Scouting

Scouting
Country	Worldwide
Founded	1907, Brownsea Island, Dorset, United Kingdom
Founder	Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Scouting portal

Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement using the Scout method which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows a scheme of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpacking, and sports. A widely recognized movement characteristic is the Scout uniform, by intent hiding all differences of social standing and encouraging equality, with neckerchief and campaign hat or comparable headwear. Distinctive insignia include the fleur-de-lis as well as merit badges or patches. In some countries, Girl Guides organizations, using a trefoil insignia, exist for girls to carry-out scout training.

Other programs for children who are too young to be Scouts and take the Scout Promise, such as Wolf Cubs or Cubs (launched in 1916), and for those who are too old to be Scouts, such as Rovers (launched in 1918), are sometimes associated with Scouts.

In 2007, there were over 38 million Scouts and Guides in 216 countries. The Scout Movement is a pluralist movement, not a unitary organization. Numerous local, national and international Scout organizations have been formed. International organizations include: Order of World Scouts (formed 1911) World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM, formed 1922), World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS, formed 1928), primarily for girls-only organizations, World Federation of Independent Scouts, World Organization of Independent Scouts, International Union of Guides and Scouts of Europe, and Confederation of European Scouts.