The SPICES (Social, Physical, Intellectual, Character/Creativity,
Emotional and Spiritual) are learning objectives, or areas of
personal development
Personal development or self-improvement consists of activities that develops a person's capabilities and potential, enhance quality of life, and facilitate the realization of dreams and aspirations. Personal development may take place over the ...
explored through
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 ...
programmes in a number of countries. The
acronym
An acronym is a type of abbreviation consisting of a phrase whose only pronounced elements are the initial letters or initial sounds of words inside that phrase. Acronyms are often spelled with the initial Letter (alphabet), letter of each wor ...
was created during the development of the
ONE Programme
The ''ONE Programme'' personal progression system for youth members of Scouting Ireland has been designed and refactored since the merger of earlier organisations, using a number of key underlining principles. Activities and personal progression ( ...
scheme by
Scouting Ireland
Scouting Ireland () is one of the largest youth movements on the island of Ireland, a voluntary educational movement for young people with over 45,000 members, including over 11,000 adult volunteers . Of the 750,000 people between the ages of 6 ...
, but has since been adopted by
Scouts Canada,
Scouts Australia,
Scouts New Zealand and
Scout Association of Malta. These objectives reflect the aims of Scouting rather than the methodologies – the
Scout Method
The Scout method is the informal educational system used in the Scout Movement with some variations among different Scout organizations.
Scout training is character development to help Scouts become independent and helpful, and thereby become ...
.
Background
On the merging of legacy scout associations to create
Scouting Ireland
Scouting Ireland () is one of the largest youth movements on the island of Ireland, a voluntary educational movement for young people with over 45,000 members, including over 11,000 adult volunteers . Of the 750,000 people between the ages of 6 ...
in 2004, a need was identified to merge or replace existing programmes into a unified youth programme, eventually becoming "
ONE Programme
The ''ONE Programme'' personal progression system for youth members of Scouting Ireland has been designed and refactored since the merger of earlier organisations, using a number of key underlining principles. Activities and personal progression ( ...
".
Thirty-six fundamental learning objectives, categorised as social, physical, intellectual, character, emotional and spiritual areas,
were identified as the central aim of the organisation.
Interim steps were identified so that these areas of growth could be targeted across the age ranges of the youth members.
The success of the
ONE Programme
The ''ONE Programme'' personal progression system for youth members of Scouting Ireland has been designed and refactored since the merger of earlier organisations, using a number of key underlining principles. Activities and personal progression ( ...
development, prompted other scout organisations to base their youth programme revisions on Scouting Ireland's research. Some examples include,
Scouts Canada,
Scouts Australia,
Scouts Aotearoa and the
Scout Association of Malta.
National implementations
Australia
The SPICES are adapted for each of the programme sections –
Joeys,
Cubs,
Scouts
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 ...
,
Venturers, Rovers.
Canada
As part of the "
Canadian Path", from
beaver scouts to rover scouts, the SPICES are considered the attributes that best represent well rounded youth, prepared for the world.
The Spiritual element is not necessarily religion focused, but could include a scout's relationship with an
abrahamic god
Monotheism—the belief that there is only one deity—is the focus of the Abrahamic religions, which like-mindedly conceive God as the all-powerful and all-knowing deity from whom Abraham received a divine revelation, according to their respe ...
or connectedness with nature or the global community.
Ireland
In programme books and materials, for
Beaver Scouts and
Cub Scouts
Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with some Scouting, Scout organizations, for young children, usually between 8 and 12, who are too young to be Scouts and make the Scout Promise. A participant in the program is called a Cub and a gro ...
, the SPICES are represented by characters representing those traits.
Beavers track their progress through the SPICES in the Bree (first year), Ruarc (second year) and Conn (third year) lodges.
Cubs track their progress by marking their "travel cards" which contain a checklist of all the learning objectives.
SPICES beads, and annual
personal progress badges are awarded as the travel cards are filled.
Venture Scouts plan activities based on a self-assessment of their current personal development using the SPICES (similar to wheel of life tool).
Scouts
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 ...
, Venture Scouts,
Rover Scouts review their progress as part of the general review of programme cycles.
Malta
The "C" in SPICES has been adapted to represent "Creativity".
The
sections are cubs, scouts, ventures and rovers.
New Zealand
The SPICES are used in the five sections –
Keas, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers, Rovers.
Scouts Aotearoa has linked the SPICES to a similar concept from the
Hauora philosophy of health and wellbeing. There are four dimensions (or
whare walls) of hauora: ''taha tinana'' (physical well-being – health), ''taha hinengaro'' (mental and emotional well-being – self-confidence), ''taha whanau'' (social well-being – self-esteem) and ''taha wairua'' (spiritual well-being – personal beliefs).
References
{{Scouting, other
Scouting Ireland
Scouting and Guiding in Australia
Scouting and Guiding in Canada
Scouting and Guiding in Malta
Scouting and Guiding in New Zealand
Personal development