Scouting is voluntary. All members - young people and supporting adults - join of their own free will. There is no compulsion to join the Scout Movement, nor to remain a member. Scouting is not like school, at which attendance is usually compulsory between certain ages. 

Every member - young or adult - who does choose to join is required to make a personal commitment to the Scout Movement. First and foremost, this commitment is to respect and act according to the code of ethics inherent in the fundamental principles of the Movement. More globally, this voluntary commitment also extends to achieving the educational purpose of Scouting, as every member commits him or herself to the educational proposal of the national Scout association to which he or she belongs. For youth members, this commitment concerns their own personal development. For adults, this commitment is to help provide the conditions necessary for young people to develop.