Russian Federation

Promise:

Obeshaniya

Chestnym slovom obeshayu sdelat’ vsyo ot menya zavisyasheye, shtoby vypolnit’ svoi dolg pered stranoi i stremitsa k dukhovnomu sovershenstvu, pomogat’ tyem, kto nuzhdaetsa v moei pomoshi, i zhit’ po zakononam devochek-skautov.

Girl Scout Promise

On my honour, I promise that I will do my best:
To serve my country,
To strive for spiritual perfection,
To help those who need my help, and
To live by the Girl Scout Law

Law:

Zakony

1 Devochka-skaut verna dannomu slovu.

2 Devochka-skaut dovodit nachatoe delo do kontsa.

3 Devochka-skaut starayetsa byt’ poleznoi i pomogat’ drugim.

4 Devochka-skaut druzhelyubna, privetliva i vezhliva.

5 Vse devochki-skauty syostry.

6 Devochka-skaut drug prirody.

7 Devochka-skaut predana roditelyam, distsiplinirovana i podchinyaetsa prikazam lidera.

8 Devochka-skaut nikagda ne univaet.

9 Devochka-skaut berezhliva i uvazhaet chuzhuyu sobstvennost’

10 Devochka-skaut chista i blagorodna v svoikh pomyslakh i postupkakh.

Girl Scout Law (English)

1 A Girl Scout’s honour is to be trusted.

2 A Girl Scout always finishes what she has started.

3 A Girl Scout does her best to be useful and help others.

4 A Girl Scout is friendly, affable and courteous.

5 All Girl Scouts are sisters.

6 A Girl Scout is a friend to nature.

7 A Girl Scout is loyal to her parents, disciplined, and obeys her Leaders’ orders.

8 A Girl Scout is always cheerful.

9 A Girl Scout is thrifty and respects others’ property.

10 A Girl Scout is pure and noble in thought, in word and in deed.

Motto:

Be Prepared

Age groups:

Junior Girl Scout 6-9

Girl Scout 10-13

Senior Girl Scout 14-18

Leader 18+

Development of the movement:

Scouting developed across many areas of Russia relatively quickly, perhaps as early as 1909. There are records of girl patrols in a range of towns from this time onwards, but there was no national girls’ organization.

Scouting was banned in 1919, and the Young Pioneers became the official state youth organization. Many units continued to exist unofficially, but all had ceased by the mid 1920s.

Scouting returned in the years of perestroika. Many international contacts were made with foreign visits and aid offered as a result of the Chernobyl disaster. There was much interest on an international level in bringing Scouting back to Russia.

In 1991 FSR (Federation of Scouts of Russia) was created and almost immediately there was discussion on a programme specifically for girls. In 1993 in Perm the founding conference of the League of Girl Scouts of FSR took place. The girls’ programme and Movement developed, and in 1994 in October in Perm the next step was taken as the Russian Association of Girl Scouts had its founding conference. Representatives of WAGGGS and Girl Scout leaders from across the country (including other Scouting organizations as well as FSR) were present. A national board was elected and RADS as it is known today was established.

In 1996 RADS had its first National Girl Scout camp, and its biannual conference met again in Perm. The structure of the Association was altered slightly for more efficient management and expansion. All through the revival of Girl Scouting in Russia and the formation of RADS, much support in many forms was given by the UK as link country.

RADS today

RADS today has the special challenge of continuing to build a national association in the largest country on earth. Russia contains many nationalities and ethnic groups, and this regional diversity is visible in RADS too.

Programme:

The RADS programme for all age groups is based around the following eight points:

Me and my Scouting family; Me and my spiritual world; Me and society; I think; Me and my health; I am a homemaker; I am creative; Me and nature.

RADS also tries to work in areas of special importance to girls and young women in Russia today, for example: environmental issues and adolescent health. Camping and outdoor activities are popular. In the future the Association would like to develop its work with children with special needs.

St Olga is recognized in Russia as Patron Saint of Girl Scouts and her Saint’s Day is 24 July. Russian Girl Scouts also celebrate 30 October as the birthday of RADS.

Relationship to society:

Communication and Co-operation

RADS has good relations with other NGOs on a local and regional basis. It co-operates with the various Scout organizations found in Russia, including a special co-operation to run the joint international camp ‘Volga 2000’. RADS is a member of the Russian National Council of Youth and Children’s Organizations.

All leaders receive a regular newsletter from RADS headquarters with information on current events, programme ideas, etc.

Training:

Training is largely carried out on a local or regional level due to the size of the country. RADS has plenty of territory into which to expand and has a plan for spreading the Association into other cities and areas. It has a balance of members in rural and urban areas.

Projects

• 234 Grow Rads