HOME—International Scouting—Scouting Organizations—WFIS

World Federation of Independent Scouts (WFIS)

(102 member associations in 45 countries, perhaps 250 000 members, founded 1996)

The World Federation of Independent Scouts (WFIS) was formed in Laubach, Germany, in 1996 by Lawrie Dring, a British Scouter with the independent Baden-Powell Scouts Association (BPSA). The UK-based BPSA, founded in 1970, is probably the most widespread and largest of these independent Scouting organizations. The BPSA was formed at least partly in reaction to the UK Scout Association's "Advance Party Report" (1966). This study resulted in substantial changes to UK Scouting which caused some UK Scouts/Scouters to seek alternatives they felt were closer to Baden-Powell's original program. Interestingly, Lady Olave Baden-Powell (B-P's widow) supported the BPSA and authorized the organization to use the Baden-Powell name.

WFIS is open to any Scouting association that is not affiliated with another international organization. They require that member associations "follow, and use, B-P's original program, traditions, uniforms, morals, ethics, and structure as laid out in B-P's Scouting for Boys", amended only for "health, environmental, first-aid, and safety reasons".

The BPSA (also B-PSA) (Baden-Powell Scouts Association) is a multinational association, with the home association in the UK and branch associations in Argentina, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, and the US. In Canada and the US, they are called the Baden-Powell Service Association.

In addition to the associations below, the International Scout Fellowship is an affiliate of WFIS for former and current adult members of WFIS.

Accurate information, especially membership numbers, is difficult to find, and various WFIS-related websites have incomplete or conflicting details.

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Member Associations listed alphbetically by country (some of these, especially in Germany are single groups):

1. Argentina—BPSA - Argentina
2. Argentina—Scouts Navales de Argentina
3. Austria—Scouts fo Europa
4. Bangladesh—Independent Scouts of Bangladesh
5. Belgium—Onafhankelijke Scouts en Gidsen (umbrella group for 3 local Scout groups)
6. Belize—Belize Explorers Association [prospect member]
7. Bolivia—Asociación Boliviana de Scouts Independientes de Baden-Powell [prospect member]
8. Brazil—Grande Fraternidade Escoteira Impisa
9. Brazil—Liga de Escoteiros do Brasil/LEB
10. Canada/Alberta—BPSA Alberta [provisional member]
11. Canada/British Columbia—BPSA British Columbia, 1997
12. Canada/New Brunswick—BPSA New Brunswick, 2006
13. Canada/Ontario—BPSA Ontario, 1998
14. Canada/Ontario—Traditional Explorers Association Council of Ontario (TEAC) (prospect member) [primarily Ontario with some in Manitoba, Nova Scotia, & Québec]
15. Canada—ZHR Polish Scouts of Canada
16. Chile—Agrupación Nacional de Boy Scouts de Chile/ANBSCH (Boy Scouts of Chile), 1982
17. Chile—Hermandad Scout del Desierto Chile
18. Colombia—Asociación Colombiana de Escultismo/ACE
19. Colombia—Exploradores de Rionegro [prospect member]
20. Costa Rica—Asociación Costarricense de Escultismo [prospect member]
21. Costa Rica—Asociación Exploradores San Agustín Palmares [prospect member]
22. Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)—Association des Eclaireurs et Eclaaireuses Evangéliques de Côte d'Ivoire
23. Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)—Baden Powell Scouts of Africa
24. Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)—Scouts d'Afrique de Côte d'Ivoire (sub-assocation of Conférence Ivorienne du Scoutisme)
25. Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)—Scouts Unitaires de Côte d'Ivoire
26. Czechia—SKAUT — český skauting ABS
27. Czechia—Skaut SSV
28. Czechia—Svaz skautů a skautek Česke Republiky
29. Denmark—De Gule Spejdere i Danmark (Baden-Powell Scouts of Denmark), 1984
30. Ecuador—Asociación de Boy Scouts del Ecuador
31. El Salvador—Asociación de Scouts Independiente de El Salvador/ASI-ES
32. France—Scouts de Chavagnes
33. Germany—Bund Europäischer St. Georgs- Pfadfinderinnen und -Pfadfinder/BESP
34. Germany—Bund unabhängiger Pfadfinder/BuP
35. Germany—Christliche Freie Pfadfinderschaft Goldenstedt
36. Germany—CP Dreieich
37. Germany—Deutscher Pfadfinderbund gegründet 1911/DPB1911, 1953 (originally 1911) (~100 members)
38. Germany—EPSG Baunach
39. Germany—Europäischer Pfadfinderbund - Georgsritter e.V.
40. Germany—Freier Pfadfinderbund Asgard
41. Germany—Freier Pfadfinderbund St. Georg/FPG
42. Germany—Independent Scout Association/ISA, 1989
43. Germany—Pfadfinder im Mühlenbecker Land e.V.
44. Germany—Pfadfinderbund Weltenbummler e.V., 1981
45. Germany—Solmser Pfadfinderschaft
46. Ghana—Baden Powell Scouts of Africa
47. Guatemala—Asociación de Escultismo Ecológico Baden-Powell Guatemala
48. Honduras—Asociación Hondureña de Escultismo Tradicional/AHET, 2012
49. India—Boy Scout & Guide Organisation [prospect member]
50. India—Federation of India for Sports, Scouting and Education [prospect member]
51. India—Hindustan Scout and Guides Association
52. India—Indian Scouts and Guides Organisation/ISGO (15 000 members)
53. India—Scout Bharti
54. India—Shriram Bajpai Scouts & Guides Association
55. India—The Scouts/Guides Organisation
56. India—Universal Scout & Guide Association [prospect member]
57. Ireland—Baden Powell Scouts Slyguff
58. Italy—Esploratori e Guide d'Italia/AEGI
59. Italy—Associazione Indipendente Scout/ASSISCOUT
60. Italy—Associazione Italiana di Scautismo Raider/Assoraider, 1992
61. Italy—Associazione Sezione Scout di Gela
62. Italy—Federazione del Movimento Scout Italiano - FederScout, 1986 (umbrella group for 20 associations, mostly single groups)
63. Italy—Federazione Italiana di Scautismo Raider/FIS Raider
64. Japan—Independent Scouts of Japan [prospect member]
65. Kenya—Baden Powell Scouts Association
66. Korea, South—Third Eye Scouting Association
67. Kosovo—National Scout Center of Kosovo (QNVK-NSCK-NCIK)
68. Latvia—LKS - Latvijas Kristigie Skauti (Christian Scouts of Latvia)
69. Malta—Baden-Powell Scouts Malta
70. Mexico—Agrupación Scout Mexicana AC
71. Mexico—Asociación Nacional de Scouts Independientes/ANSI
72. Mexico—Asociación Tradicionalista de Scouts Tiro y Pesca AC
73. Mexico—Federación Mexicana de Scouts Independientes/FMSI (Mexican Federation of Independent Scouts), 2002
74. Nepal—Metro Scouts, Nepal [prospect member]
75. Nepal—Nepal Independent Scout Association [prospect member]
76. Pakistan—ADABKADA Scout Association
77. Pakistan—Independent Scouts of Pakistan
78. Pakistan—Islamabad Scouting Association
79. Pakistan—Nankana Sab Scout Organization
80. Panama—Cuerpo de Exploradores Panameños
81. Paraguay—Hermandad Scout de Paraguay
82. Peru—Asociación Peruana de Escultismo (Scouts APE)/APE
83. Peru—Asociación Independiente de Scouts Tradicionales del Perú/AISTA
84. Romania—Asociatia Cercetasilor Traditionali din Romania/ACT-RO
85. Russia—Russian Union of Scouts
86. Spain—Associació Catalana de Scouts
87. Spain—Asociación de Scouts Independientes de Córdoba
88. Spain—Asociación de Scouts Independientes de Madrid/ASIM
89. Spain—Asociación Grupo Scout Alcazaba
90. Spain—Asociación Juvenil Grupo Scout Independiente Gilwell
91. Spain—Federación Scout de la Communidad Valenciana
92. Spain—Grupo Scout Alpha [Almeria]
93. Spain—Grupo Scout San Pío
94. Spain—Scouts Independientes del Principado de Asturias
95. Spain—Scouts Magma
96. Sri Lanka—Independent Scouts of Sri Lanka
97. Switzerland—Feuerkreis Niklaus von Flüe, 1988
98. Turkey—Kapif
99. Ukraine—Association of Scouts "Rozvidnyk" (Vdyn & Lviv region) (2010)
100. UK—Baden-Powell Scouts Association/BPSA, 1970
101. UK—Scouts and Guides of St. Josep, Fife
102. US—Baden-Powell Service Association, 2006 (affiliated with the UK's BPSA)

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In addition, WFIS information claims WFIS-affiliated Scouting organizations in a number of countries, but I have been unable to find names of organizations anywhere, including on several WFIS-related websites:

1. Burkina Faso—?
2. Burundi—?
3. China—?
4. Comoros—?
5. Congo—?
6. Ethiopia—?
7. Libya—?
8. Mali—?
9. Morocco—?
10. Morocco/Western Sahara—?
11. Nigeria—?
12. Rwanda—?
13. Tanzania—?
14. Togo—?
15. Uganda—?

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Last Revision to This Page: 30 November 2021
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