Running Youth-Led Programme A core aspect of scout is to enable young people to be active in shaping and leading their programme in an age-appropriate and supported manner. Scouters should encourage all youth members to take on responsibility and leadership roles, whether it’s a Beaver Scout running a game or a Venture Scout leading an expedition. We should recognise the value of these opportunities to help young people develop their skills and build up their confidence. This resource provides a short guide to how Scouts and Scouters can work together to enable a youth-led programme. There is an explanation for how parts of the Scout Method can be used to foster youth empowerment, a checklist for sections to self-assess their progress in being youth-led, and a suggested activity. The checklists have simple applied questions that you can answer by ticking a Green square, (everything is going well), an Orange one (going okay, but we need to do more work), or Red square (we need to work on this/we need support). In Beaver Scout Colonies and Cub Scout Packs, the Scouters can use this resource to work with the youth members. For Scout Troops, it should be used by the young people and adults together. While in Venture Scout Units and Rover Scout Crews, the youth members should take ownership of the process.
Beaver Scouts operate in Lodges sharing ideas and reviewing activities. Scouters organise the programme based on the Beaver Scout preferences
Cubs Scouts operate in Sixes sharing ideas, outlining plans, and reviewing activities. Sixers Council help refine plan and provide more detailed reviews Scouters organise the programme based on the Cub Scout and Sixers plans
Scouts plan, do, and review their programme in Patrols. They combine the Crean Awards, Adventure Skills, Special Interest Badges, and other badges in organising an active programme Patrol/Watch Leaders’ Council (PLC/WLC), which includes Scouters, runs the troop Venture Scouts run the Unit and plan, do, and review their programme in Crews Different parts of the programme and badges are combined with personal interests in an active programme tailored to the Crews preferences The Executive is guided by the Scouters Rover Scouts run their own programme; a Scouter Advisor may guide and mentor