Digital Scouting
Scouts are do-ers and give-it-a-go-ers. Every week we give almost half a million 4-25year olds the skills they need for school, college, university, the job interview, the important speech, the tricky challenge and the big dreams: the skills they need for life. This is done in-person by having fun, playing games, working in a team and taking on new challenges.
Online spaces can offer many benefits for young people including downtime from the offline world, development of skills such as creativity and problem solving, and space for independent entertainment.
We ran a 6-week pilot that combined the two. Thanks to funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), we piloted some different ways of offering our programme. This was about offering something new to young people who can't access our current delivery models, rather than replacing the amazing work done in groups and in the outdoors. This means even more young people will get to have fun and gain those skills for life.
We offered the following two pilot programmes for young people to take part in:
Group Scouting
A method of running the current badge programmes in an online setting, through online meetings ran by group volunteers.
You will need the following equipment to take part in this programme:
- Computer or tablet with a camera
- Access to the internet
- Headphones that connect to your device
- Specific equipment for activities, which will be shared in advance of each session
Young people who take part in this programme will meet one evening a week for around one hour, more information about this including days and times will be shared in advance of the first meeting.
Independent Scouting
A method where a young person can complete badges and programmes on their own, whilst being supported by volunteers who run an Independent Scout group. Those badges are:
- Scouts Scientist Activity Badge
- Scouts Naturalist Activity Badge
- Scouts Photographer Activity Badge
- Scouts Local Knowledge Activity Badge
- Scouts World Faiths Activity Badge
- Explorers Space Activity Badge
- Explorers - Digital Citizen Staged Activity Badge - Stage 2
- Explorers Creative Arts Activity Badge
In order to have the work verified and earn the badge, please email evidence (photo/video/words/etc.) about what was done to complete the requirements to [email protected].
Who is eligible for the pilot
Due to the funder's requirements, we will be piloting the programme with 10–17 year olds who are not already a member of Scouts.
Key information
- Second term is running from April until July 2026. Use the register your interest form to sign up to receive more information.
- The first pilot cohort ran from the beginning of January 2026 for 6 weeks.
- Each young person will meet with their leaders in advance of the pilot starting to say hi, understand the programme better and ask any questions they may have.
- Everyone who takes part will receive a necker to wear during their meetings or while taking part in activities. There is no expectation to wear the Scout uniform, however if you would like to wear it, you can.
Support for young people
Each group or independent Scout will have leaders who will run the groups. These leaders will be there to support everyone throughout the pilot and help them take part in the programme so they can achieve their badges.
Young people will be given information in advance about the programmes available to them and all the activities provide step-by-step instructions for everyone to follow.
Support for volunteers
Every volunteer who takes part in the pilot will be given a key contact from the HQ team to contact when needed.
Volunteers will be provided with programmes and guidance on how to run sessions online or how to support independent Scouts. They will also be provided with a welcome pack which contains more information on the pilot project.
Support for parents and carers
Parents and carers will be a part of the process as much as the young people, so we will provide everyone with more information about the pilot projects when their young person registers.
The activities and programmes will have step-by-step instructions that parents and guardians can follow to help support their young person while they are taking part.
A list of equipment needed for activities or sessions will be provided in advance so parents know what is needed for the next session or activity.
Everyone is different, and what works for one person may not work best for another. Speaking to the young person and/or their parents or carers, find out what may work best for them. Use our guidance on planning individual support to help.
There are many Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) resources available to leaders to support them give an inclusive experience to all young people, including some new visual supports using Widget symbols.
Volunteers who take part in these pilots will need to complete the mandatory training that is expected of them as a Scout Leader.
Additional to this, information and support will be given to them in the Leaders Welcome Pack to develop their skills and knowledge on how to run online sessions or supporting independent Scouts.
Safeguarding in online spaces is very important to this project as we want to keep all young people safe in these environments. Therefore, all pilots and programmes will follow our Yellow Card.
Support and guidance on how to keep everyone safe while running online sessions can be found on our Scouting Online Safety page.
Any safeguarding concerns must be reported in the same process as written in the Yellow Card. Support on how to do this can be found on the reporting page.
Keeping our young people safe during online activities and when taking part in Independent Scouting activities is very important to us.
All of our activities and programmes will provide specific safety information relevant to them. Any additional safety information will be provided in advance of the pilot starting and before any activities.
Every session and programme will have a risk assessment written for them. Guidance and support on how we complete risk assessments can be found on our risk assessment webpage.
For independent scouting, there are two risk assessments that leaders and parents/carers should be aware of. One for activities being completed inside the home and another for activities being completed outside the home.
Programme Plans and Inspiration
Online Group Scouting
Independent Scouting
If you are looking to try an online session as part of your regular Scout group or wanting inspiration for your own term of Digital Scouting, there are many ideas below. All of these activities can be run online safely.
Short games
Whether you’re after a quick challenge, a burst of creativity, or just a bit of light entertainment, these bite-sized games deliver big fun in small doses.
Creative
These activities are designed to spark imagination, encourage self-expression, and inspire new ideas. Explore freely, have fun, and let your creativity shine.
Communication
These communication-themed activities are designed to help us improve how we express ideas, listen to others, and work together. These activities will challenge us to think creatively, communicate clearly, and collaborate effectively.
Longer games
Not all games are quick wins—some are full-on journeys. These longer games are perfect when you want to get completely immersed in the fun.
STEM
Get ready to explore, experiment, and solve problems as a team. Let’s get curious, think critically, come together for all things STEM!
Community and beyond...
These activities am to bring people together through community focused and international themes. From cultural exchanges to local initiatives, we aim to celebrate diversity, build connections, and create meaningful experiences for everyone involved.
Other badges to work towards
Whether through other clubs or just special interests, you may be working towards other Scout badges already. We have created a list to help support you in this. If you have completed the requirements for these other badges, alert your leader and they will help get them verified.
- Angler
- Artist
- Athletics
- Craft
- DIY
- Farmer
- Fundraising
- Hobbies
- International
- Martial Arts
- Model Maker
- My Faith
- Physical Recreation
- Sports Enthusiast
- Street Sports
- Writer
- Athletics
- Chef
- Fundraising
- Motor Sports
- Performing Arts
- Physical Recreation
- Racquet Sports
- Street Sports
- Air Activities Staged Badge
- Community Impact Staged Badge
- Digital Maker Staged Badge
- Musician Staged Badge
- Navigator Staged Badge
- Swimmer Staged Badge
These activities should be done with extra safety precaution and may require an instructor to complete the badge.
- Caver
- Climber
- Cyclist
- Hikes Away Staged Badge
- Hill Walker
- Nautical Skills Staged Badge
- Nights Away Staged Badge
- Paddle Sports Staged Badge
- Sailing Staged Badge
- Snowsports Staged Badge
- Time on the Water Staged Badge