Share your skills, gain new ones
Week by week, Scout volunteers empower thousands of young people to learn new skills, make new friends and stand on their own two feet. They’re our everyday heroes. They shape young people’s lives for the better, and find out a whole lot about themselves in the process, too.
Today, there are nearly 60,000 young people on the waiting list to join the Scouting movement in the UK. We’re more relevant and more needed than ever, but it’s not always easy to keep up with the demand.
That’s where you come in.
You don’t need to be Bear Grylls to join us. You don’t need to have been a Scout when you were younger. You don’t even need to know how to put up a tent. Our door is open to people of all ages, genders, races and backgrounds, and we’re only able to change lives because people like you lend a hand. We’re talking about tea makers, tidy-uppers and skill sharers. We’re talking about mini bus drivers and first aiders. We’re talking about students who want to boost their CV, and parents who volunteer so they can spend more time together as a family.
Whatever your skillset, lend a hand for as little or as much time as you can spare, and we promise you’ll get more out than you put in. Because whether you’re helping a leader to run an activity in the Church Hall, organising a night away, or buttering 120 slices of bread for a group of very hungry seven year olds – no two Scout meetings are the same. The difference you make, though, is always great.
Why help?
There are many reasons why adults choose to volunteer for Scouting. Here are some that existing volunteers have given:
- To give something back to the community
- To support the Leaders
- Because volunteering is a ‘good thing
- As an enabler, so the Leader can do more
- To spend more quality time with your child
- To develop your own skills and do something practical
- To enjoy and rediscover adventure for yourself
- To live a healthier more active lifestyle
What do Scouts do?
Sections usually meet on one evening during the week, although they may also go to camps and other days out throughout the year.
Whilst the activities they take part in will depend on their age, each Section gives young people the opportunity to learn by doing.
Leaders in The Scout Association are trained to deliver this programme, ensuring our young people stay safe while they enjoy themselves and learn.