What is Scouting?

An introduction to Scouting

Information for parents of new Members and adults new to Scouting

Background

Scouting is an international Movement with over 28 million Members worldwide spread across 216 countries and territories. The number of countries, recognising the values of Scouting and accepting its principles is steadily increasing.

The Scout Association in the UK accepts Members of all major faiths and offers equal opportunities to all young people in the community, no matter what their social, religious or ethnic background may be. Scouting is not a religious body. It is an organisation which encourages young people to grow spiritually and develop within their own faith and denomination. It has a positive policy of integration and welcomes children and young people who have physical and mental disabilities.

There are about 500,000 people in Membership throughout the United Kingdom. This includes about 100,000 adults who have taken up Appointments as voluntary Leaders, Administrators and Supporters.

During 1991, girls were admitted to the Beaver Scout, Cub Scout and Scout Sections. This complemented the admission of young women to the Venture Scout Section in 1976.

During the spring of 2002 The Scout Association launched a new Programme for young people aged 6-25. This was the largest change to our curriculum for nearly 40 years. A careful strategy of change management was devised to help people move forward into delivering a totally new way of providing Scouting, particularly the 14-25 age range. Two new Sections were created to replace Venture Scouting. Explorer Scouts (14-18) and the Scout Network (18-25). This coincided with a complete re-branding of The Scout Association.

The five Sections

At whatever age, a young person in the Movement is a ‘Scout’.

The Balanced Programme spans a 6-25 age range, divided up into five Sections. Each Section has its own identity, ethos and style. They all have adult support which varies in style in the different age groups.

• A Beaver Scout Colony has members aged between 6 and 8
• A Cub Scout Pack has members aged 8 – 10½.
• A Scout Troop is for young people aged from 10½ – 14 years.

These are all part of a Scout Group.

An Explorer Scout Unit is for young people from 14-18 years old. Explorer Scout Units are part of a Scout District, although some are attached to Groups.

A Scout Network is for young people aged 18 – 25 years old. Scout Networks are the responsibility of the Scout County or Area.

The Purpose of Scouting

Scouting in the UK is organised through The Scout Association. The Scout Association has a clear purpose:

‘To help young people achieve their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potential as individuals, as responsible citizens and as Members of their local, national and international communities’.

Even if we can’t solve all the problems in the world, we can help to make it a better place. We do this by helping young people to develop as active members of the community.

Scouting makes a positive contribution to society by helping young people to develop as active members of the community:

• who are self reliant
• who are caring
• who are responsible
• who show commitment.

Scouting works well when young people enjoy learning by doing in partnership with adults. They do this by:

• taking part in a variety of activities and new experiences
• exploring the outdoors
• participating in teams
• taking responsibility for themselves and other.

Our method for giving young people the opportunity to learn by doing is called the Programme. The Programme is a seamless progression of training, activities and awards that covers everything that young people do in Scouting from the ages of 6 to 25.

The Programme involves helping young people to grow in six Personal Development Areas, these are:

• Body
• Mind
• Faiths and Beliefs
• Relationships
• Community
• Surrounding

All adults in Scouting have a responsibility to make sure that the Programme is fun and exciting. We must also make sure that it is safe. The Scout Association’s policies, rules, code of behaviour, advice on Child Protection and safety policy are there to help adults make sure the young people in their care stay safe while they enjoy themselves and learn. There are special training and requirements to take young people on nights away, and to lead adventurous activities such as mountaineering and water activities.

The Principles of Scouting

Scouting has three key principles:

• Duty to Self
• Duty to Others
• Duty to God

Everyone in Scouting expresses their Membership and acceptance of the key principles by making the Scout Promise and following the Scout Law. The Scout Promise and Law gives a distinctive ethos to the practices of the Movement and acts as a bond with Scouts worldwide.

The Structure of Scouting

The administrative structure of The Association enables the effective delivery of the Programme. It is organised at four levels:

1. The Scout Group
2. The Scout District
3. The Scout County or Area
4. National Headquarters

In many ways, each level operates independently and each ‘unit’ in is a charity in its own right. The larger units provide facilities, activities and support beyond the resources of the smaller ones.

The local structure of The Scout Association
The Scout Group

The Scout Group is where Scouting happens locally for the first three Sections. In some cases Explorer Units may be affiliated to the local Group. Scout Groups are the bases for the ‘family’ of Scouting for those aged 6 to 14. Younger Members are able to feel confident and happy about moving through the Sections at this local level. It is within this framework of the Scout Group that the Law and Promise are fulfilled. The Group also provides a secure base for the development of the individual young person.

Scout Groups work because they offer a close level of support for the young people in their care. They know the community and the needs of its young people.

When a young person joins a Section their parents are usually expected to:

• support the young person
• show interest and support the Section’s activities
• support the local Group in fundraising, social activities, offers of skills and other help, where appropriate.

What makes Scout Groups successful is their ability to:

• deliver enjoyable high quality Programmes for young people
• focus on the fun and friendship that Scouting brings
• involve parents/carers
• respond to local needs
• be positive and progressive.

Ideally, the Group will be lead by a Group Scout Leader (GSL) who will make every effort to ensure that each Section in the Group has an adequate leadership team. They will also ensure that the development of the young people is co-ordinated throughout their progress in Scouting. An essential part of this process is support to all of the adults who are involved in Scouting.

The GSL is helped by those adults who work directly with the young people and by the Group Chairperson. The Chairperson leads the Group Executive Committee, which provides support to the Group through administration, fundraising and a very wide range of support activities. Once a year the Group must hold an Annual General Meeting of the Group Council (including of all adults connected to the Group). The AGM reports on the year’s events and elections of the Group’s Officers and Executive will take place. This provides a forum for comment and future planning.

Fundraising is an important part of the Group’s activity as money will be necessary for:

• maintenance and repair of the Group Headquarters
• equipment for camping and expeditions
• events – activities and outings
• training of Leaders
• day to day activities – indoor and out
• administration and insurance cover

The Group should be an integral part of the community that it serves, both providing help to the community and receiving support from the community to carry out its work with young people.

The Scout District and Counties/Areas take on the roles of the Group for Explorer Scouting and the Scout Network respectively.

Financing

Scout Groups, Districts and Counties/Areas are entirely self-financing. A Membership Subscription is payable by all Members of The Association to meet local and national support costs. The way that these costs are met are by the Section asking Members to pay regular subscriptions, to meet some of the costs and through regular fundraising.

Adult Support

At all stages, adults work with the young people they lead. They provide young people with exciting and challenging experiences and then help them use those experiences in their personal and social development.

The Association naturally places great emphasis on safety when arranging challenging and adventurous activities and in ensuring that all of the young people involved are safe from harm.

The varying styles of leadership in the Movement are quite distinctive. For Beaver Scouts, the Leader must normally be more directive than a Leader working with and supporting Explorer Scouts who can and should plan and carry out many of their own activities.

Leaders are encouraged to develop their own skills through formal and informal learning experiences and sharing ideas with each other. A network of specialist Trainers, Developers and Administrators supports this. A professional team of Field Development Officers directly supports the work of volunteers in the Counties/Areas, Districts and Groups.

Thus, Leaders work with young people through the Balanced Programme to meet the Aim of the Association. Scouting is managed and run locally by teams of Commissioners whose jobs involve supporting those delivering the Programme.

Where to find out more

There are lots of places to find out more about Scouting….

• The Scout Information Centre

The Scout Information Centre is a one-stop shop for all your Scouting needs from purchasing resources or finding out about becoming a Leader. They are open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 12pm on Saturdays.

By phone 0845 300 1818
By email info.centre@scout.org.uk
Online: www.scouts.org.uk/scoutbase

• Outdoors

Outdoors has 26 stores in the UK, and supply outdoor equipment from leading manufacturers as well as Scouting uniforms, equipment and resources. Outdoors’ own-brand goods are recognised as providing excellent value for money with outstanding durability. Outdoors is wholly owned by The Scout Association and each year profits are returned to Scouting.

Find your local store:

By phone: 01903 755 352
By email: enquiries@outdoors.ltd.uk
Online: www.scouts.org.uk/outdoors

• Scouting on-line

For general information on Scouting in the UK log onto The Association’s website:

www.scouts.org.uk