「小小行動，也能帶來巨大改變」：
新任亞太區童軍委員會第二副主任委員談青年、安全與永續發展

我們有幸訪問尼泊爾童軍總會總會長德夫．拉傑．吉米瑞（Dev Raj Ghimire），他參與童軍運動已有三十多年。吉米瑞自2009年即擔任亞太地區附屬委員會工作小組成員，2025年更當選亞太區童軍委員會第二副主任委員，為政策制定與區域規劃作出貢獻。

對高雄志工社群的讚不絕口

自2013年首次造訪高雄以來，吉米瑞已第三次來訪。他形容高雄是「整潔、乾淨且高度發展的城市」，對志工們的敬業精神與奉獻態度讚不絕口。志工們共同努力，大力支援此次亞太童軍領袖會議及過去的各項活動。

他表示：「被指派職責的志工們，看起來都非常投入，致力於妥善完成工作。」

青年不只是未來，更是現在

談及出席本次會議的原因時，吉米瑞強調他長期以來對青年發展的熱忱，同時肯定童軍運動在本區域的成就與仍待克服的挑戰。

他說：「目前仍有一些國家尚未發展童軍運動，我們需要關注這一點。如果我們想要改變社區，發展的機會是存在的，這必須從投資青年開始。」

他鼓勵大家不要僅將青年視為未來的貢獻者，而要視為當下社會的積極參與者，並強調從小支持他們的重要性。

「人們過去常說青年是『國家的未來』，但我認為他們是『國家的現在』。未來他們會成為成年人，但他們現在就需要成人的支持。如果我們希望建立一個永續的世界，就必須從小培養他們。」

擴展以社區為基礎的童軍活動

吉米瑞指出，童軍運動應更加包容不同年齡層，並呼籲各國童軍組織（NSO）拓展其方式以接觸更多青年。

他說：「以台灣為例，大學裡也有童軍，但在許多國家並沒有。我們需要接觸更多青年。」

他指出，許多童軍組織過於依賴學校體系，這可能限制了永續性，並提出另一種方向：「我們應該思考像英國或澳洲那樣的社區型童軍。他們的參與人數可能較少，但成員更加投入。在亞太地區，我們應同時發展這兩種模式，並加以整合。」

「遠離傷害」：學習機會的重要性

吉米瑞強調，倡議「遠離傷害」（Safe from Harm）是童軍運動使命的核心之一，旨在保護青年與成人的安全。

他說：「『遠離傷害』是組織中極為重要的一環，因為我們希望為青年與成人提供更安全的環境。要推動這些倡議，首先要創造學習機會。我們必須從小將身心健康與防護意識融入教育，以培養覺察並營造支持性的環境。」

他進一步闡述如何將安全融入組織治理架構之中：「為確保安全，應在所有組織中建立治理程序、通報機制及應變流程。所有單位領袖及與童軍相關的人員，甚至非童軍人士，都應了解這些要素，唯有如此，安全文化才能真正落實。」

不斷強化，持續精進

當被問及三年期計畫中最重要的目標時，吉米瑞強調所有目標都是相互關聯且持續進行的。他說：「所有目標都同等重要，因為它們從未真正『完成』。今天的情境並不一定適用於明天。」

「以一個強力而創新的青年計畫為例，三年後必定會更加完善。關鍵在於持續強化與改進；透過不斷創新，青年自然會被吸引參與其中。」

小小行動，也能帶來巨大改變

回顧童軍運動的長遠願景時，吉米瑞鼓勵亞太地區的童軍專注於小而有意義的貢獻。他說：「我相信，小小的行動也能帶來巨大的改變。全球有數千萬名童軍，而亞太地區的規模最大。無論是面對氣候變遷，還是推動其他發展，改變都可以從童軍開始。」

他舉例說明這一理念的實踐方式：「以紙張的使用為例，如果我們減少用紙量，一場會議就能節省上千棵樹。像塑膠瓶這類的小事——這些微小的改變——都能產生巨大的影響。」

「透過童軍運動，我們能為世界帶來正向的改變，推動永續發展，並實現聯合國永續發展目標。如果我們從現在開始行動，並讓所有童軍共同投入永續的努力，我們將能在全世界帶來深遠的改變。」

A Small Act Can Make a Big Difference”:

Dev Raj Ghimire on Youth, Safety, and Sustainability

We had the opportunity to interview Dev Raj Ghimire, Chief Commissioner of Nepal Scouts, who has been involved in Scouting for over 30 years. Since 2009, Ghimire has served as a member of a subcommittee task force for the Asia-Pacific Region, contributing to policy development and regional planning, and recently was made the Second Vice Chair of the Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Committee.

Praise for Kaohsiung’s Volunteer Community

Ghimire has been visiting Kaohsiung since 2013, and this marks his third visit to the city. He described Kaohsiung as “neat, clean, and well-developed,” and went on to commend the strong work ethic and dedication of its volunteers, who have come together to support the Asia-Pacific Scout Conference and previous events.

“The volunteers who are assigned duties and responsibilities seem highly committed to accomplishing their jobs properly,” he remarked.

Young People Are Not Just the Future; They Are the Present

When asked about his motivations for attending the conference, Ghimire emphasized his long-standing passion for youth development, acknowledging both the achievements and ongoing challenges faced by Scouting in the region.

“There are a few countries where Scouting does not yet exist, and we need to focus on this. There is ample opportunity to develop if we want to transform our communities, and that starts with investing in young people.”

He encouraged others to view young people not merely as future contributors but as active participants in society today, stressing the importance of early support in realizing their potential.

“People used to say that young people are the ‘future of our nation,’ but I would say they are the ‘present of our nation.’ In the future, they will become adults, but they need support from adults now. If we want to envision a sustainable world, we must nurture them from a young age.”

Expanding Community-based Scouting

Highlighting the need for inclusivity across age groups, Ghimire urged NSOs to broaden their approach and reach more young adults.

“In Taiwan, for example, there is Scouting at the university level, but in many countries, there isn’t. We have to reach out to young adults,” he explained.

He noted that many NSOs rely heavily on school-based programmes, which can limit long-term sustainability, and offered an alternative approach:

“We need to think about community-based Scouting, as seen in countries like the UK or Australia. They may have smaller numbers of participants, but those members are deeply committed. In the Asia-Pacific region, we should adopt both models and integrate them effectively.”

Safe from Harm: The Importance of Learning Opportunities

Ghimire underscored the Safe from Harm initiative as a cornerstone of the Scouting movement’s mission to protect both young people and adults.

“‘Safe from Harm’ is a crucial part of the organization because we want a safer environment for young people as well as adults. To promote these initiatives, the first step is to create learning opportunities. We must integrate wellbeing and Safe from Harm principles from a young age to build awareness and foster supportive environments.”

He further elaborated on the importance of embedding safety within the organization’s governance structure:

“To ensure safety, governance procedures, reporting protocols, and response mechanisms should be established across all associations. All unit leaders and everyone connected to Scouting, even non-Scouts, should be aware of these elements so that a culture of safety can truly be fostered.”

Reinforce, Always Reinforce

When asked which objective of the Triennial Plan he considered most important, Ghimire stressed that all goals were interconnected and ongoing.

“All the objectives are of equal importance because they are never finished. The context of today doesn’t fit the context of tomorrow.”

“For example, a strong and innovative youth program today will inevitably grow stronger in three years’ time. The key is to reinforce, always reinforce, and through such continuous innovation, young people are naturally drawn to get involved.”

“A Small Act Can Make a Big Difference”

Reflecting on the broader vision for the future of Scouting, Ghimire encouraged Scouts across the region to focus on small but meaningful contributions.

“I believe a small act can make a big difference. We have millions of Scouts around the world, and the Asia-Pacific region represents the largest share. Whether addressing climate change or other forms of development, meaningful change can begin within Scouting.”

He illustrated his point with a practical example:

“For instance, consider our paper use. If we reduce the amount of paper we use, we could save thousands of trees in a single conference. These are the kinds of small things — like avoiding plastic bottles — that can lead to big differences.”

“Through Scouting, we can bring positive change to the world, advancing sustainability and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. If we start working toward sustainability now, and all Scouts commit to it, we can make a lasting difference worldwide.”