or Company shall wear the neckerchief of the Group or Company.
When Scout Officers are not with their Group or Company they may wear either their Group or Company neckerchief or a Scout Green neckerchief.
Those authorised to do so may wear the Association's neckerchief of Navy Blue. Senior Scouts and Scouts wear the neckerchief of their section.
1.7 Shoes.
Shoes must be of appropriate colour and must be standard within a section.
1.8 Accessories.
Appropriate accessories can be worn suitable to any given occasion.
1.9 Knives.
Sheath Knives, must not be worn in public places, other than at Camp and as part of the Uniform.
Folding Pocket Knives may be carried at any time, provided the blade does not exceed 8 centimetres (3 inches). Pocket Knives with longer blades must not be carried in public places.
1.10 Variations
Any variation of Uniform other than the permitted options cannot take place unless such departure from the scheme has a sufficiently good reason and is authorised by the local Commissioner in consultation with GHQ.
2. Rover Scouts
A Rover Squire/Rover Scout wears the following badges:
2. 1 In Uniform a cloth badge with the letters BBS or BGS superimposed in red on a white arrow with a black ground, worn mid-point between elbow and shoulder of the right sleeve; A cloth badge with a white Fleur-de-lys on a blue background worn on the left breast of the shirt or blouse. In addition, a Rover Squire who has been a Senior Scout may continue to wear Maroon Epaulettes. Invested Rovers wear Green Epaulettes.
2.2 A Rover Mate wears in addition, on the left breast of the shirt or blouse, two stripes of red braid, 12mm wide, 8cm long on either side of the Fleur-de-lys badge.
A Senior Rover Mate wears three stripes of red braid, with the third stripe behind the Fleur-de-lys badge. A Rover second wears a single vertical stripe on the left pocket to the right of the Fleur-de-lys badge.
3. Rover Scout Leader and Assistant Rover Scout Leader
3.1 Rover Scout Leaders and Assistant Rover Scout Leaders are appointed under the general conditions set forth in the Official Handbook; Part 2 Section3, Part 3, Section 6, and Part 6, Section 4, with the additional qualification than an RSL or ARSL must be an invested Rover Scout.
3.2 The RSL and ARSL will come under the general supervision of a GSM or Comp. Capt if one is appointed.
4. The Crew
4.1 Rover Scouting is a brotherhood of the open air and service, the purposes of which are:
- to continue the training in citizenship given to Junior Scouts/Wolf Cubs. Scouts and Senior Scouts, with the same objects as are laid down in the Constitution but with a wider outlook appropriate to the age of' Rovers; and
- to encourage Rovers to make useful careers for themselves and to render service to the community.
Rover training covers the period during which the young person is "finding himself/herself i.e., developing his/her character and his/her powers, and endeavours to help him/her to put into practice in a wider world the principles of the Scout Promise and Law.
4.2 Before a Crew is formed, it is essential that there should be:
- a suitable leader who should. If possible, be a warranted R.S.L. Failing this, the local Commissioner must ensure that adequate and proper supervision is available.
- suitable premises.
- In the case of a mixed Crew, both a warranted Leader and a warranted Assistant Leader, one of whom shall be male and the other female, are required.
4.3 The Rovers in a district may meet together as desired for activities under an appointed RSL. Such Rovers may also be formed into a District Rover Crew.
4.4 The Rover Crew is divided into two stages as follows:
- The Probationary Stage-Rover Squires.
- The Training Stage-after investiture as Rovers.
4.5 This structure of the Crew is designed so as:
- to prepare a Rover Squire for his/her investiture and to ensure that he/she attains certain standards of Scoutcraft,
- to provide a programme of activities for Rover Scouts.
4.6 The Crew may he divide into teams or Patrols as and when necessary for any particular purpose.
4.7 Rover Mates.
- A Rover Mate is a Rover elected annually by the Crew with the approval of the R.S.L., in order to help in its leadership.
- There should be one Mate to every four to six Rovers.
- A Rover Second may be selected by a Rover Mate, to deputise for his duties when required.
4.8 Rover Crew Council.
- Where the size of the Crew makes it desirable, a Crew Council may be formed, consisting of the warranted rsls and arsls, the Mates and such other Rovers as may be elected, to deal with internal matters of discipline, administration and the expenditure of funds.
- Where the size of the Crew does not warrant setting up a Crew Council, the whole Crew shall exercise the functions of such a Council.
4.9 A Rover may take up a warrant without ceasing to be a member of the Crew, but his/her duties as a Scout Officer must come first. The possession of a warrant will not give him any precedence as a Rover.
4.10 If occupation, age or any other circumstances prevent a Rover Scout from taking an active part as a member of his/her Crew, he/she can become an Honorary member, in which capacity he/she will continue to do his/her best to carry out the Scout ideal in his/her daily life.
5. The Rover Squire.
5.1 Before a young person is admitted to a Crew, the following conditions must be observed:
- He/she must be approved by the G.S.M/Comp Capt. And R.S.L. and by the Crew.
- He/she must either be recommended by the S.M. as a Scout, or a Senior Scout, who is trying to act up to his/her Scout obligations, including the doing of good turns, or if not previously a Scout, or Senior Scout, he/she must be willing to learn Practical Scouting, pursue the open-air life, and accept the way Of life set forth in the Scout Promise and Law.
- To be admitted to a Crew a young person must have at least attained the age of 16. The normal age for admission to the Crew is 17 years of age, unless the GSM (Where applicable) RSL and Crew decide on the lower age.
- The latest age for admission as a Squire is his/her 23rd birthday. Older men or women may be invested after such probationary period and after fulfilling such of the conditions required of a Rover Squire as the RSL and Crew may require.
5.2 On admission to a Crew, he/she is known as a Rover Squire until such time as he/she is invested as a Rover.
5.3 Before a Rover Squire can be invested as a Rover he/she must have fulfilled the following conditions:
- Have read and studied "Scouting for Boys", and current Scout literature as applicable to the other sections.
- Have studied and understood the Scout Promise and Law as they concern Rovers, and be applying them in a spirit of unselfish service to life in general.
- Hold the First Class Badge; or have sufficient Scouting knowledge to be competent to instruct a young person of Scout age in the Second Class tests (he/she need not show that he/she has in fact instructed a young person) and have attained a competent standard in the Pioneering and Exploring sections of the First Class Badge.
- Be able to take part intelligently in a discussion on Scouting, bringing in questions of Group, District and County organisation:
- Have undergone such period of probation as the G.S.M., R.S.L. and Crew may require. This period should be as short as possible and only in exceptional circumstances should it exceed six months.
6. The Rover.
6.1 Some process of self-examination (in the form of a Vigil or otherwise), and an investiture, during which the Crew member will reaffirm or make the Scout Promise from the point of view of a man or woman, are essential to emphasise the fact that as a Rover certain definite responsibilities are being undertaken. The investiture should be carried out by the R S L. If he/she is not available, it should be performed by a Scout Officer who has himself/herself been invested as a Rover.
6.2 The Rover is expected to adopt and be governed by the following principles:
- His/her promise of duty to God, through conscientious effort to develop his/her own spiritual life, and through the practice of his/her faith.
- His/her promise of duty to the Queen, through an earnest endeavour to secure a proper knowledge of the Government of his country, and to perform his/her duty as a citizen.
- His/her promise of duty to his/her Neighbours, through a logical development of the Scout Good Turn, after proper preparation and training, into some form of effective service to the community. In so doing he/she is asked to realise that his/her first service is to his/her home and to establish himself in life. He/she should make every endeavour to consolidate his/her position so that he/she is not a burden on others, or on the State.
- His/her promise to obey the Scout Law, by adopting it as an ideal to be expressed in his/her actions, and in goodwill, fellowship and clean-living.
6.3 Training after Investiture.
After investiture, the Rover will undergo training aimed at his/her progressive development, in body, mind, and spirit, under the following headings:
- Practical Training (in Scoutcraft, by expeditions, the completion of a project, and training in service to others).
- Collective Training (in World Affairs, National Affairs, Cultural Subjects and communal service for others).
- Training in duty to God.
An. Essential part of the training of Rovers is the management of the affairs of the Crew under the general leadership of the R.S.L.
Service activities entail careful selection and preparation according to the needs of the individual Rover as well as of the Crew as a whole.
7. Rovers And Rover Squires In Groups With No Crew
7.1 Training for Rovers, where there is no Crew.
Where it is not possible to form a Crew in a Group, a former Senior Scout or Boy Scout of the Group who is of Rover Scout age, may be placed under training as a Rover Squire and invested as a Rover by a Scout Officer who has himself/herself been invested as a Rover Scout, preferable by the GSM. Such Rovers should carry out their training with the nearest Rover Crew but if there is none they may be trained under the supervision of the GSM. The local Commissioner must ensure that the proposed training is adequate.
Where on account of special circumstances, an individual is unable to be a member of, or to be attached to, a Scout Group or company, the local Commissioner can arrange for the person’s supervision and training and register such person as a Lone Rover Scout. Wherever possible such Rover Scouts should be placed in contact with their nearest Rover Crew and encouraged whenever possible to join in with their programme.