Introduction

So far in this book, I have explored several spaces and places within society where children and young people are encouraged to be and become good citizens. In this chapter, I turn our attention to the uniform groups, focusing initially on the Scouts and then the splinter group of the Woodcraft Folk.

The roots of scouting trace back to the leadership of Sir Robert Baden-Powell, who was born in 1857 in London. Inheriting a passion for outdoor activities from his father, Baden-Powell organised a camp on Brownsea Island in 1907, marking the experimental beginnings of scouting. In 1908 he released his seminal manual, Scouting for Boys, setting the standard for scouting activities, emphasising self-reliance, good citizenship and moral development. This ignited a global surge in scouting, culminating in the formal establishment of the Boy Scouts Association in 1910. The Scout Law, the Scout Promise and the motto ‘Be Prepared’ became guiding principles. Scouts diversified across urban and rural settings, later including girls through the establishment of the Girl Guides. The global movement now impacts youth worldwide and is currently active in 216 countries and territories, with a global membership of over 31 million, male and female, with two thirds of the international membership in developing countries.

In the UK, scouting played a crucial role in both world wars, offering vital support and exemplifying commitment to community and military service. After the Second World War, adapting to changing societal needs, scouting introduced various sections for different age groups. Today, UK Scouts state that they strive for inclusivity, welcoming participants from diverse backgrounds, although with varying degrees of success. They continue to receive strong support from the British royal family, symbolising British values of character, resilience and grit. Indeed, Bannister (2022) argues that scouting and guiding organisations play a crucial role in the ritual socialisation of young people in Britain, instilling values, norms and identity among their members, contributing to their socialisation into society, and shaping the moral and social development of youth within these organisations and their broader communities.