Building healthier communities and youth leadership through Scouting
By Alastair Hannaford, Youth Representative - Human Rights and Health, World Scouting
From 10 to 12 October, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Youth Council met in Berlin, on the sidelines of the World Health Summit. There, they called on governments, organisations, and individuals to promote health education and literacy, ensuring accessible and sustainable healthcare, and elevating youth leadership in health advocacy.
Last month, the WHO Youth Council launched the Youth Declaration on Creating Healthy Societies. This declaration outlines ten calls to action, empowering youth to play a central role in building healthier and safer societies for all. One key call emphasised the importance of “learning environments that are flexible and responsive to the evolving needs of society.”
Youth organisations around the world, like the Scout Movement, are already working hard to realise these goals. Through the Scout Method, an essential and unique system for progressive self-education, Scouts are shaping their paths and gaining crucial skills. But, for the Youth Declaration to achieve its full impact, collaboration is essential. We must work together with governments, civil society, and the private sector to empower young people with the skills and opportunities they need to influence public health.
For the past two years, World Scouting has been actively involved in the work of the WHO Youth Council, amplifying voices of young people around the world to create healthier communities. As co-chair of the Youth Council’s second term, it is an honour to be leading efforts that will enable youth people to shape health policies and strategies. The Council’s working groups focus on critical areas: health education and literacy, planetary health, and accessibility and equity. These groups will enable us to equip all young people with the tools they need to drive positive change.
Health education has always been central to the Scout Movement. Since the COVID-19 pandemic and the launch of the Global Youth Mobilisation, this focus has become even more critical for both today and for the future of the Movement. Scouting’s new strategy and Conference Resolution 2024-08 on Mental Health emphasise the wellbeing of Scouts. The new Health and Wellbeing initiative further supports these aims, encouraging young people to learn about their own health needs and those of their communities, empowering them to take action.
Around the world, young people are stepping up to improve health in their communities. Scouting’s initiative and strategy are supporting these efforts by providing a framework that recognises the achievements of young people working to create healthy societies.
It is vital that National Scout Organizations (NSOs) also invest in health and wellbeing programmes. For NSOs without such programmes in place, the World Scout Bureau is ready to advance - in consultation with young people - steps to implement health education locally.
The role of Scouting in shaping public health for all young people is significant and growing. From grassroots projects designed and implemented by Scouts to national and global advocacy, the Movement is committed to shaping healthier societies for youth everywhere.
