Scouts go Solar

Solar training courses are held annually in one region of the world, where scout leaders from different countries are trained to become Solar Ambassadors. Later, they carry out their own solar activities in their home countries, reaching out not only to the local scout movement but also to the wider population.

The worldwide scout movement counts approximately 57 million members and is deeply rooted in the local structures. For this reason, it’s the perfect partner for our efforts in fostering solar energy. Based on this existing worldwide network, knowledge and application possibilities of solar energy can be shared widely and the communities of the scouts can profit from the positive social and economic effects of the solar projects.

Therefore, scout leaders from all over the world are trained to become Solar Ambassadors. Until 2022, this training course used to take place at the Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC). From 2023 onwards, these training courses will be decentralised and held in one region of the world at a time, in order to build up local competence centres. Later on, training courses shall be carried out there independently. The trained Solar Ambassadors share their knowledge and carry out their own solar activities in their home countries, reaching the local scout groups and the general public.

Since

2014

Current project phase

2024

Annual budget

CHF 128’000

Implementing partner organizations

Goals

The goal of Scouts go Solar is to sustainably integrate the use of solar energy within the national scouts’ programmes worldwide. Based on the solar projects implemented by the scouts, there shall be a positive impact on their communities’ social and economic situation.

Activities

In 2023, the solar trainings for future Solar Ambassadors took place for the first time on a decentralised basis in various regions of the world. In March 2023, 18 Scout leaders from 16 different (mainly African) countries were trained in Kenya, followed by a second such regional training in Bolivia in November 2023, for 14 future Solar Ambassadors from 12 countries in Latin and North America. In these trainings, the scout leaders learnt how to build a solar cooker from basic materials and how all this is embedded within the worldwide scout movement. Apart from that, they soldered their own solar lamps, defended their opinions in a debate about renewable energies and planned concrete solar projects that they will implement in their countries as part of the formation.

More than 53 solar activities were implemented worldwide in 2023, for example in Malaysia, Thailand, Chad, Ivory Coast, the Seychelles, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Portugal, North Macedonia and online. Scouts go Solar was also represented at the international World Scout Jamboree in South Korea and offered workshops for Scouts from all over the world.

After the exception of two regional trainings taking place in 2023, there will be one again in 2024. This will take place in Thailand at the beginning of May, for scout leaders from the Asia-Pacific region.

Newsletter:

PS: We are now also active with the Scouts go Solar Switzerland project. The aim is to raise awareness of solar energy, energy efficiency and climate protection among scouts throughout the country. To ensure that this knowledge does not remain just theory, but leads to concrete actions and experiences, educational materials are being developed, scout leaders are being trained and a course program is being set up.

Deutsch: Projektseite / Experimente

Français : Page du projet / Expériences

Italiano : Pagina del progetto / Esperimenti

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Project management

Martin Wanner

Stories from the world of Scouts go Solar

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