History and Legends
The motto of the Rover Section is "Service". Rovers are all about giving service both within Scouting and to the General Community
Service to Scouting can take many forms and usually involves helping out with the Younger Sections or on Specialist-Based activities such as Canoeing, Canyoning, Flying Foxs or Caving. In fact it is normal for parents and kids from the younnger sections to turn up at an event and hear that the Rovers are helping out by Running activities or providing Secuirty or feeding the masses or any one of a myrad of different jobs. A lot of Rovers are also leaders in the younger sections.
Service to the Community is just as important to the Rovers and can usually involve anything from helping at a local community event to collecting money for Charity to helping an elderly couiple carry out cruical work to thier property. At a state level, notable Service Activities to the Public include Hike for Hunger - a Can Collection Drive and the Lord Mayors Picnic for Disadvanategd Kids.
St George is the Patron Saint of Scouting. The Rover section strives to follow the example that the legends of St George offer us of being compassionate, showing courage, not being afraid to face your fears and putting other people first.
The Rovers celebrate St Georges Day with a traditional Church Service or Scouts Own on the 23rd of April each year. All members of Scouting and the General Public are welcome to attend.
There are two types of crews in NSW. "Traditional" Rover Crews are based around the Knights of the Round Table and this is reflected in their ceremonies and crew structures. "Non-traditional" or "Design for Tomorrow" Crews do not recognise the legend of the Knights of the Round Table but still practise many of the basic principles under different names and structures.
When a new member joins a "traditional" Rover Crew, they are invested into the crew as a "Squire". After competing a set of tasks known as "Squire Training", they are then invested into the Rover Crew as a "Rover Knight". Squire Training Requirements differ from Crew to Crew but are standard scouting skills that a Rover will use in day to day situations. When a Squire is Knighted, it is usually in a private ceremony with only other Knights present. The ceremony itself is designed to be a key moment in a Rovers Career and reflects Scouting Values.