Scouts launch drive for more volunteers with message from Bear Grylls
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The Scouts are launching the #GoodForYou campaign designed to recruit more volunteers to help young people to reconnect, supporting their wellbeing and building their skills for life.
Over the last year hundreds of online meetings were held across the North East of Scotland with Scout Groups taking part in camps at home, #FillingOurFoodbanks with 6.8tonnes in food donations before Christmas, #TidyingTheTrash across our area and #HikedToTheMoon to raise money for the BBC’s Children in Need and Comic Relief supported by celebrities like Tim Peake and Bear Grylls helping to raise over £240,000 as part of the UK wide appeal, are just a snapshot of what Scouts in the North East have achieved.
Scout groups are now looking to build on this amazing work and empower young people when they need it most. To do this Scouts need more adults to step up and volunteer to lead young people.
Scout volunteers will create opportunities for young people to recover from the impact of the pandemic by supporting their wellbeing and building the skills needed to succeed in life.
The pressures of the pandemic have led to a decrease in youth membership across the North East of Scotland by 22 per cent over the past year, falling from 4968 last year to 3871. Adult volunteer numbers in North East of Scotland are also down from 1750 in 2020 to 1466 for 2021.
These numbers are an indicator of how the pressures and disruptions to life over the past year mean not all youth members have been able to continue. This is especially the case in communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Dougie Simmers, regional commissioner for the North East of Scotland said: “Young people have lost out on so much in the past year and our membership numbers show how many were unable to continue with Scouts due to lockdown.
"The good news is they are coming back in droves, but we need more people to help us ensure young people can meet friends, have fun and fulfil their potential by learning skills for life.
"By volunteering with the Scouts, it can improve your skills and can even boost your CV. Scouts can really make a positive difference to your wellbeing and gain skills you never knew you could.”
Over the next six months the Scouts will be running a series of locally focused recruitment campaigns across the UK, including across the North East of Scotland, designed to encourage those young people and adults who drifted away during the pandemic re-join and to create new Scout groups in areas of greatest need.
The campaign will be designed to appeal to new adult volunteers and emphasis why volunteering is good for your health, happiness, skill development and family life.
Since the first lockdown, Scout volunteers have provided thousands of hours of Zoom sessions, supported young people with at-home challenges like the Great Indoors and Hike to the Moon. And when restrictions have allowed, have run socially-distanced meet ups.
Bear Grylls, Chief Scout, said: “The past year has been so tough for so many. And it’s also shown just how important it is for us to work together to help those in need. Scouts plays a fundamental role in the lives of thousands of young people and our goal is to build back our membership by welcoming thousands of new volunteers across the movement.
"As an adult volunteer you can help us continue to make an incredible contribution towards helping young people learn new skills for life. You’ll gain some great new skills, new friends and be part of empowering young people to be prepared for their future.”
Thinking about volunteering? Give it a try and check out scouts.org.uk/volunteer today and find your local group.
