We believe that lasting positive change in the world happens when we empower young people to lead positive action in their communities, through Scouting.
Scouting empowers young people, from a young age, through a unique values-based, non-formal education process.
57 million Scouts of all ages learn by doing, through a fun and challenging programme of quality educational activities, with a strong focus on active citizenship and community service. Scouts develop a wide range of key skills and behaviours that will guide them at every future stage of their life and encourage and enable them to lead positive action in their communities, worldwide, throughout their lives. Discover inspirational and impactful Scout projects via our news.
With your support, together, we can reach even more young people, from across the globe, to multiply this impact and drive long-lasting, positive change in society.
Scouting’s impact on the development of young people
By joining Scouting and taking part in a values-based, fun and challenging programme of educational activities young people develop a wide range of key skills and behaviours.
Two impact studies, validated by an external evaluator, were carried out in 2018 (Kenya, Singapore, United Kingdom) and 2019 (France, Mexico, The Netherlands and Saudi Arabic) to measure the effect of Scouting on the personal development of young people.
Scouts were compared with non-Scouts peers aged 14 to 17, across a set of skills, attitudes, knowledge and behaviour considered to be developed through Scouting.
Both studies showed Scouts out-performed non-Scout peers in nearly every category of personal development measured. Among the key findings:
-
Active citizenship: Scouts score 17% higher
-
Life skills and employability: Scouts score 16% higher
-
Leadership skills: Scouts score 12% higher
-
Empathy and supporting others: Scouts score 9% higher
Scouting’s impact on society
Through Scouting, young people learn to take responsibility for their own actions, for others and for the environment and society at large.
Scouting empowers young people with skills, knowledge and values, and promotes teamwork, service action and active citizenship.
And Scouting enables incredible social impact — in the 57 million current active Scouts worldwide, and in the (estimated) 500+ million Scouts alive today who have actively participated in the Scout programme and continue to drive positive change as active citizens.
For example, over the last 10 years, Scouts have completed over 16 million projects and initiatives in local communities worldwide, through the Messengers of Peace initiative, contributing over 2.7 billion hours of community service to tackle local issues. Find out more about Messengers of Peace here.
Scouts for SDGs
The Scouts for SDGs initiative was built on a longstanding partnership between Alwaleed Philanthropies, the World Scout Foundation, and the World Organization of the Scout Movement with a focus on promoting youth-led sustainable development, increasing volunteerism, and raising awareness about the most important global issues of our time. Scouts for SDGs is also a global mobilisation effort to inspire and enable young people through Scouting’s educational programme and local projects to be global citizens who are taking action for the SDGs worldwide.
This evaluation focuses on measuring the impact of the Scouts for SDGs initiative since its inception. It demonstrates the results and return on investment of the Scouts for SDGs initiative, while also highlighting key lessons that can enhance the Scouts for SDGs mobilisation effort for the future.
Download and read: Evaluation Report | Executive Summary