Responding to the crisis in Israel and Palestine

We’re part of a worldwide family of Scouts connected through fellowship and our thoughts are with Scouts and their families. All of us are united in a desire for peace, to live in safety. We know that these Scouts will be helping those around them, living their promise to help other people and serve others.  

We’re acutely conscious that Scouts in the UK may also be directly or indirectly affected, including young people and volunteers with personal connections to communities in Israel and Palestine. So we look to support each other, our young people and their families, and our Scouts volunteers and colleagues. Now is the moment for us to live our promise to help other people.

A belief in a shared humanity and respect for life

As Scouts we stand together for peace and against violence. We stand against racial hatred in all its forms. This begins with the empathy and compassion we show each other.

This is a time when our values of care, respect, integrity, belief and cooperation need to come to the fore. We need to think carefully about our words and actions and how they might impact on the feelings of others in our communities and within our UK Scouts Groups.

For years, Scouts have been leading the efforts for unity and reconciliation, for example with the ‘Peace Light’ that starts each November from the Grotto at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem with Scouts from the Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths - and is spread around the world by Scouts. This is a time for this spirit of understanding.  

Showing kindness and compassion

Scouts are optimists, we believe in the fundamental rights of people and the possibility of hope. And we are realists too, and can see there will be deeply troubled times ahead. At all times we seek to reflect our Scouts values.

It’s in our practical nature as Scouts to look for answers and solutions. Yet for now we must focus on kindness and compassion first; and to call out intolerance to protect the dignity of all. We aim to educate ourselves as much as possible and show that kindness and compassion we find at the heart of our promise.

Global peace starts small. We hope for a de-escalation and a peaceful resolution.

Support for volunteers and young people in Scouts

As a Scouts volunteer, here are some resources to help you approach the subject with different age groups. We hope they will help our young people understand more about conflict and help support their wellbeing.

• Talking to young people about international crises – resources to help you address this topic with your groups, thanks to two of our programme partners, Save the Children and British Red Cross
• Kindness Jars – focused on the young people affected by the crisis
• Mindfulness time – with the help of some everyday objects
• How are you time? Times two – focused on helping family and friends to feel okay, especially at stressful times
• Try Bogus bulletins or Keep your opinions to yourself to help young people to learn what news can be trusted
• Advice if you're upset by the news – a BBC Newsround piece that you could watch in a meeting together with young people (Beaver/Cub/Scout appropriate) 
• Exploring the topic of refugees with young people – badge-related activities and help to run a session on refugees
• 5 ways to talk to children about conflict – from our #AMillionHands partner Save the Children

These will also be useful for those volunteers supporting Scouts with links to the region. We'll continue to work with the World Organization of the Scout Movement and our partners to offer the support we can to our fellow Scouts.

How Scouts can help

You can donate to the Red Cross Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory appeal. 

You can donate to Save the Children's Gaza Emergency appeal.