18th GT(N) Online > Scouting Resources

In July 2002 leaders of all National Scout Organizations will be discussing a long-term strategy for Scouting. They will make a decision about this in Thessaloniki at the World Scout Conference, the "general assembly" of Scouting.
The first century of Scouting was a success story and Scouting is now one of the few really global organizations. It has adapted to just about all cultural and economic backgrounds. This has resulted in a doubling of its membership every 20 years and a presence in 151 countries world-wide. Its spectacular rebirth in countries of the former communist block is proof that it continues to respond to a fundamental need.

However, we have to face some facts: Membership is falling in some industrialised countries and a few National Scout Organizations (NSOs) are losing so many of their adolescents that they are fast becoming organizations for children. In 2007 Scouting will enter into the second century of its existence - "will this be the beginning of a decline or an opportunity for renewal, continuous development and growth?"

Developing a long-term strategy requires a shared vision, a focus on specific goals (strategic priorities) and setting clear objectives. The proposed vision and the strategic priorities are set on the following pages, with an opportunity for you to give feedback.

Strategic Priority	These are some promising practices we know about. Do you have others to suggest? strategy@world.scout.org	Download in pdf format
1. Youth Involvement	Mozambique - the regeneration of the Association and the involvement of young leaders in the process
	Belgium - greater youth involvement and young leadership.
2. Adolescents	MALAYSIA - training Scouts to spread the message about AIDS.
	PORTUGAL - providing a successful programme for the adolescent age-range
3. Girls, Boys, Women and Men	EUROPEAN REGION - a large gender research project is underway.
4. Reaching Out	UGANDA - Giving street children a family life, based on Scouting principles and values; helping them to acquire skills and return to school. (preliminary report)
	RWANDA/Great Lakes - Scouts work on reconciliation and peace education in an effort to bring people together following the genocide in the mid 1990s. (preliminary report)
	ARAB REGION: Youth to Youth project
	EGYPT - Helping working children
	EURASIA REGION - Ticket for Life, a programme to help street children.
	FRANCE - "Plein Vent", providing camping experiences for socially disadvantaged, usually innercity children
5. Volunteers in Scouting	AUSTRALIA - government accreditation of training programmes offered by Scouts Australia.
	SWITZERLAND - Effective programmes using volunteers at the Kandersteg International Scout Centre.
6. Modern Organization	UK - the Information Centre: breaking the barrier to communicating through layers of the association, and with the public. (500k)
	PAKISTAN - using mail networks to improve communication among Scouts in Karachi, and to coorinate service projects such as blood donation campaigns.
	CANADA - Scouts Canada reorganizing structures for greater efficiency, economy, and accountability.
7. Scouting's Profile	AFRICA REGION - Communication with members and the public via local radio stations by creating radio programmes to be broadcast in different countries.
	ANGOLA - Scouts involvement in the campaign to eradicate Polio.
	ARAB REGION - Effective partnerships with other non-governmental organizations to help Scouts improve themselves and their communities.
	ASIA PACIFIC REGION - Measuring the image of Scouting