{"content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp class=\u0022lead\u0022\u003EThis year, we\u2019ve done that by helping even more young people gain skills for life.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut that can only happen when we have well supported volunteers locally, and when we\u2019re reaching out to new communities. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve focused on two key things: improving our volunteer experience and growing inclusively.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019d also like to acknowledge that it\u2019s been a challenging year in several ways, not least addressing safety and safeguarding concerns and working through a very tough World Scout Jamboree. We face all these situations with care and compassion for those people involved, and it\u2019s vital that we continue to learn as much as we can for the future.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOur success depends on forging strong partnerships locally and my thanks goes out to all those volunteers who\u2019ve helped make these connections. We believe we need to be proactive in this space, starting conversations and going to meet people where they are \u2013 rather than simply waiting for them to walk through our doors.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEach of our teams have committed to reaching communities where Scouts hasn\u2019t been well represented before, offering opportunities for more young people to experience all that Scouts can offer them. Our 1,400 Squirrel Dreys, with 24% in areas of deprivation, show our significant progress in this area.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI was delighted to see 5 year old Thomas from Carlisle receive a Chief Scout\u2019s Unsung Heroes Award this year. Not only did he attend his first sleepover (along with thousands of other 4\u20136 year olds), but he also made a special effort to help other children settle into\u0026nbsp;Squirrels too. It\u2019s brilliant to see this care and kindness\u0026nbsp;in our Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI was equally pleased to see 17 year old Saim Raza receiving his award. Alongside his mum, he started 58th Walsall Scout Group when they moved from Cardiff. Scouts was a new concept for the local Muslim community. However, with Saim\u2019s passion and determination, the whole community got on board.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor volunteers, this has been a year of change as we move to team-based volunteering. This\u2019ll make volunteering simpler, more rewarding, and enjoyable.\u0026nbsp;It\u2019ll also make volunteering easier to understand for those new to Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019re seeing change across our local and national teams, and our UK Leadership Team is no exception. This is the first year I write with my new role title of UK Chief Volunteer. Change isn\u2019t always easy, and we\u2019re working through it together.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOur programme has gone from strength to strength. I was especially delighted to see us launch our #Outdoorin24 campaign, encouraging more outdoor adventures, from camps and hikes to kayaks and climbs. We still believe the great outdoors is where young people learn best; where they can be themselves, step up and play their part. The outdoors has proven benefits for wellbeing and we\u2019re proud to be supporters of outdoor learning across our many adventure centres.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019ve continued to focus strongly on safety and safeguarding too. Learning continuously, we make sure our policies, procedures and training in these areas reflect the very best practice in the sector. We updated our \u2018Yellow Card\u2019 \u2013 our safeguarding code of conduct for adults \u2013 in January. We supported our members to make sure they felt confident about the changes.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESafety training is a key part of every volunteer\u2019s journey, and I\u2019m pleased 98% of all our adults are compliant. But this needs to be higher still. Keeping people safe remains our top priority and my gratitude goes to everyone who\u2019s kept this as a number one concern in an exceptionally busy year.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOne of the most enjoyable parts of my role is travelling around the UK to meet our local volunteer teams. Although I\u2019ve been part of Scouts most of my life, I\u2019m\u0026nbsp;still bowled over by the commitment and kindness of\u0026nbsp;our volunteers, and the energy and creativity of our young people.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESaying thank you to our volunteers is so important. That\u2019s why this year\u2019s Thanksgiving Service at Westminster Abbey (our first since the COVID-19 pandemic) was extra special. Well done to those who contributed so well.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs we look ahead to a new year for Scouts, and a new strategy, I look forward to engaging our members in shaping it.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe future belongs to us all, but especially our young people. Let\u2019s create a bright future together.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECarl Hankinson\u003Cbr\u003EUK Chief Volunteer\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"prev":{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/a-year-of-challenge-learning-and-change/","title":"A year of challenge, learning and change"},"next":{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/skills-for-life-our-plan-to-prepare-better-futures-2018-2025/","title":"Skills for Life: Our plan to prepare better futures 2018-2025"},"allParts":[{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/a-year-of-challenge-learning-and-change/","title":"A year of challenge, learning and change"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/as-scouts-we-believe-in-creating-brighter-futures/","title":"As Scouts, we believe in creating brighter futures"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/skills-for-life-our-plan-to-prepare-better-futures-2018-2025/","title":"Skills for Life: Our plan to prepare better futures 2018-2025"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/growth/","title":"Growth"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/inclusivity/","title":"Inclusivity"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/youth-shaped/","title":"Youth shaped"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/community-impact/","title":"Community impact"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/keeping-young-people-safe/","title":"Keeping young people safe"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/three-pillars-of-work/","title":"Three pillars of work"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/programme/","title":"Programme"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/people/","title":"People"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/perception/","title":"Perception"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/theory-of-change/","title":"Theory of change"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/the-impact-of-scouts-on-young-people/","title":"The impact of Scouts on young people"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/working-towards-a-regenerative-change/","title":"Working towards a regenerative change"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/our-finances/","title":"Our finances"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/trustees-responsibilities/","title":"Trustees\u0027 responsibilities"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/independent-auditor-s-report-to-the-trustees-of-the-scout-association/","title":"Independent Auditor\u2019s Report to the Trustees of The Scout Association"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/consolidated-statement-of-financial-activities/","title":"Consolidated statement of financial activities"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/balance-sheet/","title":"Balance sheet"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/statement-of-cash-flows/","title":"Statement of cash flows"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/notes-to-the-financial-statements/","title":"Notes to the financial statements"},{"link":"/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/scouts-annual-report-2023-24/our-members/","title":"Our 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