Scouting works by letting young people learn by doing in partnership with adults.
They do this by:
- taking part in a variety of activities and new experiences
- exploring the outdoors
- participating in teams
- taking responsibility
Scouting is divided into age groups, called Sections.
Each Section forms part of a progressive learning Programme, which is our method for giving young people the opportunity to learn by doing.
- What is the Programme?
- What does it cover?
- How is it organised?
- How is it delivered?
- How does Scouting recognise achievement?
- How to Join
The Programme
The Programme is a continuous progression of training, activities and awards that covers everything that young people do in Scouting from the age of 6 to 25.
It's all about joining in and having fun, with a much greater emphasis on encouraging young people to learn from taking part.
The Programme is designed to be
- relevant and attractive
- easy to understand and operate
- progressive and accessible
- appealing to a wide range of young people
- meaningful and fulfilling
- safe and enjoyable
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What Does the Programme Cover?
The Programme is designed to give young people a well-rounded self-development opportunity.
As such it covers activities around the following themes:
- fun and friendship
- challenge and adventure
- personal development
- citizenship
- self-reliance
- responsibility and achievement
- spirituality
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How is the Programme Organised?
The Programme is organised into Zones, which fit into each Section (link to Sections page) according to age and ability.
Each Section has its own set of Programme Zones, ranging from five in the Beaver Scouts to eight in the Explorer Scout and Scout Network Programmes.
Each Section includes Zones that cover activities which touch on themes such as Outdoors, Community, Fitness, International, and Beliefs and Attitude.
Leaders structure their Section's Programme plan to visit each Zone regularly, so that all Scouts receive a well-rounded experience.
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How is Scouting Delivered?
Each Section has a range of Methods that help Leaders to explore each Zone in an imaginative way.
These Methods involve playing games, making things, going on visits, helping others, using the outdoors and following themes.
The range of Methods helps to bring as much variety as possible into the Programme, and leaders are given regular update training to make sure that the activities and opportunities they are providing are fresh and fun.
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How Does Scouting Recognise Achievement?
The emphasis in Scouting is on participation and fun, but we also believe that it is important to help young people fulfil their potential by challenging them to work towards achieving badges and awards.
This helps build confidence while equipping young people with useful new skills for later in life.
Scouting is not all about tying knots and reading a compass. There are badges for subjects as diverse as Public Relations, IT, Survival Skills, Dragon Boating, or Global Conservation as well as the more 'traditional' subjects.
Each Section has its own range of badges and awards that recognise a young person's achievement and contain activities relevant to the age of the members of that section.
The general kinds of badges and awards are:
- Membership Award - presented to anyone who makes their promise and law.
- Joining In (Beaver and Cub Sections) - recognises participation in a wide range of activities as well as commitment to attending Scout meetings.
- Moving On awards - these introduce young people to the activities and programme of the next Section.
- Group awards - these are activities where yon people have to work as a team to accomplish a common goal, and are usually themed around one of the Section's Zones such as Environment, Faith, or International.
- Challenges - these are activities geared around Section Zones where a young person will need to complete a task or project in order to earn the badge.
- Chief Scout's Award - this requires completion of a number of challenges.
- Queen's Scout Award - highest award for young people in Scouting, only for Explorer and Network - this requires completion of a series of challenges plus other tasks.
- Activity badges - there are 121 different activity badges on offer and 4 which are staged across the sections (for example, swimming)
- External awards - Duke of Edinburgh Awards for over 14 years and over, Gateway for Special Needs members, plus many others.
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