Rovers (Australia)

A local Rover Unit is run by its members and led by an elected committee. The committee normally consists of a Unit Leader, Assistant/Deputy Unit Leader, Secretary and Treasurer and large Units may also add a Fundraiser, Quartermaster, Training Officer, Venturer liaison/Recruitment Officer and other roles. Rovers are young adults and make their own decisions but frequently Units wish to have input and support from people over the age of 25, called Rover Advisers.

The next step in the Rovers organisation ladder is the Region Rover Council. These bodies run Rovering in their geographic areas and are typically based on the same Regions as the other sections of the Scouting Movement. These Regions can also run various Branch events on behalf of the Branch and run their own where all Rovers are invited. The application and practice of Region Rover Councils varies between the three states that operate them, in Victoria this level is known as a Rovering Community and conduct few if any events and are primarily a social networking function with most co-ordination done at a Branch Rover Council level. Conversely in New South Wales, Region Rover Councils generally undertake several Region events a year and support their Units in running events and activities that are open to all Rovers. They operate bank accounts, conduct business and hold an annual report presentation.

There are currently Region Rover Councils in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria which assist the Units in their region by offering community involvement activities, organising social functions, distributing information, promoting training and the Baden-Powell Award and many other tasks. The smaller states without Region Rover Councils have their Units reporting directly to their Branch Rover Council.

[1][2] The Branch Rover Council is composed of representatives from each of the Region Rover Councils (in states that have them) or directly from Units and may also have representatives from sub-committees (for events, property, marketing, motorsport etc.). This body approves Branch awards, co-ordinates training, liaises with other Branch Rover Councils and National Rover Council, develops policies and initiatives and encourages the further development of Rovering and the Rover program.

These bodies also communicate with their respective Branch organisations where the whole state is organised and Branch Rover Councils send their elected members to represent Rover interests. Branch Rover Council's Commissioners and chairs directly represent Rovers to the wider organisation in this way.

Branch Rover Councils also have a number of sub-committees which organise various parts of Rovering life. For example, these may include:

• Management Committees that run campsites and manage assets and property
• Event Committees, which organise some of the larger Rover events in the Branch for Rovers
• Rover Motorsport is CAMS affiliated but also the responsibility of the Branch Rover Council
• Diversity and Inclusion Committees that help support members
• Award approval Committees for the conferring of Rover awards

Some states have a Lone Rover Unit which accepts members from country or other areas where the nearest Rover Unit is further than practical travel allows, or who cannot attend a regular Rover Unit due to work or other commitments. Currently New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia have Lones Units.

The Australian National Rover Council (NRC), is the body that governs Rovering at a national Level. It assists the running of Rovering conducted at a Branch level and designs policy to affect Rovering as a whole in Australia. This team works together to develop a strategic plan and then implement this over the course of their elected year/s. They also liaise with the Branch Rover Council Chairs and the Branch Commissioners/Advisers for Rovers (or their equivalent) in each state to help them with any issues, ideas or help that they may need plus implement any actions or policies that affect the whole nation.[3]

The NRC executive is composed of a Chair, Vice Chair, Training and Development Officer, Secretary and delegates from each state plus the Scouts Australia National Team as observers and a representative from New Zealand Rovers. NRC executive members are elected for a one-year term except the Chair that serves a two-year term. Additional project and support officers are elected from time to time. The Council meets as a whole at their annual meeting where each Branch sends a delegation, being their Branch Chair, Branch Commissioner/Adviser (or equivalent) plus two observers, two of these having voting power. [3]

The National Rover Council Chair is a member of the Scouts Australia National Team and attends National Team and National Operations meetings and through direct participation at the highest level possible puts the "Rovers view" into Scouts Australia, Rovers is the only section with this direct access.

The current Chair of the National Rover Council is Eleanor Hewitt from the ACT.

The NRC meet at the National Rover Council Meeting held annually usually in January following the major event for the year (Jamboree, Venture, or Moot). The Conference runs over three days and incorporates State/Territory reports, discussions and workshops as well as networking activities. The Conference is an excellent opportunity for Branch Rover Council Chairs, their delegates and observers to meet with Rovers from other states and share their knowledge and ideas and learn from one another in a positive environment. It is also an opportunity for States to put forward papers, plans and ideas to the Council to be voted upon so the Chair can then take the resolutions to the National Operations Meeting. The face-to-face format of this meeting is a vital component to national Rover organisation allowing Rovers to form connections that lead to stronger inter-state relationships. it is also when the elections for the years executive take place.

The Baden-Powell Award (B-P Award), is the peak award in Rovers. It encourages participation, assistance and leadership, gaining outdoor adventure skills, special interests and undertaking an adventurous journey and a personal development or leadership course.[4] The award certificates are signed in facsimile by the Chief Scout of Australia. Award recipients in states usually

receive the award from the state governor, (Northern Territory Rovers may receive theirs from the Territory Administrator and ACT Rovers may receive theirs from the Governor-General) as a part of their Branch's annual or bi-annual awards presentation.

The National Rover Service Award is an adult recognition award presented for outstanding contribution of lasting impact to the Rover Section over a sustained period of at least five years' by a Rover and ten years' by a Rover Adviser, leader or other supporter.[5]

In four states, the National Rover Service Award is named to recognise the contribution to Rovering in that state by an early leader:

State	Picture	Award Name	Contribution
Victoria		W.F. Waters Rover Service Award	Victorian Headquarters Commissioner for Rovers, 1930 — 1965 Victorian Commissioner for Rover Training, 1965 — 1968 Moot Chief, 7th World Moot in Mealso lbourne (1961) Founder of the Alpine Rover Crew and Bogong Rover Chalet Encouraged Rovers to pursue bushwalking, ski touring, rock climbing and other outdoor activities
New South Wales		Stan Bales Rover Service Award	NSW Branch Commissioner for Rovers, 1955 — 1978 A Deputy Moot Chief at the 7th World Moot in Melbourne Moot Chief for the 6th Australian National Rover Moot held in Sydney in 1974/75[5]
South Australia		Henry Rymill Award	Past Chief Commissioner and Rover Commissioner in South Australia A dominant force in establishing Rovers within South Australia.[5]
Western Australia		Ian Jennings Rover Service Award	WA's much-loved former Branch Commissioner for Rovers who dedicated over 17 years to advising and supporting the Rover section. After joining as an Assistant Scout Leader in 1974, Ian (also known as IJ or Papa Bear) served in various Scouting leadership roles including District Commissioner, Scout Shop Manager, board member, Leader Trainer, Branch Commissioner Adult Training and Development and Branch Commissioner Youth Program. Ian was known for his commitment and dedication to Scouting's vision and was a great friend and mentor to generations of WA Rovers. He was WA's first recipient of the Rover Service Award, which is now named in his memory. begins with the Squire Training badge, which aims to develop the basic scouting skills that a new Rover will need over the course of their time in Rovering. The Rover can then complete any of the three remaining St George Award badges (Rover Skills, Service and Outdoors) and the two project badges, Personal Growth and Community Development in any order to complete the Baden-Powell Award