‘Scouts made me a do-er and a give it a go-er. Made me question and listen and have a wide- open mind. Scouts made me take a deep breath and speak up. Made me think on my feet, made me see the big picture, made me ignore the butterflies and go for it. Scouts made me get back up and try again. Made me think about what’s next, and plan for it. Made me jump in, get muddy, give back and get set.’
What do Scouts do?
Scouts get to speak up, step up and gain the skills they need to succeed in life. They take part in activities as diverse as kayaking, abseiling, expeditions overseas, photography, climbing and zorbing. Scouts learn survival skills, first aid, computer programming and even how to fly a plane. There’s something for everyone. It’s a great way to have fun, make friends, help others, get outdoors, express your creativity and support their communities.
Our Strategic Plan
Society is changing. In often fragmented communities, the pressures and expectations on young people are increasing. The future is uncertain. The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on areas of deprivation, so Scouts has never been so important in helping young people prepare for the future, developing the skills they need to succeed in a changing world. Each week almost half a million young people enjoy fun, friendship and outdoor adventure.
They develop a sense of optimism and strong values as well as the leadership and team working skills that are more valuable today than ever.
Our movement achieves remarkable things. We have grown for fourteen of the last fifteen years, opening Scouting in 1,260 areas of deprivation.
Now we want to go further. Skills for Life is a strategy that supports and empowers our volunteers who are the people that make Scouts a reality. It’s a strategy to bring communities together and contribute towards a better society. But most of all, it’s a strategy for young people. They deserve the best skills, the best support, and the best possible futures.
Our Vision
By 2025 we’ll have prepared more young people with skills for life, supported by amazing leaders delivering an inspiring programme. We’ll be growing, more inclusive, shaped by young people and making a bigger impact in our communities.
Our Mission
Scouting actively engages and supports young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.
Our Values
We say what we mean and when we make a promise, we keep it.
We listen to others, explore our differences and work to find common ground.
Scouts are friends to all and think of others before themselves.
We believe passionately in improving the lives and life chances of young people and helping them explore and develop their beliefs and attitudes.
Our Goals
Our plan is to build on the success of the previous plan: to continue to grow, become more inclusive, to be shaped by young people and to make a bigger impact in our communities. We have set new goals for 2025:
Growth
As a movement, we want to bring skills for life to more young people across the UK.
By 2025 we’ll have:
- 547,000 young people in Scouts, made up of 487,000 young people aged 6-18, plus 60,000 Squirrel Scouts
- 88,000 frontline adult volunteers (Section Leaders and Assistant Section Leaders)
- 19,500 Young Leaders
Inclusivity
Scouts is open to all. We believe it’s a priority to reflect the diversity of the communities we are in.
By 2025 we’ll have:
- 500 more sections created in areas of deprivation since 2018
- 5% of our adult volunteers from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds
Youth Shaped
There has been a growing momentum to ensure young people are shaping their experiences and taking on leadership roles at Scouts. We want to continue to build on this.
By 2025:
- 66% of young people (6-18) will be influencing what happens in Scouting locally
- 57% of young people (6-18) will be using their skills to run Scouting activities for other young people
- 40% of young people 4-14 will be achieving Top Awards
- 10% of young people 14+ will be achieving Top Awards
Community Impact
Since the launch of our social action campaign, A Million Hands, in 2015, over 250,000 young people have had the opportunity to take part in high quality social action on four big issues of our time. By 2025:
- 42% of young people will be making a positive impact in their community each year
- 40% of young people 4-14 will be achieving Top Awards
- 10% of young people 14+ will be achieving Top Awards.
You can read more about the structure of our movement here and you can find the Scout Association Staff Structure here.