Scouting's main purpose is to develop young members into independent, self sufficient and responsible adults.

As might be expected in Norway, outdoor activities is emphasized, with much of the program centered around classical themes like first aid, camping, pioneering, field cooking, woodcraft and hiking.

This resulted in a working committee to establish scouting for girls, but an association failed to form.

Several religious associations like the YMCA, Methodist Church and Salvation Army started their own scouting groups.

During the Second World War Norway was occupied, and with their international ties and obvious militarily useful skills, the collaborator government fared the scouts could become a center for resistance work.

On April 23, 1978 unit Norsk Speidergutt-Forbund (NSF) og Norsk Speiderpikeforbund (NSPF) merged to form the Norges speiderforbund (NSF) for both girls and boys, while the YMCA/YWCA, Methodist and Salvation Army groups elected to remain separate, though they often participate and cooperate with the NSF-groups and participate in their jamborees.

It was rewritten in 1978 to a non-denominational "A Scout is open to God and His Word", but this too was seen as excluding for the increasingly non-religious member mass.

Some typical exercises during these events are the orienteering, the pioneering, circular track with nature study, citizenship and first aid.

As part of the Norges Speiderforbund of Community Involvement, the Scout campaign has been held every year since 2004.

The following regions have hosted national jamborees: 1914 Christiania (Oslo) 1916 Bergen 1920 Trondheim 1924 Hamar 1928 Åndalsnes 1932 Mandal 1936 Jeløya 1940 Tromsø (Cancelled due to WW2) 1948 Mandal 1952 Verdalsøra 1956 Voss 1960 Brunlanes 1964 Bodø 1968 Lillehammer 1972 Røros 1976 Åndalsnes 1923 Brandbu 1925 Stabekk 1929 Steinkjersannan 1933 Jørstadmoen 1937 Mandal 1948 Borre 1953 Olberg 1957 Rømoen 1961 Ringerike 1965 Følling 1969 Kongsted (in Fredrikstad Municipality) 1973 Alvdal 1978 Ulven in Os Municipality 1981 Åsnes, where the uniform and plaid neckerchief of the new organization was introduced.

1985 Notodden, noted for an event of extreme flooding, putting much of the campsite under water during the camp.

1989 Skaugum 1993 Eidskog (Ingelsrud) 1997 Austrått (at Austråttborgen) 2001 Urban 2001 (Fredrikstad) 2005 Fri:05 (Ingelsrud/Eidskog) 2009 Utopia (Åndalsnes) 2013 Stavanger 2013 (Stavanger/Hafrsfjord) 2017 Nord 2017 Bodø 2021 Agenda 2021, held as a distributed camp of 100 smaller camps due to the COVID-19 pandemic[10] The Norwegian scouts translated to English: I promise, to the best of my ability, to seek my own belief, to help others and to live according to the Guide and Scout Law.