SSAGO - SSAGO Does SOWA

What is SOWA?

Award Overview

Scouts of the World Award (SOWA) is an award available to 18-25 year olds that gives members the chance to undertake a project of their choice within the themes of Peace, Environment and Sustainability and take action on their chosen issue.

Through your Scouts of the World Award journey, you will develop skills and knowledge that will empower you to undertake a project that will make a sustainable impact on your local, national or international community, while developing your own skills.

You will learn skills including: independence, team work, project management, budgeting and communication skills, while gaining an understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. You can complete the award anywhere in the world, including the UK and this can be completed as a team, with each member playing a project management role and completing at least 80 hours of work towards the project.

SOWA is an truly international award - it is provided by the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM), and implemented nationally by National Scout Organisations (NSOs). By completing the award, you will be joining a global network of awardees.

Award Requirements

Be a member of Scouting aged 18-25

Now, we realise many of our members within SSAGO come from a guiding background, but as long as you are happy being added to the Scouts Membership System (at least temporarily) you can still gain the award.

Attend a Scouts of the World Award Discovery run by a SOWA Trainer

That is this event, which hopefully you are booking onto. If you cannot make it however, you can check out all future events on the Scouts website.

Register for the Award

Inform your local 14-24 Lead that you are undertaing the award, so that they can support you. This is only an informal notification, so if you do not have one do not worry - SSAGO is here to support you!

Create a plan for your SOWA project with the guidnace of your mentor

Your project must take a minimum of 80 hours, which can also include the planning time. It should be based on one or more of the three key themes of the Award (Peace, Environment and Sustainable Development).

You will be assigned a SOWA mentor to guide you through your project. including the planning stages. Typically this is either someone geographically local, or someone with expertise in the area of your project.

The project requires clear objectives, timescales and realistic deliverables - you are not expected to end world hunger in 80 hours! Part of the Discovery weekend will go into detail of how to plan your project, including setting SMART goals.

Projects must meet at least one of the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (see below). The project should also have a long-term, sustainable impact of the local, national or international communities with a legacy after the award is completed - i.e. it should not be reliant on you to continue it.

Complete your SOWA voluntary project

Turn your plan into action!

You can view case studies of SOWA projects down below 👇

Undertake an evaluation, personal reflection and local presentation

As your journey of being a SOWA participant draws to an end, you should spend time reflecting upon it as well the project itself. The award is not just about meeting the project aims but is also about the development of skills, cultural awareness, knowledge and attitudes of the participants, as active global citizens.

Following your reflection, you should present your project and evaluation to the relevant audience. It is recommended your presentation is to young people 14-24 who could undertake the award for themselves in the future. So this could be a local Explorer Unit, Network Unit or your SSAGO Club!