Suomen Partiolaiset - Finlands Scouter ry (''The Guides and Scouts of Finland'', GSF) is the national

Scouting Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...

and Guiding association of

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

. Scouting was founded in Finland in 1910 as part of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

, registered with the central organization of the tsarist Russian Scout movement ''Русский Скаут''. Finnish Scouting was among the charter members of the

World Organization of the Scout Movement The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest and, after the Order of World Scouts (formed in 1911), is the second-oldest international organization in the Scout Movement, having been established in 1922. It has 176 members. ...

in 1922. Guiding started in 1910 and was among the founding members of the

World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS ) is a global association that supports Girl Guides, female-oriented and female-only Guiding and Scouting organizations in 153 countries. It was established in the year 1928 in Parád, H ...

. In 1972 the Girl Guide Association and the Boy Scout Association merged and formed ''Suomen Partiolaiset''. The association has about 75,000 members. In Finland, the Scouting movement was viewed early on as an alternative to the Pioneers communist youth organization, which was active for some time in the Nordic nation.

Programme

The Finnish Scout organization is a nonpolitical, nonsectarian and multilingual organization, as evidenced by the name of the organization itself, using both the Finnish and Swedish languages. Its religious neutrality is reflected in the Finnish Scout promise, which begins "I promise to love ''my'' God..." Scouting is one of the most popular hobbies in Finland. To live with nature, act according to its conditions and protecting and honoring it, is one of the cornerstones of Finnish Scouting. Another important objective is to learn social abilities. Finnish Scouts and Guides learn how to become knowledgeable and active citizens, at ease with other countries and cultures. Finnish Scouting culture itself includes wearing a unique skullcap hat called a ''väiski'' as part of the uniform. In this country of thousands of lakes and abundance of green forests, hikes and camps are a vital part of Scouting. Outdoor activities, winter camps and skiing tours greatly test the knowledge and skills of the Scouts. All groups plan and execute their own programs and emphasize special interests. Community involvement and service to help members become active, responsible members of society are stressed in the program.

Sea Scouts Sea Scouts are a part of the Scout movement, with a particular emphasis on boating and other water-based activities on the sea, rivers or lakes (canoeing, rafting, scuba, sailboarding). Sea Scouts can provide a chance to sail, cruise on boats, ...

carry out many kinds of activities related to sailing and undergo an extensive training program in seamanship, with an emphasis on safety. They have large on-the-water gatherings every year and a Sea Scout camp every four years. The Finnish Scouts have close international ties with Scouts in other countries, particularly

Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...

n countries. They have also expanded its international connections to Russia through youth exchanges between the two countries. Scouts in Finland are actively involved in development projects in Africa and have raised funds for the immunization program for Nepal.

Scout Promise

I promise to do my best
to live for the good of my country and the world,
to develop in my spiritual beliefs and worldview
and fulfil the ideals of the every day.

Oldest unit

Toimen Pojat (Unga Fribyggare in

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

), a

troop in

Kauniainen Kauniainen (; ) is a town in Finland, located in the southern interior of the country. Kauniainen is situated in the southern part of the Uusimaa region, and it is Enclave and exclave, enclaved by the City of Espoo. The population of Kauniainen ...

was established in 1910. Toimen Pojat is the oldest continuously operating Scout troop in

. During the Russian ban on

in the 1910s before the Finnish independence in 1917, the troop operated underground. Many traditions that distinguish the troop formed during that period.

Structures

''Suomen Partiolaiset'' is divided in 10 Scout districts, which resemble the former Finnish provinces. The only exception is ''Finlands Svenska Scouter r.f.'' serving the Swedish minority in Finland and the

Åland Islands Åland ( , ; ) is an Federacy, autonomous and Demilitarized zone, demilitarised region of Finland. Receiving its autonomy by a 1920 decision of the League of Nations, it is the smallest region of Finland by both area () and population (30,54 ...

. 11% of the 7- to 10-year-olds and 13% of 10- to 14-year-old Finns are members of the organization. Girl Scouts represent 56% of the total. There are about 900 Scout troops.

Jamborees

''Suomen Partiolaiset'' has organised a number of Jamborees, known as "FinnJamboree"s:

References

External links

Official website

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guides And Scouts Of Finland, The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts member organizations World Organization of the Scout Movement member organizations Scouting and Guiding in Finland Youth organizations established in 1972 1972 establishments in Finland