Special Interest Areas

Special Interest Areas are how you try something new, or go further with an interest you already have. You choose the project and shape it yourself. Pick a topic that interests you, then take one of the project options or bring your own idea. You set the goals, so the project matches what you want to get out of it.

There are six Special Interest Areas. Each one has five project options to choose from, and one of those options is always your own idea. Two members of your Unit Council approve your goal before you start, and your Review> when you finish.

Select an area

Adventure and SportPush yourself physically, try new sports, and seek out adventure. Arts and LiteratureExpress yourself, tell stories and explore creative traditions. Creating a Better WorldMake a difference in the local, national, and international communities you’re part of. EnvironmentCare for the natural world, learn how it works, and change how we live in it. Growth and DevelopmentDevelop yourself. Your skills, your wellbeing, and where you’re heading. STEM and InnovationDesign, build, and find out how things work.

Choose an area to see its project options, guiding questions and ideas for every section.

Adventure and Sport

Push yourself physically, try new sports, and seek out adventure.

Adventure and Sport is about getting out there and finding out what you’re capable of. Have a go at a sport you’ve never tried. Push a bit further in one you already love. Or head outdoors and take on a real adventure. You don’t have to be the best at it – you just have to do your best, and go further than you did last time.

Project options

Try something newTake on a sport, physical activity, or adventure you’ve never done before.

Level upImprove your skills further in a sport or activity you already love.

Go on an adventurePlan and undertake a physical adventure or expedition.

Scouts for SDGs – Health AlliesComplete the Nutrition challenge: explore how food fuels active living and physical performance. sdgs.scout.org

Your own ideaSet your own goal, and get it approved by your Unit Council.

Ideas to get you started

Section	Try something new	Level up	Go on an adventure
Guiding questions	What sport or activity have you always been curious about? What would it take to give it a real go?	Where are you now, and where do you want to be? Who could help you train?	Where would you go, and what would the challenge be? How would you build up to it?
Joey Scouts	Try a new sport at a come-and-try day	Practise your swimming to earn your next certificate	Walk somewhere new, and share what you found
Cub Scouts	Try archery, rock climbing, or a martial art	Improve your athletics time, or earn your next belt in karate	Plan a bushwalk on a new trail, and navigate with a map
Scouts	Take a beginner course in surfing or mountain biking	Train for a regional competition, or earn a certification	Plan a day hike or paddle with your Patrol
Venturer Scouts	Train for an endurance challenge like a running race	Set and hit a measurable goal like a race time or grading	Organise a multi-day expedition somewhere new
Rover Scouts	Take up something new like freediving, parkour or aerial	Build a training plan for an ambitious goal	Plan and lead an expedition like an alpine trek or remote paddle

Try something new

What sport or activity have you always been curious about? What would it take to give it a real go?

Joey ScoutsTry a new sport at a come-and-try day
Cub ScoutsTry archery, rock climbing, or a martial art
ScoutsTake a beginner course in surfing or mountain biking
Venturer ScoutsTrain for an endurance challenge like a running race
Rover ScoutsTake up something new like freediving, parkour or aerial

Level up

Where are you now, and where do you want to be? Who could help you train?

Joey ScoutsPractise your swimming to earn your next certificate
Cub ScoutsImprove your athletics time, or earn your next belt in karate
ScoutsTrain for a regional competition, or earn a certification
Venturer ScoutsSet and hit a measurable goal like a race time or grading
Rover ScoutsBuild a training plan for an ambitious goal

Go on an adventure

Where would you go, and what would the challenge be? How would you build up to it?

Joey ScoutsWalk somewhere new, and share what you found
Cub ScoutsPlan a bushwalk on a new trail, and navigate with a map
ScoutsPlan a day hike or paddle with your Patrol
Venturer ScoutsOrganise a multi-day expedition somewhere new
Rover ScoutsPlan and lead an expedition like an alpine trek or remote paddle

Full guiding questions, worked examples and planning tips are in the Guide to Special Interest Areas.Choose another area

Arts and Literature

Express yourself, tell stories and explore creative traditions.

Arts and Literature is about making something that wasn’t there before. Write it, draw it, build it, film it or perform it. Go deeper into an art form you already love, or take on one you’ve never tried. Your first attempt won’t be your best one. Make it anyway.

Project options

Create somethingMake an original piece of work in any creative medium.

PerformDevelop and deliver a performance in music, drama, dance or spoken word.

Explore and appreciateGet to know an art form, genre or tradition properly.

Scouts for SDGs – LifeLeadersComplete the Impact Innovators challenge. Use the arts to identify a community problem and design a solution that creates positive change. sdgs.scout.org

Your own ideaSet your own goal, and get it approved by your Unit Council.

Ideas to get you started

Section	Create something	Perform	Explore and appreciate
Guiding questions	What would you like to make? What would you need to learn to make it well?	What do you want to perform, and who for? How will you prepare?	Which art form do you want to understand better? Where will you start?
Joey Scouts	Draw or paint a picture about something you did in Scouts	Learn a song or short poem and perform it at your Unit	Visit a gallery or library and pick a favourite thing you found
Cub Scouts	Write and illustrate a short story or comic	Practise a dance or drama piece and perform it on a Unit night	Find out about an artist you like and share what you learned
Scouts	Make a short film, zine or piece of artwork from scratch	Learn a piece or a monologue and perform it to an audience	Study a genre and put together a talk or display
Venturer Scouts	Make a collection of short stories or a body of artwork	Prepare and deliver a performance at a public event	Research the history of an art form and present your findings
Rover Scouts	Produce a substantial work such as a portfolio, album or manuscript	Stage a performance you have written, cast and directed	Study a tradition in depth, then teach or write about it

Create something

What would you like to make? What would you need to learn to make it well?

Joey ScoutsDraw or paint a picture about something you did in Scouts
Cub ScoutsWrite and illustrate a short story or comic
ScoutsMake a short film, zine or piece of artwork from scratch
Venturer ScoutsMake a collection of short stories or a body of artwork
Rover ScoutsProduce a substantial work such as a portfolio, album or manuscript

Perform

What do you want to perform, and who for? How will you prepare?

Joey ScoutsLearn a song or short poem and perform it at your Unit
Cub ScoutsPractise a dance or drama piece and perform it on a Unit night
ScoutsLearn a piece or a monologue and perform it to an audience
Venturer ScoutsPrepare and deliver a performance at a public event
Rover ScoutsStage a performance you have written, cast and directed

Explore and appreciate

Which art form do you want to understand better? Where will you start?

Joey ScoutsVisit a gallery or library and pick a favourite thing you found
Cub ScoutsFind out about an artist you like and share what you learned
ScoutsStudy a genre and put together a talk or display
Venturer ScoutsResearch the history of an art form and present your findings
Rover ScoutsStudy a tradition in depth, then teach or write about it

Full guiding questions, worked examples and planning tips are in the Guide to Special Interest Areas.Choose another area

Creating a Better World

Make a difference in the local, national, and international communities you’re part of.

Creating a Better World is about doing something for the people around you. Find a problem in your community and have a go at fixing it. Speak up for a cause you care about. Or get to know people whose lives look nothing like yours. Think about a project that can have a real impact!

Project options

Help your communityMake a difference locally through volunteering, your skills or a fundraising project.

Stand up for somethingRaise awareness or advocate for a cause you believe in.

Connect and build understandingWork with Scouts or people whose lives are different from yours.

Scouts for SDGs – Messengers of PeaceComplete the Dialogue for Peace challenge. Expand your worldviews, take pride in diversity and use dialogue to become an advocate for peace. sdgs.scout.org

Your own ideaSet your own goal, and get it approved by your Unit Council.

Ideas to get you started

Section	Help your community	Stand up for something	Connect and build understanding
Guiding questions	What needs doing near you? Who would you need to ask?	What issue do you care about? Who needs to hear about it?	Whose experience is different from yours? How could you learn together?
Joey Scouts	Help tidy a local park or beach with your Unit	Make a poster about something you think is important	Learn a greeting or song from another country
Cub Scouts	Collect items for a local charity and deliver them	Give a short talk at your Unit about a cause you care about	Find out how Scouts in another country do things and share it
Scouts	Plan and run a working bee at your hall or a community space	Run an awareness campaign at your school or Group	Set up a letter or video exchange with another Unit
Venturer Scouts	Organise a fundraiser and see it through to handover	Research an issue and put a case to a council or Group	Plan an activity with a group from a different background
Rover Scouts	Lead a community project with a budget and a team	Build and run a campaign, then measure whether it changed anything	Organise a cultural exchange or partnership with another organisation

Help your community

What needs doing near you? Who would you need to ask?

Joey ScoutsHelp tidy a local park or beach with your Unit
Cub ScoutsCollect items for a local charity and deliver them
ScoutsPlan and run a working bee at your hall or a community space
Venturer ScoutsOrganise a fundraiser and see it through to handover
Rover ScoutsLead a community project with a budget and a team

Stand up for something

What issue do you care about? Who needs to hear about it?

Joey ScoutsMake a poster about something you think is important
Cub ScoutsGive a short talk at your Unit about a cause you care about
ScoutsRun an awareness campaign at your school or Group
Venturer ScoutsResearch an issue and put a case to a council or Group
Rover ScoutsBuild and run a campaign, then measure whether it changed anything

Connect and build understanding

Whose experience is different from yours? How could you learn together?

Joey ScoutsLearn a greeting or song from another country
Cub ScoutsFind out how Scouts in another country do things and share it
ScoutsSet up a letter or video exchange with another Unit
Venturer ScoutsPlan an activity with a group from a different background
Rover ScoutsOrganise a cultural exchange or partnership with another organisation

Full guiding questions, worked examples and planning tips are in the Guide to Special Interest Areas.Choose another area

Environment

Care for the natural world, learn how it works, and change how we live in it.

Environment is about the living world around you and what happens to it. Get outside and look properly at what’s there. Take care of a patch of it. Or change something about the way you live. Consider how you can make a real difference in nature!

Project options

Protect and restoreTake hands-on action to care for plants or animals in the natural environment.

Investigate and discoverExplore the natural world through observation, research or citizen science.

Change the way we liveTake on a project about sustainability, waste reduction, or greener practices.

Scouts for SDGs – Earth TribeComplete an Earth Tribe challenge. Impact biodiversity through the Champions for Nature challenge, or plastic pollution through the Tide Turners challenge. sdgs.scout.org

Your own ideaSet your own goal, and get it approved by your Unit Council.

Ideas to get you started

Section	Protect and restore	Investigate and discover	Change the way we live
Guiding questions	What lives near you that needs a hand? Who already looks after it?	What have you noticed but never looked into? How would you find out?	What gets thrown out at your place? What could you change first?
Joey Scouts	Plant native seedlings with a Landcare group	Go spotlighting, or count birds for a citizen science survey	Sort the bins at the hall and find out where it all goes
Cub Scouts	Build nesting boxes and put them up near your hall	Find out which animals live in your area and keep a record	Run a plastic-free challenge at your Unit for a month
Scouts	Join a working bee to restore a local reserve or dune	Survey a creek or bushland patch and track what changes	Work out what your Scout Group throws away and change one thing
Venturer Scouts	Lead your Unit’s part in a threatened species project	Run a citizen science project and share what the data shows	Plan and deliver a change to your hall’s water or energy use
Rover Scouts	Lead a restoration project across a whole season	Design your own study and report what you found	Lead a sustainability project for your Group or community

Protect and restore

What lives near you that needs a hand? Who already looks after it?

Joey ScoutsPlant native seedlings with a Landcare group
Cub ScoutsBuild nesting boxes and put them up near your hall
ScoutsJoin a working bee to restore a local reserve or dune
Venturer ScoutsLead your Unit’s part in a threatened species project
Rover ScoutsLead a restoration project across a whole season

Investigate and discover

What have you noticed but never looked into? How would you find out?

Joey ScoutsGo spotlighting, or count birds for a citizen science survey
Cub ScoutsFind out which animals live in your area and keep a record
ScoutsSurvey a creek or bushland patch and track what changes
Venturer ScoutsRun a citizen science project and share what the data shows
Rover ScoutsDesign your own study and report what you found

Change the way we live

What gets thrown out at your place? What could you change first?

Joey ScoutsSort the bins at the hall and find out where it all goes
Cub ScoutsRun a plastic-free challenge at your Unit for a month
ScoutsWork out what your Scout Group throws away and change one thing
Venturer ScoutsPlan and deliver a change to your hall’s water or energy use
Rover ScoutsLead a sustainability project for your Group or community

Full guiding questions, worked examples and planning tips are in the Guide to Special Interest Areas.Choose another area

Growth and Development

Develop yourself. Your skills, your wellbeing, and where you’re heading.

Growth and Development is all about you. Pick up a skill you’ll use for the rest of your life. Get to know how other people see the world. Or work out what you want to do next. Some of the most everyday things make the best projects.

Project options

Build a skill for lifeDevelop a practical life skill you can use beyond Scouts.

Understand othersExplore different faiths, cultures and worldviews, or build empathy and people skills.

Explore your futureInvestigate a career, further study or life direction that interests you.

Scouts for SDGs – HealthAlliesComplete the Mind Builders challenge on mental health and personal wellbeing, or LifeLeaders’ EQ in Action. sdgs.scout.org

Your own ideaSet your own goal, and get it approved by your Unit Council.

Ideas to get you started

Section	Build a skill for life	Understand others	Explore your future
Guiding questions	What can’t you do yet that you’ll need? Who could teach you?	Whose world is different from yours? How could you learn about it properly?	What might you want to do? How could you find out what it’s really like?
Joey Scouts	Learn to tie your own laces, or pack your own bag for camp	Learn about a festival or tradition from another family	Find out what a job you like the look of actually involves
Cub Scouts	Learn to cook three meals, or learn basic first aid	Learn some Auslan, or a language used in your community	Interview someone about their job and share what you found
Scouts	Learn to budget your money, or service and repair your bike	Learn about a faith or culture different from your own	Try out a career through work experience or a taster course
Venturer Scouts	Get your first aid certificate, or learn to drive safely	Do a mental health first aid course	Research a career path and talk to people already doing it
Rover Scouts	Learn a trade skill like basic carpentry, wiring or plumbing	Study a worldview different from your own in depth	Do a professional development course, or find a mentor

Build a skill for life

What can’t you do yet that you’ll need? Who could teach you?

Joey ScoutsLearn to tie your own laces, or pack your own bag for camp
Cub ScoutsLearn to cook three meals, or learn basic first aid
ScoutsLearn to budget your money, or service and repair your bike
Venturer ScoutsGet your first aid certificate, or learn to drive safely
Rover ScoutsLearn a trade skill like basic carpentry, wiring or plumbing

Understand others

Whose world is different from yours? How could you learn about it properly?

Joey ScoutsLearn about a festival or tradition from another family
Cub ScoutsLearn some Auslan, or a language used in your community
ScoutsLearn about a faith or culture different from your own
Venturer ScoutsDo a mental health first aid course
Rover ScoutsStudy a worldview different from your own in depth

Explore your future

What might you want to do? How could you find out what it’s really like?

Joey ScoutsFind out what a job you like the look of actually involves
Cub ScoutsInterview someone about their job and share what you found
ScoutsTry out a career through work experience or a taster course
Venturer ScoutsResearch a career path and talk to people already doing it
Rover ScoutsDo a professional development course, or find a mentor

Full guiding questions, worked examples and planning tips are in the Guide to Special Interest Areas.Choose another area

STEM and Innovation

Design, build, and find out how things work.

STEM and Innovation is about working out how things work, and making things that weren’t there before. Build something with your hands. Write code that does a job. Or run an experiment and find out what actually happens. This is your chance to create something amazing!

Project options

Build somethingDesign and construct something physical, like a tool, model or structure.

Code and createWrite code, build an app, design a website, program a robot, or make a digital tool.

Investigate and experimentRun a scientific investigation, experiment or research project.

Scouts for SDGs – Earth TribeComplete the Earth Tribe challenge and explore clean energy by building a solar powered project. sdgs.scout.org

Your own ideaSet your own goal, and get it approved by your Unit Council.

Ideas to get you started

Section	Build something	Code and create	Investigate and experiment
Guiding questions	What would you like to make? How will you know it works?	What could you make easier with code? Who would use it?	What do you want to find out? How would you test it?
Joey Scouts	Build a marble run, or make paper planes that fly further	Try a beginner coding game using blocks	Do a simple experiment and say what happened
Cub Scouts	Build a bridge out of newspaper that holds a book	Make a simple animation or game with block coding	Test something at home and record what you find
Scouts	Design and build a billy cart, then make it faster	Build an app or a website your Unit could actually use	Write a hypothesis, then design a test for it
Venturer Scouts	Design and build something your Group needs	Program a robot, or build a tool for your Unit	Run an experiment and present what the data shows
Rover Scouts	Design and build a canoe, trailer or piece of equipment	Build and release something other people actually use	Design your own study and write it up properly

Build something

What would you like to make? How will you know it works?

Joey ScoutsBuild a marble run, or make paper planes that fly further
Cub ScoutsBuild a bridge out of newspaper that holds a book
ScoutsDesign and build a billy cart, then make it faster
Venturer ScoutsDesign and build something your Group needs
Rover ScoutsDesign and build a canoe, trailer or piece of equipment

Code and create

What could you make easier with code? Who would use it?

Joey ScoutsTry a beginner coding game using blocks
Cub ScoutsMake a simple animation or game with block coding
ScoutsBuild an app or a website your Unit could actually use
Venturer ScoutsProgram a robot, or build a tool for your Unit
Rover ScoutsBuild and release something other people actually use

Investigate and experiment

What do you want to find out? How would you test it?

Joey ScoutsDo a simple experiment and say what happened
Cub ScoutsTest something at home and record what you find
ScoutsWrite a hypothesis, then design a test for it
Venturer ScoutsRun an experiment and present what the data shows
Rover ScoutsDesign your own study and write it up properly

Full guiding questions, worked examples and planning tips are in the Guide to Special Interest Areas.Choose another area

Content from the Scouts Australia Guide to Special Interest Areas, version 2026.08.001.