Youth have something to say, listen to them

4 minutes

I had my first contact with Scouting at age 10, while participating in my local Scout group's open doors day. Having the opportunity to learn something normally conducted indoors outdoors intrigued me. But I couldn’t join the group since they did not have the capacity to admit any children in my age range.

It was seven years later when I first joined Scouting in that same group. I joined the local group Magma 924 when I was 16 years old. Since I hadn’t been Scouting from a young age, I wasn’t prepared at all when my first camp came three months in. My peers ended up teaching me how to set up a tent on the bus trip there. I was lacking Scout training and awareness of basic, day-to-day camp techniques and my peers didn't realise I hadn't had Scout education prior to a camp. I am forever grateful to them for these lessons, as I consider them to be the most beautiful example of what the spirit of Scouting is for me. 

Enci presents in front of other Scouts.
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©ASDE Scouts de España

A year later, I changed Scout groups to Seeonee 576 after moving 400 kilometres away from home to attend university. It was there that I joined a Rover Crew, whose members inspired me to participate in my first youth-led activities (for Rovers, by Rovers), and later to support and organise them. Besides providing a fun, safe environment for learning and meeting like-minded youths, they also exemplified the Scouting spirit that I first discovered on the back of the bus crash course: they let me learn from my peers and help them learn from each other. I also discovered the wonders of associative participation which allowed different Scout groups from the region to organise and set a common front. This allowed them to participate in ASDE Scouts de España with a unified voice. 

Four Scouts with their uniforms stand in front of the camera.
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©ASDE Scouts de España

I will always remember staying up all night with my best friend after gathering the youth's opinions on how Castilla-La Mancha's Youth Forum (Spain) should function, to write the regulations needed for our youth forum to become a decision-making body for our community, and after countless drafts and patches, getting it approved by our General Assembly. In this way, we ensure at least one youth forum each year. As a result, the decisions made at the forum will have a significant impact on youth and the Scout association.

Today, as a Scout leader, I continue to assist youth who organise these events by setting up the infrastructure needed. The fact that so many young people are taking the initiative to make a difference in the way Scouting is conducted in our autonomous community fills me with joy. It was through this experience that I realised the importance of spaces where youth can participate and learn from each other. Through this process, they can begin to advocate for issues that they think are crucial, but which are overlooked by older generations.

Scouts group picture.
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©ASDE Scouts de España

Scouting gives youth a chance to learn from their peers and provides a voice to advocate for issues they find crucial and which may be overlooked by older generations. Furthermore, it gives Scouting a unique angle that allows the organisation to move forward and create a better future. For me, Scouting is exactly this: peer education that helps us develop our voices.

We as youth movements play a key role in achieving peer education: we must provide these spaces and actively listen to our youth. It is after all, a youth movement that prepares youth to have a voice and to play a significant role in making our world a better place. We might as well listen to them. Perhaps they have something to teach us. 

 

By Enci García Bo, Scout leader, ASDE Scouts de España

This article is part of the Scouting Forward campaign that aims to celebrate how scouting empowers youth to become active citizens to respond to the social, economic, and environmental challenges facing our world, supported by the Erasmus+ programme.