About us

The Scout Association is the UK's biggest mixed youth organisation. We change lives by offering 4 to 25 year-olds fun and challenging activities, unique experiences, everyday adventure and the chance to help others so that we make a positive impact in communities.

Scouts is all about fun, challenges and adventure.

Every year Scouts helps 460,000 young people in the UK enjoy new adventures; to experience the outdoors; interact with others, gain confidence and have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Scouts helps children and young adults reach their full potential. Scouts develop skills including teamwork, time management, leadership, initiative, planning, communication, self-motivation, cultural awareness and commitment. We help young people to get jobs, save lives and even change the world.

What do Scouts do?

Scouts take part in activities as diverse as kayaking, abseiling, expeditions overseas, photography, climbing and zorbing. As a Scout you can learn survival skills, first aid, computer programming, or even how to fly a plane. There’s something for every young person. It’s a great way to have fun, make friends, get outdoors, express your creativity and experience the wider world.

This everyday adventure is possible thanks to our adult volunteers, who support Scouts in a wide range of roles from working directly with young people, to helping manage a Group, to being a charity Trustee. We help volunteers get the most out of their experiences at Scouts by providing opportunities for adventure, training, fun and friendship.

Our award-winning training scheme for volunteers means that adults get as much from Scouts as young people. Our approach focuses on what you want to get out of volunteering with Scouts, while respecting how much time you can offer. Over 90% of Scout volunteers say that their skills and experiences have been useful in their work or personal life.

Volunteer today
HM King Charles III has been confirmed as our new Patron, a great honour for UK Scouts.

The King continues a long tradition of the monarch giving their Patronage, dating back to 1912. This was when Scouts was granted its Royal Charter and HM George V became our first Patron.

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King Charles III

Our Patron, HM King Charles III