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.
Member Associations listed alphbetically by country (some of these, especially in Germany are single groups):
- Argentina—BPSA - Argentina
- Argentina—Scouts Navales de Argentina
- Austria—Scouts fo Europa
- Bangladesh—Independent Scouts of Bangladesh
- Belgium—Onafhankelijke Scouts en Gidsen (umbrella group for 3 local Scout groups)
- Belize—Belize Explorers Association [prospect member]
- Bolivia—Asociación Boliviana de Scouts Independientes de Baden-Powell [prospect member]
- Brazil—Grande Fraternidade Escoteira Impisa
- Brazil—Liga de Escoteiros do Brasil/LEB
- Canada/Alberta—BPSA Alberta [provisional member]
- Canada/British Columbia—BPSA British Columbia, 1997
- Canada/New Brunswick—BPSA New Brunswick, 2006
- Canada/Ontario—BPSA Ontario, 1998
- Canada/Ontario—Traditional Explorers Association Council of Ontario (TEAC) (prospect member) [primarily Ontario with some in Manitoba, Nova Scotia, & Québec]
- Canada—ZHR Polish Scouts of Canada
- Chile—Agrupación Nacional de Boy Scouts de Chile/ANBSCH (Boy Scouts of Chile), 1982
- Chile—Hermandad Scout del Desierto Chile
- Colombia—Asociación Colombiana de Escultismo/ACE
- Colombia—Exploradores de Rionegro [prospect member]
- Costa Rica—Asociación Costarricense de Escultismo [prospect member]
- Costa Rica—Asociación Exploradores San Agustín Palmares [prospect member]
- Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)—Association des Eclaireurs et Eclaaireuses Evangéliques de Côte d'Ivoire
- Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)—Baden Powell Scouts of Africa
- Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)—Scouts d'Afrique de Côte d'Ivoire (sub-assocation of Conférence Ivorienne du Scoutisme)
- Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)—Scouts Unitaires de Côte d'Ivoire
- Czechia—SKAUT — český skauting ABS
- Czechia—Skaut SSV
- Czechia—Svaz skautů a skautek Česke Republiky
- Denmark—De Gule Spejdere i Danmark (Baden-Powell Scouts of Denmark), 1984
- Ecuador—Asociación de Boy Scouts del Ecuador
- El Salvador—Asociación de Scouts Independiente de El Salvador/ASI-ES
- France—Scouts de Chavagnes
- Germany—Bund Europäischer St. Georgs- Pfadfinderinnen und -Pfadfinder/BESP
- Germany—Bund unabhängiger Pfadfinder/BuP
- Germany—Christliche Freie Pfadfinderschaft Goldenstedt
- Germany—CP Dreieich
- Germany—Deutscher Pfadfinderbund gegründet 1911/DPB1911, 1953 (originally 1911) (~100 members)
- Germany—EPSG Baunach
- Germany—Europäischer Pfadfinderbund - Georgsritter e.V.
- Germany—Freier Pfadfinderbund Asgard
- Germany—Freier Pfadfinderbund St. Georg/FPG
- Germany—Independent Scout Association/ISA, 1989
- Germany—Pfadfinder im Mühlenbecker Land e.V.
- Germany—Pfadfinderbund Weltenbummler e.V., 1981
- Germany—Solmser Pfadfinderschaft
- Ghana—Baden Powell Scouts of Africa
- Guatemala—Asociación de Escultismo Ecológico Baden-Powell Guatemala
- Honduras—Asociación Hondureña de Escultismo Tradicional/AHET, 2012
- India—Boy Scout & Guide Organisation [prospect member]
- India—Federation of India for Sports, Scouting and Education [prospect member]
- India—Hindustan Scout and Guides Association
- India—Indian Scouts and Guides Organisation/ISGO (15 000 members)
- India—Scout Bharti
- India—Shriram Bajpai Scouts & Guides Association
- India—The Scouts/Guides Organisation
- India—Universal Scout & Guide Association [prospect member]
- Ireland—Baden Powell Scouts Slyguff
- Italy—Esploratori e Guide d'Italia/AEGI
- Italy—Associazione Indipendente Scout/ASSISCOUT
- Italy—Associazione Italiana di Scautismo Raider/Assoraider, 1992
- Italy—Associazione Sezione Scout di Gela
- Italy—Federazione del Movimento Scout Italiano - FederScout, 1986 (umbrella group for 20 associations, mostly single groups)
- Italy—Federazione Italiana di Scautismo Raider/FIS Raider
- Japan—Independent Scouts of Japan [prospect member]
- Kenya—Baden Powell Scouts Association
- Korea, South—Third Eye Scouting Association
- Kosovo—National Scout Center of Kosovo (QNVK-NSCK-NCIK)
- Latvia—LKS - Latvijas Kristigie Skauti (Christian Scouts of Latvia)
- Malta—Baden-Powell Scouts Malta
- Mexico—Agrupación Scout Mexicana AC
- Mexico—Asociación Nacional de Scouts Independientes/ANSI
- Mexico—Asociación Tradicionalista de Scouts Tiro y Pesca AC
- Mexico—Federación Mexicana de Scouts Independientes/FMSI (Mexican Federation of Independent Scouts), 2002
- Nepal—Metro Scouts, Nepal [prospect member]
- Nepal—Nepal Independent Scout Association [prospect member]
- Pakistan—ADABKADA Scout Association
- Pakistan—Independent Scouts of Pakistan
- Pakistan—Islamabad Scouting Association
- Pakistan—Nankana Sab Scout Organization
- Panama—Cuerpo de Exploradores Panameños
- Paraguay—Hermandad Scout de Paraguay
- Peru—Asociación Peruana de Escultismo (Scouts APE)/APE
- Peru—Asociación Independiente de Scouts Tradicionales del Perú/AISTA
- Romania—Asociatia Cercetasilor Traditionali din Romania/ACT-RO
- Russia—Russian Union of Scouts
- Spain—Associació Catalana de Scouts
- Spain—Asociación de Scouts Independientes de Córdoba
- Spain—Asociación de Scouts Independientes de Madrid/ASIM
- Spain—Asociación Grupo Scout Alcazaba
- Spain—Asociación Juvenil Grupo Scout Independiente Gilwell
- Spain—Federación Scout de la Communidad Valenciana
- Spain—Grupo Scout Alpha [Almeria]
- Spain—Grupo Scout San Pío
- Spain—Scouts Independientes del Principado de Asturias
- Spain—Scouts Magma
- Sri Lanka—Independent Scouts of Sri Lanka
- Switzerland—Feuerkreis Niklaus von Flüe, 1988
- Turkey—Kapif
- Ukraine—Association of Scouts "Rozvidnyk" (Vdyn & Lviv region) (2010)
- UK—Baden-Powell Scouts Association/BPSA, 1970
- UK—Scouts and Guides of St. Josep, Fife
- US—Baden-Powell Service Association, 2006 (affiliated with the UK's BPSA)
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:
- Burkina Faso—?
- Burundi—?
- China—?
- Comoros—?
- Congo—?
- Ethiopia—?
- Libya—?
- Mali—?
- Morocco—?
- Morocco/Western Sahara—?
- Nigeria—?
- Rwanda—?
- Tanzania—?
- Togo—?
- Uganda—?
Last Revision to This Page: 30 November 2021
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