Like many parents, Isabel Cleaver was looking for an activity that could provide a fun and safe place for her son to grow, to make friends, to explore the world he lives in and to be guided by like-minded people with a solid value system. Little did she know that Scouting would be the answer to her prayers and would change her life as much as his.
“My son joined the Gladstone 4th Kimberley Scout Group in Kimberley just after the Covid pandemic. During an AGM in 2022 parents were asked to join the Scout Group’s Committee. I knew many people already from my son and daughter’s school and other extracurricular activities and I was keen to get involved as the Scouting value system really resonates with me. About a week later I got a call from our Pack Scouter Cheryl Reddan asking me if I would consider stepping into the Scout Group Leader (SGL) role. I had to give it some thought as I realised the enormous responsibly that comes with the role.
However, two days later our Regional Commissioner Nolan van der Merwe called me and in April 2023 I was invested as SGL. Nolan was – and still is – a great mentor. I think I must have talked to him every day for weeks as I wanted to understand how things worked and what my next step would be. The biggest learning curve for me was realising that there is so much more to Scouts than I thought. One of the best courses I did was the SGL course I did online. We created an SGL WhatsApp support group as it was a quick way to communicate, and we still use it today. As SGL I am responsible for around 100 children and being able to have this group of SGLs on hand to help me when needed has been great.
Isabel with Kathryn and Lolli
I must admit that now I am really loving it! It’s been the best journey of my life! I was in a very dark place before I joined SCOUTS South Africa, and I think God used Scouting to get me to a better place in life! One of the things I love the most is the energy! As SGL I know I don’t need to be at the hall every Friday evening, but I go to enjoy the chats and activities with the Cubs and Scouts. After a full week of working and parenting you are tired on a Friday, but when you arrive at the hall it falls away and you get instantly energised! Seeing the smiles, hearing the stories, experiencing the excitement of the children as they come to Scouts eager to learn something new, is what it is about for me. I know my team are good at what they do so I let them do what they need to do, but by being there I try to show them that I am there for them for whatever is needed.
When you are present with the kids at Scouts you get to know them all as individuals and can see quite quickly if something is not okay. It’s also important to recognise the smaller things, like their personal achievements and their birthdays! We always sing for birthdays and give the kids a chocolate. They really look forward to being celebrated by their Scouting family! Another special thing about being at Scout meetings and activities is that you can see the inclusivity of Scouting. Children do not play in cliques; they see each other as equals as described in the Promise and Law.
The Promise and Law is the value system I live by and expect others in my team to live by too. We can’t enforce our children to understand what the Law and Promise mean if we don’t follow the same rules. It is your word, your life style, the way you communicate with others, are kind to others no matter who you are talking to, where they are from and which gender that are. We are all brothers and sisters in Scouting. We work hard at making sure that our kids know their Promise and Law and understand how to live it, we don’t want them to be parrots that just rattle them off. I am very strict on discipline and respect, but the kids and volunteers know that they are loved and appreciated for who they are. They know they are safe and have an SGL they can rely on.”
Isabel and her children
As a single mom of two children who are both in Scouting, Isabel acknowledges the value the Scout programme and volunteer team add to raising her children. “My children are thriving. My son Jordan joined first, and I could see him grow and get excited in learning new skills. He often walks around with a rope to practice his knots, even at school! He got his Leaping Wolf and is now a Scout. My daughter Malayka joined the Troop after a hall maintenance service project where she met some of the Scouts her age and within minutes, she made friends! Many of our kids are going through personal struggles and they know that there is no situation too big for them to come and get support from their Scout leaders when they need someone to talk to.”
We know it is hard to pinpoint a favourite activity or memory but for Isabel it’s quite easy as she is known in her Scouting circles as “Auntie Bonfire”! “I love campfires! On TV you sometimes see these big bonfires, well yes, I make those where possible! Once at a camp there was a dead old tree on the ground and the Scouts carried it to me for the campfire! I even got a certificate from the Group saying, “Auntie Isabel loves fires!”, she laughs. “There are many more moments where I feel proud to see the growth of the children in our Group. One such moment what when our Troop Scouter’s daughter Kathryn Williams achieved her Springbok. Kathryn was not sure if she could do it as her dad is the Troop Scouter. She was really keen but wanted to experience it with her ‘dad’ opposed to her ‘Troop Scouter’, so with permission from Nolan and the Scout Programme Team, I guided her through her Springbok journey instead. For her community project she ran a camp for children from disadvantaged communities and her big project was a pioneering project. At one point she lost confidence in being able to complete it and I told her the same thing I tell all my kids, “don’t stare into the cannot of things, look at what can be”. In the end, she did it! It’s important for people to know that “if you try to be your best every day, you will get stronger and succeed”.