Scouts Australia is a trading name of The Scout Association of Australia, which is the largest

scouting 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 ...

organisation in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, with an estimated 55,038 youth participants in 2021, and a member of the

World Organization of the Scout Movement The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest international Scouting organization. WOSM has 173 members. These members are recognized national Scout organizations, which collectively have around 43 million participants. WOS ...

. It was formed in 1958 and incorporated in 1967. It operates personal development programs for children and young adults from 5 to 25 years of age with programs successively opened to girls after 1971. The organisation's current stated purpose is to "contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities". Participation in the organisation's programs declined in the late 20th and early 21st centuries despite opening participation to girls and ever younger children and Australia having a high population growth rate, well above the world average. According to a 2014 media article, "Scouts Australia is hoping oarrest a steady decline in membership. In 1979 the organisation had 114,500 youth members, today there are 52,000." According to its own annual reports participation decreased from 84,502 in 2,126 groups in 2001 to 63,200 in 1,836 groups in 2005, and in 2012 there were 49,181 youth, 2,587 young adult Rovers and 14,113 adult leaders and support roles in 1,486 groups. The organisation has an exceptionally high number of adults compared to its number of youth participants with a ratio of more than one adult for every three youths.

Structure

Scouts Australia is a council consisting of a majority of members elected by the council itself, office bearers appointed by the council or its executive committee, state and territory office bearers appointed by the national executive committee, and a smaller number of representatives from state and territory branch councils which are similarly not elected by or representative of the Scouts, the adults in Scouting or Scout groups. The national council usually meets just once a year. Its national executive committee seeks to achieve cooperation and coordination of the state and territory branches. The New South Wales, Victorian and Tasmanian state branches are incorporated under special Acts of the state parliaments. while the Western Australian, South Australian, Queensland, Northern Territory, and Australian Capital Territory branches are incorporated by registration under the ordinary Associations Incorporation Acts. Each state or territory branch maintains its distinct structure, operational methodologies, and rules. However, all branches operate programs for children and young adults under a common uniform and common award scheme structure. The organisation's current

Chief Scout A Chief Scout is the principal or head scout for an organization such as the military, colonial administration or expedition or a talent scout in performing, entertainment or creative arts, particularly sport. In sport, a Chief Scout can be the prin ...

David Hurley General David John Hurley, (born 26 August 1953) is an Australian former senior officer in the Australian Army who has served as the 27th governor-general of Australia since 1 July 2019. He was previously the 38th governor of New South Wales ...

, the

Governor-General of Australia The governor-general of Australia is the representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III, in Australia.Chief Scout
Accessed, 14 December 2006 The Chief Scout of each state branch had usually been the governor of the state. In 2015, the actor

Shane Jacobson Shane Jacobson (born 18 March 1970) is an Australian actor, director, writer, and comedian, best known as the "Dunny Man" for his performances as the eponymous character Kenny Smyth, a plumber working for a portable toilet rental company, in the ...

was appointed as the Chief Scout of the Victorian branch. In 1942, Sir

Leslie Orme Wilson Sir Leslie Orme Wilson, (1 August 1876 – 29 September 1955) was a Royal Marines officer, Conservative politician, and colonial governor. He served as Governor of Bombay from 1923 to 1926 and as Governor of Queensland from 1932 to 1946. Per ...

, the Governor of Queensland, resigned as the Boy Scouts Association's Chief Scout of Queensland because of the failure of the Queensland branch to respond to his call for reforms to its centralisation effort that led to the severance of the Mount Morgan Blue Boy Scouts.

History

CanberraScoutsInspectedByBadenPowell1927

For the history of Boy Scouts and the Scout Movement in Australia generally, see

Scouting and Guiding in Australia The Scout and Guide movement in Australia consists of: * Scouts Australia (The Scout Association of Australia), a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement * Girl Guides Australia, member of the World Association of Girl Guides and ...

. The organisation was formed in 1958 under the name Australian Boy Scouts Association'', as a branch of the

Boy Scouts Association The Scout Association is the largest Scouting organisation in the United Kingdom and is the World Organization of the Scout Movement's recognised member for the United Kingdom. Following the origin of Scouting in 1907, the association was form ...

of the United Kingdom. Before its formation, branches of the Boy Scouts Association had been formed in each Australian state. Initially, each Australian state branch was directly responsible to the Imperial Headquarters of the Boy Scouts Association in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. In 1922, the Boy Scouts Association formed its Australian Federal Council, consisting of nominees of its Australian state branches, to achieve cooperation and coordination at a national level. The Boy Scouts Association later appointed an Australian commissioner. The Australian Federal Council functioned as a branch of the Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom, and the Australian commissioner was appointed by the Imperial Headquarters in London. The Australian Federal Council of the Boy Scouts Association became a member of the International Conference of the Boy Scout Movement in 1953, rather than being represented through the Boy Scouts Association of the United Kingdom. In 1958, when the Australian Boy Scouts Association was formed, it succeeded the Australian Federal Council of the Boy Scouts Association. In 1967, the organisation was incorporated by

royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, bu ...

as a branch of the Scout Association of the United Kingdom. Each of the Australian state branches and the Papua New Guinea branch of the Scout Association became branches of the Australian Boy Scouts Association.Royal Charter of Incorporation of The Australian Boy Scouts Association, 1967, Australian Boy Scouts Association, 1969 In 1975, the organisation's Papua New Guinea branch became an independent organisation. In 1971, the organisation dropped the word "boy" from its name when it changed its name from the Australian Boy Scouts Association to the Scout Association of Australia. Until 1976, it admitted only

British subject The term "British subject" has several different meanings depending on the time period. Before 1949, it referred to almost all subjects of the British Empire (including the United Kingdom, Dominions, and colonies, but excluding protectorates ...

s to membership, programs, and other nationalities on special conditions and approval. After 1976, British subjects continued to be automatically admitted to membership while others, including residents, were still subject to special conditions and approval. In 1997, the organisation adopted the trading name Scouts Australia.

Program reviews

In 1969 the organisation began a review of its youth programs under its Design for Tomorrow Committee and implemented its New Design program in 1971. The program involved a new name, new branding, new uniforms, and new award schemes. It failed to attract an increase in participants and led to considerable disaffection and loss of long-term leaders and supporters and the formation of Australian affiliates of the traditionalist

Baden-Powell Scouts' Association The Baden-Powell Scouts' Association (''B-PSA'') is a worldwide youth organisation originating in the United Kingdom, with friendly relationships with similar traditional scouting organisations in various countries. Baden-Powell Scouting focuses ...

while its decline in participation continued. In 1979, following years of disaffection and concerns that the organisation, like its

parent organisation A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own shares of other companies ...

in the United Kingdom, would disband Rovers, the organisation formed its national Rover council, composed of Rovers (ages 18 to 25), appointed by each of its seven branch Rover councils. The national Rover council elects an executive to represent Rovers in the organisation's affairs and the chairperson of the National Rover Council is a member of the organisation's national executive committee. In 1997, the organisation adopted the new trading name Scouts Australia, new logo, uniforms, and branding to be more appealing, but participation rates and numbers continued to decline. In 2001, the organisation formed its National Youth Council in an attempt to engage youth and provide opportunities for youth leadership at its national level. It was composed of just 25 Scouts, Venturers, and Rovers, met face to face twice a year and online throughout the rest of the year. Despite this, youth participation rates and numbers continued to decline. The National Youth Council was disbanded in 2018. A further program review commenced in 2013. In 2019, at the 25th Australian Scout Jamboree a new program and logo and branding were launched, with the intention of modernising Scouts Australia's brand, and moving Scouting more in line with Australian curriculums.

Religion

Members of Scouts Australia from several groups attending

Scouts Australia is a non-religious organisation. To enrol with Scouts Australia you are required to make the

Scout Promise The Scout Promise (or Oath) 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 (or Guide) promise or oath to liv ...

. In 2017, with the launch of "The Adventure Begins", a new promise option allows Scouts to "do my best to be true to my ''spiritual beliefs''", to further open the promise to all religious faiths. The other more established option for the Australian Scout Promise includes the phrase "do my best to do my duty to ''my'' God", allowing some flexibility in the interpretation of "my God". Historically, Scouting in Australia was rooted in Christianity as that was the world view of Scouts founder, Lord Baden-Powell. Although Britain is now a majority non-religious nation Christianity was the dominant faith in both Britain and Australia in Scouting's early days. More recently, participants have come from many faiths, although the majority of Scout groups promote an interfaith approach to religion. Many Scout groups have been formed within existing communities and specific religious traditions as "sponsored groups", such as Coptic Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Islamic and Jewish.

Scout Promise and Law

Scout Promise

There are two versions of the Australian Scout Promise which individuals may choose to select: Option One: On my honour, I promise to do my best, To do my duty to my God and To the King of Australia, To help other people, And to live by the Scout Law. Option Two: On my honour, I promise To do my best, To be true to my spiritual beliefs, To contribute to my community and our world, To help other people, And to live by the Scout Law.

Scout Law

Be Respectful - Be friendly and considerate Care for others and the environment. Do What is Right - Be trustworthy, honest and fair Use resources wisely. Believe in Myself - Learn from my experiences Face challenges with courage.

Children and youth programs

Age sections

Youth development in the organisation's programs is divided into several age group stages. The age groups encourage movement through the sections as the youth matures. The sections are: *

Joey Scouts Joey Scouts is the section of Scouts Australia for boys and girls aged 5 to 7 (inclusive), often known simply as 'Joeys'. The Joey Scout section is the first age section in the Australian Scout Movement and comes before Cub Scouts. Joey Scouts we ...

(5–7 years): helping to develop a child's sense of personal identity. Motto: Discover Adventure *

Cub Scouts 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 'P ...

(8–10 years): aims to develop a sense of adventure and achievement and a chance to grow their character. Motto: Create the Path *

Scouts 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 ...

(11–14 years): promotes leadership and teamwork, as well as an appreciation of the outdoors. Motto: Explore the Unknown * Venturer Scouts (15–17 years): develops leadership and management skills, as well as an understanding of camping and the environment. Motto: Look Wide *

Rover Scouts Rover Scouts, Rovers, Rover Scouting or Rovering is a program associated with some Scouting organizations for adult men and women. A group of Rovers is called a 'Rover Crew'. Rovers was originated by The Scout Association, The Boy Scouts Assoc ...

(18–25 years): continues to develop leadership skills, as well as placing a strong emphasis on service to the community and other parts of the organisation. Motto: Beyond the Horizon Hike fire trail

Uniform

The core uniform is a navy blue shirt with the relevant youth section colour across the sleeves and collar, a scarf, and a woggle. The adult leader's shirt is only dark blue. The section colours are: * Tan for Joeys * Yellow for Cubs * Green for Scouts * Maroon for Venturers * Red for Rovers

Award scheme

The youth award scheme in Australian Scouting consists of awards for proficiency in an adventurous activity, participation in major events, recognition of service,

gallantry Gallantry may refer to: * military courage or bravery * Chivalry * Warrior ethos * Knightly Piety Knightly Piety refers to a specific strand of Christian belief espoused by knights during the Middle Ages. The term comes from ''Ritterfrömmigkei ...

and meritorious service, and for the practice of Scouting (

Queen's Scout A King's Scout is a Scout who has attained the King's Scout Award. The King's Scout Award is the highest youth award achievable in the Scouting movement in the Commonwealth realms, including the United Kingdom, Canada (Queen's Venturer Award ...

Baden-Powell Award The Baden-Powell Award, also known as the B-P Award or Baden-Powell Scout Award (BPSA), is the highest award achievable to Rover Scout, Rover (adult) Scouts. Although it has become a less common award as some Scout Associations no longer offer a ...

, etc.). The peak award for each section is the Joey Scout Promise Award,

Grey Wolf Award Cub Scouts is the section of Scouts Australia for boys and girls aged 8 to 11 (inclusive), often known simply as 'Cubs'. The Cub Scout section follows after Joey Scouts and is before Scouts. Cub Scouts wear a uniform shirt with navy blue panels ...

, Australian Scout Award,

Queen's Scout Award A King's Scout is a Scout (Scouting), Scout who has attained the King's Scout Award. The King's Scout Award is the highest youth award achievable in the Scouting movement in the Commonwealth realms, including the United Kingdom, Canada (Queen's ...

, and Baden-Powell Scout Award respectively.

Lone Scouts

Lone Scout Groups are for youth unable to attend or find a local Scout group. Lones can include people with impairments that inhibit attending regular meetings, people who are constant travellers or go to places at which they are unable to attend a group i.e. boarding school or isolated communities. Lone Scout Groups may hold camps or other gatherings to enable their members to come together but, between such events, deliver Scouting virtually via internet, radio and post.

International connections

The organisation operates in the non-sovereign

Australian Indian Ocean Territories The Australian Indian Ocean Territories is the name since 1995 of an administrative unit under the Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, consisting of two island groups in the In ...

of: *

Christmas Island Christmas Island, officially the Territory of Christmas Island, is an Australian external territory comprising the island of the same name. It is located in the Indian Ocean, around south of Java and Sumatra and around north-west of the ...

Cocos (Keeling) Islands ) , anthem = "''Advance Australia Fair''" , song_type = , song = , image_map = Australia on the globe (Cocos (Keeling) Islands special) (Southeast Asia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands , map_caption = ...

Two Scout troops in

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

are affiliated with the organisation. The organisation is a founder member of the Asia-Pacific Region of the

. In the field of support and co-operation with other national member organisations of the Asia Pacific region, the organisation has contributed to a number of international friendship and community development-oriented projects. Over the years, Australian Scouts have supported emerging Scout organisations in the South Pacific. A twinning project with the

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

Scouts, known as the "Bangladesh-Australia Child Health" (BACH) project, made a dramatic impact on child health in project villages during its operation from 1986 to 1992. The organisation has a twinning project with the

Nepal Scouts The "Nepal Scouts" ("नेपाल स्काउट") is the national Scouting and Guiding organization of Nepal, founded in Nepal in 1952. It became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1969 and later became a member of ...

known as NATURE Project and involves the reforestation of the Kristi Landslide. In 1988 the organisation hosted the 16th

World Scout Jamboree The World Scout Jamboree is a Scouting jamboree of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, typically attended by several tens of thousands of Scouts from around the world, aged 14 to 17. The first World Scout Jamboree was organized by T ...

and the 31st

World Scout Conference The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM ) is the largest international Scouting organization. WOSM has 173 members. These members are recognized national Scout organizations, which collectively have around 43 million participants. WOSM ...

. Some 15,000 Scouts from 94 countries attended the jamboree at

Cataract Scout Park Scouting started in New South Wales, a State of Australia, in 1908. In the early years, local Boy Scout patrols and troops formed independently and several separate associations began operating including the Chums Scout Patrols, League of Boy S ...

near

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

. An

Australian Scout Jamboree The Australian Scout Jamboree is a jamboree which is held every three years by Scouts Australia. The Jamboree is traditionally held in early January and typically runs for ten nights. The first, in 1934, was held in Frankston, Victoria and was ...

has been held every three years since 1934 except for the years of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The Scout Jamboree is the organisation's largest event but an Australian Rover Moot and an

Australian Venture The Australian Venture is an event for Australian Venturer Scouts. It is their equivalent of a Jamboree, but for Venturers there is a lot more freedom and latitude in what they do. There is a number of on site activities and also an off site expe ...

are also held every three years.

Adult training and awards

Training institute In 1996 Scouts Australia became a

registered training organisation A registered training organisation (RTO), in Australia, is an organisation providing Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses to students, resulting in qualifications or statements of attainment that are recognised and accepted by indust ...

(RTO), trading as the Scouts Australia Institute of Training (SAIT). Scouts Australia's adult leader training program now leads adults and Rover Scouts to a Certificate III in Business and a Certificate IV in Leadership and Management, as well as the Scouting Woodbadge qualification. Woodbadge Leaders and Rovers can then undertake the Diploma of Leadership and Management qualification through SAIT. In 2011, the institute added a number of the SIS10 qualifications to its scope, and changes are occurring in the individual state branches to allow Adventurous Activity Leader training to also lead to the Certificate IV in Outdoor Recreation. Adventurous Activities Leaders are leaders who specialise in the running of advanced adventurous activities, such as abseiling, rock climbing, scuba diving and mountain biking, as opposed to the everyday running of a Scout group and more basic activities such as camping and hiking. Adult Recognition Awards Adult Recognition Awards (formerly Good Service Awards) are presented each year by the Chief Scout of each branch and are presented for service to Scouting over and above what is expected of someone who is simply carrying out the duties of their position. These awards can be nominated by anyone affiliated with Scouts Australia.

Awards for gallantry and meritorious conduct

Awards for Gallantry are made by the Chief Scout of Australia for actions involving risk, for example for saving someone from a burning building to individual participants or groups. Awards for meritorious conduct are awarded for actions that may not have involved risking of life but still display courage, endurance, initiative, or devotion to duty, often under suffering. As with Awards for Gallantry, these awards are made by the Chief Scout of Australia to individuals or groups depending on the circumstances.

Sexual abuse cases

Scouts Australia was called before the

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was a royal commission announced in November 2012 and established in 2013 by the Government of Australia, Australian government pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act 1902 t ...

for its failures in handling complaints against its leaders. In 2014, Darryl Rubiolo, a former Scout Association of Australia leader, publicity officer, leader trainer, St. George Area Commissioner and member of the New South Wales state branch council, was convicted of serial child sex offences against three boys aged 9, 13 and 14, between 1975 and 1987 while he was an official of the Scout Association of Australia. Rubiolo was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison with a non-parole period of one year. In 2012, Steven Larkins, a former leader in New South Wales, was imprisoned for offences he had committed 15 years earlier. In February 2000, Roderick Albert Joseph Corrie, a former NSW Branch Commissioner and scout leader of nearly thirty-two years was convicted of child sexual offences. "Corrie, one of the most senior and highly decorated Scouts in NSW, was jailed for seven years in February 2000 after pleading guilty in the District Court to eight most serious of 77 charges of sexually abusing children as young as 11, including rape and buggery, occurring 1969–1995. Two years earlier, Corrie had been convicted of eight charges of "aggravated indecent assault" and placed on a bond, given counselling and 70 hours of community service." The head of Scouts Australia, "Dr. Bruce Munro, apologised to the families of those abused after ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' obtained a copy of a 14-page report written by a senior Scout leader in 1981 that detailed serious allegations of Corrie abusing four boys, one aged 12 at the time. Munro admitted that those allegations were not properly investigated or referred to the police and that although Corrie was initially suspended, he was then simply allowed to transfer as a leader to a North Shore Scouting group. Even after police began investigating Corrie in 1994, he was allowed to continue having contact with, and sexually abusing, scouts until at least May 1995." Mark Geoffrey Fisher, the scoutmaster at 1st Hunters Hill troop in New South Wales from 1969 to 1988, pleaded guilty to charges of 35 sex offences involving eight boys aged between 11 and 15 between 1971 and 1988. In 2017, former scout leader Neville Budge was convicted of sexually abusing eight young boys between the years of 1995 and 2002, whilst working as a Scout leader in the Belmont and Geelong district, Victoria. The court referred to his manipulative and predatory actions, labelling his crimes as being "simply abhorrent". In 2017, former scout leader Chris Edmondson was convicted of the sexual abuse of three young boys between 1975 and 1978 in Warrandyte. On one occasion he sexually abused a young boy for having not known a test answer. Edmondson was jailed in Queensland in 2006, released in 2012, then jailed in Victoria in 2015 again, had his sentence extended in 2016 and would have been eligible for parole in January 2019. The outcome of the proceedings is unclear to date. Former scout leader Kim Richard Harvey was jailed for the sexual abuse of 15 teenage boys in Melbourne's South Eastern suburbs between the years of 1974 and 1989. Harvey's behaviour posed a uniquely disturbing pattern, whereby premeditated grooming was a natural part of his 'game', often plying his victims with alcohol, lollies, and pornography. Harvey's crimes were not just isolated to local scout halls but continued throughout various camping trips, and activities in his role as a leader with Scouts Victoria. Since then, Scouts Australia put child safety training and procedures in place to try to protect the children under their care.