Membership
Joining Scouts is an exciting time – there is a lot to experience and learn about.
Interested in finding out more about Scouts? Young people can enjoy a free trial at their local Group – the process for getting involved is easy:
- Find the Group/s you are interested in joining here and submit an enquiry
- We will be in touch to organise your initial visit to the Group
- Prior to your first visit, you will need to complete a Membership Application form. This gives Leaders important contact information for when the young person attends the Scout meeting
- There is a four-six week free trial period for you to explore Scouts. After that, you become a full member, unless you have decided not to continue.
Most Scout Groups hold regular weekly meetings at the Scout Hall during term time. Parents do not need to attend but are encouraged to get involved as an adult helper for the many tasks that help the Group to run and offer young people a range of activities.
Membership Costs
As a membership organisation, all funds go towards running the Youth Program and providing training and resources for our Leaders and members. Our Leaders and helpers are all volunteers which goes to keeping costs down. Scouts offer an exciting Program with many opportunities and membership fees are set to keep Scouts open to all. The Active and Creative Kids Voucher can be used to participate in Scouts, and there are support programs in place to assist families facing financial need and to help young people participate.
The cost of participating in Scouts comprises of:
- A State Membership fee that includes essential insurance for members, Leader training, a wide range of resources, and essential support services including finance, IT, property and facilities, child safety team, marketing and communication
- A local Group fee covers the week-to-week expenses of running Scouts – resources, maintenance and utilities of the Scout Hall, and regular meeting activities
- One-off costs – there are endless opportunities for additional participation in Scouts and there may be associated fees like camping charges, travel, event fees etc.
For more information on our Membership fees, read here.
FAQs
The 2024 Scouts NSW state membership fee is $280 per year.
Some times, we charge in smaller billing periods called Treks, where this amount is charged on a pro-rata basis. The State fee is often split into smaller billing periods, called 'Treks'. Trek 1 of 2024 covers the period January to June (6 months), and Trek 2 covers the period July 2024 to April 2025 (9 months).
For Trek 2 (July 2024 - April 2025), the State Registration Fee is $210. This is a pro-rata amount equivalent to 75% of the annual fee, to cover the nine month period.
In addition to the state fee for all members, there is a one-off administration fee for new members only.
There is a one-off registration fee of $60 for new members. This will be added to the State Registration fee at the time a member first registers.
In Trek 2, the state fee for returning members is $210 and the state fee for new members is $270 (equal to $210 + $60).
At Scouts NSW, a Trek refers to a period of time for billing and registration purposes.
Every member must register and pay their fees each Trek, in order to be an active member and to participate in activities, events, meetings and camps.
In 2024, Trek 1 covers the period January-June (6 months).
Trek 2 covers the period July 2024 to April 2025 (9 months).
Have a chat with your prospective Group and they will be able to explain the local cost. This can vary from time to time depending on the activities planned.
Yes, you can use a valid Active and Creative Kids voucher provided by the NSW Government towards your Membership fee. Find out more here.
A payment plan is available for members to split the cost of the fees into smaller part-payments.
- For information on payment plans, view our information sheet
- To request a payment plan, complete this form https://scoutsnsw.au/paymentplan
Scouts is organised across five age ranges from 5 to 25 years old. Young people can join the relevant section at any time. They don’t have to progress from one stage to the next but can start their Scouting Journey when they choose.
Absolutely – we would love you to come along and see what Scouts gets up to. All new members get a free four-to-six-week trial period to participate in the local Group. After that period, this converts to a full membership, and notice of payment for the membership and joining fees will be sent.
Scouts are always recognisable by their uniform (especially the badges!). But it is inexpensive and easy to source. Your Group may have a second-hand uniform pool, otherwise, you can buy your uniform from the Scout Shop here.
No, unfortunately we are not able to offer any refunds. Our upfront State Membership Fee is a prepaid annual fee, regardless of the level of participation of the member during the period. The upfront fee covers various items including administration and annual costs such as insurance, amongst other items.
