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.

You can then go to the registration page on this site to upgrade to full membership. You will be asked to update your member details  and pay your registration fees from the time  you register through to the the next April.

Membership fees have two parts:

• An association registration fee payable to Scouts NSW, including a one-off joining fee.
• A group membership fee payable to 2nd Sutherland (ARMCO)

Membership fees may be paid in one of two ways:

• In full for the entire year at the time of registration.
• Monthly, by automatic payments over a maximum of six months (when registering between April and October).
  
  • If you register after October, you may still pay monthly but within the remaining months in the Scouting year.

Once you have a ScoutHub login, you can use it to view our fee structure here.

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!

Achievement pathways

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.

VET Qualifications

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.

Group equipment

2nd Sutherland maintains equipment for members' use at Scout camps and other adventures, such as tents, hiking stoves, marquees, camping tables and benches, lighting, outdoor cooking equipment, utensils and more.

As you become a more experienced Scout, we recommend you acquire other clothing and equipment for personal use (put your name on everything!). For further resources visit our Members page with kit lists and recommended equipment [coming soon]. Suggested personal items are listed below.

Kit for Cubs and older

• head torch 
• personal first aid kit (youth members are encouraged to make their own)
• mess kit (drawstring bag with non-breakable plate, bowl, cup and cutlery)
• day pack (small backpack)
• comfortable, supportive walking shoes

Scouts and older

• hiking boots
• protective gloves
• sleeping bag
• travel towel
• dry bags (for keeping important items dry on watery adventures)
• Silva compass (for navigating by map)
• hiking backpack (for overnight adventures)

... and any number of other items as recommended by your Scout Leaders. However, none of this is required for you to have a great time in Scouts!

Section

An age-defined grouping of youth members within Scouting, identified by colour:

 Joey Scouts 5-8 years

 Cub Scouts 8-11 years

Scouts 11-14 years

 Venturer Scouts 14-18 years

Rover Scouts 18-25 years

Youth member

A generic term for members of Scouts aged 5-25 years.

Adult Leader

A generic term for trained and uniformed adult leaders of youth.

Patrol Leader

A peer youth leader of a small group of four to eight scouts, within a unit, called a patrol.

A peer youth leader of several patrols, or of an entire unit of youth members in a section.

Section leader

The trained and uniformed responsible adult leader of a youth section, such as a Cub Scout Leader.

Scarf

A triangular scarf or neckerchief, rolled and clasped around the neck. Scarf designs are unique to each Scout group and so identify members in public and at Scouting events.

Woggle

A circle, ring or clasp, made of leather, cord or any other material, used to fasten the scarf.

Patrol scarf ring

A ring made of coloured elastic, worn on the scarf identifying the youth member as member of a particular patrol within their unit.

Personal achievement record book

Aa hardcopy alternative or supplement to Terrain, for a youth member to record their personal Scouting achievements in a Scouting section.

Peak awards

The highest awards achievable by Scouting youth members in each section:

• Joeys - Joey Scout Challenge Award
• Cubs - Grey Wolf Award
• Scouts - Australian Scout Award
• Venturers - King’s Scout Award
• Rovers - Baden-Powell Scout Award