SCOUTS South Africa is proud to be one of two countries in Africa to pilot the Life Leaders Impact Innovators Challenge, an exciting new global initiative from World Scouting. SCOUTS SA Life Leaders Impact Innovators Challenge Ambassador Jonathan Pienaar is excited about the importance of the initiative and the impact it can have on the lives of our young leaders and communities. “The Challenge aims to equip a generation of young people with creative problem-solving skills so they can take meaningful action to solve problems for people and the planet within their communities. Furthermore, the Design Thinking Method teaches valuable skills which can be used to find and create jobs, which can make a real difference in our society.“ Earlier this year, 30 young leaders from Scout Groups around the country gathered at the Gillwell Scout Training Centre in Johannesburg to explore the Design Thinking Method and learned how to implement it within their communities. They discussed the importance of addressing real local challenges in realistic and sustainable ways. The national training session was the first step in rolling out the initiative nationwide. The training, co-facilitated by the Africa Scout Region and members of SCOUTS South Africa’s National team, took the participants through the various Design Thinking phases, from identifying a problem, to problem-solving, generating ideas, testing solutions, planning, taking action, and reflecting and learning from the actions undertaken. The participants were divided into teams and were asked to identify a challenge and use the methodology to develop a solution. The ideas were then presented and discussed with the bigger group. The youth leaders also learned how to share their knowledge with their peers within their Regions. “I enjoyed seeing the different perspectives and ideas coming through from the various different projects and participants”, continues Jonathan. “It is very important for young people to learn to effect and enact the change they need now, to ensure better communities for generations to come. We are the ones that will inherit our societies, and if we can make changes now it will better our lives and that of our children.” After the training the participants were all challenged to identify, propose and implement local projects before the end of the year. We look forward to seeing their initiatives in action!