Organisations with Consultative Status

A number of Scouting organisations enjoy Consultative Status with the World Scout Committee. These organisations enhance the capacity of Scouting to fulfil its Mission, offering complementary support in fields that are not part of World Scouting’s normal functions. The Consultative Status granted to an organisation is reviewed every three years at the second meeting of the Committee following a World Scout Conference. For more information, please refer to the document entitled Consultative Status with the World Scout Committee.

Council of Protestants in Guiding and Scouting

The Council of Protestants in Guiding and Scouting (CPGS) is a link of confessional Protestant Guide and Scout associations and Pastoral Protestant committees. The CPGS' understanding of Protestantism is based on the definition of the World Council of Churches. CPGS regards Scouting and Guiding as an important contributor to the physical, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual development of youth. Furthermore, CPGS believes that all of the above mentioned dimensions of Scouting should be equally emphasised. The mission of CPGS is to:

• Strengthen the members’ awareness of their Christian-Protestant background and the spiritual dimension in Scouting in general.

• Be a place to share practical ideas on how to make activities for Guides and Scouts, with emphasis on the spiritual dimension in Scouting.

• Motivate cooperation among members of CPGS.

• Establish Scouting wherever Protestant churches exist.

International Catholic Conference of Scouting

The International Catholics Conference of Scouting (ICCS) seeks to bridge the “worlds” of Catholicism and Scouting both spiritually and practically so that all its members can contribute to the improvement and the transformation of the society in which we live. The purpose of ICCS is to assist young people and adults in fulfilling the part of the Scout Promise that deals with Duty to God. It actively encourages its members to have positive engagement with the spiritual life of their community. This ideal is realised in its member organisations through the support of its Regions (Europe-Mediterranean, African, Asia Pacific and Inter-American).

The aims of the ICCS are to:

• Contribute to the development and strengthening of the spiritual dimension of Scouting, mindful of the unity and diversity of the World Scout Movement.

• Promote the active participation of Catholics in Scouting in the mission of the Church.

• Facilitate communication between the Catholic Church and the World Scout Movement.

In accordance with its aims, the ICCS:

• Offers initiatives in the area of education and the spiritual and religious life of the Church to Catholic Scouts.

• Cooperates with other Scout or Guide organisations whose aims are the development of the spiritual and religious dimension.

• Positively contributes to the pastoral care of young people and adults.

• Promotes ecumenical and inter-religious encounters and dialogue.

• Promotes education for peace and justice.

• Promotes, together with World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM), a better understanding of Scouting and its development in the Catholic Church.

ICCS enjoys Consultative Status with the World Scout Committee and is a member of the World Scout Inter-religious Forum.

International Forum of Jewish Scouts

The International Forum of Jewish Scouts (IFJS) is to be the ‘Jewish voice’ within WOSM and is to participate within the Inter-religious Forum of World Scouting (IFoWS).

The IFJS goals are the following:

To establish ties between all the existing associations, committees, branches and groups of Jewish scouts in order to:

• Engage in dialogue among participants and exchange ideas regarding the main concerns of the Jewish people of today.

• Strengthen and improve Jewish Scouting around the world.

• Initiate joint activities, such as a Jamboree of Jewish Scouts.

• Exchange and edition of educational and training material.

• Publicise Jewish Scout activities within the Jewish world.

• Seek funding for the development and strengthening of Jewish Scouts groups

• Establish new local groups of Jewish Scouts in Jewish communities around the world to:

  • Establish a non-formal Jewish educational structure in communities in which there is presently no youth movement.

  • Develop local community leadership via leadership in the Scout movement.

• Represent Jewish scouts within the Scout movement and to be the Jewish voice in interfaith activities to:

  • Participate in international activities by representing the Jewish voice.

  • Strengthen the Jewish identity of Jewish Scouts attending international gatherings and meetings.

  • Establish and/or participate in various interfaith encounters initiated by the WOSM.

International Link of Orthodox Christian Scouts

The International Link of Orthodox Christian Scouts (DESMOS) was established in June 1997 at the Penteli Monastery in Athens, Greece. Its aim is to contribute to the spiritual development of Orthodox Christian Scouts by helping them sense the importance of Duty to God and understand the essentials of Robert Baden-Powell's original spiritual vision. The vision of DESMOS is to become a basis of mutual understanding for all Scout Associations that include Orthodox Scouts. DESMOS strongly encourages inter-religious dialogue and contact through tolerance, understanding and cooperation. The objectives of DESMOS are to:

• Develop and promote the spirit of brotherhood and understanding among Scouts of the Orthodox Christian faith.

• Promote warm relations and co-operation between Scouting and the official Orthodox churches.

• Develop an educational curriculum that should enhance the spiritual dimension in the personalities of young Orthodox Scouts in accordance with the purposes, principles and method of the Scout Movement.

• Introduce Scouting in such states and areas where the Orthodox Church is established.

• Coordinate the activities of DESMOS with non-Scout organisations having the same objectives.

• Motivate co-operation among DESMOS members.

• Motivate and promote Scouting to Orthodox boys and girls on a global basis.

International Scout and Guide Fellowship

The International Scout and Guide Fellowship (ISGF) is a worldwide organisation for adults in support of Scouting and Guiding and who want to strengthen the dialogue between communities through community-oriented projects worldwide.

ISGF aims to encourage its members to: 

• Personally keep alive the spirit of the Promise and Law as laid down by Lord Robert Baden-Powell, Founder of the Scout and Guide Movement, in a process of continuous personal development.

• Bring that spirit into the communities in which they live and work through active service to them.

• Actively support the WAGGGS and WOSM member organisations in these communities, in their countries and worldwide.

The objectives of the ISGF are to: 

• Establish liaison and co-operation between its Member Organisations, which are called the National Scout and Guide Fellowships (NSGF).

• Encourage the founding of a NSGF in any country where no such organisation exists.

• Promote friendship amongst its members throughout the world.

International Union of Muslim Scouts

The International Union of Muslim Scouts (IUMS) is an autonomous organization with Scout bodies and associations representing Muslim Scouts all over the world. Established in 1989, IUMS is an organisation of dignified aims, based on the affection, brotherhood and peace among the Muslim people. Implicitly, IUMS carries the call of Islam for the spread of moral virtue and peace within the framework of the World Scout Movement. The objectives of IUMS are to:

• Motivate and promote Islamic Scouting on a global basis.

• Extend coordination and cooperation among IUMS.

• Promote and coordinate social, humanitarian and relief activities within the Union or in cooperation with non-Scout organisations of a similar nature.

• Introduce Islamic Scouting in such states where Muslims are residing.

• Develop and promote the spirit of brotherhood and understanding among Muslim Scouts.

• Develop an education curriculum that should contribute to structure and build the spiritual dimension of young Muslims.

IUMS enjoys Consultative Status with the World Scout Committee and is a member of the World Scout Inter-religious Forum.

World Buddhist Scout Council

The World Buddhist Scout Council (WBSC) began as a means to facilitate religious activities among Buddhist Scouts. The establishment of a Buddhist Scout Network was valuable in the organisation of global Buddhist Scout activities. The objectives of the WBSC are to:

• Develop and promote the spirit of cooperation and understanding amongst Buddhist Scouts.

• Develop an educational curriculum in agreement with the WOSM that should enhance the spiritual dimension in the personalities of young Buddhists in accordance with the purpose, principles and method of the Scout Movement.

• Promote relations between Scouting and local Buddhists.

• Introduce Scouting in such areas where Buddhism is established.

• Coordinate the activities of the WBSC with non-Scout organisations having parallel objectives.

• Motivate cooperation of WBSC members from around the World.

• Motivate and promote Scouting amongst Buddhist boys and girls on a global basis.

• Promote contacts and exchanges and interactions with Scouts of other faiths.

Members of the WBSC include Bhutan, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. WBSC enjoys Consultative Status with the World Scout Committee and is a member of the World Scout Inter-religious Forum.