9 New Year’s resolution ideas for Scouts

A new year can be an exciting opportunity! Is there something you want to change in order to feel happier or healthier? Or maybe a social cause you’re committed to? You have the power!

You’re already amazing, so keep building on that. See what actions you might take this year to continue evolving into the best version of yourself. That might mean trying new things or trying new ways of doing things.

Think about what drains you and what energizes you. You can’t get rid of every drain, but perhaps you can re-focus to bring in more balance with more activities that bring you joy. What could you do this year to have more space for the things that energize you?

In case you need inspiration, we’ve listed 10 ideas for New Year’s Resolutions for Scouts:

1. Make a friend from another country

Being a good friend is at the heart of Scouting, and making friends from around the world is at the heart of World Scouting! The more we get to know people from other places, the more we can understand each other, build more peace, and create a better world.

You can meet people from other countries through regional and international Scout events, including the annual Jamboree On The Air - Jamboree On The Internet (JOTA-JOTI) in October - which is free for all young people to join online from around the world!

In 2023, there are some major in-person events happening, like the World Scout Jamboree in Korea in August, the Africa Scout Moot in Kenya in April, and centenary events throughout the year at Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC) in Switzerland!

To help get you started, check out our tips like How to Connect with Scouts Around the World Online and 10 Conversation Starters for Meeting New Friends.

2. Get creative and upcycle your clothes

Compared to 15 years ago, the average person buys 60% more clothing items every year, yet wears them for about half as long! Waste from the fashion industry is a growing environmental problem resulting in 17 million tons of textile waste per year in the US alone (source). 

There’s actually a super fun way you can start to tackle this problem from home. Of course, you can buy fewer clothes and buy second-hand, but did you know you can also upcycle your clothes? 

To help get you started, we have some great tips on how to do this thanks to Sophie Haliwell, a fashion designer from the UK:

P.S. Join the Earth Tribe group on Facebook to join Scouts for an upcycle challenge this January!

3. Be present and benefit from less screen time

Believe it or not, excessive screen time can have serious effects on our mental and physical health - including sleeplessness, anxiety, eye strain and more. Plus, we’ve all been caught doom scrolling from time to time, so we know smartphones and tablets can be a major time drain.

Commit yourself to be more mindful with your devices and try tracking and reducing your screen time. Use your newfound minutes (or hours!) to be more present with friends or family, be more active outdoors, or take on a new project you’ve been saying you have no time for!

To help get you started, read our 5 Tips for Taking a Screen Break.

4. Create an epic pioneering project

Pioneering is a long-loved Scouting tradition - and for good reason! This fun activity gets us outside, working with our hands, collaborating with friends, and building practical outdoor skills. At the end of it all, you get an awesome finished product - whether it’s a hut, bridge, table, scaffolding - whatever you create is sure to make you proud.

For inspiration, check out the amazing pioneering for the stage of the Danish National Jamboree this year, or this awesome structure by Portuguese Scouts!

To help get you started, take some tips from Danish Scouts who built a table at their National Jamboree this year:

5. Be an earth-friendly consumer

Do you know where your food or clothes come from? Often, the things we buy and consume have to travel very far to get to our local mall or grocery store. Imagine the carbon footprint it would leave if each ingredient of a frozen pizza came from a different country, got assembled and packaged in another country, and then shipped to your grocery store. It adds up!

It can be challenging to be a responsible consumer in many places. But we all know awareness is the first step, right? So get started by researching the supply chain of three of the brands or items you bought the most last year. This means trying to understand more about how they’re made, who makes them (and under what conditions), where they come from, and how they get to you. 

You can find some of this information on packaging, company websites, or through NGOs working on corporate social responsibility, environment and human rights. For example, check out the information from WWF on the palm oil industry.

With that information, you’ll be empowered to make better decisions about what you buy this year. Maybe you can switch one or two brands to more eco- and worker-friendly alternatives, and tell your friends about them!

6. Learn another language

Speaking more languages means you can communicate, learn about and build friendships with more people - including Scouts around the world! It can also open the doors for exciting job opportunities. There are many other benefits to language learning, like better problem-solving skills, memory, creativity, academic performance, and more (source).

Language learning is a way to demonstrate openness, interest, acceptance and friendship. Imagine meeting someone new to your country and being able to greet them in their language! Or meeting new people at a regional or international Scout camp and surprising them by speaking some of their languages.

You can get started with free YouTube videos or apps, like DuoLingo. Once you’ve found the right language for you, you might choose to take classes, watch movies in that language, or join a conversation group if you’re city has one.

7. Introduce someone new to Scouting

If you’re reading this, it means you’ve benefitted from Scouting in your life. So why not help someone else discover the magic of Scouting? 

If they don’t already offer it, talk to your Scout Leader or Group about organising a bring-a-friend activity so you and others can introduce someone new to be a Scout or volunteer.