This year, 28 million young Scouts in 216 countries will renew their Scouting promise at dawn to remember that day on Brownsea Island. The "Scouting's Sunrise" event will be held as part of the Scout Association's 2007 centenary celebrations (see boxout, p15).
Today, the global reach of the Scout movement is huge. Only six countries do not currently have a Scout organisation - North Korea, Cuba, China, Laos, Myanmar and Andorra - while 40,000 Scouts from across the globe are expected to descend on the association's 110-acre Gilwell Park headquarters in Chingford, Essex, for the 21st World Scout Jamboree at the end of July.
Community pillar
So why has the Scout movement remained so popular after 100 years? Tom Wylie, chief executive of The National Youth Agency and former director of the older-age Venture Scouts (now Explorer Scouts) at the Scout Association, believes one reason for the movement's longevity is its entrenchment within local communities.
"If you go anywhere in the country you'll find a Scout group, usually led by people like the local butcher or baker," says Wylie. "Scouting is hugely embedded in families and skills and experience are handed down the generations."
The movement's ability to keep pace with changing times while keeping true to its principles has helped it to thrive. "The principles on which the Scouts were founded were sound, such as working with small groups and giving power to young people," says Wylie. "This was captured in the patrols system that Baden-Powell started, which contained half-a-dozen boys. The movement was also about new experiences and a belief in adventure, but sometimes the outside world just sees the uniform and church parades and not the principles behind it."
Andrew Thorpe, adult leader of the 6th Southgate Scout Group in London, has spent 19 years in the movement, starting as a six-year-old Cub. He believes Scouting continues to attract young people because it is a trusted organisation that teaches valuable skills. "It's fantastic that in a society where young people are always cast in a negative light, Scouting can provide confidence and life skills, and be a beating heart for the community," he says.
Over the past century, the movement has been through a number of significant changes that have helped it to remain relevant to young people and attract new members. In the early years, demand for the movement to be open to younger boys led to the creation of the Wolf Cubs in 1914 and, in August 1918, the Rover Scouts was established to replace the Senior Scouts. This later became the Venture Scouts in 1966.
Presentational changes in the 1960s aimed to reinvigorate the movement at a time when it was feared young people were losing interest in organised activities. These included a name change from Boy Scouts Association to the Scout Association and modernising the uniforms - losing the widely ridiculed shorts.
Further changes to uniform in the 1980s and 90s and formally allowing girls to join the Beavers, Cub and Scout sections in 1990 have also helped to encourage new generations to join.
According to Thorpe, Scouting has remained popular because it has continued to appeal to new groups. "In my time as a Scout, the biggest change I have seen has been in the growth of females in the organisation. For a lot of boys, especially if they went to a boys' school or didn't have sisters, it was the only time they met girls. It helped them in their confidence in learning to build friendships."
Reflecting the changing composition of the UK, there has been significant growth in the number of Muslim members - there are currently 18 Muslim Scout groups in the UK, eight of which opened in 2006. "We do have a huge percentage of people from different faiths," says Thorpe.
But recent times have also brought challenges for the Scout Association in the UK. Overall membership numbers have dwindled by more than 200,000 in the past 15 years, from 656,441 members in 1992 to 446,352 in 2006.
Wylie says this could be attributed to a general trend away from memberships. "People used to be members of political parties but not anymore," he says. "It's not a surprise that youth organisations do not have the same levels of membership."
The Scouts does have its critics too. For some, it still fails to attract young people from harder-to-reach groups. Julia Margo, senior research fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research, authored Freedom's Orphans: Raising Youth in a Changing World, part of which looked at the work of the Scout Association. "The Scouts provides structured activities for young people in a safe environment but it still represents white, middle-class young people," she says. "It is always difficult to engage young people who are vulnerable and socially excluded, especially if they have to buy uniforms and pay for activities."
Defending the faith
The association has also faced criticism over its faith policy. Last year, it came under fire after receiving an exemption from the Equality Act 2006 that allows it to exclude atheists from becoming leaders. This still rankles the British Humanist Association (BHA). Andrew Copson, education officer at the BHA, says: "The exemption allows the Scouts to discriminate against people of no faith. Although we lobbied against the clause, it was passed. We advise parents to send young people to the educational movement The Woodcraft Folk because it is more inclusive."
Thorpe, however, is unequivocal in his support for the Scout's faith policy. "Scouting has always been multifaith and spirituality is one of our cornerstones," says Thorpe. "Many churches, mosques and synagogues also help to sponsor their local groups." But young "atheists" can join a group because they are considered as "wavering" in their beliefs, he adds.
Despite such wranglings, Jenny Brooker, 23, a member of the 6th Southgate Scout group, is in no doubt about the valuable role the association can play in young people's lives. "My dad was a Scout leader and my gran a Cub leader," she says. "It has helped me develop my confidence and push myself forward. Sometimes it has the perception that it's not cool, but it gives young people the chance to do things they wouldn't otherwise do."
NANCY IBRAHIM, 15, 6TH SOUTHGATE SCOUTS
I have been a Scout for just over two years and I've had the best time of my life.
I got into Scouting through my family, who have all been involved in the movement.
My Scout group meets once a week and I love everything about it, including the uniform. We take part in activities, badges and camping but, overall, it is about having fun. We get to make new friends, share experiences and I have learned many life skills such as first aid. Being a Scout has taught me to be more positive and not to look for the easy option.
Everyone I have told about Scouting initially thought it was boring and for boys, but now they are very supportive and can see the amount of fun I have. I am currently training to be a young leader so in the future I'll be able to give back what I have been lucky enough to experience.
I don't think I would change anything about Scouts. It has given me so many opportunities and valuable experiences.
A YEAR OF CELEBRATION
This year's centenary will be celebrated by Scouts around the world. The movement will use the anniversary to promote the values, benefits and achievements of Scouting from across the globe.
- On 22 February, a Founder's Day will be held to celebrate the life and work of Robert Baden-Powell
- During May, centenary camps will be held by Scout groups to get as many members as possible to sleep under canvas at the same time
- From 27 July until 8 August, the 21st World Scout Jamboree will be held at UK Scout headquarters at Gilwell Park, Chingford. The theme of the Jamboree is "One World, One Promise". In addition, a Home Hospitality scheme will allow Scouts from around the world to stay with families of UK Scouts
- On 1 August, 28 million Scouts across the globe will renew their promise at 8am local time as part of the Scouting's Sunrise
- In November, a Festival of Scouting will take place at the O2 Arena, Docklands, east London
http://eng.thejamboree.org/.
