Founder’s Day 2026
Dear Scouts, Leaders, Adult Members and Scout Families across Australia,
Happy Founder’s Day. Each year on 22 February we pause to celebrate the birthday of Lord Baden-Powell and to give thanks for the Movement we share – a Movement built on service, adventure, friendship, and a deep belief in the potential of young people. Founder’s Day is also a moment to renew our commitment to the Scout Promise and Law, and to the kind of people we are trying to become and to form in others: people of character, courage, compassion and hope.
In a world that can feel unsettled at times, Scouting offers something quietly powerful – belonging. We see it in the way a Joey Scout is welcomed on their first night, in the way a Patrol learns to work through challenge together, in the way Venturer Scouts and Rover Scouts step forward to Lead and to serve, and in the way adults across the country give their time so that young people can grow. That sense of belonging matters more than ever, because it helps shape communities that are stronger, kinder, and more resilient.
Over the past year, the Resilient Youth Australia data has again affirmed what we witness in our Groups and Sections every week. It shows that young people in Scouts are more likely to experience the things that underpin wellbeing and resilience – feeling connected, protected and respected – and that they are more likely to step up for others and to reach out when they are doing it tough. Those findings aren’t just encouraging; they speak to the everyday impact of a Program that builds skills for life and a culture that draws people in, helps them stand tall, and teaches them to look outward with generosity.
Founder’s Day is therefore not only a celebration of our history, but a reminder of our purpose. Scouting is at its best when our values are visible in our actions – when we choose respect over division, calm over noise, service over self, and courage that is expressed through kindness. In recent times, many Australians have felt the weight of grief and distress in our wider community. In response, may we be the people who notice, who include, who listen, who help, and who quietly strengthen the fabric of the communities in which we live and serve.
Thank you to every volunteer Leader, supporter, committee member, and staff member for what you give to Scouts Australia. Thank you as well to every young person who shows up, has a go, learns, Leads, and makes their world a little better. I hope Founder’s Day is a moment of pride and gratitude for you and your Group, and a chance to renew your Promise with confidence that what we do matters – because it does.
Yours in Scouting,
Brendan J Watson OAM
Chief Commissioner Scouts Australia