The Scout and Guide Academy 2026

The Academy is a unique Scout and Guide event that brings together young leaders from across Europe for high-quality training and networking, focusing on the core priorities of the WOSM and WAGGGS European Regions. 

The 2026 edition will blend traditional training with dynamic non-formal learning opportunities. Delivered by over 20 expert facilitators, it will welcome nearly 200 Scouts and Guides eager to learn, connect, and act. 

The Academy 2026 is where volunteers and leaders from across Europe come together to build more inclusive, more resilient, and more innovative movements – and carry that change home. 

In times of uncertainty, it is more important than ever that we celebrate and learn from our differences and continue to join efforts to create a better, brighter future. This is why the symbolic framework of the Academy 2026 is colours. We invite individuals to understand themselves as unique parts of solutions, to then take the next step with others towards new ideas and opportunities for positive change, much like mixing the primary colours creates entirely new and beautiful colours. Unity, Resilience and Innovation will be the primary colours of our programme, which we will discover, use and mix together to gain new knowledge and skills to build a better, brighter future. 

The Academy will take place at the Heibrand Chirohuis in Westmalle, Belgium. You can find information about the venue on https://chirohuizen.be/huis/heibrand. 

Participants’ accommodation will be provided at the venue, in shared dormitories. 

Participants are expected to arrive on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, before 20:00 CET to start the programme (following the provided dinner), and depart on Sunday, 8 November 2026. 

The Academy is open to participants who: 

• Are aged 18+.
• Volunteer at national, regional, or district level in a WAGGGS Member Organisation (Europe Region) or a WOSM National Scout Organization/Association (European Scout Region).
• Can commit to attending the full event and participating actively in all sessions.

The event will be held in English. All participants are requested to be able to communicate effectively in this language. 

• EUR 430 

The fee covers accommodation, meals (from dinner on 3 November to lunch on 8 November), coffee/tea breaks, all session materials and transport from the event entry point to the venue and back. Individual travel costs are not included. 

Reduced youth participant fee 

Thanks to the support of the European Youth Foundation, we can offer 81 young participants under 30 a reduced participation fee of 150€. 

If you are under 30 and would like to be considered for this youth participation fee, please indicate it in the registration form. This reduced fee will be allocated to ensure the widest diversity and equity in participation in the event. 

If you are selected to benefit from this reduced fee, you will receive a confirmation separately from the confirmation of your participation. 

Registration is open until 30 September 2026, and you can register here. You will also find a link on the Academy website soon. 

Before registering, please contact your International Commissioner. Once you submit your application, we will reach out to them for authorisation. 

As the Academy is a highly popular event with limited capacity, priority will be given to ensure wide diversity. Confirmations will be sent after the registration deadline. 

Once participants have been selected and approved, they will receive acceptance letters. All participants should then make their own travel arrangements and, if necessary, obtain a visa at their own cost. If you require an official letter in support of a visa application, please contact [email protected] or [email protected] 

Please be aware that obtaining a visa may take significant time, so please apply as early as possible. 

Participants will receive information on travel to the venue. 

The European Scout Region and the Europe Region of WAGGGS do not cover participants' insurance for the event or their travel to and from the venue. Please note that it is the exclusive responsibility of the associations to verify that participants are covered by insurance (illness, accident, repatriation). 

The viability of the event can be affected by both the regulations imposed by the host country's authorities and those of the sending organisations' countries. 

The European Scout Region and the Europe Region WAGGGS reserve the right to charge the association for any expenses incurred if participants cancel their registration after their participation has been confirmed. 

If you decide you cannot take part in the event after submitting your registration, please inform us by email at [email protected] before the registration deadline on 30 September. 

Participants will shape their own learning journey, choosing from a wide selection of sessions each day covering topics relevant to different roles and needs. 

The website will publish an outline programme (September 2026), followed by a detailed session catalogue with goals and outcomes (October 2026). 

Beyond training, participants will benefit from networking formats and informal opportunities to exchange experiences and best practices. 

The Academy 2026 dates have been chosen to coincide with the final conference of the Voices of Change project, happening in Brussels on 3 November 2026. We encourage NSOs to send young participants to the Voices of Change final conference before joining us at The Academy 2026. 

Follow the Academy on Facebook: facebook.com/ScoutGuideAcademy and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesgacademy/. 

Participants with high travel costs should contact their WOSM or WAGGGS Regional Offices in confidence to request information about the possibility of financial assistance from the Region. 

You can find more information about the event on scoutguideacademy.eu or by contacting the Academy Planning Team at: [email protected] or [email protected].