Luc Panissod

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General Secretary of World Scouting

June 20, 2011

11.30am - 1.30pm

"Towards Positive Youth Development: A Rethink of Australia's Youth Investment"

Young people are our nation’s future, and investment in youth is vital for the sustained development of Australia.

Scouting has a unique role to play in the youth sector in Australia. It is the largest youth organisation in the country, with over 70,000 members. It is also supported by an international network of Scouting organisations, operating in more than 161 countries with over 30 million members.

For over 100 years, Scouting has contributed significantly to a better world. As an “agent of change”, focusing on the development of young people, Scouting has helped build Australia as a strong nation.

For young Australians to contribute optimally to a stronger nation, a rethink of investment in youth is required. The experiences of several European and Scandinavian countries demonstrate the returns available from positive youth development.

Governments at all levels should shift their policy settings, over time, more towards positive youth development. This can be brought about by:

• Greater investment in preventative programs, and less on curative measures (acknowledging that effective preventative programs will, over time, reduce the demand for measures to address youth depression and other mental health issues, youth obesity and the like)

• A focus on developing the life skills, personal confidence, and resilience of young people, through team activities including adventurous activities and responsible risk taking (and preventing the “cotton woolling” of children and youth)

• A greater reliance on the involvement of young people in the formulation of public policy (recognising generational gaps between the leaders of today and Australia’s young people)

Through positive youth development, and by maintaining its relevance in a rapidly changing world, Scouting expects to contribute towards stronger local, national and international communities for the next 100 years.