RSW PaRoBa
What is the PaRoBa?
De Region Scouts Competitions (Wedstrijden in Dutch) (RSW) of the region of Amsterdam-Amstelland is called the PaRoBa. Short for Patrouille, Ronde and Bak.
The Badges hunt
Bart, Pierre, and Lotte are three scouts who are in the same group. They've known each other since they were Beavers. All three have very different hobbies and interests, but through scouting, they became best friends. Now that they're in the scouts, they've worked very hard to earn badges. They're all very proud that they've finally managed to wear their first self-earned badge on their scout uniform. No one can take that away from them, they think...
At a regional scout meeting, they hear rumors from other scouts that their badges have gone missing. There was even talk of possible alien abductions by some dark wizard. But who would take that seriously... right?
What the three don't know is that the rumors are more true than they think...
A powerful magician has discovered how to enhance his powers by stealing other people's talents. Since then, he's called himself the dark wizard and uses his powers to collect as many special talents as possible so he can become even stronger.
Checkout the story of Bart (Green)
News
- The date of PaRoBa 2026: 17, 18 and 19th of april 2026
- The best 5 groups are allowed to go to the National Scouts Matches
- You need to bring your own food
Follow everything during the RSW PaRoBa:
History
The name PaRoBa originated when the municipality of Amsterdam organized the GSW (Regional Scouting Competitions) and the Amstelland district organized the DSW (District Scouting Competitions). The DSW was better known as "PaRoBa." In scouting tradition, PaRoBa is also an abbreviation for Patrol, Round, and Box Competitions. Land Scouts have groups called patrols or rounds, while Water Scouts have boxes. This name was reused in 1989 and has since become a household name in our region.
Since 2008, the GSW and DSW have merged, resulting in the Regional Competitions. By joining forces, even more participants and groups from across the region are participating in the best regional event in Amsterdam-Amstelland!
The scouting competitions in Amsterdam-Amstelland have been around for many years and are traditionally held in the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest). During the Regional Scouting Competitions, teams (PaRoBa's) must prove themselves by camping independently, knotting their own camp kitchen from pioneer wood, cooking their own meals, hiking independently, and much more. By correctly completing tasks and participating in games, they can earn points. Teamwork, atmosphere, hygiene, and other aspects are also assessed by a professional jury. The best team with the most points wins the PaRoBa, earning the challenge shield, and will be invited to the LSW! (National Scouting Competitions) along with the runners-up.
Since 2015, a new dimension has been added to the RSW PaRoBa: the PaRoBa XL. This is a follow-up to the PaRoBa, but for participants aged 15 to 18. Explorers are also judged on their skills. Although PaRoBa XL takes place at the same time as PaRoBa and the general program components are done together, a separate challenging program will be offered for XL at explorer level.