24/11/2025
A letter to the Leaders and Adult Helpers from Brendan Watson OAM; Chief Commissioner, Scouts Australia
_You Make the Difference: The Hidden Impact of Every Scout Night_
Each week across Australia, thousands of volunteer Leaders turn up: unlocking halls, supporting the duty Patrol Leader, setting up obstacle courses, organising badgework, supporting young people to lead, checking the arrangements for the night hikes, packing away gear, and encouraging hesitant voices to speak up. Sometimes you’re thanked, often you're not. Sometimes the night feels chaotic, the lesson unclear, or the Group distracted. And yet - you keep showing up.
What you may not always see is this: you are changing lives.
New national data from the Resilient Youth Survey confirms what many of us have felt in our hearts for years - that Scouts builds stronger, more resilient young people. The data shows that Scouts score an average of 91% across key wellbeing measures, compared to 82% for the national average. That means the program you deliver each week isn’t just fun - it’s transformative.
Your Scouts are:
· More hopeful about their future
· Better able to cope with stress and anxiety
· More likely to have trusted adults they can talk to
· More willing to give back to their community
· More respectful, inclusive, and connected to others
These are not just numbers. These are futures you’re shaping - one activity, one Patrol meeting, one encouraging word at a time.
You may not see it now, but your commitment is laying foundations that will support these young people for the rest of their lives. You’re helping a shy 11-year-old learn confidence. You’re showing a teenager how to solve problems, serve others, and believe in themselves. You’re helping young Australians become the kind of adults our country needs: resilient, compassionate, and community-minded.
The Scout program works - and you are the reason it works.
So the next time a session feels like a scramble, or the tent pegs won’t go in, or the youth members forget the equipment again - take heart. You are not alone. And what you are doing matters more than you know.
Because of you, our communities will be stronger tomorrow.
Thank you - for every week you’ve given, and every Scout you’ve inspired. The difference you make is profound. Keep going…
Australia needs you!
Yours in Scouting,
Brendan Watson OAM
Chief Commissioner, Scouts Australia
