{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"Chris McGuire, Writer","standfirst":"This Stress Awareness Week (3\u20137 November), mother and daughter Siew and ChorKiu tell us the positive effect Scouts has on dealing with stress in their busy lives. ","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EWe all live busy lives, which mean stress is a problem for a lot of people. Mental Health UK\u2019s \u2018Burnout Report 2025\u2019 shows 91% of adults experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the last year.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EStress can lead to problems with both our physical and mental health, so it\u2019s important we look for ways to reduce its impact.\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhether it\u0027s exam period or a busy time at work, ChorKiu,16, an Explorer Scout, and her mum Siew, a Scouts volunteer, tell us how Scouts helps them deal with stress.\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/iminj4k4/chorkiu-and-kong.jpg","width":3036,"height":2160,"altText":"","caption":"ChorKiu (left) and her brother Kong (right)","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EWhat are the causes of stress in ChorKiu and Siew\u2019s lives?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBoth ChorKiu and her mum, Siew, are upfront about the amount of stress in their lives. ChorKiu has just finished her GCSEs, while Siew has a very demanding job as a principal civil engineer.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EChorKiu explains how stress can increase as exams loom: \u2018it builds up, especially when I\u0027m studying at home in a confined space.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESimilarly, Siew details the commitments that fill her day (in addition to work and life as a single mum), these include roles as a parent governor, and STEM ambassador: \u2018I do a lot\u2019. She understands that each commitment can bring the potential for additional strain.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EHow does Scouts help with stress?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EChorKiu knows the importance of taking breaks during the high pressure times around exams. So, during her GCSEs, ChorKiu saw Scouts as a way to recharge her batteries. \u2018I felt like it\u0027s probably the only time during my GCSEs I didn\u2019t feel stressed. Scouts makes me feel relaxed. In general, it makes me feel happy.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs well as helping her relax, ChorKiu explains that the downtime Scouts provides helps her absorb her studies:\u0026nbsp;\u2018that\u0027s when my revision kicks in and I realise what I remember\u2019.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESiew is clear on the importance of getting outside, with Scouts, in helping her feel calm: \u2018I found it\u2019s really relaxing for me\u2019. Being a volunteer has made Siew more patient, \u2018I enjoy that time (at Scouts)\u2019.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EWhat would ChorKiu and Siew suggest to those suffering with stress?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EChorKiu emphasises the importance of getting outdoors to reduce stress: \u2018a lot of people my age don\u0027t really like to go outdoors\u2019. She believes too much screentime is a problem for her generation: \u2018they just stay locked in their bedrooms, scrolling on social media\u2019.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThrough Scouts, Siew, ChorKiu, and her brother Kong all get outside together and enjoy the benefits that Scouts brings. \u2018It\u2019s all part of a family day for us,\u2019 says Siew. \u2018I\u2019d rather my kids go outdoors rather than be on screens\u2019.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EImportantly, Scouts isn\u2019t another thing to stress about!\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESiew points out that volunteering at Scouts isn\u2019t just another thing on her to-do list. She\u2019s benefitted from skills learned through volunteering: \u2018(Scouts) has really helped me to build my leadership skills in my workplace\u2019. Siew explains she can easily fit it around her other commitments: \u2018it\u2019s very flexible.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Promo","cta":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA big thank you to ChorKiu and Siew for their insights.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you\u0027re wanting to promote wellbeing and looking after your mental health at Scouts, we\u0027ve got plenty of activities on our \u003Ca href=\u0022/activities/\u0022 title=\u0022Activities\u0022\u003EActivity finder\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E","link":null,"colour":"#f1f1f1","title":"","image":null,"imageFocus":"","imageId":0,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"03 November 2025","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[],"relatedLinks":[],"id":87707,"nodeName":"How Scouts helps mother and daughter reduce their stress","title":"How Scouts helps mother and daughter reduce their stress","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/ychp0ep3/stress-awareness-week_blog.png?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1dc48ca9fbc8c80","caption":"Stress Awareness Week Blog","type":"png","size":13167830,"width":4000,"height":2251,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"How Scouts helps mother and daughter reduce their stress","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"Whether it\u0027s time in nature or together as a family, mother and daughter Siew and ChorKiu tell us how Scouts helps them manage stress.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC84NzcwNyJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2025/november/how-scouts-helps-mother-and-daughter-reduce-their-stress/"}