All members of the Scout Movement are required to adhere to a Scout Promise and a Law reflecting, in language appropriate to the culture and civilization of each National Scout Organization and approved by the World Organization, the principles of Duty to God, Duty to others and Duty to self, and inspired by the Promise and Law conceived by the Founder of the Scout Movement in the following terms:

Educational Methods is a term used in Scouting that encompasses our approach to education for our members (Scouts) and our approach to the training of our volunteer leadership.

There is no single solution to make sure that Scouting is improving in quality and is attracting more young people. Staff representing all the offices of the World Scout Bureau met recently to share the initiatives that are being undertaken in NSOs in their Regions and to see what support is being provided at Regional and world levels to make sure that Scouting is able to attract and retain both young people and adults.

Here are some of the outcomes of that meeting.

From the discussions the following general points emerged:

Growth happens at local level – this is the key point to develop Scouting.

Youth Programme

1. Know your Membership – accurate numbers of Youth Members are needed at local and national levels.
2. Emphasise the Scout Method as the key shared element in the world-wide family of Scouting. This is our unique selling point in relation to the Youth Programme.

Adult Resources

1. Know your numbers – again accurate number of adults supporting Scouting in the different roles is required at local, national and world levels to support the growth of the Movement
2. Differentiate between the different adult roles
   • supporting young people
   • supporting Scouting structurally to enable appropriate training and support to be delivered
   • important to define mandate
   • important to include appointment process (behaviour and attitudes
3. Identify the “net gain” for adults which needs to be recognised and promoted.
   • What is the unique selling point for adults? Part of a world-wide family of Scouting?
   • IYV +10 in 2011 is an opportunity to promote volunteering.

Scouting's Profile

1. Create a better image of Scouting at local level – so that people
   • feel as a Scout (emotional), look like Scouts, act as Scouts and there are
   • relationships with key leaders of the communities so Scouting can
   • show collective action / ownership and live up to
   • the fame and the reputation
2. Strengthen the Brand
   • corporate image
   • signage
   • focus on the Scout brand
3. Marketing
   • adapt our marketing to the segments /expectations and needs of young people and the communities
   • renew the corporate image on that basis /appearance

Growth will be a key session at the Communication Fora that are currently being run in each of the Regions. More information: http://scout.org/fora

WOSM has developed a tool to support a self-assessment process in NSOs, as part of the overall work to support the development of strong, well-functionning NSOs and as a tool to ensure that the constitutions of existing and potential NSOs are acceptable as a legal document.

The tool is divided into different sections. The section on educational methods covers aspects of Youth Programme, Youth Membership and Adult Membership and Adult Resources. A copy of the educational methods section can be downloaded below and you may find it useful in your work as an Educational Committee at national level or in the teams supporting Youth Programme and Adult Resources in NSOs.

Download the Checklist :

Download Preliminary results & NSO checklist analysis (Africa Region) :

Scouting recognises that volunteers play an essential role in the Movement and the Adults in Scouting model sets out an approach to the overall management; the recruitment, appointment, support and training and recognition, of its volunteers.

The Strategy for Scouting challenges NSOs to develop new approaches to broaden the base of volunteers that are willing and able to support Scouting. Approaches to volunteering vary from country to country. The EMC will help NSOs to explore volunteering from their perspective and make plans to extend their base of volunteering and provide appropriate training to support the growth of Scouting.

More information on volunteering is available in the World Adult Resources Policy , the Volunteers in Scouting Toolkit and the Volunteers in Scouting Toolkit 2.

The adoption of the Strategy for Scouting in 2002 was the result of the work done at all levels of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in recent years. The Strategy for Scouting recognises that each National Scout Organisation (NSO) has peculiar needs and challenges. Consequently each NSO adapts the Strategy to its own reality and develops coherent action plans. Therefore, the Strategy for Scouting is not rigid, it is a framework for integral action.

This module compiles the history of the development of the Strategy for Scouting, outlines the Strategy's concept and contents; it also provides a general overview of the process to measure progress and impact. It lists the global impacts and outcomes that can be achieved and measured at National Scout Organizations (NSO), World Scout Committee (WSC) and World Scout Bureau (WSB) levels. For further information, please contact

For Scouting to grow and develop it needs volunteers who have a wide range of skills and experience. Sometimes the vision of who can volunteer to support Scouting is too narrow, sometimes we are not clear what we expect from our volunteers and sometimes we are not aware what our volunteers expect from us.

Here is some news from Associations that are working on Adolescents.

• Youth of the World web-site launched
• Active Citizenship Programme in Brazil
• Scouts of the World Technical Commission meets
• Programme development for the last age section in Europe

Scouting recognises that volunteers play an essential role in the Movement and National Scout Organisations are encouraged to value this important resource. For NSOs to grow and offer better Scouting to more young people, they need to attract and retain a sufficient quantity of motivated and effective leaders and maintain their motivation and effectiveness throughout their time in the association.

In recent years many NSOs have invested time and resources in identifying the trends in volunteering in their country; clearly identifying the volunteers that are needed in their NSO and developing strategies and plans to recruit and retain volunteers. Building on these ideas tools and resources to support volunteering have been developed.

5 December 2009

Message from the Chairman of the World Scout Committee to all volunteers in the Movement
"Your expertise and commitment guarantee our growth"

Dear Scout Leaders, Dear Friends,

Your volunteerism is the catalyst that transforms the values of the Scout Movement into a reality. Thanks to you, the significance of these fundamental values is exemplified by the tenets of your service, responsibility, solidarity and involvement.

While in the midst of a global financial crisis, we see your steadfast support as a sign of good health. Our social assets are built upon your contributions to the future development of the young people around the world.

It is ten years since the first International Year of the Volunteer and WOSM is currently working with United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and other organisations to develop plans to celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2011, the International Year of the Volunteer +10. These celebrations coincide with an important year for Scouting as three of the four major world events will be held during 2011.

The year will start with the World Scout Youth Forum in Blumenau, Brazil, when around 150 young representatives from NSOs will gather to discuss and explore issues and prepare to participate in the World Scout Conference. The World Scout Conference follows in Curitiba, Brazil in early January 2011, when around 1,000 delegates and observers from 160 NSOs gather to discuss, debate and decide on key issues in Scouting.

How could you prepare your next Volunteer recruitment campaign? How could you reinforce your volunteer recognition and retention strategy? How could you renew your volunteer management approach?

If these questions are important for you as others issues, this toolkit is for you.

This document includes some key concepts, new factsheets and practical worksheets to support Volunteer in Scouting.

Youth Programme is the totality of what young people do in Scouting (the activities), how it is done (the Scout method) and the reason why it is done (the purpose).

It is the principal means of achieving the purpose of Scouting and is the key to attracting and retaining members.

Youth Programme is implemented through a partnership between young people and adult leaders, taking into account the participants' interests, needs and abilities.

The World Scout Team at the COP17 has been shuttling down the corridors and pavements of the ICC urging the leaders of the world to reconsider the future of the young people specifically the 30million large that are members of the Movement.

The team has been actively involved in the working groups of Youth Non-Governmental Organizations (YOUNGOs). On September 28, 2009 the international youth movement (YOUNGO) gained official constituency status.

As the Climate Change talks are going on at the The International Convention Centre Durban (ICC), around 70 Scouts get the great opportunity every day to do a program on Climate Change in the Kwazulu-Natal Scouts Headquarters. The Kids arrive in the morning and are educated about Climate Change, the COP17, Food-Gardening and Scouting in Germany. In a rotating system they don’t only sit and listen, but are involved in an active program.

Durban, South Africa - World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) and the World Association of the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) held a joint press conference at the Climate Change talks in Durban.
28 representatives from the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) are at the United Nations climate change conference, COP 17, representing their 40million strong membership with the clear message that countries must reach a fair, ambitious and binding agreement in Durban.

In September 2009, a total of 938 official National Scout Organization (NSO) representatives registered in the WOSM directory were invited to participate in an electronic survey to rate the level of satisfaction with the services provided by WOSM to NSOs. For the sole purpose of this survey "WOSM services" were referred to as comprising "the work of volunteer committees and the World Scout Bureau Central and Regional Offices". This was an initiative from the World Scout Committee (WSC) supported by the Strategy Coordination Group (SCG), which fitted directly into the first of the commitments which the Secretary General, had expressed since taking up his position: "to develop a customer oriented mentality to better serve NSOs".

The horrors of war

Longing for peace after three years of war, in 1917 B-P wrote "The roots of Scouting have grown among young people of all civilised countries and are developing more each day. It might be thought that if in years to come, a considerable proportion of the future citizens of each nation forms part of this brotherhood, they will be joined by a bond of personal friendship and mutual understanding such as has never existed before, which will help to find a solution to terrible international conflicts."

What to do with young people?

Released from his missions, Baden Powell set up home in England. He looked at the pressing problems of a British society weakened by unemployment and decided to devote himself to the service of young people. Taking advantage of his fame, he spoke directly to them by means of the newspapers sold in stalls throughout England.

Scouting does not exist in isolation; it is part of the community and it needs to work in partnership with others, from individuals to organisations and institutions at local, national and world levels.

Where? Dendrarium Park
When? 31.03.
What? Earth Hour 2012

30th March 2012, Sri Lanka -- Young people in colorful shirts, scarves and flags will soon occupy the Jamboree site in Dambulla, Matale district, for the first major regional event this year in the Asia-Pacific – the 29th APR Scout Jamboree from 1st to 6th April 2012.

Saturday 31st March 2012 from 20.30 to 21.30 will be the Earth Hour 2012. For one hour, millions of people across the world will turn off their lights at those hours and World Scouting joins in our continued support to this initiative. WOSM invites all Scouts around the world to join this global initiative by turning off your lights and taking part in activities that demonstrate your concern for the environment.

For almost 100 years the Scout Movement has contributed to building a better world through the personal commitment of hundred of millions of women and men living up to their Scout Promise. In many countries, people with leadership roles (politics, civil society, international organizations, business) are former Scouts. This does not happen by chance.

Contributions to the World Scout Foundation, unless otherwise specified, are permanently invested in capital (endowment) funds. Income from the funds are used by the World Organization of the Scout Movement to assist the growth of Scouting, particularly in developing countries.

In certain countries, contributions to the Foundation offer tax benefits. More information is available on request.
The Foundation has a number of progammes which are explained below. In addition, there are opportunities to give financial support to specific projects.

Geneva, 13 March 2009 - On the occasion of the Africa Scout Day, World Scouting launches a fund-raising campaign to “help young people to help themselves” with the support of The Scout Universal Fund (“U” Fund). This fund was established in 1963 to provide a means for all members of the Scout Movement to help Scouts in other countries in their development activities.

We are pleased to announce the publication of the next (second) issue of Scout Project Exchange(SCOPE) List.

Partnership is one of the pillars our movement is based on. It supports formal and informal communications, exchange of experience, values and expertises between the NSOs. It also promotes a dialogue between generations for better understanding and solutions.