Sponsor

A Sponsor is an invested Rover who takes on the role of guide, mentor and representative of a Rover Squire seeking investiture in the Sponsor's Crew.

Recruits that have completed their acceptance period in a Rover Crew must select a Sponsor, who is to be an invested Rover. In the case of a new Rover Crew with no invested Rovers the Sponsor may be chosen from another Crew. It is up to the candidate Squire to choose a Sponsor, not the Rover Scouter or Crew Council to appoint one.

A period of service, usually 3 months, is set by the Crew for the Squire to complete the lessons and tasks necessary to become a Rover, and it is the responsibility of the Sponsor to ensure that the programme of the Crew will allow the Squire to complete this phase of their Rovering journey.

During the Squireship period, the Sponsor has a number of responsibilities. If the Squire was not formerly a Scout, they will have to get through some training in Scouting skills, and recruit must be made aware of the Scout Promise and Law, looking at it from an adult point of view. It is the Sponsor's responsibility to help the Squire understand the ways of Rovering and the Crew's traditions. The Sponsor places the importance of independence upon the Squire. By concentrating on the fact that the Squire must consolidate themself in life, they will learn confidence and determination.

When all the above is complete, the Sponsor will prepare the Squire for their Vigil. The Sponsor never questions the Squire on the Vigil; after all, a Scout's Honour is to be trusted. Because of this, more often than not a lifelong friendship is formed (nothing sloppy or sentimental) but a solid, strong, clean friendship based on mutual understanding, tolerance and appreciation.