{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"Carl Hankinson, UK Chief Volunteer \u0026 Sam Morris, Chief Volunteering Officer","standfirst":"At Scouts, we want to see more young people with skills for life, supported by amazing volunteers that deliver an inspiring programme. We want to grow, be more inclusive, be shaped by young people and make a bigger impact in our communities.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4 class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003ESo, how have we been getting on with that?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022p1\u0022\u003EEvery year, we carry out a census. This is our nationwide membership survey to help us to better understand the young people and adults in our membership. The census results help us see how we\u2019re getting on with achieving our vision and how, moving forward, we can give the right support to our volunteers and young people. It helps to tell us how we can improve and where we should focus our attention.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/qxgdupjl/two-scouts-trying-crate-stacking.jpg","width":7000,"height":4667,"altText":"Two Scouts in blue helmets hold on to each other and laugh while crate stacking.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4 class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022 style=\u0022mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;\u0022\u003EOur key headlines for growth over the last year\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong style=\u0022mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\u0022\u003EYoung people: \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EBrilliantly, 6,100 more Squirrels have joined us since last year\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EWe saw just over\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong style=\u0022mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\u0022\u003E2%\u003C/strong\u003E growth in all young people too\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong style=\u0022mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\u0022\u003EAdult Volunteers:\u0026nbsp;\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EWe\u2019re excited to now have \u003Cstrong style=\u0022mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\u0022\u003E83,792\u003C/strong\u003E adult volunteers working directly with young people, so\u0026nbsp;Section Leaders, Assistant Section Leaders and Section Assistants.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThis has grown by over\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong style=\u0022mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\u0022\u003E4%\u003C/strong\u003E since 2023\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong style=\u0022mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\u0022\u003EYoung Leaders:\u0026nbsp;\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EWe now welcomed \u003Cstrong style=\u0022mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\u0022\u003E19,775\u003C/strong\u003E Young Leaders\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThis makes us ahead of our target of\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong style=\u0022mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\u0022\u003E19,500\u003C/strong\u003E by 2025\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVolunteers from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds\u003C/strong\u003E:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EWe\u2019ve welcomed and increased the number of volunteers from these backgrounds from\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong style=\u0022mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\u0022\u003E2.7%\u003C/strong\u003E in 2023 to \u003Cstrong style=\u0022mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\u0022\u003E3.8%\u003C/strong\u003E in 2024\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThis is encouraging, as we\u2019re aiming to increase the number of volunteers we have from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities by\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E5%\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWaiting lists:\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EOur waiting list continues to grow, now by over\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong style=\u0022mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;\u0022\u003E7,000\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EWe\u2019ve over\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E107,000\u003C/strong\u003E young people waiting for places across our sections, showing the real need for continual welcome and engagement of new volunteers\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETop awards\u003C/strong\u003E:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EWe\u2019re delighted to have given out over\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E78,000\u003C/strong\u003E top awards to our young people in 2024\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThis is almost\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E14,000\u003C/strong\u003E more compared to previous year.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4 class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022 style=\u0022mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;\u0022\u003EOur plan for the year ahead\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp style=\u0022mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;\u0022 class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EIt\u2019s incredible to see some of our strong areas of growth, especially with \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/\u0022\u003ESquirrels\u003C/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/running-your-section/running-an-explorer-unit/explorer-scout-young-leaders-scheme/\u0022 title=\u0022Explorer Scout Young Leaders\u0027 Scheme\u0022\u003EYoung Leaders\u003C/a\u003E and the number in volunteers who are from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp style=\u0022mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;\u0022 class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EBut, although we\u2019ve broadly seen growth at Scouts, it\u2019s not at the pace we were expecting to build back from the Covid-19 pandemic.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp style=\u0022mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; line-height: normal;\u0022 class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ve still 107,000 young people on our waiting lists.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EThis year, we know we need to continue the push for growth to make sure young people across the UK can get the skills they need for life.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EOur County/Area/Region and District teams have been developing local growth plans for each area.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EWe\u2019ll specifically be focusing our support at those areas locally where there is little to no Scouts. We\u2019ll also be looking at how we can reduce waiting lists. It might be that you can reduce local waiting lists by increasing the size of your section, or opening new sections.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EIf your Group or District doesn\u2019t have Squirrels yet, then this is \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/\u0022\u003Eworth considering,\u003C/a\u003E as there can be benefits to the whole Group by introducing new four and five year olds, alongside their their parents/carers, to Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/rexjf44d/db-20221018-3811-60145.jpg","width":7000,"height":4667,"altText":"Squirrels in a group happy outside","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4 class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResources you can use today\u0026nbsp;\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022font-family: \u0027Nunito Sans\u0027; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;\u0022\u003EWe recognise the time and effort put in by all volunteers to bring Scouting to even more young people across the UK, and we really do appreciate it. It makes a huge difference to the lives of young people in our society.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022font-family: \u0027Nunito Sans\u0027; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;\u0022\u003EIf you\u2019re thinking about how you could grow even more (especially in new areas), find some of our helpful online resources below.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul style=\u0022margin-top: 0cm;\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cli class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022 style=\u0022mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022MsoHyperlink\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022font-family: \u0027Nunito Sans\u0027; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/growing-scouts/recruitment-toolkit/\u0022 title=\u0022Recruitment Toolkit\u0022\u003ERecruitment toolkit\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022 style=\u0022mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022MsoHyperlink\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022font-family: \u0027Nunito Sans\u0027; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/growing-scouts/furthering-reach-toolkit/\u0022\u003ETips and tools for furthering reach\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022 style=\u0022mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022MsoHyperlink\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan style=\u0022font-family: \u0027Nunito Sans\u0027; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;\u0022\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/growing-scouts/get-more-volunteers-involved/\u0022\u003EGet more volunteers involved\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"16 May 2024","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[{"caption":"","title":"Check out our recruitment toolkit","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/growing-scouts/recruitment-toolkit/","newWindow":false},{"caption":"","title":"Think about how you can further reach","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/growing-scouts/furthering-reach-toolkit/","newWindow":false},{"caption":"","title":"How can you get more volunteers?","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/growing-scouts/get-more-volunteers-involved/","newWindow":false}],"relatedLinks":[],"id":79651,"nodeName":"We\u2019re growing: and what does that mean for you?","title":"We\u2019re growing: and what does that mean for you?","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/vorcntzd/a-scout-volunteer-talking-to-three-scouts-outside-the-building.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1daecc374ce35a0","caption":"Volunteer talking to three Scouts outside","type":"jpg","size":6802031,"width":5616,"height":3744,"altText":"A volunteer talks to three Scouts in red and white neckers outside."},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"We\u2019re growing: and what does that mean for you?","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC83OTY1MSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2024/may/we-re-growing-and-what-does-that-mean-for-you/"}