The Aim of SCOUTS South Africa is to contribute to the development of boys, girls and young adults in achieving their full potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities by:
- Developing their character;
- Training them in citizenship;
- Developing their spiritual, social, intellectual and physical qualities.
SCOUTS South Africa is based on the following principles:
a. Duty to God:
Adherence to spiritual principles, loyalty to the religion that expresses them and acceptance of the duties resulting there from.
b. Duty to others:
Loyalty to one’s country in harmony with the promotion of local, national and international peace, understanding and co-operation. Participation in the development of society with recognition and respect for the dignity of one’s fellows and for the integrity of the natural world.
c. Duty to self:
Responsibility for the development of oneself.
Adherence to the Promise and Law
All members of SCOUTS South Africa are required to adhere to the Scout Promise and Law or the Cub Promise and Law, as the case may be, conceived by the Founder Lord Baden Powell.
Promise and Law
I promise to do my best;
to do my duty to God and my country;
to keep the Law of the Wolf Cub Pack and
to do a good turn to somebody every day.
The Cub gives in to the Old Wolf;
the Cub does not give in to himself.
Do your Best
On my honour I promise that I will do my best;
to do my duty to God, and my country;
to help other people at all times;
to obey the Scout Law.
1. A Scout’s honour is to be trusted.
2. A Scout is loyal.
3. A Scout’s duty is to be useful and to help others.
4. A Scout is a friend to all and a brother to every other Scout.
5. A Scout is courteous.
6. A Scout is a friend to animals.
7. A Scout obeys orders.
8. A Scout smiles and whistles under all difficulties.
9. A Scout is thrifty.
10. A Scout is clean in thought, word and deed.
The Scout Method is a system of progressive self-education through:
- A Promise and Law.
- Learning by doing.
- The Patrol System, i.e. Membership of small groups (e.g. the Patrol), involving, under adult guidance, progressive discovery and acceptance of responsibility and training towards self-government directed towards the development of character, and the acquisition of competence, self-reliance, dependability and capacities both to co-operate and to lead.
- Progressive and stimulating programmes of varied activities based on the interests of the participants, including games, useful skills, and services to the community, taking place largely in an outdoors setting in contact with nature.
- Adventure, creating challenging opportunities for the members to experience, practice and develop in accordance with the Aims of SCOUTS South Africa.
From the SCOUTS South Africa Constitution.