{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"Interview by Rosalyn Croek","standfirst":"In this new series, we speak to some of our volunteers and ask them \u2018Why is volunteering #GoodForYou?\u2019","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"type":"Image behind","cta":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u2018\u003C/em\u003EAs well as making lifelong friends, I\u2019ve attended three World Jamborees. I\u2019ve been chosen to go to South Korea in 2023, which is an extreme privilege, and something I never expected to do.\u003Cem\u003E\u2019\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBeryl Moss, Scouts volunteer\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E","link":null,"colour":null,"title":"","image":"/media/17242/beryl-grey-background.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1d9becd1ca63cd0","imageFocus":"Right","imageId":31740,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"Right","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EVolunteering\u2019s not just about giving back \u2013 it goes both ways. It improves your wellbeing, gives you skills for the future, and helps you make new friends (and memories).\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EVolunteers make a huge difference to young people\u0027s lives \u2013 giving them skills for life, while learning a whole lot about themselves along the way.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBut don\u2019t just take our word for it \u2013 take theirs.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHere\u2019s what Beryl Moss, who\u2019s been volunteering with Scouts for 40 years, has to say.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhen and why did you start volunteering with Scouts?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019d completed Brownies, Guides and Rangers in Suffolk, then I went on to complete all my Guider Training and ran my own Guide Company.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen I moved to Chelmsford in Essex in 1979, my next door neighbour was in Scouts. The local group needed a Cub Scout Leader, and that was it \u2013 I\u2019ve never looked back. I\u2019ve run \u003Ca href=\u0022/cubs/\u0022 title=\u0022Cubs\u0022\u003ECub Packs\u003C/a\u003E ever since the 1980s.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EWhat skills have you learned and passed onto others?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe skills I\u2019ve learned are phenomenal. I\u2019m not sure where to start, but I\u2019ll list my favourites: handicrafts, pyrography wood burning, knitting toys, card making, stone painting, camping skills, bushcraft, fire lighting, and everything else outdoors.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve learned how to be independent but at the same time, worked in groups with people of all ages. I\u2019ve also learned a lot of practical and paperwork skills from doing my training.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019m able to pass my skills onto young people all ages, including those who don\u2019t speak English, and I\u2019ve supported children with additional needs in my Cub Packs.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"quoteText":"I\u2019ve experienced mental health issues, which wasn\u2019t easy, but the support I had from my friends and parents at Scouts helped me.","attribution":"","gridType":"quote","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EHow\u0027s volunteering at Scouts helped you in your personal life?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWithout a doubt, my skills and knowledge from volunteering made me become more employable. I\u2019ve even used my Scouts skills at my job, since I worked on farms.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve experienced mental health issues, which wasn\u2019t easy, but the support I had from my friends and parents at Scouts helped me. While I struggled to do many things, I always managed to join Scouts activities and run my Cub Pack. My doctor supported me to be in Scouts and I was even able to join our Gang Show on stage. This helped build my confidence, especially since it was far beyond what I thought I could do at the time.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs well as making lifelong friends, I\u2019ve attended three World Jamborees. I\u2019ve been chosen to go to \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/running-your-section/international-scouts-and-events/international-events/wsj/\u0022 title=\u0022WSJ\u0022\u003ESouth Korea in 2023\u003C/a\u003E, which is an extreme privilege, and something I never expected to do. Volunteering\u2019s given me the opportunity to fly and travel, and my Scouts skills have gone worldwide! At the international Jamborees, I always learn from young people\u2019s experiences and I teach them skills to take away \u2013 like rifle shooting and bushcraft.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve worked with the Jewish Scout community on \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/inclusion-and-diversity/including-everyone/faiths-and-beliefs/\u0022 title=\u0022Faiths and Beliefs\u0022\u003EFaiths and Beliefs\u003C/a\u003E, and I\u2019ve learned new and different things about my religion. I\u2019ve passed on my knowledge of religion through activities like crafts, and I\u2019ve formed excellent bonds from this experience. I\u2019m still in touch with my friends online from around the world, and I like spreading joy to others, especially if someone\u2019s having a difficult day miles away.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EIs there anything that could\u2019ve made your volunteering experience better?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETruly, no. You can\u2019t expect to have something if you don\u2019t give back to others, so follow the Scouts training journey, put yourself forward, and have a blast volunteering! You\u2019re always welcome to give as much or as little of your time, and I never have time to be bored.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMake sure you keep hold of your old friends \u2013 they\u2019re gold \u2013 and meet wonderful new people as well. Also, no matter what you\u2019re doing, make sure you laugh your way through and make light of the difficulties \u2013 that\u2019s what I\u2019ve learned.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"callToAction","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","buttonText":"Why is volunteering #GoodForYou? Share your story","buttonLink":{"name":"Tell us why volunteering is #GoodForYou","id":null,"url":"https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d319a9b9674548ec94f7e783bdfd3cef","newWindow":false,"target":"_blank"},"colour":{"value":"490499","label":"490499"},"alignment":"left"},{"gridType":"callToAction","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","buttonText":"Learn more about #GoodForTwo","buttonLink":{"name":"#GoodForTwo","id":null,"url":"/volunteers/growing-scouts/get-more-young-people-involved/goodfortwo/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":{"value":"490499","label":"490499"},"alignment":"left"}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"04 April 2022","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[{"caption":"","title":"Bring a friend to Scouts with #GoodForTwo","url":"/volunteers/growing-scouts/get-more-young-people-involved/goodfortwo/","newWindow":false},{"caption":"","title":"Check out what volunteers do","url":"/volunteer/what-do-volunteers-do/","newWindow":false}],"relatedLinks":[{"caption":"","title":"Share your volunteering story","url":"https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/d319a9b9674548ec94f7e783bdfd3cef","newWindow":true}],"id":48701,"nodeName":"Ask Beryl: Why is volunteering with Scouts #GoodForYou?","title":" Ask Beryl: Why is volunteering with Scouts #GoodForYou?","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/15899/goodforyou-colour-logo-with-fleur-de-lis-jpg.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1daf8892b260190","caption":"Good For You","type":"jpg","size":148222,"width":1280,"height":962,"altText":"#GOODFORYOU written in multi-coloured letters on a black background with white fleur-de-lis logo in bottom corner "},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":" Ask Beryl: Why is volunteering with Scouts #GoodForYou?","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"Discover why Beryl Moss, who\u2019s been volunteering with Scouts for 40 years, thinks it\u0027s #GoodForYou.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC80ODcwMSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2022/april/ask-beryl-why-is-volunteering-with-scouts-goodforyou/"}