Speech on the opening of the pilot WB course to be held at Gilwell Park in September 1919.

“Brother workers, commissioners, Scout Masters, and Cub Masters. I have been thinking of your work lately and l have come to the conclusion that you are building better than possibly you know; or generate better you knew when you first took your place in what is now a great Brotherhood of service…

Shortly after Scouting began in 1907, the ‘Adult Leader Training’, as it was later known, followed. While Baden-Powell’s (BP) first passion was to spread his ideas to young people, he also attended the training of adults as Scoutmasters, personally conducting two courses in 1911 and 1912. These first series of talks would be formalised a year later as ‘Wood Badge Training’.

The use of the patrol system and a balanced mix of theory and practice sufficed for a time. Only after the First World War, when Scouting was growing rapidly, did BP look to guide the development and enthusiasm of Scoutmasters “to make quite certain that when I am gone, the future leaders of Scouting will really understand what it is all about and what my intentions have been”. (Lord Baden Powel) …

Mission

“The Mission of Scouting is to contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society.”

Vision

“By 2023 Scouting will be the world’s leading educational youth movement, enabling 100 million young people to be active citizens creating positive change in their communities and in the world based on shared values.”

In addition to the Mission and Vision, it is also necessary to make a connection with the WOSM Strategic Priorities is also necessary.  While there were a number of Strategic Priorities adopted at the 40th World Scout Conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia in 2014, it is the priority on the approach of the Educational Methods that has the most relevance for Adults in Scouting

Scouting gives young people skills for life. It prepares them for real-life challenges by developing their knowledge, skills and attitudes. The outcomes can be further developed as the young person grows into adulthood and follows the path to leadership.

Adult training in Scouting services both those volunteers who have been scouts in their youth, and those who have not, by providing training for all leadership roles, and opportunities for continuous personal development. The experience and training gained in Scouting helps each individual to develop to their maximum potential towards creating a better world … 

Adult volunteers in Scouting play important roles in ensuring the success of the Scout Method. Their role is to provide the best possible guidance to the young people they support, encouraging and enabling them to make their own decisions and create their own activities and learning opportunities. As the world is constantly changing, what Scouting offers young people must reflect the current needs of their society. It is important to have the right adult volunteers; only those with the appropriate attitude and approach are eligible to work with young people…