111th anniversary of Plast — Ukrainian Scouting: state support

Plast is the Ukrainian national Scouting organization and the largest youth organization in the country (over 10 000 members). Conscious, responsible citizens and leaders of Ukrainian society have been growing in Plast for 111 years. The organization traditionally celebrates its birthday on April 12, because on this day in 1912, a group of scouts in Lviv made the first Scout Oath.

On the occasion of our anniversary, we would like to share the text of the Law of Ukraine on recognition of Plast and support for Plast and the scout movement.

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LAW OF UKRAINE

On Recognition of Plast Movement and Peculiarities of State Support to Plast and Scout Movements

(The Official Bulletin of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (BVR), 2020, No. 15, Article 94)

This Law recognises the historic contribution of the Plast Movement in the civil education of children and youth, obtaining and forming the Ukrainian statehood and creates principles of the Ukrainian state policy on promoting the development of Plast and Scout Movements;

honours the hundreds of Plast-boys, Plast-girls and Scouts who were killed in the struggle for obtaining and defending Ukraine’s independence;

maintains more than the centennial tradition of Plast Movement, which brought up tens of thousands of active citizens: educators and scientists, entrepreneurs, doctors, journalists, church figures, military men who have been and is working for the benefit of Ukraine’s interests.

The mission of Plast and Scout Movements shall consist in bringing up children and youth based on the system of values which is reflected in the Plast Oath, Plast Promise, Plast and Scout Laws aimed at making a better world, where people realise themselves as personalities and play a constructive role in society.

The purpose of the Plast and Scout Movements shall be facilitating the development of children and youth for the fulfilment of their physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual potential as fully-fledged citizens and members of their territorial communities, local, national and international communities.

Article 1. Definitions

1. For the purposes of this Law, the following definitions shall apply:

1) institutional development is sustainable all-embracing development of Plast and Scout Movements to create, distribute and use the material and financial resources for the implementation of Plast, Scout programmes and for the development of the human capacity of Plast and Scout Movements;

2) infrastructure of Plast and Scout Movements are buildings, edifices, other premises, land plots where they are situated, and which are used by Plast and Scout public associations for conducting statutory activities according to law;

3) The Plast, Scout educational (training) programme is a set of interrelated components (techniques, instruments, measures etc.) of non-formal and informal education aimed at obtaining competencies by children and youth, which is implemented by means of Plast and Scout Methods and created to achieve the purpose of Plast and Scout Movements;

4) Plast, Scout public association is a children’s or youth public association which acts under the charter approved in the manner prescribed by the law, which provides for belonging to Plast and Scout Movements, and implements the Plast, Scout educational (training) programme pursuant to the Plast or Scout Method;

5) Plast Method is the Ukrainian Scout Method worked out by the Plast in the course of its more than centennial continued tradition;

6) Plast Movement (Plast) is the Ukrainian Scout Movement established in 1911 in Lviv at the initiative of Ivan Chmola, Petro Franko and Olexandr Tysovskyi, which has been operating continuously since the moment of its establishment and has developed into the international movement of Ukrainian youth;

7) Plast, Scout uniform is the type of clothes and distinction of Plast and Scout Movements which are the constituent elements of an educational process pursuant to the Plast or Scout Method;

8) Plast educators and Scout leaders are members of Plast and Scout public associations which underwent training pursuant to the Plast or Scout Method in correspondent Plast and Scout public associations and ensure the implementation of the educational process with children and youth pursuant to the Plast or Scout Method;

9) programmes, projects aimed at the fulfilment of the Plast, Scout educational (training) programme are a set of measures of Plast and Scout public associations which provide for the implementation of informational, educational, methodical, health-improving activities pursuant to the Plast or Scout Method;

10) Scout Method is the unique educational method based on the system of progressive self-education, which consists of interrelated elements and facilitates forming life values, is introduced thought the implementation of the Scout programme in the system of non-formal and informal education, programmes of civil education;

11) Scout Movement (Scouting) is a voluntary non-political educational movement for children and youth irrespective of race and religion, which acts pursuant to the purpose and Scout Method conceived by its founder Robert Baden-Powell in 1907.

Article 2. Goal and tasks of supporting Plast and Scout Movements

1. The goal of supporting Plast and Scout Movements shall consist in facilitating its development by means of ensuring the accessibility of such a movement for children and youth, implementing Plast, Scout educational (training) programmes.

2. The main tasks of supporting Plast and Scout Movements shall include:

1) forming European identity among children and youth, promoting the integration of the Ukrainian Plast and Scout Movements into European and Euro-Atlantic community;

2) promoting institutional development of Plast and Scout Movements through the implementation of programmes, projects aimed at fulfilling the Plast, Scout educational (training) programme;

3) promoting civil education for children and youth as responsible and active citizens who adhere to and stand up for democratic values;

4) nurturing the feeling of pride for Ukraine and respect for the legislation;

5) supporting children and youth who demonstrate civic engagement, achieve success in different spheres of social life;

6) facilitating non-formal and informal education for children and youth, integration of youth into the European and world democratic space;

7) raising the level of conscientious attitude of youth to an active and healthy lifestyle;

8) facilitating the creation and development of the infrastructure of Plast and Scout Movements;

9) promoting the establishment and development of Plast and Scout Movements in the world in the manner prescribed by the legislation.

3. The language of events held according to programmes, projects of Plast and Scout public associations aimed at fulfiling the Plast, Scout educational (training) programme at the expense of budgetary funds shall be the state language.

Article 3. Ensuring the accessibility of Plast and Scout Movements for children and youth

1. Plast and Scout public associations shall create conditions for the involvement of children and youth in Plast and Scout Movements.

2. Executive and local authorities shall assist Plast and Scout public associations in creating conditions for accessibility of Plast and Scout Movements for children and youth.

3. Executive and local authorities shall elaborate state and local programmes for children and youth taking into consideration the proposals of Plast and Scout public associations.

4. Executive and local authorities can involve Plast and Scout public associations with their consent in the implementation of state and local programmes in the manner prescribed by the legislation.

5. Central executive authorities shall, according to law, promote the development of Plast and Scout Movements outside Ukraine and the creation and functioning of the infrastructure of Plast and Scout Movements outside Ukraine, where education and upbringing are conducted in the Ukrainian language or where the Ukrainian language is learned.

Article 4. The legal status of Plast and Scout public associations

1. The organisation and methods of activities, the legal status, establishment, registration, termination of activities, the set-up of managerial bodies of Plast and Scout public associations shall be determined in the manner prescribed by the law.

2. The interference of government and local authorities, their officials and officers in the activities of Scout public associations shall be not allowed, except for cases provided for in the Constitution of Ukraine and the laws of Ukraine.

3. The Plast and Scout uniform shall constitute additional symbols of Plast and Scout public associations. The use of badges, fonts, Plast and Scout uniform, other registered symbols of Plast and Scout public associations by individuals and legal entities without consent of such associations and for the purposes not connected with the activities of such associations shall be prohibited.

4. Educational activities under Plast and Scout Methods within the educational system shall be conducted by Plast educators and Scout leaders who have completed correspondent training in Plast and Scout public associations.

5. Plast and Scout public associations shall conduct training and admit to the educational activities within the educational system Plast educators and Scout leaders under the Plast and Scout educational (training) programme or the Plast or Scout Method according to the procedure approved by the central executive authority in charge of shaping and implementing the state policy in the field of education and science.

Article 5. State support for Plast and Scout Movements by executive and local authorities

1. Executive and local authorities shall provide the activities of Plast and Scout public associations with material, financial, informational, consulting support within the powers defined by the law.

2. When approving the state and local budget, expenditures on the support of programmes, projects aimed at fulfilling the Plast, Scout educational (training) programme can be envisaged.

3. Educational institutions can facilitate the activities of Plast and Scout public associations and involve them with their consent in the implementation of educational and training programmes, including on civil education.

4. It shall be prohibited to change the designated goal of infrastructure facilities of Plast and Scout Movements which were provided by local authorities, government authorities for the use by Plast and Scout public associations without the consent of the central executive authority in charge of shaping the state policy in the field of youth, if such a change ceases the use of specified facilities for non-formal and informal education for children and youth.

Article 6. Final and transitional provisions

1. This Law shall come into force on the day following the day of its publication.

2. The following laws of Ukraine shall be amended:

1) Article 15 of the Law of Ukraine “On Extracurricular Education” (The Official Bulletin of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2000, No. 46, Article 393; 2017, Nos. 38–39, Article 380) shall be supplemented with a new paragraph after paragraph 1, which reads as follows:

“the Plast and Scout which ensures the civic education of pupils and students under the guidance of Plast educators, Scout leaders pursuant to the Plast or Scout Method and/or Plast, Scout educational (training) programme defined by the Law of Ukraine “On Recognition of Plast Movement and Peculiarities of State Support to Plast and Scout Movements”.

In this connection, paragraphs 2 to 13 shall be considered to be paragraphs 3 to 14, respectively;

2) Article 8 of the Law of Ukraine “On Culture” (The Official Bulletin of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, 2011, No. 24, Article 168; 2017, Nos. 38–39, Article 380; 2018, No. 46, Article 371) shall be supplemented with a new part after part 2, which reads as follows:

“3. Plast and Scout public associations defined by the Law of Ukraine “On Recognition of Plast Movement and Peculiarities of State Support to Plast and Scout Movements” shall have the right to use state and municipal cultural institutions, institutions of extracurricular education in the sphere of culture on preferential terms provided for by the legislation.”

In this connection, parts 3 and 4 shall be considered to be parts 4 and 5, respectively.

3. Within a month after the enactment of this Law, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine shall:

bring its regulatory acts in line with this Law;

ensure that ministries and other central executive authorities review and bring their regulatory acts in line with this Law;

improve organisational and legal principles of conducting events (projects) by youth and children’s public organisations.