Step 1 -  Contact us

The first step is to email, message us via social media, or send us an enquiry telling us a little about you, and so we can advise you if we are currently are able to accept new members.

If you’re not sure which scouting age section is the best one for you to attend, we can discuss that with you and your parents or guardians.

Contact us

Step 2 -  Visit us

Arrange a date and time to visit us at our Scout hall or at an outdoor activity with a parent or guardian. You'll meet the adult leaders and youth members in your section and get to know them a little.

You'll also get an idea of what our unit is like, the environment, the type of activities we do, and what is expected of you and your family.

It's an opportunity for you to decide whether our group is right for you before you sign up for a trial.

Step 3 -  Sign up for a trial

Next, apply for a free trial membership to try out scouting for three to four visits. Your parent or guardian will register you on our site and create a profile with details such as your address, email, phone, emergency contacts and marketing information. 

After you register you will receive an e-mail welcoming you to Scouting and containing

• Your new Scout member number
• Your login for ScoutHub (the site you're on now), which you can use to find contact details and update your member details
• a list of useful links and other information about membership

After a few days, you'll get another e-mail

• Containing instructions for accessing the Scouting achievement system Terrain
• A request to create a profile in Operoo, the system Scouts NSW uses for medical information, consent and e-permissions.
  Once your Operoo profile is done, you can come to activities without a parent or guardian.

Step 4 -  Become a full member

When you are ready to become a full member, let your Section Leader know.

Your Leader will use ScoutHub to register you for full membership. You will receive a personalised registration link via email. You can then update update your member details if required and pay your registration fees, which includes a one-off joining fee for new members. Once you have a ScoutHub login, you can use it to view our fee structure here.

From this time you can start to view and record your own achievements in Terrain. Your Leader and other Youth Members may also record achievements in Terrain on your behalf. You can also suggest program actitivies, start new projects and work on your outdoor adventurous skills.
If you're really keen, you can start working towards the Scouting Peak Award for your section.

As an older Scouting member, you have the opportunity to use your Scouting experiences and learning to earn qualifications such as the Certificate II in Creative Industries, Certificate III in Outdoor Leadership, or a Diploma in Project Management. Visit Scouts Australia Institute of Training to learn more.

Step 5 -  The uniform

As Scouts, we proudly wear a uniform which includes a collared shirt with badges identifying us as members of Scouting worldwide, our rolled Group scarf, and our achievements in Scouting.

The only part of the uniform we ask you to purchase is the shirt. Each Scouting youth section wears a short-sleeved button-down or polo navy-blue shirt, with coloured panels identifying the youth member by age section.

You can also buy a long-sleeved, sun-safe, quick-dry, lightweight hiking-style shirt, which is navy-blue all over and so can be worn by a Scout of any age.

To wear on your bottom half the recommended option is stone (preferred) or navy-blue shorts or long pants, with the Scout belt.

We recommend buying your shirt and other Scouting items from the NSW Scout Shop, where 100% of profits go back into Scouting. The shop is run by our friends in the South Coast and Tablelands Scout Region. You can visit their shopfront in Wentwoth Street Port Kembla, or order over the phone or email.
www.sctscouts.org.au/shop/

Another option is the privately-run National Scout Shop based in Victoria, which returns a percentage of profits to Scouting www.scoutshop.com.au

You must always:

• wear closed-in shoes such as school shoes, runners or boots to every Scouting activity, even when inside
• wear water shoes or old runners when in the water (no bare feet, open sandals or thongs)
• wear a sun-safe hat when outside during the day
• bring a refillable water bottle to all activities

Step 6 -  Investiture

After you've got your uniform shirt, attended three to four activities and signed up as a full member, it is time to make your Scout Promise, or get 'invested’ into Scouts.

Your patrol leader, unit leader and/or adult section leaders will have taught you about Scouting, and what  the Promise means. It is a rite of passage and you may like to invite people who are important to you to see you make your Promise. You can choose from two versions of the promise – one refers to "God" and the other to "your spiritual beliefs". You should choose the version of the promise which is most appropriate for you: Promise and Law | Scouts Australia.

At the investiture ceremony your leaders or peers will give you a number of items, and will explain their meaning to you.

• your Group scarf
• cloth badges identifying you as a member of
  • the Worldwide Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM)
  • Scouting Australia
  • your local Scouting Region 
  • your group
• a leather woggle

You should sew on your badges as soon as possible according to the Youth badge layout diagram (pdf). Depending on which section you belong to, you may also receive a patrol scarf ring and a personal achievement record book.

B R A V O O O, you are now a Scout at 2nd Sutherland (ARMCO) Scout Group, and a member of the Scouting movement worldwide!