Rover Scout - Rovers in The United Kingdom

Rovers in The United Kingdom

Rover Scouts is no longer an active part of The Scout Association, having been replaced in the late 1960s by the Venture Scout programme, which in turn has been replaced by Explorer Scouts and Scout Network. There are other Scouting organizations (mainly the Baden-Powell Scouts Association, European Scout Federation (British Association) and Pathfinder Scouts Association) which are not affiliated to the World Organization of the Scout Movement.

Rovering began in 1918 in the UK, ten years after the start of the Scouting program. After an initially rough start, due in large part to the effects of the First World War, the Rover Scout program began to grow.

By 1931, Rovering had established itself internationally to the extent that it saw the organization of the first World Rover Moot in 1931 at Kandersteg, Switzerland.

Initially, the age range for Rover Scout membership was not precisely specified. In 1921 the Conference of Rover Scouts stated that 'A Rover Scout is usually a Senior Scout aged aged 17 years and over'. In 1956 the upper age range was fixed at 24.