Volunteering
What do volunteers do?
Week by week, volunteers in Scouting 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 waiting lists 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 scout hall, organising a night away, or buttering 100 slices of bread with a group of very hungry eleven year olds - no two Scout meetings are the same. The difference you make, though, is always great.
We provide the training. You show up, get stuck in, and make memories for life.
As long as you're over 18, you can help out as an adult volunteer in Scouting. There is no upper age limit for adult volunteers.
If you are aged between 14 and 18, there is the option of becoming a Young Leader.
Sounds fun? Worthwhile? It is.
Current Vacancies
Group Scout Leader
What is a GSL and what do they do?
A Group Scout leader isn’t lots of things you might think :-
- They don’t organise the sessions with the young people
- They don’t need to go on the camps and activities
- They don’t run the group single-handed!
GSLs generally are organisers and facilitators for other adult volunteers:-
They help the Scout Group thrive with good admin to support the other adult volunteers, working with the Group Executive Committee and Section leadership teams.
They work to ensure that the Scout Group has an adequate team of adults working effectively together to bring Scouting to our local community.
Work with the District Commissioner and other Group Scout Leaders in the District to ensure that the District thrives with mutual support.
But I don’t have any relevant skills or experience …
Of course you do!
Are you:
- a people-person, able to support and lead a team of adults?
- a good time manager (able to balance personal life & other commitments)?
- a planner and can communicate with other adults in a team environment?
You’re in!
How much time does it take?
It varies but might average out at about a couple of hours per week. This could be used to visit the sections, have a meeting with people from the Group or District, or arrange some training for someone. The time required can be moved around to fit in - there’s no rigid commitment.
Cub Scout Leader
What does the CSL do?
They manage and lead the cubs section. This basically involves the planning and delivery of the a programme of meetings and events with the help of assistant leaders and young leaders. That sounds like a big ask, right? But it really isn’t as hard as you’d think - you don’t have to come up with all the ideas etc. there’s lots of help and training to support you in all that.
But the key thing is the CSL works with youngsters between 8 and 10 1/2 years old to learn, grow and have fun.
But I’ve got no experience in this sort of thing!
You do not need any previous experience of Scouting, as training and support will be provided. The Group will support you and ensure that you get the training you need to feel comfortable in the role. All you need is the willingness to get stuck in and make the programme fun and exiting for the Cubs!
What’s in it for me?
There’s no fat-cat salary or company car (although we do have a minibus!). But ask any CSL and you’ll hear things like:
- "I’ve had lots of fun and learned a huge amount"
- "Scouting has given me practical skills and confidence for other areas of my life"
- "I’ve made some fantastic friends"
