EXECUTIVE SUMMARY T
he report is an evaluation of the Messengers of Peace Initiative from 2010 to 2020. The Initiative was developed to inspire Scouts throughout the world to embrace the culture of dialogue; support social initiatives in communities; help young people living in conflict situations and develop a global network. The evaluation used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods collating data and information from nearly 4,000 Scouts, leaders and staff of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). In its implementation, Messengers of Peace has involved virtually all 171 National Scout Organisations (NSOs) with $27 million invested in over 532 national, regional and global projects, inspiring some 16 million non-funded projects or actions. The impact generated by the Initiative has also attracted additional support for Messengers of Peace and other global Scouting initiatives, enlarging the donor base for even greater reach.
The goals and expected outcomes of Messengers of Peace were mostly achieved with some original expectations exceeded: Messengers of Peace was active in 127 countries at the community-level doubling its target of 60 countries; over 4.7 million beneficiaries were reached doubling its target of 2 million. The Initiative mobilised some 28 million Scouts worldwide delivering 1.92 billion hours of service to their communities. Scouts worldwide grew in the past ten years from 37 to 54 million members supported by Messengers of Peace projects to support membership growth and NSO capacities. Messengers of Peace had a noticeable impact on Scouts; 93% of Scouts surveyed (1,098) thought that their involvement with Messengers of Peace had a strong influence on their positive attitude towards life and 92% on their contribution to the community. Meeting and exchanging with other Scouts was also an important benefit with the online network doubling every two years, reaching nearly half a million by mid-2020.
Final Evaluation Messengers of Peace 2010-2020
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