The Swiss Scout Movement, in collaboration with the University of Education Zurich, examined whether their activities had a positive effect. Nearly 650 young people aged 14 to 17 filled out a questionnaire last summer from PH Zurich at the federal expedition camp (Bula) in Goms. Once at the beginning of the fortnightly event, once at the end. Co-funded by the Swiss Scout Movement, the study examines whether joint camp activities support youth well-being and therefore mental health.
The results are pleasing to the scouts: from the first measuring point to the second measuring point, the positive emotions of the surveyed scouts increased. The enthusiasm experienced by the scouts during the Bula reflects these results. This was also reflected in the individual voices of the Sultans in Bula. “It was a great experience,” says Zoé (13), who got her scout name “Gazosa” in Bula, and gets excited. “I feel like this experience has changed me,” says a student from Zumikon ZH. Also for being a bit on your own. “I can take better care of myself. This is a huge advantage because I just started high school after Bula.”
Til (14) from Wädenswil ZH also only remembers the good times in Bula, Abu became the scout leader in the camp. One of his best moments was when he took pictures with all the scouts in Zurich, which has 6000 members. He often looks at the photo taken with the drone: “It was an incredible sense of community and togetherness.” He met many new colleagues. “Even if I don’t know anyone yet, I’ve learned to approach and communicate better with people.”
Positive despite the rain and tiredness
According to the news in the media regarding the initial research results of the study, “despite (or perhaps because of) fatigue and heavy rain, as well as living in a tent and in nature in simple conditions, there was no significant change in negative emotions. .
It could also be demonstrated that certain life skills were improved: positive improvements were evident, particularly regarding the ability to contribute to society, self-esteem and self-confidence. According to the research, not only an environment conducive to learning, but also caring and reliable caregivers are important for increasing life skills. Well-trained managers are a prerequisite for this.
Study provides fundraising benefits
With its work, the scout movement in Switzerland imitates the scout associations in other countries that work on the impact of their activities. For nonprofits like Scouts, scientific proof of the positive effectiveness of their activities can be an advantage when seeking donations.