The Polish Senior Scouts Organization

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Contact for the Senior Scouting Organization (StH):

The purpose of Senior Scouts Organization is to live out the Scout Promise and Law in adult life—personally, socially, and publicly. These circles operate on the principles of friendship, cooperation, mutual support, free choice, and self-governance within the areas of individual PSA districts.

In addition to their internal activities, an important part of their work—depending on needs and opportunities—is community service and supporting youth scouting.

Our History

October 1950 marks the beginning of Senior Scouting in Canada. It is the date when the “Tatry” Senior Scout Group was founded. It was established on the initiative of Deputy hm. Kazimierz Szmelter, who in 1952 became the first District Senior Scout Leader of the Canada District.

In the chronicle of the “Tatry” group, we find the following note:

“The members of the "Tatry" were ‘community-minded by vocation’—individuals who worked with dedication and selflessness in scouting, as well as in many secular and church organizations. They held numerous responsible positions in the Canadian Polish Congress (KPK), the Polish National Union, the Association of Polish Combatants, Polish community foundations, teachers’ associations, student organizations (University of Toronto), and various professional organizations, both Polish and Canadian.”

The “Tatry” Group organized and carried out the 1st Senior Scout Rally in Wilno, Ontario, in 1952, marking what can be considered the first contact between Polish Scouting in Canada and the Polish Kashubian settlement in Wilno and its surrounding areas.

The “Morskie Oko” Senior Scout Group in Montreal was founded in December 1951. It supported the younger scouting movement in the Montreal area, helping to run cub meetings and scout camps at the “Gniezno” Scout Property near St. Agathe, Quebec. The “Morskie Oko” Group ceased to operate as an organized senior scouting unit in 1959.

The “Kraków” Senior Scout Group in St. Catharines was established in July 1952. Its main goals were to build a strong and healthy scouting community in the Niagara Peninsula, assist in organizing and running Scout troops as well as cub packs in the region, engage in community service within the Polish diaspora, and foster mutual support and social life among members.

Other Senior Scout Groups existed at various times, including:

“Giewont” (1953–1957) in Toronto

“Czeremosz” (1953–1954) in Windsor

“Gorgany,” “Pieniny,” and “Karkonosze” in Ottawa (1952–1960)

“Lublin” (1978–1981) in Oshawa

“Podhale” in Toronto

“Piast” and “Brzask” in Ottawa

“Szczyty” in St. Catharines

“Parasol” in Vancouver (active briefly in the 1990s)

The “Orłowo” Senior Scout Group was founded in 1999. Most of its members are university students in Canada. They stay in touch electronically and meet during university breaks and in the summer.

As of 2010, the circles that have operated continuously since their founding are “Tatry” and “Kraków”, along with the newer group “Orłowo”, established in 1999.

Structure and Legal Framework

The supreme authority of the entire Senior Scouting (STH) is the Chair of PSA International.

STH operates in accordance with:

Regulamin Główny ZHP and Regulamin Starszego Harcerstwa which define its principles of operation, structure, member responsibilities, and methods of cooperation with other PSA organizations.

The organization consists of Senior Scout Groups.

Currently in Canada, there are 7 senior scout groups, bringing together approximately 50 registered members.