Letlhogonolo Tiger Modise joined the Scout Movement in January 2020 and has lived the Scout Adventure to the fullest. As an adult, he is the North West Region’s Young Leaders Representative as well as a National Youth Influencer. Now he is adding Troop Scouter – and in the near future – Scout Group Leader of the 9th Ramosadi Scout Group to his list of leadership roles within SCOUTS South Africa!
“Scouting teaches you lots of skills and gives you confidence. I saw the need in my village for Scouting, and after I completed my Scout Warrant course, I started seeing myself running a Scout Group in my village to train boys and girls how to be the best they can be”, explains Tiger.
“We are starting with Scouts and will then introduce Cubs. As I’m working at a school, I got permission to present Scouting to the school staff and the learners. I also wrote letters to the parents of the learners who were interested in joining Scouting, giving them a background of Scouting and how Scouting helps in a child’s growth. I also met up with elders of my village committee and explained my plan. The parents and elders were very happy and supportive with everything. The children were also very excited to hear about the programme. With the support of my District and Regional team members, I also held a parents’ meeting at the place where we meet as the 9th Ramosadi Scouts Group”, he says excitedly.
Together with two invested young leaders, Letlhogonolo is taking the Scouts through their membership advancement with the aim of investing them in the 1st week of June. “We are currently busy training and registering our young leaders to become official Assistant Troop Scouters. Then, we are planning to have a big investiture ceremony when we officially invest our first Scouts into the Group. We hope other Scouts from the Mahikeng District will be able to come and celebrate with us.
It is my personal view that being in Scouting can help children and young people gain confidence and self -esteem. Scouting also can also shape their character, build their skills, and create lifelong memories. To help the Scouts grow and learn, we are also planning on hosting skills-building workshops like First Aid and survival skills, as well as regular community service projects.
I’m passionate about Scouting ‘s mission and values. I want to contribute to my community and make a positive impact. Even though I have multiple roles, I know I can manage it all by prioritising tasks, setting clear goals, and managing expectations. I will also have a team to grow the Group with. Balancing commitments starts with owning your personal responsibilities,” he continues with a smile.
When asked what he says to village elders and parents who are interested in sending their children to Scouting, he replies quickly and says: “The Scouting adventure means exploring and experiencing exciting outdoor activities, challenges, and teamwork. All opportunities to learn skills that can help you in life.”