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The philosophy underpinning the programme is that every Scout should participate in a Balanced Programme over a period of time.

In Scouting, the word programme has a wide interpretation. Programme is not just about the activities that Scouts can take part in (almost anything from abseiling to zorbing). It is also how we do these activities (the Methods) and why we do them (values deriving from the Scout Promise). Everytime we plan an activity for our Scouts we should also consider how we might organise the activity and why we are doing it.

What we offer to young people in the Scout section is a Balanced Programme; a range of activities, events and experiences build around six Programme Zones.

The Programme is balanced in the same way a diet is balanced, not by precise measurenments and timings but by simply ensuring that over a given period (a month or a term for example) that there is something from each zone in the Programme.

Programme Zones split the whole programme into manageable areas. Each Zone represents a different development area in a young person's life. There are six Programme Zones in the Scout Section. They are:

• Beliefs and Attitudes
• Community
• Fit for Life
• Creative Expression
• Global
• Outdoor and Adventure

It is recommended that a troop spend roughly 50% of its programme time working within the Outdoor and Adventure Zone.

more about Programme Zones...

These Zones are delivered using 10 methods, which give the programme variety and range. Sometimes one method will be more suitable than another. On occasions you may use a number of methods within the same activity. The Methods are:

In addition to the Programme Zones and Methods, there is a also a third element to the Balanced Programme. Put simply it identifies what people might expect to see if they walked into a Troop meeting. We need to be aware of it as it very much reflects the experience of being a Scout.

The Scout Balanced Programme Checker is a resource to help Leaders plan a Balanced Programme using all the Programme Zones and a variety of Methods. This can also be used retrospectively to check how balanced the programme is over a period of time.

Download the Scout Balanced Programme Checker