About 50 million young people involved, 2 million local actions, 3 billion service hours.
These are among the scouting movement’s contributions in the name of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) leading up to 2030.
With this in mind, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines-Quezon City Council sets its sights on higher level targets by focusing its attention on the inclusion of SDGs for its future programs.
During a seminar workshop on Sustainable Development Goals and the Better World Framework held last October 5, speakers and scouts officials urged the participants to adopt the Better World framework to encourage scouts and non-scouts to align all programs and join efforts in collaborative projects that support the development of active citizenship focused on social impact.
The discussants include Scouters Florencio B. Antonio, Eugenio Real, Cyren Lady Ann C. Castañarez, John Kenneth L. Gallardo and Alexander Rivera Jr.
Participants in the day-long workshop were tasked to develop project proposals that target specific areas of engagement.
These include the He or She campaign on gender equality, the Go Solar energy drive, cultural conflict resolution and mediation of individual differences through the Messenger of Peace program and network.
Discussed also during the event is the Patrimonito scout of the world award, environmental sustainability and World Heritage preservation.
The seminar workshop lined out the scouts’ role in the movement.
First is to inspire young people to become active global citizens through education and learning opportunities through scouting.
Second is to enable the young with information and tools to develop key sustainable development competencies while building the capacity of National Scout Organizations.
Third is to deliver young people with competencies that create local actions through community service and development projects anchored on the SDGs.
“The integration of the SDGs into the scouting activities helps enrich the power of the youth in transforming our nation into a better place,” noted QC Council-BSP Board member Esperanza Fe Castor-Pangan.
“Through the efforts of our young scouts and our scouters, we can cause real changes and will be more productive as more youths become more responsible citizens and capable leaders of the future.”