Scouting and The Church Child & Youth Program

Many Latter-day Saints think Scouting and the Children and Youth program are competing with each other.

They’re not. They’re doing different things – and they fit together better than most people realize.

The Church’s Children and Youth program encourages young people to set goals in four areas: spiritual, intellectual, social, and physical.

Now think about what Scouting develops: character, citizenship, physical fitness, leadership, faith. Look at that list again.

They’re the SAME thing. Just approached differently.

The Church’s program asks youth to set their own goals and grow toward Christ in every area of their life. Scouting gives them concrete experiences – real projects, real skills, real service – to actually accomplish those goals. Not in theory. In real life.

A young man who’s working on his physical goal can train for a 50-miler. A young woman who wants to grow socially can serve as a patrol leader or senior patrol leader. A youth who wants to serve can plan and execute an Eagle project that changes their community.

Scouting isn’t a replacement for what the Church is doing. It’s fuel for it.

If you’re a Latter-day Saint Scouter, you’re not running two separate programs. You’re running one – just with better tools.