Norwegian Guide and Scout Association
The Norwegian Guide and Scout Association (Norwegian: Norges Speiderforbund, NSF) is a Norwegian Scouting and Guiding association founded in its present form in 1978, when the Norwegian Boy Scout Organization (founded in 1911 and among the charter members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1922) and the Norwegian Girl Guide Organization (founded in 1921 and an early member of World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) merged.
NSF is a member of Speidernes Fellesorganisasjon, the national Scouting and Guiding federation of Norway. NSF is also a member of WOSM and WAGGGS.
Scouting's main purpose is to develop young members into independent, self sufficient and responsible adults. This is achieved using a training program with outdoor recreation and practical activities, teamwork in small groups (patrol system), and by actively using the "learning by doing" method.
The program is structured to provide members with progression to continually meet new challenges. The methods are very much based on practical aspects and mastery over theory. As might be expected in Norway, outdoor activities is emphasized, with much of the program centered around classical themes like first aid, camping, pioneering, field cooking, woodcraft and hiking.
To be adapted to the individual member's level of development, the program is divided up into age groups by grade (division varies):
Thanks to Norway's economical and constitutional ties to Britain, Norway was among the early nations where scouting emerged. The first scouting activity took place in 1909, and in 1910, the 1st Christiania Scout group was established in the then named Christiania (later Oslo) as Norway's first official Scout group. In early 1911 the 2nd Christiania was founded. These two initial scout troops founded the Norwegian Boy-Scout association (Norsk Speidergutt-Forbund) in February of the same year, marking the official beginning of the Scout Movement in Norway.
