Young Voices Leading change: How Barbados Scouts are building environmental leadership through hands-on training
As part of the global partnership between UNICEF and World Scouting to expand the Champions for Nature Challenge, Ecuador and Barbados are taking bold steps to empower young people as leaders for the planet. With support from UNICEF, this initiative equips Scouts with green skills, confidence, and tools to take meaningful climate action.
The Barbados Boy Scouts Association is one of only eight Scout Organisations globally chosen to pilot "A greener Barbados: Scouts for sustainability", a project developed under the WOSM/UNICEF Green Skills for Youth-Led Climate Action initiative. Focused on environmental protection, sustainable gardening, and reforestation, the project recognises that real change happens when young people are equipped to lead.
The team knew training was essential before any real environmental work could begin. All team leads and key personnel received in-depth guidance on their roles and responsibilities during sessions held on 29 March and 19 April. This preparation phase brought together 33 participants, including young people and adults, ensuring that everyone involved clearly understood what would be expected as they guided others through building a greener Barbados.
The most impactful training occurred during the National Camp on 11 April, where 108 Scouts gathered for an interactive workshop led by personnel from the Ministry of Environment and National Beautification, one of the project's official partners. The engagement was high, the energy even higher as Scouts participated in meaningful discussions and learned new environmental concepts.
The young participants' voices made the training particularly powerful. One Scout reflected, "I never knew there was so much to learn about our gullies and how important reforestation is. Understanding why we need to plant back the trees has opened my eyes, and I'm really looking forward to being part of that process."
A Venture Scout participant shared their motivation: "I love going to the beach, but it's always upsetting to see so much trash left behind. I'm excited about the beach cleanups; doing something about it feels good."
These young people didn't just absorb information during the workshops—they began connecting what they do today with the impact it can have tomorrow. The excitement proved contagious, as Scouts left the sessions more informed, genuinely inspired, and ready to take real, tangible action in their communities.
The training has successfully prepared leaders and Scouts for key roles in the project, creating a shared sense of excitement as they prepare for the next phase. At its core, this initiative isn't just about planting trees or tending gardens—it's about planting hope, cultivating responsibility, and growing a generation of youth-led changemakers who will carry sustainability values forward.
As the project continues to develop, the confidence, skills, and leadership of those involved will grow alongside it. Moreover, as part of the project, the NSO has now started a round of beach cleaning where Barbadian scouts and non-scouts will prove that when young people are educated, empowered, and given purpose, they become passionate champions for change. They’re building a greener Barbados, one Scout, one garden, one tree at a time.