Scouterna – The Guides and Scouts of Sweden offers a cohesive and progressive youth programme aimed at supporting children and young people as they grow into confident, responsible, and compassionate individuals. The programme is built around experiential learning, meaningful relationships, and outdoor adventures – all grounded in the Scout Method and a strong value base.
Programme Philosophy
At the heart of Swedish Scouting is the belief that personal development happens through experience. This is achieved by focusing on five interconnected areas of growth, known as the development areas:
The Group – social development and collaboration
The Body – physical health and challenges
The Emotions – self-awareness and emotional growth
The Life Questions – reflection, spirituality, and meaning-making
The Mind – critical thinking, creativity, and decision-making
These development areas guide all activities and help ensure that every scout has the opportunity to grow in a holistic way.
Programme Activities
All scouting activities are designed using the Scout Method, which includes:
Learning by doing
Patrol system
Symbolic frameworks and themes
Adult support
Local and global community engagement
Nature-based learning
Scout Law & Promise
Whether it’s a campfire cooking challenge, a city mission, a backwoods hike, or a community service project, each activity is framed with intention and reflection to ensure growth and learning.
Symbolic Frameworks
Each age section uses age-appropriate symbolic worlds (e.g., characters, metaphors, or adventure themes) to make learning meaningful and fun. For example, younger scouts might follow the adventures of fictional characters like the family beats Magna and Parum, the beaver Castra, Tofs the fox, while older scouts design and complete personal or team-based projects with real-world impact.
Badges & Progression
Scouts earn badges by completing activities connected to personal development and practical skills. Badges exist within themes like “Nature”, “Leadership”, “Creativity”, or “Global Citizenship”. Badge criteria are clearly defined and linked to the five development areas.
Progression is not only vertical (age-based) but also horizontal – scouts choose their own challenges and reflect on their learning, often guided by personal development activities and mentor discussions, especially in older age groups.
Participant ownership
The scouting programme is based on a system of scouts chooseing their path of progression through the age group. This is supported by symbolic framework and storytelling but also by an wide spread interest focused badge system. The concept can we visualized as a simple gamified system where the scouts ownership is increased as they age.
Youth-Led, Adult-Supported
The Swedish programme emphasizes youth participation and empowerment, especially from the Discoverer age group and upwards. Scouts take increasing responsibility for planning, leading, and evaluating their own activities. Adults serve as mentors and facilitators, not directors.
Global & Inclusive
Scouting in Sweden is open to all – regardless of gender, background, religion, or ability. Diversity and inclusion are key values. Additionally, the programme integrates global themes such as the Sustainable Development Goals, peace, democracy, and climate action – often using international partnerships (e.g., Amahoro Amani and WOSM/WAGGGS initiatives).
Safety and Wellbeing
Scouterna maintains a strong commitment to safety, safeguarding, and emotional security through clear policies such as Säker Scout and Trygga Möten (Safe Meetings). All adults undergo relevant training to ensure a safe space for every child.
Summary Statement
Scouting in Sweden is a values-based, youth-led, experiential journey designed to support young people in becoming active, thoughtful, and capable citizens. With a strong pedagogical foundation, a flexible programme structure, and a clear focus on personal development, Scouterna prepares young people for life – by letting them live it.
“With the Scout Method as our compass and nature as our classroom, we empower young people to explore, reflect, and grow – together.”
— Scouterna