The Adventure Begins
SPICES
Taken directly from the purpose of Scouting, the areas of social, physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual make up the fundamental basis of a person’s character, making six areas in total!
This concept is called SPICES. It’s about fostering personal growth in all the key components of development.
These are the outcomes that are achieved through Scouting, representative for each section.
Social Development
- Becoming aware
- Interacting with others
- Developing relationships and networks
Social development refers to belonging to a group, one’s relationships with others, and understanding differences between people in small groups of peers, as well issues of diversity and inclusion in larger communities.
Physical Development
- Being healthy and fit
- Being adventurous
Physical development refers to one’s understanding of their body, including active care for health, wellbeing, and the pursuit of physical skills and fitness.
Intellectual Development
- Acquiring new information
- Showing initiative
- Being adaptable
- Planning and reviewing
Intellectual development refers to one’s ability to think, plan, innovate, review and be creative, applying information, knowledge, and skills in new and different circumstances.
Character Development
- Developing Identity
- Showing autonomy
- Demonstrating commitment
Character development refers to the pursuit of personal best. It includes positive attitude, responsibility, respect, and making an effort beyond what benefits the self. It encapsulates personal growth in the five other SPICES.
Emotional Development
- Being emotionally aware
- Expressing one’s feelings
- Showing respect
Emotional development refers to the need for understanding of one’s own emotions and the emotions of others. It includes awareness of how a person is feeling, expressing emotions in a positive manner, as well as respecting and supporting the emotional needs of others.
Spiritual Development
- Exploring beliefs
- Stopping for reflection
- Respect for others
- Being thankful
Spiritual development refers to the development of a person’s beliefs regarding their purpose in life, connection to others, place in the world around them, while respecting the spiritual choices of others.
Each Section has different, developmental statements that are grouped under each heading. Through the Scouting program, you should be able to meet all these outcomes, and can reflect on your learning and development.
The SPICES Review Tool is one resource to aid youth members to reflect on their development.
Additional resources to support reflection on learning and development through the program can be purchased from The Scout Shop. Specifically related to SPICES are the SPICES Playing Cards, featuring questions that can be used to facilitate reflection on achievements and development through the program, and across the Sections.
You can also download all the SPICES resources here.
All Resources
I Statements
Fact Sheet
