An update on progress made and challenges encountered by the Working Groups and Core Groups and a review of the budgetary process were major points on the agenda of the recent meeting of the European Regional Scout Committee at Gilwell Park, the historic Scout Centre of The Scout Association (UK) located on the edge of London.

Training Commissioners, 40 of them from 20 countries and 23 national Scout and Guide associations met for the third time from 13 to 15 January 2011. The aim of the Meeting was to offer a motivating and informative opportunity for experts in the field of volunteering and youth leaders training to share experiences and learn from each other.

We are pleased to announce the publication of the Supporting Growth in Changing Times - Membership Report 2011. As you will be aware, ‘Supporting Growth in Changing Times’ is the overarching theme of the Regional Scout Plan that was adopted by National Scout Organisations during the 20th European Scout Conference in Brussels, Belgium, in July 2010. Therefore we have made analysis of membership data during the last triennium. It is worth noting that extracting membership data from NSOs can be quite challenging. Whilst some have the data readily available, others do not, citing lack of membership management systems or not wishing to provide figures that might contradict.

The Report is available to download from the Library

Sarajevo, 17th December 2011 - This date will certainly be remembered as a very important date among the Scouts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After a very long period of negotiations, the Scouts of Bosnia and Herzegovina are proud to announce that they now have a National Scout Organization, comprised of the three existing Scout Associations in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Scout Association of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Scout Association of Republica Srpska, Scout Association of Brčko District).

(Geneva/ERO) – An update on progress made and challenges encountered by the five thematic Working Groups and the three supporting Core Groups was a major point on the agenda of the recent meeting of the European Scout Committee at Pax Lodge, the WAGGGS World Centre in London (United Kingdom).

Over 140 participants have enjoyed 5 days of interesting workshops and a lot of fun at the 2011 Academy. The event took place in the inspiring city of Paris from 28 October to 1 November. Participants from all around Europe had the choice of 22 sessions, many related to the overall theme of the event - “Growth through Quality”.

It is our great pleasure to introduce this Annual Report of the European Scout Committee’s work covering the period July 2010 to July 2011.

In the report, you can have a look back at the progress made since the 20th European Scout Conference in Brussels, Belgium, covering both the successes and challenges. As well as providing perspectives from the European Scout Committee, the European Regional Office and the European Scout Foundation, for the first time in the Annual Report of the European Scout Committee we have updates from our five Working Groups and three Core Groups.

It may have been raining in Brussels last week but this didn’t dampen the spirits of the Guide and Scout volunteers taking part in the European Youth Forum Convention on Volunteering, taking place between 7 and 10 September in the European Economic and Social Committee and the European Parliament.

The Honorary Protector for Roverway 2012 is the Prime Minister of Finland, Jyrki Katainen. Last summer, Prime Minister Katainen visited the 22nd World Scout Jamboree in Rinkaby, Sweden, with his colleagues Fredrik Reinfeldt of Sweden and Lars Lökke of Denmark.