The Student Scout and Guide Organisation (SSAGO) is an association that provides support to individuals who are students at colleges and universities in the United Kingdom. It caters to Scouts, Guides, and those who have not been affiliated with a Scout or Guide Association. SSAGO is particularly focused on individuals interested in the aims, objectives, and methods of both The Scout Association and Girlguiding, UK.
Numerous universities host Scout and Guide Clubs affiliated with their respective Student Unions. Although, union affiliation is optional for a club to be part of SSAGO, many choose to do so. In cases where a university or college lacks a dedicated club, students have the option to become Individual or "Indie" members of SSAGO.
The activities of these clubs typically include organising weekend and evening events throughout the term, as well as longer events during university holidays. SSAGO sponsors a termly Rally, open to all Club and Indie members, organised by a different club each term. Additionally, an annual formal event known as a Ball is hosted.
Informal Scout and Guide Clubs existed as early as 1915 when the first generation of Scouts grew out of the Scouting age yet wanted to keep some sense of fraternity. Some early organisations at colleges were known as Baden-Powell Guilds and Saint George Guilds.[citation needed] A world equivalent to this exists today in the International Scout and Guide Fellowship, or ISGF. Some of the first clubs were set up in university towns, such as Oxford, Cambridge, Manchester, and London. Inter-club activities were run intermittently until 1927. By 1920, Rover Scouts had been set up for people over 18 but many people were also part of Scout and Guide clubs. University clubs banded together to form an Inter-Varsity organisation while College-based clubs formed a similar setup. It was not until 1947 that inter-club meetings started again, and even then only for the Varsity clubs (those from universities, rather than colleges). Only two colleges (Loughborough and North Staffordshire) were admitted to Varsity. No other colleges were admitted, partially because of snobbery in the old red-brick establishments. The Federation of Scout and Guide Clubs in Training Colleges was set up in 1956 for colleges, and a year later it formed the Intercollegiate organisation. In 1967, the Intercollegiate and Inter-Varsity merged to form SSAGO due to the dwindling number of colleges as many became universities.[citation needed]
SSAGO was 40 in 2007, to celebrate this event a special emblem was designed and the Summer Rally was replaced with a Reunion Event held near Lincoln in July. While this event was run as a Rally there were some noticeable differences; there were fireworks on Friday night, all members old, and new, and SAGGA (who themselves are celebrating their 50th Anniversary) were invited to attend along with visits from prestigious guests such as Liz Burnley the current Chief Guide.
United Kingdom Scout and Guide Clubs and Rovers Crews were responsible for establishing an international Student Scout and Guide event called the Witan, named after the Anglo-Saxon gathering of the wise called a Witan. The first two such events were organised by the Oxford University Scout and Guide Group at Gilwell Park in 1959 and 1961.[1][2]
Rally
Rally is a national camp, held once every term where SSAGO clubs around the UK meet up to socialize and participate in a weekend of activities. The size of a rally can vary from around 100 to over 250 people. The three rallies are held each year in February, June, and November and, as they are hosted by different clubs each time, they offer an opportunity for participants to visit new places. The host club for each rally is chosen at the previous year's national SSAGO AGM.
Each rally has a theme chosen by the host club, which is incorporated into the rally through the different activities on offer across the weekend. Often, this includes experiences such as walks or hikes, on-site activities, visits to nearby attractions, or simply an afternoon off with which to explore. In addition, rallies can also include a ceilidh and themed fancy-dress competition.[3]
*Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the summer 2020 rally (Survival Rally, organised by Plymouth SSAGO) had to be postponed,[26] and later cancelled.[27] Build-A-Rally and Green Rally Yellow Rally were run as virtual events.
Ball
In addition to the three rallies, there is also an annual ball hosted every year by a chosen SSAGO club. The ball provides an alternative to the camping and outdoors often associated with Scouting and Guiding by offering a formal meal, dancing, and another chance to socialize with other SSAGO members.
Typically balls will be themed, with accommodation available nearby, varying from hotels to scout huts depending on the participants' budget. Balls offer a packed evening program, giving everyone a chance to make new friends, catch up with old ones and have a great night outside of the campsite. Often, the ball will include activities nearby to help participants make a weekend of the event.[3]
*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, City of Steel Ball was postponed from April 2020 to February 2021, with a virtual event being held on the original date, however due to the continued restrictions on social contact within the UK the physical event was ultimately cancelled.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WomBall was postponed from April 2021 to September 2021, with a change from the traditional ball format to a "festival style" event with games and activities on a campsite for an afternoon.
Existing clubs
There are currently more than thirty universities with a SSAGO club. There are also at least ten that no longer exist. The Universities with a functioning SSAGO club are:
Aberystwyth Student Scout and Guide Organisation (MSAGM Aber SSAGO)
Loughborough Students Union Scout and Guide Club (SCOGUI) – The name comes from the words SCOut and GUIde rather than an acronym of the club's full name
In addition to the clubs listed above, there are independent, or "Indie" members, who are often either students who are at a university without a club or those who have recently graduated and left university.
