HOME—International Scouting—Scouting Organizations—Scout-like & Scouting Alternative Organizations

There are organizations that don't call themselves Scouts, but might be described as "Scout-like". And there are some groups that call themselves Scouts, but are very different from traditional Scouting. Many (but not all) such organizations consider themselves to be an alternative to Scouting. There is no clear line of distinction between "true" Scouting and "Scout-like" or "Scouting Alternative" programs, nor is there any worldwide agreement on what is "true" Scouting. Here are some guidelines that I use to help determine if an organization is "Scout-like" (and please email me if you can improve on these guidelines, or if you can offer additional information about any of the organizations listed below):

Many of these organizations are US-based, although some have branches around the world. Many are also church-centered Christian evangelizing groups, some belonging to specific denominations, and others available to any "bible-believing, evangelical Christian" church that wants to use the program.

These organizations pre-date Scouting, and hence were doing "Scout-like" activities before there was Scouting. German Scouting owes much to, and has much in common with, the Wandervogel movement. And Scouting founder Baden-Powell thought highly of the Boys Brigade, and counted Boys Brigade founder William Smith as a good friend.

It's interesting that in the US, those organizations that compete with the Girl Scouts of the USA typically feel that GSUSA is too liberal, and tend to be conservative and often Christian only, while those organizations that compete with the Boy Scouts of America typically feel that BSA is too conservative, and tend to be liberal and to stress their inclusivity. See further below for Christian-only and other strongly religious programs.

Camp Fire—Camp Fire is a non-denominational, inclusive, US-only program started almost immediately after the Boy Scouts in 1910 (17 March). Its official founders were Charlotte Vetter Gulick and Luther Halsey Gulick, MD. By 1910, Charlotte Gulick had developed a summer camp in Maine she named Camp WoHeLo (Wohelo is still Camp Fire's 'watchword', representing Wo rk He alth Lo ve). At the same time in Thetford, Vermont, poet and historian William Chauncy Langdon coined the name 'Camp Fire Girls' for the girls who were participating in a historical pageant he was leading (the local Boy Scouts were also involved in the pageant). Langdon also created three ranks of achievement for the girls: Wood Gatherers, Fire Makers, and Torch Bearers. On 22 March 1911, Dr Gulick chaired a meeting "to consider ways and means of doing for the girls [nationally] what the Boy Scout movement is designed to do for boys." This meeting also selected the name Camp Fire Girls for the organization. Participants included William Langdon, Ernest Thompson Seton's first wife Grace, Dan Beard's sister Lina, and James West (BSA Chief Scout Executive). BSA's Ernest Thompson Seton, Dan Beard, and James West were all members of the Camp Fire Girls Advisory Committee formed that spring. Interestingly, West always regarded the Camp Fire Girls (and not the Girl Scouts) as the girl's equivalent of Boy Scouting.



Originally for girls only, the program has been coed since 1975, when they changed their name to Camp Fire. In 1984, the organization became Camp Fire, Inc.; in 1993, Camp Fire Boys and Girls; in 2001, Camp Fire USA, and in 2012 back to Camp Fire. Youth membership is open to anyone from age 6 weeks to 21, with emphasis on kids aged 5-16. Today, 42% of Camp Fire's youth membership is male, though male participation drops off significantly in the older age range (for example, only about 10% of 2019 recipients of the Wohelo Award were male). Camp Fire's highest award was created in 1962 as the Wohelo Medallion, renamed the Wohelo Award in 1996. Their motto is "Give Service". Membership is 187,000 in 25 states +DC (2019).

'Earth Scout' Organizations—There are several loosely organized groups that promote an earth-friendly lifestyle and use the term 'Earth Scouts':



Earth Champs—Formerly called Earth Scouts, and a subsidiary of Earth Charter US, Earth Champs are "groups of parents and kids, teachers and kids, the community and kids  all working to encourage boys and girls ages 3 and up to become responsible global citizens who know how to make a difference in their local communities and in the world." Using the Earth Charter as a guide, Earth Champs groups "learn about and act to  sustain the environment, achieve economic and social justice, create peace and nonviolence and model participatory democracy".



Kids for Earth—This subsidiary of 'United for Earth' "is an organization dedicated to learn and adopt sustainable lifestyle in modern society." They list their mission as: "To raise awareness and instill proactive approach to understanding the natural resource challenges of modern society." The 'Kids for Earth' scouting program is called 'KE Scouts', for children ages 6 through 18. Through KE Scouts, "kids participate in activities, trips, and awareness/learning sessions that foster earth-friendly ways to leading a sustainable life."



Planet Earth Scouts—This is an "all age global network guided by values/principles systems/structures geared towards our transition to a healthy sustainable future!" They state that: "Earning badges is the number one fun activity for Planet Earth Scouts. Planet Earth Scouts is about learning 'sustainable stewardship' and the 4 Pillars of the Earth Charter provide a framework to develop learning activities that will enable children and adults to learn about values and principles of sustainability. But sustainable living is also about various technologies and practices that are specifically related to food, water, shelter, and energy." "The Planet Earth Scouts family is a community of Earth Stewards who are connected through a common desire to co-create a sustainable and healthy world for future generations. Their individual and collective actions are bringing definition to the term Earth Stewardship and their efforts are weaving a tapestry of planetary healing."



The 4 Pillars of the Earth Charter are:

1. Respect & Care for the Community of Life

2. Ecological Integrity

3. Social & Economic Justice

4. Democracy & Peace

Frontier Girls—Started in California in 2007, "Frontier Girls is a scout like curriculum for girls offered as an alternative to Girl Scouts for groups to use as part of their youth programming." Girls can work on many hundreds of badges and other awards as they progress through five youth age levels: Penguin (preschool, ages 3-5), Otter (grades K-2, ages 5-8), Dolphin (grades 3-5, ages 8-11), Butterfly (grades 6-8, ages 11-14), and Eagle (grades 9-12, ages 14-18). Adults can also earn badges, and can belong to three more levels: Owl (adult participant, age 18+; "level for girls 18+ and adults who wish to earn badges and awards at the adult level"), Goose (leaders, age 18+), and Starfish (troop helpers, age 18+). The badges are metal pins rather than patches. Troops typically include all age levels, with some activities for all the girls, and others set up for the separate age levels. The Frontier Girl motto is, "If you see a need, Take the lead!" They also have a Promise ("I promise to love God; Be loyal to my country; and to love my neighbor as myself.") and Creed (comparable to the Scout Law). The Frontier Girls uniform is a white shirt, navy blue bottoms (skirt, pants, shorts, blue jeans without holes, etc), and a vest with insignia (red vest for girls, navy blue for leaders, royal blue for Owls). I have not been able to find an annual report or indication of their membership numbers. The national organization licenses their badges, uniforms, and program to individuals or organizations to use.



Frontier Girls also offers an additional, optional, coed (or boys) program called Quest Clubs. According to their website, "Quest Clubs takes all the badges and awards from Frontier Girls and makes them available as an educational incentive program that is open to everyone. There are no membership requirements, no promise to recite, no mandatory uniforms, and no mandatory requirements or policies. You may use Quest to design a scouting style program that suits your own needs and beliefs. While Quest does not require a uniform, we do offer vests in 20 different colors so that you can design a uniform of your choice. Many of our Frontier Girls troops now partner with a Quest Club and meet as a co-ed group."



Junior Forest Wardens—Officially named the Alberta Junior Forest Warden Association, this Canadian organization has clubs primarily in the province of Alberta, with a few clubs in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland. They officially began in 1935, and provide an outdoor program of camping, hiking, snow-shoeing, cross-country skiing, canoeing, and wilderness survival, focused on the four key areas of Outdoor Skills, Ecology, Leadership, & Forestry. Open to boys and girls aged 6 through 18, clubs are divided into four levels: Pathfinders (Grades 1-3), Trailblazers (Grades 4-6), Adventurers (Grades 7-9), and Challengers (Grades 10-12). They estimate a membership of about 50 clubs with 1000 'wardens' and 700 adult volunteers and parents. Uniform is a red shirt. AJFWA hosts a 'National Campout' that is somewhat like a Scout jamboree. Interestingly, AJFWA holds a casino license and raises some of their operating funds through casino gambling.

Navigators USA—This alternative to traditional Scouting started in 2003 in East Harlem (New York City). They call themselves "a different kind of scouting organization", and have two program sections: Junior Navigators, age 7-10, with three levels (Mira, Vega, Polaris), and Senior Navigators age 11-18, with four levels (Shadow, Tracker, Pilot, Navigator). They camp, and attempt to address the problem sometimes called nature deficit disorder. Navigators USA is coed, non-religious, and inclusive. Like the Boy Scouts, they have a Navigator Motto ("Stay On Course"), Navigator Slogan ("The more you give, The more you get"), law (called Navigator Traits: "Truthful, Respectful, Inclusive, Generous, Dependable, Resourceful, Cooperative"), and promise (called Moral Compass: "As a Navigator I promise to do my best To create a world free of prejudice and ignorance. To treat people of every race, creed, Lifestyle and ability with dignity and respect. To strengthen my body and improve My mind to reach my full potential. To protect our planet and Preserve our freedom.").



They have colorful handbooks for the Junior and Senior sections. Their highest award is the Summit Achievement Award.

Woodcraft Organizations



IFM - SEI (International Falcon Movement  Socialist Educational International)—IFM - SEI "is an international educational movement working to empower children and young people to take an active role in society and fight for their rights." Headquartered in Belgium, they have affiliated organizations throughout the world, especially in Europe and South America [The UK's Woodcraft Folk is an affiliated organization].



Woodcraft Folk—Founded in 1924-25, this UK-based, coed organization appears to be about the sole survivor of a number of Woodcraft organizations started by (or connected with) Ernest Thompson Seton after he was forced out of the Boy Scouts of America in 1915. The Woodcraft Folk regard themselves as "an alternative to the Scouts", and offer a program of "games, drama, discussion, projects, crafts, singing and dancing", along with hostelling and camping activities. They seek to create a world based on "equality, peace, social justice and cooperation." Their five levels are Woodchips (age under 6), Elfins (6-9), Pioneers (10-12), Venturers (13-15), and DFs (District Fellows, over age 15). They have around 25 000 members.



Woodcraft Rangers—This American version started in 1923. They provide "innovative and creative programs for children in the under-served areas of greater Los Angeles." They reach out to over 18,000 at-risk students from over 60 public schools in high-need neighborhoods of Los Angeles county with a year-round program that runs five days a week until 6:00 pm. The program includes a homework clinic, fitness period, and a variety of "engaging activities", including drama, fine arts, dance (from Folklorico to Hip-Hop), team sports, individual fitness activities, and technology-based clubs (photography, robotics, etc.).