Angela Hein

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In April 2004, Angela Hein of Langford, Perth, became the youngest ever Scout Branch Commissioner in Australia.

At just 20 years of age, the Environmental Science student volunteered to fill a vacancy as the WA Branch Commissioner for the Environment, with a portfolio responsible for managing and implementing all environment related programs and activities for youth and adult members of Scouting across Western Australia.

With the position Angela inherited the Scout Environment Awareness Program (SEAP) team - a group of 10 adult Scouts with a passion for the environment, but with very little direction or progress.

"The biggest challenge in this whole journey was creating something out of nothing," said Angela."The team wasn't strong when I took the position, and I got very little support for what I was trying to do - especially since I was young, female and inexperienced.Adding to that, the environment wasn't something that was considered a high priority in WA Scouting at the time."

Since that difficult beginning, Angela has grown to be a very well respected member of the Scouting community, and the SEAP team has gone from strength to strength.In the following 2 and half years, the SEAP team has conducted
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"Our best achievement has been taking the Scout Environment Program from something that no-one knew, or cared about, to the situation where we have to limit numbers on camps and regularly turn away requests for help," explains Angela."We simply can't keep up with demand!"

Angela's term as the Branch Commissioner ends in April 2007, when she will have just turned 23.She is going to remain a member of the SEAP team, hopefully taking on specific portfolio roles in organising local Scout Group visits, and working on the sustainability plan for WA's major Scout campsite, Manjedal.

"This journey has really taught me the importance of working as a team," Angela says.
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As a member of the SEAP team myself, I have enjoyed working with Angela and the rest of the team.