The Scout Method
Scouting is a community – a community of youth and adults working in partnership for the improvement of themselves as individuals, as well as society more broadly. It is an international community, comprised of members from over 160 countries around the world. Each National Scout Organization functions differently, adapting to suit the needs of the society they operate within.
Scouting’s program for 21st Century Australian young people places your child at the centre of the program where personal development occurs in challenging, fun, adventurous, and inclusive ways.
Scouting is about seeking and gathering information; it is about a process of learning; acquiring skills and knowledge. The Scouting experience is complementary to formal education, contributing to the physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual development of
young people.
A Scouting youth member will learn some basic knowledge about Scouting, and the Section they join, with the support of their Scouting peers and adult Leaders.
The youth program is organised around five age-based Sections. This helps cater to the changing developmental needs of children and young people, promotes personal progression, ensures young people are at the centre of their Scouting journey, and builds a supportive environment.
As your child grows and progresses through Scouting, it is the support from peers that is often a key contributor to a successful transition from one Section to the next. As such, each Section functions with a peer mentoring system. This helps facilitate transition to the next Section, even before the youth member is ready to move. As Scouts get older, they will become more independent and able to work with youth members from across other age sections.
All activities in Scouting are implemented using The Scout Method, a framework consisting of eight equally important elements. Whether it is through community involvement; nature and the outdoors; learning-by-doing; the patrol system; youth leading, adults supporting; personal progression, symbolic framework or the Promise and Law, young people are empowered to set goals and collaborate to achieve them.
Your child will make the Australian Scout Promise and pledge to live by the Australian Scout Law when they join the Movement. These represent the values for the Scout Movement, values that all Scouting members around the world commit to living by.
The Scout program offers one continuous learning journey, with each Section representing another adventure. The Personal Progression Framework provides a structure for the experience of individuals within this. It represents the elements of the journey that all youth participating in the program will experience, as well as challenging those who wish to gain even more personally from their Scouting experience.
On any journey, not everyone wants or needs to reach the summit, and that’s ok! The Achievement Pathways has been designed to offer many paths. There are many interesting routes to choose from. As a parent or guardian, you might need to support your young person in discovery and exploration and managing their time. This does not mean you do the work for them, but instead they might seek your assistance or guidance to complete a task. Achievements of youth members will be recognised in a lot of ways including ceremonies and the awarding of certificates and cloth badges.
Scouting is a movement that can take you many places, and is not just for the young person. Your family will also have the opportunity to become a part of the Scouting community. This is not necessarily about you taking on a specific role, but about the new friendships that you, as a parent or guardian, might make through your young person’s involvement in the Movement. As a parent or guardian of a young person in the Scout Movement, you might be asked to assist in Group events and fundraising initiatives. This forms part of the life of the Scout Group.