Malin Midander was a scout from the age of 8 to 18, and it was through scouting that, at 17, she met her future husband and the father of their three children. When Malin was 29, she was diagnosed with myelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord that left permanent scarring and disrupted the signals to her muscles. As a result, she mostly uses a wheelchair, even though she can stand and walk short distances. The paralysis didn’t stop her from restarting the dormant scout troop in Rydebäck together with other ever-ready scouts. Be prepared! Always prepared! Please note that this text was originally published 2016.
It sounds like a command, and indeed it was a British general who organized the very first scout camp in 1907 on an island off the southern coast of England for about 20 boys. Two years later, girls also started applying—initially by only using their first initial in order to get accepted. It wasn’t obvious at first that girls should be allowed to do the same things as boys, but it wasn’t long before everyone was welcome.
There’s something honorable and sincere about the word ”scout.” A positive force in contrast to the grim headlines in the media about refugees, racism, and political power struggles. And one who radiates joyful energy is Malin Midander, who has also been a volunteer outreach worker for RG for the past ten years. She’s been active in scouting even longer.
– All my life. Since I was eight years old, with a break during the years I studied to become a primary school teacher in Växjö.
NOW 40 YEARS OLD, Malin is originally from Kristianstad, where she began her scouting journey. When she and her husband moved to Helsingborg, they joined the local scout troop until they eventually moved to Rydebäck, where the scout troop had been inactive for a few years. Since Malin and Magnus wanted their children to be involved in scouting, they began looking into how to restart the troop.
– Scouting means a lot. You learn skills for life, do teamwork exercises, and become part of a community. There are plenty of interested children.
Together with former scout leaders from the village and neighboring communities who also wanted to revive their scout troop, they decided to join forces, and it was then an easy task to get the Rydebäck scout troop up and running again. This year marks the troop’s ten-year anniversary.
– We now have 100 members, scouts aged 8–17. Rydebäck’s scout troop has four major camps a year, and our divisions go on hikes involving canoeing and trekking with around 20 scouts at a time.
– The children learn to tie knots, cook over an open fire, and set up shelters. To use a knife, children must be at least ten years old. They take tests to earn a ”knife certificate.” The same principle applies for axes and saws.
MALIN AND MAGNUS HAVE THREE CHILDREN aged twelve, eight, and four. Ebba, the eight-year-old, was the first born after Malin’s spinal cord injury.
– We didn’t receive any prior information about potential differences compared to a normal delivery. At the same time, I’m not someone who worries. I just believe that things will work out. I also had a calm and confident midwife. The birth was quick. I started having contractions and we rushed to the hospital. Eleven minutes later, Ebba was born.
This year, Malin completed her studies to become a special education teacher with a specialization in intellectual disabilities.
– I’ve worked for a couple of years as a special ed teacher in a school for children with intellectual disabilities, in grades 4 through 6. And since I won’t be allowed to work after 2018 without a teaching license, it was necessary.
Malin believes her decision to work in special education stems from her brother.
– He has Down syndrome. I did my internship in his class when I was in junior high, and while studying to become a teacher, it was my dream to work in special education.
To do so, one must first work as a regular teacher for a few years.
– When I was working as a regular teacher, the principal—without knowing my dream—asked if I was interested in working in special education. That’s how it started.
MALIN HAS BEEN ABLE TO USE her experience of being in a wheelchair in her teaching.
– Some of the kids also use wheelchairs and have been overly assisted at home. I show them how I do things to encourage independence. When they see me moving around in my wheelchair and carrying my food tray in the cafeteria on my own, they start to imitate me. The parents also see the advantage of being in a wheelchair.
Even in the forest, Malin gets around with her wheelchair.
– On short hikes, I just use my standard wheelchair with a Freewheel. The Freewheel is fantastic and makes it much easier to get across fields and through woods. At big camps, I bring both the Freewheel wheelchair and an electric scooter.
She uses the scooter for long distances and at the start of camp, before the grass paths have been trampled down. But the main reason is her kids, who have all sat on her lap.
– It’s practical. Alice is now four, and once she’s older, I’ll probably use the scooter less.
The only difficulty with her disability during scout camps is accessible toilets.
– At big camps, we’ve solved it with a portable toilet that fits the electric scooter too. Otherwise, we make sure to plan hikes near public toilets, says Malin with a light tone.
That Malin is a role model is clear, both in how she lives with her disability and in what she teaches as a teacher, scout leader, and outreach worker. Malin is prepared—always prepared.
