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Our membership principles

3.1.1.1 Key principle
Scouts is a membership organisation, where volunteer adults work with young persons to deliver the objects of Scouting (see POR Chapter 1).

In accordance with the Equal Opportunities Policy (POR 2a.5), membership of Scouts is open to all persons, subject to the criteria in POR 3.1.

3.1.1.2 Age limits

  1. youth members must be aged between their 4th and 25th birthdays
  2. adult volunteers must have reached their 18th birthday

3.1.1.3 Commitment
Members must be willing to follow The Scout Association's principles and commit to The Promise and, for adult volunteers, commit to Our Volunteering Culture (POR Chapter 2c).

3.1.1.4 Geographic eligibility
Membership of Scouts is open to: 

  1. people who live in the United Kingdom and its Crown Dependencies (the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) 
  2. people who live in any of the five Overseas Territories (Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Gibraltar).
  3. adults of any nationality who live in a country where British Scouting Overseas Groups operate
  4. young people who live in a country where British Scouting Overseas Groups operate and who hold a nationality other than that of the host country 

3.1.1.5 Conditions of membership
In addition to meeting the criteria in POR 3.1.1.2, POR 3.1.1.3 and POR 3.1.1.4, all adult members of Scouts must have at least one unique e-mail address that is not shared with any other person. This requirement also applies to any non-member recorded on the membership system, and to any Young Leader aged 16 or 17 who is recorded on the membership system.

This unique e-mail address must be recorded in the membership system and must be in addition to any shared email address such as may be in place for shared roles or teams.

Having a unique email address ensures that each member receives information intended specifically for them and mitigates the risk of them receiving confidential or misdirected information. This requirement aligns with the Data Protection requirements in POR 2a.3.

3.1.1.6 Gender Inclusion and Single-Gender Sections 

  1. Scouts must recruit in accordance with the Equal Opportunities Policy (POR 2a.5), unless stated otherwise in POR. 
  2. Scouts must make sure that all sections are open to members of all genders, except in the special situations described in POR 3.1.1.6(c) below.  
  3. Single-gender sections may exist within a Group, or in a District 14-24 provision, provided that membership for all genders is available across all sections within that Group or District 14-24 provision.  
    Special situations where single-gender sections may be permitted are: 
    1. cultural or religious requirements for single-gender activities 
    2. Scouts is offered in a single-gender institution (for example a school, or young offenders’ institution) 
    3. a specialist single-gender provision to meet a clearly identified educational need (for example scouting for young mothers)
    4. The decision to create a single-gender section under these special conditions must be made by the District Lead Volunteer in consultation with the County Lead Volunteer ([NI] by the Country Chief Volunteer in consultation with the Regional Lead Volunteer).

3.1.1.7 Status and rights of Membership

  1. On becoming a member, that person becomes a member of a Group, District, County, Country or UK Headquarters (as appropriate). They also become a member of The Scout Association and of WOSM. 
  2. members of Scouts may wear the approved uniform (POR Chapter 10), the World Membership badge and the World Membership lapel badge.
  3. members may receive benefits provided by any Group, District, and County to which the member belongs and of WOSM. 
  4. member benefits provided by UK Headquarters include:
    1. support in emergencies (POR Chapter 7)
    2. insurance (POR Chapter 9g)
    3. accrual of service for adults aged 18 and over (POR Chapter 11)
    4. the right to use our brand (POR Chapter 2e) 

    These member benefits are for members only(see POR 3.2) and are not available to helpers or individuals affiliated with charities or organisations which are not members of the Federation. This includes, but is not limited to, Girlguiding, SSAGO and other independent charities. 

  5. Members do not have any actual or implied rights to take part in the national management of The Scout Association or WOSM.