I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to truly say, “Every Scout counts.” And not just as a slogan — but really live it, in our meetings, our outings, our decision-making. Every person matters — no matter their age, experience, skill level, beliefs, or even if they have a disability that makes certain activities harder. If they’re showing up, trying, learning, and growing… they count.
Sometimes I wonder if, as leaders, one of the greatest disservices we can do to Scouting is unintentionally putting limits on who we include or how big we allow our programs to grow. I get it — balancing safety, sanity, and logistics is real. But more often than not, there’s a way. There’s always a way to adapt, to welcome, to create space. That’s kind of the magic of Scouting, isn’t it?
“The sport in Scouting is to find the good in every boy and develop it.”
—Robert Baden-Powell
In school, we’re taught the “letter” of our subject — the rules, the formulas, the textbook version. But then you get out into the world, or out onto the trail, and realize… the “letter” doesn’t always line up with how life works. It’s the same with official guidelines in Scouting. They’re there for a reason — to reduce risk, to provide structure — and we should absolutely take them seriously. But at the same time, maybe they’re also just that: a compass, not a cage. A wise reminder that while policy matters, people matter too.
“The spirit is there in every boy; it has to be discovered and brought to light.”
—Robert Baden-Powell
Anyway, just my two cents this week. Maybe this struck a chord — or maybe you see it a different way. Either way, I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you reply to this email, I just might feature some of your comments in next week’s issue (with your permission, of course).
Because in this big, wide, wonderful Scouting world — every voice counts, too.
Yours in Wacky Scouting,
Scott Robertson