Extension Scouting

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Extension Scouting

Extension Scouting are programs in some Scout organizations for young people with special needs. The aim is to help these young people join in with regular Scouting activities, sometimes through a separate but parallel program.

The idea comes from Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, who believed Scouting should be open to all.

In the United Kingdom, a Disabled Scout Branch was established in 1926 to support Scouts with disabilities. There are also Scoutlink groups that provide involvement and support for people with developmental disabilities. Scoutlink is also the name of an Internet chat site and of joint programs between Scouting groups in Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Extension Scouting is known by different names in different places, such as Scouts Malgré Tout in French. It serves to include more young people in Scouting.