Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth social movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking, and sports. Another widely recognized movement characteristic is the Scout uniform, by intent hiding all differences of social standing in a country and encouraging equality, with neckerchief and campaign hat or comparable headwear. Distinctive uniform insignia include the fleur-de-lis and the trefoil, as well as merit badges and other patches.
“Asociación de Guías y Scouts de Chile” (AGSCH), established in 1978, represents a significant unification of the Scout Association of Chile (ASCH) and the Girl Guides Association of Chile (AGCH). Affiliated with both the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), AGSCH is actively involved in global initiatives that address critical social issues. These include health, nutrition, world peace, environmental conservation, and the integration of disabled individuals into society. This affiliation also endows AGSCH with consultative status with the United Nations on matters related to children and youth, and membership in the Scout Parliamentary Union, which comprises over thirty members in Chile. The commitment of AGSCH to these initiatives underscores its dedication to promoting positive social change and youth development.
Gidsen- en Scoutsbeweging in België (Dutch) or Guidisme et Scoutisme en Belgique (French) (GSB) is the national Guiding and Scouting federation in Belgium. Scouting in Belgium started in 1911, and Guiding followed in 1915. The Belgian Scouts were among the charter members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 1922, and the Guides were one of the founding members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) in 1928. The federation counts 121,600 Scouts and 59,268 Guides.
Lone Scouts are members of the Scout movement who are in isolated areas or otherwise do not participate in a regular Scouting unit or organization. A Lone Scout must meet the membership requirements of the Scouting organization to which they belong and have an adult Scout leader or counselor who may be a parent, guardian, minister, teacher, or another adult. The leader or counselor instructs the boy and reviews all steps of Scouting advancement. Lone Scouts can be in the Scout Section or sections for older young people, and in some countries in the Cub section or sections for younger boys. They follow the same program as other Scouts and may advance in the same way as all other Scouts.
The Scout Movement in Spain consists of about 30 independent associations, most of them active on the regional level. Due to the regionalisation of Spain, even the larger nationwide associations are divided into regional sub-associations with individual emblems, uniforms and Scout programs.
The Scouting and Guiding movement in Argentina consists of at least ten independent organizations as well as some international units. Scouting was officially founded in Argentina in 1912, shortly after the publication of "Scouting For Boys" in Spanish, was granted a National Charter in 1917, and was among the charter members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1922.
Scouting and Guiding in Colombia refers to the set of associations, groups, and the history of the Scout Movement and Guide Movement within Colombian territory. In Colombia, several scout associations are present, including the World Organization of Christian Scouts, the Asociación Scouts de Colombia, the Asociación de Guías Scouts de Colombia, the Catholic Scout Movement (MSC), the Colombian Scouting Association (ACE), the Scout Brotherhood of Colombia (FDSC), the Federation of Christian Scout Communities (CCS), Independent Explorers of Colombia (EIC), the Scouts Corporation of Antioquia (CSA), the Scout Corporation of Bogotá and Cundinamarca (CSBC), the Traditional Scout Corporation Colombia, the Scout Corporation of Norte de Santander (CSNS), the Scout Corporation of Risaralda (CSR) and the National Federation of Traditional Scouting (FENET). The ASC is the oldest, founded in Bogotá in 1913, when Colonel Washington Montero, who was head of a Chilean military mission in Colombia and directed the Military School of Cadets of Bogotá, together with the Colombian Luis Cano, who knew the Scout Movement in Chile, began the history of the Movement in this country.
The Association Nationale des Guides d'Haïti is the national Guiding organization of Haiti. It serves 782 members. Founded in 1942, the girls-only organization became an associate member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1946 and a full member in 1950. In 1962, Haiti became the first country to issue a postage stamp featuring Lady Baden-Powell.
The Scouting and Guiding movement in Mexico consists of several independent organizations.
Non-aligned Scouting organizations is a term used by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) and their member national organizations to refer to Scouting organizations that are not affiliated with them. See List of non-aligned Scouting organizations.
There are various controversies and conflicts that involve the Scouting movement. Scouting has sometimes become entangled in social controversies such as in nationalist resistance movements in India. Scouting was introduced to Africa by British officials as an instrument of colonial authority but became a subversive challenge to the legitimacy of British imperialism as Scouting fostered solidarity amongst African Scouts. There are also controversies and challenges within the Scout Movement itself such as current efforts to turn Scouts Canada into a democratic organization.
The Scout and Guide movement in Malta is served by three organizations:
The Scout movement in the Philippines is served by
The Scout and Guide movement in Ghana is served by:
Scouting and Guiding has been popular in Panama since the 1920s. Today, it is still a tradition practiced around the country. As of 2010, Panama has 1,775 Scouts.
The Scout and Guide movement in Paraguay is served by
The Scout and Guide movement in Peru is served by
Scouting and Guiding in the United Kingdom is served by several different organisations:
Girl Guides is a worldwide movement, originally and largely still designed for girls and women only. The movement began in 1909 when girls requested to join the then-grassroots Boy Scout Movement.
The World Organization of Independent Scouts is an international Scouting organization for traditional Scouting.
