Greetings everyone! I’m Mihajlo, and for the past six months, I’ve been part of the Next Billion Fellowship, where I’ve focused on integrating the advantages of Web3 into the World Scouting Movement.
Having grown up in Serbia during the ’90s, I witnessed the profound impacts that conflicts and sanctions had on the youth. Opportunities for finding good role models or supportive friends were scarce. In such circumstances, it’s common for young people to fall into gangs or criminal behaviors. I credit technology and the scouting movement for steering me away from a negative path.
In 1996, I typed “Izviđači” (the Serbian word for ‘scout’) into Yahoo and discovered one of the earliest scouting groups in the world with its own website. A member had built it as a university project that year. This discovery marked the beginning of my journey. Fast forward through 27 years filled with adventures, learning, volunteering, and professional experiences – now I’m part of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), a dynamic global community representing over 57 million Scouts from more than 170 National Scout Organizations.
A Decentralised Movement
The Scouting movement operates on a decentralized model, where each chapter contributes distinct skills and objectives to a grassroots community that emphasizes learning, personal development, and mutual respect. Scouts adhere to a general framework and principles agreed upon by all WOSM members, while maintaining autonomy in project implementation.
In Scouting, we hold that education is vital for improving the world and that technology serves as one of the most potent educational tools. Since 1957, scouts globally have participated in the “Jamboree on the air”, focusing on honing amateur radio operation skills. More recently, scouts worldwide have engaged in the “Jamboree on the Internet” – the latest generation of global scouting events enabled by technology.
During my tenure with WOSM, I’ve seen the scouting movement experiment with early internet technologies, helping it transition to Web 2.0. Today, scouts utilize a comprehensive online platform to coordinate efforts for global initiatives, manage local chapters, and communicate within the international movement. I am thrilled to announce that the scouts are ready to evolve into Web 3.0!
My Next Billion Fellowship
The initial phase of my journey as a Next Billion Fellow involved developing educational content for scouts about Web3 fundamentals: We discussed what blockchains are, their applications, and the significance of encryption for online safety. I conducted two sessions at the “Jamboree on the Internet”, where I encouraged participants to mint the first-ever World Scouting NFT badge using POAP as a token of participation.
Digitizing scout badges serves as a clear application for our efforts, and we aim to create innovative blockchain-based badges for scouts globally to earn and collect. There is also immense potential for further advancements in Web3 within the scouting realm. Enhanced voting and governance methods could empower scouts around the world to coordinate effectively on major initiatives. A global scouting curriculum centered around Web3 could equip millions of youth to manage and utilize digital assets safely. Additionally, a world scouting wallet could facilitate and reward scouts on their educational journeys while enabling local chapters to craft and distribute their own challenges and badges to a worldwide audience.
The Scout’s Passport
While this journey began by exploring the unexploited possibilities of NFTs and digital badges, the realm of Web 3.0 is vast – and I wanted to design a strategic approach that aligns with the long-term goals of Scouting. A Scout’s badges symbolize personal growth and achievements that scouts carry with them. They play a defining role in a scout’s identity, acting as ‘soul-bound tokens’ tied to an individual’s life journey through scouting. Digital badges are just part of the puzzle; what we truly require is an identity system that seamlessly integrates with digital badges, tokens, and other assets that may benefit Scouts in the future.
We are currently laying the groundwork for the first foundational element of the World Scouting Web3 vision: The Scout’s Passport. As an identity system, a Scout’s passport will be compatible with various Web3 platforms, facilitating an identity layer for badges, tokens, signatures, messages, and more. Specifically, a Web3-enabled scout’s identity would enhance social recovery options for scouts, enabling the safe creation of DAO scouting clubs, exploring innovative approaches to crowdfunding and governance, and unlocking the myriad possibilities of NFTs and digital badges or certifications. Most importantly, developing a tailored wallet module for Scouts will allow us to create user experiences and account protections specifically designed for young individuals, an often-overlooked demographic in consumer wallet solutions.
As with all initiatives within the scouting movement, our approach is grassroots. The development of the scout’s passport will include a sustainable support network and community-driven contributions from many scouts already engaged in Web3. The Scouts wallet will be open-source, inviting contributions and benefits for those involved in our identity framework. We aspire to present a minimum viable product of the World Scouting Wallet by the World Scout Jamboree scheduled in South Korea this August, which is expected to gather 45,000 scouts from across the globe.
Moving Forward
As I advance through this thrilling journey, I’m focused on establishing a technical framework for an initial set of World Scouting Educational Initiatives and Scouts for Sustainable Development Goals Badges based on verified credentials, which will be stored within the Scout’s wallet module. I believe technology can empower communities, and with this framework, we can pave the way for a brighter future for Scouts everywhere.
I’m eager to share my progress and experiences with you all and hope to motivate others to explore the opportunities that blockchain and Web3 technology can bring to their communities. Let’s embark on this journey together and see what we can achieve!
If you’re interested in learning more about my project and want to stay updated on my journey, please connect with me on Twitter or LinkedIn
The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) is a lively global community, representing over 57 million Scouts from more than 170 National Scout Organizations. As one of the largest youth movements worldwide, WOSM plays a pivotal role in shaping young lives, cultivating values of leadership, community service, and environmental responsibility.
A Note from Team Next Billion: As of today, applications are now closed for Cohort #3 of the Next Billion Fellowship. We extend our gratitude to all who applied and will be reaching out to applicants with our decisions in the upcoming weeks.
