I spend a lot of time hearing about what’s wrong with young people. But this summer, while travelling across the UK and meeting Scouts from Berkshire to Scotland and many other locations in between,
I’ve come away wondering whether society is asking the wrong questions. It’s not about what they can’t do, but what they can.
It all started at the top of a zipline at the Central Yorkshire Scout Challenge Camp. I was stood with a young person who desperately wanted to take the exhilarating jump off the podium and down the line. But they were caught in that familiar moment between “I want to” and “I’m not sure I can.”
I’ve thought about that moment a lot since. I fear many adults spend too much time wondering if young people can cope with challenging things, rather than giving them space to try.
I know from my conversations with young Scouts this summer that there is plenty for them to feel anxious about: the cost of living, uncertainty about the future, frightening headlines and a world changing at extraordinary speed. That doesn’t mean they’re not up for the challenge.
In fact, I’m convinced they are far more willing to challenge themselves than we give them credit for.
We hesitate before letting young people climb higher, cook with a sharp knife, or solve a problem themselves. In trying to shield young people from an uncertain world, do we remove the opportunity for them to discover they can handle it?
Growing up in rural Jamaica, I had the freedom to climb trees, disappear into cane fields and work things out for myself. I was curious, had the space to test myself and was able to discover what I was capable of. You might think that sounds worlds away from the experience of young people in the UK today. But when I moved to London, with my Jamaican accent and interests that didn’t always match everyone else, I learnt how intimidating it can feel to face an uncertain future and wonder if you belong.
Joining Scouts helped me find that sense of belonging. It gave me people who backed me, space to try, and the confidence to keep going. The same is true today: young people need places where they can try something new and either succeed or fail. They need adults who will support them without doing everything for them. That is what Scouts is all about, giving young people skills for life.
Whether it’s navigating a hike, cooking a meal, camping away from home, public speaking or standing at the top of a zipline, the lesson is often the same. Confidence and resilience come from doing something difficult and knowing there are people around who will support you no matter what.
I don’t recognise the gloomy caricature of a generation unwilling to take risks or engage with the world. I feel so hopeful and optimistic when I meet young Scouts who want to travel, volunteer and help their communities. They are willing to push themselves beyond what feels comfortable. Adults and role models have a responsibility to give them more chances to discover what they’re capable of.
Dwayne Fields is Chief Scout at The Scout Association
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