FOS Open Scouting or FOS is a pluralistic, internationally oriented, coeducational,

Flemish Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium ...

Scout Scout may refer to: Youth movement * Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement **Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom ** Scouts BSA, sect ...

and

Guide A guide is a person who leads travelers, sportspeople, or tourists through unknown or unfamiliar locations. The term can also be applied to a person who leads others to more abstract goals such as knowledge or wisdom. Travel and recreation Exp ...

organisation in

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...

and is a member of the Guidisme et Scoutisme en Belgique/Gidsen- en Scoutsbeweging in België (GSB, Guides and Scouts Movement of Belgium). FOS is a federation of 58 Scout Groups.

History

The first pluralistic Boy Scouts organisation in Belgium was the "Boy-Scouts de Belgique" (B.S.B.) founded in 1910. 1913 was the "Sea Scouts of Belgium" (S.S.B) and in 1914 "Eclaireurs de Belgique" (E.B.) founded. In 1916 the S.S.B and the E.B. merged with the B.S.B.. In the same year was the "Girl-Guides van België" (G.G.B.) founded, the first pluralistic Girl Guide organisation. 1945 the B.S.B. and the G.G.B. merged to form the Boy-Scouts en Girl-Guides van België (B.S.B.-G.G.B.). 1966 the B.S.B.-G.G.B. split in a Flemish organisation, "Federatie voor Open Scoutisme" (F.O.S.) and a Walloon organisation, "Fédération des Eclaireuses et Eclaireurs" (F.E.E.), later renamed to

Scouts et Guides Pluralistes de Belgique Les Scouts et Guides Pluralistes de Belgique is a coeducational, nonreligious Scouting movement in French-speaking Belgium. This movement, known until 1992 as Fédération des Éclaireuses et Éclaireurs is the francophone branch after the split o ...

(S.G.P.). In 1999 dropped F.O.S. the periods and renamed to "FOS Open Scouting".

Sections

Foundations

* Values:

Law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vari ...

Promise A promise is a commitment by someone to do or not do something. As a noun ''promise'' means a declaration assuring that one will or will not do something. As a verb it means to commit oneself by a promise to do or give. It can also mean a capacity ...

, Engagement, Teamwork, Service, Self-reliance, Self-governing, Openness (active pluralism),

Co-education Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

* Playgrounds: Outdoor live, exploration, sport & games, culture & creativity, techniques, reflection & society * Methods: Patrol system, Symbolic framework, Personal progression, Living in nature, Learning by doing, Adult support FOS is more traditional than the

Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen Scouts en Gidsen Vlaanderen (Scouts and Guides of Flanders) is a coeducational, Flemish Scout and Guide organisation in Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwester ...

and actively uses Class badges.

Active pluralism

All children and young people from 6 years are welcome in FOS. Race, social origin, nationality, sexual orientation, physical or cultural differences is never a basis for refusal. Also are people with any philosophical, religious or political conviction welcome as long as these principles are compatible with the vision of Open Scouting. FOS believes that a conviction is never finished, that you have to accept that a different view can and may have consequences and that you basically always have to be willing to review your vision and possibly amend it. FOS encourages a respectful dialogue about the various forms of spirituality in society. This confrontation of ideas is believed to enrich the spiritual choices of the members. The promise of the FOS makes no reference to a god or a religion only to a higher ideal. I promise, on my honour, to try: To be loyal to a higher ideal, our group and democracy To obey the guides/scouts law To help where possible

References

{{WAGGGS, europe World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts member organizations World Organization of the Scout Movement member organizations Scouting and Guiding in Belgium Youth organizations established in 1910

History

Sections

Foundations

Active pluralism

See also

References