Owner The Scout Association Country United Kingdom Affiliation Explorer Scouts | Age range 14–18 years Founded 2001 | |
The Young Leaders' Programme is run alongside the main Explorer Scout Programme of The Scout Association in the United Kingdom. It is a formalisation of what was happening in many Groups and Districts across the country where older Scouts were returning to help the younger sections. Since its launch in 2001 it has been seen as the unexpected success of Explorer Scouting.
Contents
Introduction
Young Leaders support the younger sections of Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts and Scouts, although they are not a replacement for adult leaders. They are given appropriate training for their positions, and are expected to be involved in the planning of activities and evenings.
Young Leaders are de facto Explorer Scouts, but are not required to participate in Explorer activities. Most Explorer Scouts use the Young Leader scheme as their Service section of the progressive award scheme.
In principle, the Young Leaders of a District are considered to be in a separate Unit, and are under the supervision of an Explorer Scout Leader, although this may not always be the case, in which case the District Explorer Scout Commissioner or District Commissioner takes on this responsibility.
A Young Leaders' Unit might have its own weekly programme, separate to other Units within the District. Other Young Leaders' Units only provide training and possibly some other events in the year. The Explorer Scouts from these Units generally participate in another Unit's weekly programme.
Training
Young Leaders have a training programme, similar to that of adult leaders. There are ten modules which they can complete, they are able to wear the Young Leaders' Badge once they have completed Module A. This module must be completed within three months of becoming a Young Leader and is the only compulsory module.
These modules also count towards part of their Wood Badge if they choose to become an adult in Scouting at the age of 18. There are currently around half a dozen instances which the adult training scheme accredits parts of the Young Leaders' Scheme, though local arrangements are encouraged to be used to validate prior learning and knowledge of a Young Leader.
The Global Young Leaders Conference
The Global Young Leaders Conference took place in Prague from the 5 July to the 17 July 2007, with participation of an elite group of outstanding young people from across the country and around the world, whose nomination provides them with unmatched enrichment opportunities in a distinguished academic environment. The 2007 host was Lindsey Boster Decker, master in international relations, and coordinator of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council in 2007 was Samedin Rovcanin, from Serbia and Montenegro.
Missions
There are also four missions for Young Leaders to complete, which involve running games and activities for their relevant section. Upon completing each mission, an additional trapezium-shaped badge can be added around the standard Young Leader badge. Upon completing all modules and missions, Young Leaders are entitled to wear a Young Leader belt buckle to recognise this achievement.