CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Scout movement in Australia has apologized to victims of child sex abuse within the organization which has recently joined a national compensation program.

Scouts Australia Chief Commissioner Phil Harrison said on Friday the apology is part of his organization's commitment to acknowledge and address the harm that some of its members have suffered through Scouting.

Allegations of years of abuse within Scouts were heard during a national government-commissioned inquiry into child sex abuse in institutions, which made its final report in December.

Scouts Australia joined a national redress program which was recommended by the inquiry.

Scouts Australia national general manager Cathy Morcom says while scouting organizations in some other countries participated in similar redress programs, she was not aware of any other national organization making a formal apology.