Youth Shaped Scouts

Youth shaped is nothing new. It started in 1907 and it’s been happening ever since. It’s about young people working together with volunteers to shape, influence, and lead their adventure.

We believe that if young people are shaping their Scouting, the more they will get out of it and the more likely they are to stay, do well and achieve their top awards. Being youth shaped will help us keep Scouts relevant and alive for the next generation.

Today, youth shaped forms a major part of our Skills for Life strategy (alongside inclusion, community impact, and growth), because a young person who knows how to shape their own experience through planning, leading and representing has a powerful skill that will carry them through life.

How can we be Youth Shaped?

You’re probably already halfway there! For Scouts to be youth shaped, we need to continue helping young people develop the skills they need to give it a go. We should:

• provide young people with accessible and inclusive opportunities to plan their own programmes.
• encourage them to take the lead on elements of that programme.
• empower them to represent their views and ideas so that, ultimately, every decision we make has their best interests at heart.

The YouShape Award

In October 2021, we launched the new YouShape Award to make it even easier to embed being youth shaped into our programme. Click here to find out more and take part. Speak to your District Youth Commissioner for support with delivering the Award and to help you celebrate achievements.