World Scouting’s new educational initiatives: HealthAllies and LifeLeaders
World Scouting, in collaboration with a diverse group of stakeholders including global experts and partner organisations, is proud to announce the release of two new educational initiatives that will complement the national Youth Programmes of National Scout Organizations, and offer new education for sustainable development to young people worldwide.
The two new education initiatives, HealthAllies and LifeLeaders, developed over the past several years, offer a holistic education programme focused on the areas of health and well-being, and leadership. Together with World Scouting’s Earth Tribe and Messengers of Peace initiatives, focused on the areas of environment and peace-building, the Scout Movement can access a comprehensive suite of education programmes to engage young people in learning about some of the most pressing issues affecting current and future generations. The educational initiatives also aim to inspire young people to take action in their communities towards creating a better world for all.
The new educational initiatives and challenge badges have been made possible thanks to the generous support and collaboration of key partners and experts. These include Accenture, UN Population Fund (UNFPA), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World’s Largest Lesson (WLL) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Introducing the HealthAllies and LifeLeaders initiatives
The HealthAllies initiative is designed to equip young people with the knowledge to make informed health decisions, take charge of their well-being, and contribute positively to the health and resilience of their communities. The initiative covers crucial areas such as healthy lifestyles, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and personal safety. The overall initiative has been developed in association with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Two new Challenge badges under HealthAllies have also been developed as part of the initial rollout of the initiative. These Challenges include the Nutrition Challenge and the Mind Builders Challenge designed in partnership with the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance (YUNGA) under the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and with the support of volunteer experts.
LifeLeaders focuses on preparing Scouts for future employment and setting them up for success by developing leadership, innovation, and critical thinking skills. The initiative aims to foster strong interpersonal skills, entrepreneurship, and creativity among young people to ready them for the future of work, and life. The first two Challenge badges designed under LifeLeaders include the Impact Innovators Challenge, designed in collaboration with the World’s Largest Lesson (WLL) and the EQ in Action Challenge, which has been supported by volunteer education experts.
Innovative education and youth-led action
Together these four initiatives form a holistic programme of educational content, learning pathways, and badges to empower and mobilise Scouts as agents of change to develop new skills, discover their identity, and take action towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
A range of age-appropriate Scouting activities are now available online at the Scouts for SDGs hub related to each of the Challenges, encouraging young people and Scout leaders to get involved, and eventually earn their Challenge badges. The hub also now features new educational resources developed with the expertise of partners and volunteers, digital badges and online implementation guides related to all initiatives to support National Scout Organizations to integrate the initiatives into their national Youth Programmes.
Through these new initiatives, Scouts will be encouraged to create and implement community service projects as a mandatory step to earn their Challenge badges. The initiatives have been developed with extensive input from young people, educational experts, volunteers, and over 90 National Scout Organizations, and and piloted most recently at the 25th World Scout Jamboree.
Excitingly, these initiatives feature gamification elements and a unique digital wallet, ScoutPass, enabling Scouts to earn, collect, and share digital badges with fellow Scouts across the globe. ScoutPass also provides tangible credentials to recognise the competencies and skills gained through Scouting, enhancing real-world opportunities for young people.
ScoutPass, first developed in collaboration with the Learning Economy Foundation, and further supported by our new partner Accenture, recognises the competencies and skills young people develop through Scouting, and gives them tangible credentials that can be recognised by educational institutions and employers worldwide.
