Scouting, or the Scout Movement, is one of the most valuable sources of socialisation, learning and education about values such as friendship for youths around the world. One way of reinforcing this is through exchanges among scouts.
In this post, at dothegap we’d like to tell you about the benefits of scouting as non formal education and the opportunities an exchange can offer to the scouts. If you’re interested keep reading!
Scouting, an example of world renowned non formal education
The founder of the Scout Movement was Robert Baden-Powell, who in his book, Scouting for Boys (1908) depicted his experiences as part of the British army, as well as what he learned in organised camps previously.
The goal of scouting since the beginning has been to shape good citizens through interactions with other young people with structured activities, both playful as well as contributing to the environment.
The Scouts movement is committed to non formal learning: everything is taught through experience. In this way, one of its most known aspects are its practiced in nature, where they learn everything from orientation to self-reliance, always helping one another.
The humane values of scouting promote respect to all people, friendship and work to build a better world. These are true hallmarks of a scout. As Robert Baden-Powell stated in his farewell letter, “Try to leave this world a little better than you found it”.
This is why, aside from camping, artisan workshops or music, scout associations also have a presence in community work, collaborating with those in need or traveling to lend a hand when there’s a catastrophe.
Exchanges between scouts, a step towards breaking barriers!
According to recent data, the main scouts organisations around the globe total over 60 million registered. Contact within these groups is fluid and they promote exchanges by letter among youths in different countries, but, why not take it a step further?
At dothegap, we believe that exchanges among scouts is an unmatched opportunity to break down barriers and make the world more accessible to the youngest. The first reason is that the very essence of scouting promotes this type of experience.
The love for traveling, exploring new territory, meet new people and form lifelong friendships under their open and egalitarian perspective, are the perfect values to have when undertaking an exchange!
Aside from getting the chance to discover new surroundings, scouts would gain access to distinct cultures, a great opportunity to practice other languages, understand new cultures and participate in different communities, learning from experiences that will stay with them always.
Are you part of a scouts group and are you interested in carrying out an exchange among scouts? Sign up and upload your experience! Through it, participants will continue to gain a unique perspective about the world we live in, promote personal growth and work to build a better world for everyone. We’ll be waiting!
