Our Programs

Why

The Purpose

The program exists to help develop young people in the areas of personal growth, to develop them as active citizens involved in their local, national and global communities.

What

The Activities

We achieve this through a diverse program of activities that are adventurous, fun, challenging, and inclusive.

How

The Scout Method

The learning process is achieved through a unique method of delivery.

One Development Program across Five Sections

Scouting in Australia provides one developmental program, inclusive of ages 5 to 25. To ensure the program is suited to each developmental stage of the child, adolescent, and young adult, it is structured into one continuous journey over five sections.

Throughout the journey, Scouts experience the program either working as a member of a small team or Patrol, as a member of a larger Unit (made up of a number of Scouts in the same section) or as an individual.

What Scouting is all about

As mentioned in our purpose, Scouting is all about fostering personal growth in the following areas:

• Social
• Physical
• Intellectual
• Character
• Emotional
• Spiritual

The development areas of social, physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual make up the basis of a person’s character. This concept is known as SPICES.

It’s a journey built on an engaging youth program that is tailored to each individual – the program has young people at the centre.

Each step of the journey has new adventures and challenges that are built on the skills, knowledge and experiences from the previous section – though young people can join at any point in the journey.

The program provides opportunities that are…

• Adventurous
• Fun
• Challenging
• Inclusive

And an experience that is all about:

• Connecting with the outdoors
• Learning new skills
• Building new and existing friendships
• Helping create a better world.

We follow a process called Plan>Do>Review to ensure the program stays up to date and relevant for individuals to learn and develop to the best of their abilities.

Plan>Do>Review

• Happens in many different ways and at different times depending on the needs of the group and what is being done
• Is practiced for everything from an individual game, to the whole program of a Unit
• Especially helpful when running big projects and adventures
• Helpful for the individual to aid their personal progression with goal setting and reflection.

Core Themes of the Program

The Scout program must be adventurous, fun, challenging and inclusive. The program is designed to engage young people in a relevant program of self-development and personal progression. To enable this, adult leaders must understand and strive to maintain the core themes of the program.

Young People at the Centre

It is key for each individual to be at the centre of their experience. Each Scout follows their own pathway through Scouting and the journey of one Scout will probably look very different to the journey of another.

Adult leaders are there to guide and support, but the experience will be ultimately driven by the Scout. This process helps ensure Scouting is being adapted to each Scout’s individual needs.

In our approach to Scouting, we always have to check-in and make sure young people are at the centre. One of the best ways to ensure this is happening is to make sure Scouts are involved in decision-making, and that the program is youth-led and adult supported. The Review> process helps to gather feedback from youth members and facilitate an environment where young people feel comfortable about being open and honest, and when necessary critical! Giving Scouts the opportunity to speak up and be seriously listened to ensures continuous improvement to the program and keeps Scouting current. It is also especially helpful to resolve any issues that might otherwise make members feel unhappy or unwelcome.

One Program | One Journey

Scouting is one consistent journey. This journey is represented through the symbolic framework of the age sections. Each stage of the journey, represented by an age section, presents new challenges, experiences and perspectives of the world around us.

The program challenges Scouts to discover all kinds of new adventures. Scouts create their own paths, finding adventure in not only the activity, but the challenge of leading the way. Scouts work as a Patrol to explore the great unknown. Every experience will involve a new challenge and Scouts will support each other along the way.

Scouts are challenged to look wide – to seek adventure they may not have thought possible before. Scouts realise the Purpose of Scouting – becoming well-rounded individuals that go beyond the horizon to help create a better world.

The Scouting journey should be a continuous flow, focusing on an individual’s personal progression throughout the movement. We use the symbolic framework of the sections to emphasise and encourage Scouts to pursue new challenges and experiences by progressing to the next section.

While new experiences are a focus, the one program model ensures it’s familiar. Each section uses the Patrol System, the language is the same, the Achievement Pathways have commons features, and the Scouting community is always welcoming.

Who Develops the Program?

At all stages, young people and adults partner together in the creation of the program. No matter their age, youth members will feel empowered and encouraged to contribute to the program they experience. Ideally, by early adolescence, this will see youth members developing the majority of the program activities with the ongoing support and facilitation of adults. As a Scout becomes a young adult, they will Plan>Do>Review all aspects of the program they create and partake in.