Personal Development Courses
Completing a Leadership or Personal Development Course is a key requirement for achieving the Peak Award in every section (except Joeys). But these courses aren’t just for youth members working towards their peak award; they’re valuable opportunities for anyone to grow their skills, confidence, and leadership.
All Scouts are encouraged to take part in these opportunities to develop and explore their leadership potential. A Leadership or Personal Development Course provides the chance for Scouts to put into practice the skills they’ve gained throughout their Scouting journey while building confidence and preparing for future challenges.
Youth members may choose to undertake one of the Scout courses available for their age or an external course (such as RYLA or RYPEN, provided by Rotary Australia).
Personal Development Courses Provided by Scouts Australia
| Course 1 | Ages 7-9 | Access Course 1 Guide |
| Course 2 | Ages 10-13 | Access Course 2 Guide |
| Course 3 | Ages 14-16 | Access Course 3 Guide |
| Course 4 | Ages 16-20 | Access Course 4 Guide |
A set of guides has been developed to unpack each Personal Development Course and support organisers in delivering the program. Each guide provides an overview of the themes explored, outlines core and optional activities, suggests a sample schedule, and includes links to additional resources. These guides can be accessed above.
Personal Development Courses are intentionally designed to extend beyond individual section age groupings, welcoming participants from two sections. This approach reflects our One Program philosophy, encouraging collaboration, connection, and shared learning between young people of different ages.
The Personal Development Courses have been designed to challenge and extend the character development of participating Scouts. One of the SPICES, character is the pursuit of one’s personal best and includes having a positive attitude, demonstrating responsibility, respect, and making an effort beyond what benefits oneself.
Character development is equally a reflection of the values expressed in the Scout Law: Be Respectful, Do What is Right, and Believe in Myself. Collectively, these underpin the themes explored and emphasised on each Personal Development Course.
Empowering young leaders
Scouts build their leadership skills primarily by participating, assisting, and leading within their Unit program, learning by doing and working together through the Patrol System. Personal Development Courses don’t “teach” leadership directly; instead, they consolidate existing learning, create opportunities for reflection, and open the door to new avenues of personal growth.
Information for Course Organisers
Adult volunteers and youth members delivering Personal Development Courses are encouraged to draw on their creativity and local context to ensure each course is fun, adventurous, challenging, and inclusive for all participants. The course guides provided outline the ‘what’ and the ‘why’, while suggested activities (the how) are included to complete the package. To bring these activities to life, the use of the Scout Method is essential and should be adapted by course organisers to best suit their context.
Youth leadership is a vital part of these courses and is strongly encouraged. Older Scouts, or those who have previously completed a course, can take an active role in facilitating activities and mentoring participants. Adults play a key supporting role, working alongside youth leaders to effectively organise and deliver the course.
Recognition and Reflection
Completing a Personal Development Course is a great achievement! At the end of a course or after returning to their Unit, Scouts should reflect on what they have learned and how it applies to their path of leadership and personal growth.
Once this Review> has occurred, Scouts can be presented with the Personal Development badge matching the age section they are currently in. Any Personal Development Course can count
towards a Scout’s peak award.
Hear About Course Experiences
Hear directly from youth members who have completed or mentored on Course 3, and gain inspiration for bringing these ideas to life in your own local context!
Rover Scouts aged 21+
Rover Scouts aged 21+ are encouraged to complete Scouting Leadership within the Adult Training & Development pathway. This can seamlessly be recognised as a Personal Development Course for the Baden-Powell Scout Award. It should be noted that prerequisites to completing Scouting Leadership include the completion of Scouting Essentials and one of Scouting Adventure or Scouting Management. For Scouting Essentials and Scouting Adventure this might be using the Youth Pathways.
Scouting Leadership not only builds valuable leadership and mentoring skills, but also contributes meaningfully to an attendee’s personal growth by fostering self-awareness, responsibility, and a deeper understanding of how to lead with purpose and integrity,
both within Scouts and in everyday life.