Organisation

The Guides and Scouts of Finland is formed of local groups, districts and the central organisation. The Scouting activities in Finland take place in 750 local groups. The central organisation supports the districts and local groups and is responsible for the youth programme.

Local group is your local Scout organisation

Local groups are at the core of Scouting. Scouts join local groups where the weekly activities take place. The groups are usually for boys and girls but there are also groups only for boys or girls. You can find local groups both in urban and rural areas. The size of local groups vary from a couple of dozens to more than two hundred members.
There are around 750 local groups in Finland, and their power of decision is held by the group members. All local groups are members of a Scout District and the Guides and Scouts of Finland.
A unique neckerchief and a flag are the symbols of a local group. Many local groups also have their own badges. Local groups implement the youth programme of Guides and Scouts by taking the group’s special characteristics into account.
To find any local group in Finland, use the local group search.

Districts support local groups

Local groups in a region form a Scout District. The District supports the local groups by organising training, counselling, events and communications. There are ten Scout Districts in Finland, and every local group belongs to a district. The power of decision in a district is held by its local groups.

Finlands Svenska Scouter is responsible for supporting Swedish-language Scouting activities

Finlands Svenska Scouter (FiSSc) is the Scout District formed of Swedish-language local groups. FiSSc operates as other districts, providing training, guidance and counselling, arranging events and taking care of communications. In accordance with a separate agreement with the Guides and Scouts of Finland, FiSSc also takes care of nation-wide services related to Swedish-language local activities, such as training, communications, events and campaigns. In FiSSc, the power of decision is held by the member local groups.

The central organisation represents the Guide and Scout movement in Finland

The Guides and Scouts of Finland is responsible implementing the youth programme in Finland. The central organisation supports districts and local groups by organising events and providing materials, training and communications. It is also responsible for developing the operating conditions in Finland. The power of decision in the central organisation is held by the member districts and Finlands Svenska Scouter.
The organisation is led by the National Board of the Guides and Scouts of Finland, which implements the decisions of the Guide and Scout Council. The general meeting of the Guides and Scouts of Finland is held every second year.

World organisations

Suomen Partiolaiset – Finlands Scouter (the Guides and Scouts of Finland) is a member of the two main world organisations:

World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)
World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM)

The Guides and Scouts of Finland promotes the goals of WAGGGS and WOSM and takes care of that Scouting activities in Finland follow the principles of the world organisations. The members of the Finnish organisation are members of both world organisations.