In Algeria, the media coverage of Scouts’ assistance following an earthquake accelerated a long-term growth plan.

Scouting in Algeria currently serves 80,000 Scouts, supported by 15,000 leaders. However, with a population of 30 million, including eight million children of school age and one million university students, there is room for growth.

The Scouts Musulmans Algériens have always placed an emphasis on community action. However, it was the news coverage of Scouting’s support to the communities affected by a terrible earthquake in 2003 that resulted in much greater public awareness of what Scouting was capable of achieving.

The Armenian National Scout Movement has always paid special attention to the use of the media in its membership drives. In one instance, the media coverage of an event led to strong growth in a town where previously Scouting had not existed.

A challenge facing The Scout Association of the UK was that leaders have less time for volunteering. How, then, could they be better supported in providing high-quality Scouting? The solution is an innovative online programme planning resource that supports adult volunteers in planning and preparing their weekly programmes for young people.

For a number of reasons, including financial difficulties, the Asociación de Scouts de Mexico had been losing membership for a number of years. It has since undergone a strategic thinking process that it hopes will now bear fruit.

This session is based on the workshop on Action for Growth presented to participants at the World Scout Conference in Korea in July 2008. The session can be used at national, regional or district level in Scout associations to introduce key factors related to growing the Movement.

For the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), membership growth and development is more than just the strategies used to recruit and retain members. Membership development is successful only if and when Cub Scouting contributes to the growth, development, and satisfaction of the boy and his family.

• The Youth Involvement Toolbox
• Adults as Allies
• Scouts of the World Award
• RoverNet.eu
• The Gender Toolkit
• Guidelines on Scouting for People with Disabilities
• Guidelines on Scouting for Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances
• Volunteers in Scouting Toolkit
• Euro.Scout.Docs
• The Strategic Planning Kit
• ScoutBoom.Comm
• How To Use Research to Enhance Guiding and Scouting
• Action for Growth (European Scout Region)