Becoming your best self

The Growth and Development SIA is all about personal growth: health, fitness, wellbeing, leadership and life skills. It’s where young people set goals about who they want to become — not just what they want to do.

How it works

Each youth member picks an area of growth that’s meaningful to them, sets realistic goals and plans how to reach them with support from unit leaders. Progress is reviewed together along the way, so goals can stretch as confidence grows. A project here might be physical, mental, social or practical — anything that helps them develop as a person.

Ideas to get started

• Joey Scouts: practise a new physical skill — like hopping, balancing or throwing — over four weeks
• Cub Scouts: train towards a fun-run or walk event with your family
• Scouts: learn first aid basics and earn a recognised qualification
• Venturers: build a personal fitness or mindfulness routine and track it for a term
• Rovers: mentor younger members or take on a leadership role in your crew
• Any section: master a life skill — budgeting, cooking a weekly menu, or public speaking

Why it matters

Learning to set goals, stick with them and reflect honestly is one of the most valuable skills Scouting teaches. Growth projects make that habit explicit.

Try this

What’s one skill you’d love to have by the end of the year? Write it down — that’s a project waiting to happen.