Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth 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.
Brownies are the section in the Girl Guides organization for girls aged seven years old to ten years old. Exact age limits are slightly different in each organization.
Cub Scouts, Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with Scouting for young children usually between 7 and 12, depending on the organization to which they belong. A participant in the program is called a Cub. A group of Cubs is called a 'Pack'.
Scouts South Africa is the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) recognised Scout association in South Africa. Scouting began in the United Kingdom in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell and rapidly spread to South Africa, with the first Scout troops appearing in 1908. South Africa has contributed many traditions and symbols to World Scouting.
Colombia has 11,057 Scouts served by the Asociación Scouts de Colombia. Founded in 1917, it was accepted into the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1933. The movement is coeducational, accepting both boys and girls.
The Scout Promise is a spoken statement made by a child joining the Scout movement. Since the publication of Scouting for Boys in 1908, all Scouts and Girl Guides around the world have taken a Scout promise or oath to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribed to a Scout Law. The wording of the Scout Promise and Scout Law have varied slightly over time and from country to country. Although most Scouting and Guiding organizations use the word "promise", a few such as the Boy Scouts of America tend to use "oath" instead.
Girlguiding is the operating name of The Guide Association, previously named The Girl Guides Association. It is the national guiding organisation of the United Kingdom. It is the UK's largest girl-only youth organisation. Girlguiding is a charitable organisation.
The Bangladesh Scouts is the national Scouting organization of Bangladesh. Now The Chief Scout of Bangladesh is MD Shahabuddin. Scouting was founded in 1914 in East Bengal, now Bangladesh, as part of the British Indian branch of The Scout Association, and continued as part of the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association until the country's divided sections split in 1971 during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Following its independence, in 1972, the Bangladesh Boy Scout Association was officially formed as successor of the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association. Bangladesh became an independent member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1974. The organization changed its name to "Bangladesh Scouts" in 1978. The organization has 1,474,460 members as of 2015.
The Asociación de Scouts de Bolivia (ASB) is the national Scouting association of Bolivia. Scouting was founded in Bolivia in 1911 and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1950. ASB has 7,898 members.
The Association of Scouts of Honduras (ASH) is the national Scouting organization of Honduras. Scouting was founded in that Central American country in 1952 and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1957. There were 3,031 members as of 2008.
The Scout method is the informal educational system used in the Scouting Movement. The aim of Scouting is character training with the goal of helping participants become independent and helpful, and thereby become "healthy, happy, helpful citizens".
The Seychelles Scout Association (SSA) is the national Scouting organization of the Seychelles. Scouting in Seychelles was founded in 1927 and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 2002. The association has 372 members.
The Tanzania Scouts Association (TSA) is the national Scouting organization of Tanzania. Scouting in Tanzania was founded in 1917, and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) in 1963. The coeducational association has 538,933.members as of 2010.
The Pathfinder & Rover Explorer Scouts' Association (P-RESA) is an independent Traditional Scouting Association in the United Kingdom, with International branches. The Association's training programme runs along the lines of Baden-Powell's original Scouting for Boys, upholding the traditions and practices set out by B-P, using the 1938 Boy Scouts' Association Policy Organisation & Rules (POR) as its basis.
Girl Guides Australia (GGA) is the national Guiding organisation in Australia. Its mission is to empower girls and young women to grow into confident, self-respecting members of the community. Membership is open to all girls and young women from all cultures, faiths and traditions. Guiding groups formed in Australia as early as 1909, and by 1920 Girl Guide Associations had been formed in six states. In 1926 the State Associations federated and formed a national organization which became a founding member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1928. It still operates as a federated structure made up of six state-based Guiding organisations. It has roughly 19,000 members including adult and youth members. Over a million Australian women are or have been Guides. The Girl Guide emblem incorporates the Commonwealth Star.
Religion in Scouting and Guiding is an aspect of the Scout method that has been practiced differently and given different interpretations in different parts of the world over the years.
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.
The Ghana Girl Guides Association (GGGA) is the National Guiding organization of Ghana. It serves 26,909 members. Founded in 1921 in Accra, the girls-only organization became a full member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1960. GGGA is supported by its parent association, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
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.
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.
