Scouting simply would not exist without the skills and enthusiasm of thousands of adult helpers. Whether you can spare two hours a week or a day a month, we need instructors, treasurers, administrators and volunteer managers and many others who share our aim of making life better for young people. You don’t need to know everything about Scouting - we’ll provide full training, induction and ongoing support. What matters is that you are committed, have a sense of humour and a huge amount of common sense.

Dak - Parent Helper

“I was a Scout in Kenya where I grew up and loved it. I moved to the UK and when my son was Beaver age I took him along to his local Colony. He loved it and when I was asked whether I would become a parent helper, I jumped at the chance. Not only would it allow me to spend some time with my son, I could also join in with the activities too!

I didnt realise that there are thousands of young people on waiting lists around the country and more adults are needed. If I had I would have offered my help before being asked.

Over the years, I have made many friends through Scouting and also learnt how to understand and deal with young people. Scouting has become a hobby and although my son has now moved Sections, I am still involved as I want to give something back.

The best thing about Scouting is teaching the children, having fun and taking part in activities such as sailing, abseiling and climbing. Every parent should help out as much as they can, you dont need any particular skills, just the ones you were born with!

Adults in Scouting are from all walks of life. Yet the one thing they share is the enjoyment of helping young people reach their potential. You may not be aware of the following facts:

• None of our Leaders are paid – they are all volunteers.
• The majority of our Leaders have full time jobs and a family.
• 44% of our Leaders are female.
• Leaders get involved because they want to have fun and make new friends themselves.
• Leaders don’t have to be ‘superheroes’ who know everything. They are given training on the job and learn new skills as they go along. The one thing that unites our Leaders is the energy and enthusiasm they have for giving young people the adventure of Scouting
• Whilst all our volunteers are passionate about what they do, many help out on a flexible basis due to other commitments. Some may help out once a week or fortnight whereas others help once a term or at summer camp.
• 27% of volunteers help out in Scouting as they are a parent of a current Member. Many were not Scouts when they were young but have learnt new skills and made new friends through Scouting.
• Not all volunteers have to wear uniform.
• Many of our adult volunteers say they are more confident in their everyday lives as a result of their involvement with Scouting.
• Not all adults who volunteer for Scouting work with young people. There are a variety of other jobs that need to be done such as gardening and general DIY, organising events, doing the accounts and writing press releases. This means that adult Leaders who do work directly with young people do not have to spend all their time doing paperwork.
• All our Leaders are covered by a comprehensive insurance policy while taking part in Scouting.
• New Leaders in Scouting go through a criminal records check to ensure they are fit to work with young people.

Everyone has something to give

You may feel that you have no skills to offer Scouting - but everyone has something to give. Doing things such as making squash and organising games means the Leader has more time to spend with the young people. Do you have any hobbies and interests that you could share? For example, are you a qualified First Aider who could run an interactive session or do you have an interest in nature and could take a Group on a fun walk through the local woods? If you don’t have time in the evenings when Groups meet could you use your work skills to help out a few hours a month to suit you? Are you a gardener, an accountant or work in Public Relations for example or could you take a Group to your place of work such as a police station or garden centre?

What you can get out of volunteering

Volunteering in Scouting is fun and rewarding. You will have the chance to learn new skills, rediscover adventure, make new friends, spend more time with your child if they are a Scout and give something back to your community.

Whether you are a Network Member, parent of a child in Scouting, or someone who is totally new to Scouting you’ve come to the right place.

One of the biggest myths about Scouting is that Groups are closing down due to a lack of young people wanting to become Members. Nothing could be further from the truth; Scouting in the UK is a growing Movement and we currently have 30,000 young people on our waiting lists simply because we do not have enough adults to help out.

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: ‘I believe the kids get such a lot out of it; I just put a bit back for what the kids take out.’

To support the Leaders: ‘They give so much, you’ve got to give some of that back.’

Because volunteering is a ‘good thing’: ‘I just personally believe that you should always do some kind of voluntary work…otherwise nothing would get done in this world.’

As an enabler, so the Leader can do more: ‘If I can help Sam, our Leader, out by doing the little things, then it means she has got more time to give the kids and then they get more out of it.’

To spend more quality time with your child: ‘David used to go on his PlayStation2 while I read the paper after school and work – now we get a chance to do activities together.’

To develop your own skills: ‘I hadn’t used a compass since I was a Scout. After I learned how to use one again, I take one out on family walks. We get lost less than we used to!’

To enjoy and rediscover adventure for yourself: ‘We had a water fight at Beavers the other week, it was great!’

Leader

Every Section (Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers and Network) has a Leader. The Leader has overall responsibility for the running of the Section. This means planning and delivering the Balanced Programme with the help of Assistant Leaders and Section Assistants.

Section Leaders can choose to lead one of the following Sections:

• · Beavers (aged 6-8)
• · Cubs (aged 8-10½)
• · Scouts (aged 10½-14)
• · Explorers (aged 14-18)
• · Network (aged 18-25)

Leaders are responsible for the young people in the Section and for any adults helping to deliver the Programme.

Assistant Leader

Assistant Leaders support the Section Leader in delivering the Balanced Programme. This can mean anything from helping to plan and run games or activities, or helping to keep records up to date. The responsibilities of an Assistant Leader will depend on their own interests and on what they agree with the Leader.

Assistant Leaders are supported by Section Assistants, as well as by other Assistant Leaders.

Section Assistant

All our Sections need helpers. Outdoor activities and nights away require a certain number of adults in relation to the number of young people. So by helping out whenever they can, Section Assistants could be enabling an extra 6 (in the case of Beavers) or 12 (in the case of Scouts) young people to participate in Scouting.

More importantly, Section Assistants provide invaluable support to Leaders and Assistant Leaders. Regularly attending meetings to collect subs (fees) or to make refreshments means that the Leaders have more time to deliver the programme to young people.

Occasional Helper/Parent

Parents and family members are encouraged, where possible, to help out a Section in some way. Some Sections will organise rotas where support can be given once or twice a term by all the parents in the Section. This should be used as an opportunity to get involved in what the young people are doing.

Adults who have a specific skill or interest can also choose to run a particular activity or event one evening a term. Such skills are invaluable to Scout Groups and can usually assist young people in gaining, or working towards, a particular badge.

Young Leader (14-18)

The Young Leaders’ Scheme is designed for those aged 14-18 who are primarily interested in helping out in one of the younger Sections (Beavers, Cubs or Scouts).

Young Leaders will be members of the Explorer Scout Section, which means that they can take part in all the activities and opportunities that Scouting in the Explorer Unit or District has to offer.

Chairman

The Chairman of a Committee will manage meetings and will work with the relevant Commissioner or Group Scout Leader to ensure the Scout County/Area, District or Group operates in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of the Association.

This is the ideal role for adults who do not necessarily wish to work directly with young people, but who are committed to the purpose, aims and development of Scouting.

Chairmen are responsible for members of the Committee, including the Treasurer and Secretary.

Treasurer

Treasurers assist the Chairman in the effective administration of the Scout County/Area, District or Group by providing financial support. This could mean setting the annual budget or completing annual accounts.

This role is ideal for someone who does not necessarily want to work directly with young people, but who is comfortable working with figures and budgets.

Secretary

Secretaries assist the Chairman in the effective administration of the Scout County/Area, District or Group by providing sound administrative support. This could mean ensuring the completion of the annual census or maintaining records of members of the County/Area, District or Group.

This is the ideal role for someone who does not necessarily want to work directly with young people, but who is organised and enjoys administrative work.

Group Scout Leader

The Group Scout Leader (GSL) ensures the effective operation of the Scout Group. The Scout Group consists of the three younger Sections – Beavers (aged 6-8), Cubs (aged 8-10½) and Scouts (aged 10½-14).

The Group Scout Leader is responsible for ensuring that the Group has a team of ‘fit and proper’ adults who are well inducted and supported, and that a Balanced Programme is being delivered to all young people in the Group.

A Group Scout Leader is responsible for all Leaders and Assistant Leaders in the Scout Group. This means that it is the ideal role for someone who is interested in working with both adults and young people.

District or County/Area Commissioner

The District or County/Area Commissioner is responsible for Scouting in their particular area. So a District Commissioner (DC) supports the Groups in their District, and a County/Area Commissioner (CC/AC) supports the Districts in their County.

DCs and CC/ACs are responsible for ensuring that their area has a team of ‘fit and proper’ adults who are well inducted and supported.

This is an ideal role for adults who wish to work primarily with other adults as they are directly responsible for all adults with a District or County/Area appointment.

Training Adviser

Training Advisers work with other adults, making sure that they have the knowledge and skills to be effective in their roles. They act to support adults in their training by explaining how the Scout Association’s Adult Training Scheme works, by agreeing Personal Learning Plans, validating the relevant modules and by keeping records of their progress.

Local Training Manager

Local Training Managers are in charge of Training Advisers. They are responsible for making sure that all adults new to Scouting are assigned a Training Adviser. They also assist the County Training Manager in the provision of training in their particular area.

County Training Manager

County Training Managers are responsible for the provision of training in the County. They have to ensure that all adults have access to the necessary training, and to a variety of learning methods.

Media Development Manager

For adults who are interested in the media, this would be the ideal role. A Media Development Manager is responsible for improving the public image of Scouting. This means developing and maintaining a list of local media contacts and identifying good stories in local Scouting, which can then be promoted to the local media.

Fundraiser

Fundraisers provide Scouting with necessary funds. They may be in charge of raising funds for a new headquarters, for new equipment or even to send a Section or Group on an activity or camp. Fundraisers are responsible for organising the way in which money can be raised, be it through a sponsored walk, a lottery grant or public collections.