MANUAL

CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 2
1
Check out “The Six Program Areas”
at Canadianpath.ca.
The Six Program Areas of The Canadian Path
As you plan adventures to explore the six Program Areas 1 , you’ll soon discover that
most adventures include more than one Program Area—fantastic! Including aspects
of several Program Areas makes the adventure more challenging and encourages
development in all of the SPICES. Remember, The Canadian Path is youth-led. The
youth choose adventures that excite them in all these areas. The ideas below are
meant to give a sense of what kind of adventures might relate to each Program Area.
1. ENVIRONMENT & OUTDOORS
Adventures in this Program Area involve hiking, camping, paddling and other ways
of enjoying the outdoors as youth learn the skills to live in and take care of the
natural environment. Youth are encouraged to practise the principles of Leave No
Trace on outdoor adventures, and to provide environmental stewardship through
projects like habitat restoration and shoreline clean-ups.
Adventure Ideas for Environment & Outdoors
• Hike or bike in a wilderness area
• Build quinzhees and sleep in them overnight
• Take on an environmental project, such as painting yellow fish by storm sewers
to raise awareness of water pollution
• Practise different fire-lighting techniques (flint and steel, bow drill, battery and
steel wool, magnifying glass, etc.)
• Learn to identify plants in nature, including wild edibles
• Organize and take part in a Scoutrees project
• Keep a birding journal
• Share a stargazing evening
• Build an igloo
• Catch and clean fish
• Build bee hotels
• Organize an Amory Adventure Award expedition (see p. 223)
2. LEADERSHIP
During adventures in this Program Area, youth learn about and practise the skills of
being good leaders and team members in their Section and in the community. The
scope of this Program Area includes:
• Participating in leadership within small groups, the Section and the community
• Exploring a variety of leadership styles
• Acting as a mentor for other youth in the program
• Experiencing shared leadership within small groups
• Understanding what makes a good leader
• Understanding how to empower and support others as leaders
• Recognizing good youth (and adult) leaders in your Section, Group, community,
Canada and the world
• Learning to move between being the leader and being a good team member
under other leaders
Adventure Ideas for Leadership
• Plan and run a Beaver Buggy, Kub Kar or Scout Truck derby event for your Area.
• Lead a linking activity with another Section.
• Choose an adventure in another Program Area and divide up the tasks so that
everyone gets an opportunity to provide leadership.
• Play Follow the Leader, then discuss: “What is it like to be the one in the lead?”;
“What is it like to be a follower?”; “Which is more fun? Why?”; “Which do
you prefer?”.
• For older Sections, come up with creative versions of Follow the Leader.
• Interview several people you consider to be good leaders in your community.
What do you notice about what makes a good leader? How can you try that next
time you are in a leadership position?
• Offer to plan and run an event for another group in your community.
• Choose an Outdoor Adventure Skill, learn about and practise it and then teach it
to another youth in your Section or in another Section.
• Plan for and host a “Death by Chocolate” dessert evening to raise money for a
future adventure.
3. ACTIVE & HEALTHY LIVING
During adventures in this Program Area, youth are involved in playing, having fun
and being active while they develop good mental and physical habits for happy and
healthy living.
The scope of this Program Area includes:
• Learning about health and fitness as part of a healthy lifestyle
• Experiencing a variety of options for lifelong fitness
• Exploring and experiencing healthy eating practices, based on the Canada Food
Guide, in all Scouting activities
• Developing an awareness of good mental health and how to support it
36 SCOUTER MANUAL—A SCOUTER’S GUIDE TO THE CANADIAN PATH SCOUTER MANUAL—A SCOUTER’S GUIDE TO THE CANADIAN PATH 37