{"content":{"layouts":[{"type":"sidebar","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EYoung Leaders are amazing. For those not in the know, Young Leaders are young people (ages 14\u201317) who volunteer alongside adults in a Squirrel Drey, Beaver Colony, Cub Pack, or Scout Troop. They\u2019re usually Explorer Scouts, but they may also be young people from outside Scouts working towards their Duke of Edinburgh or Queen\u2019s Guide Awards.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhoever they are, and whatever their background, Young Leaders complete\u00A0\u003C/span\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\u003E11 modules and four missions\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u00A0as they develop the skills they need to lead. They bring a lot to the table, but, like any other new volunteer, they need existing adult volunteers to support them to succeed.\u00A0\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIt\u2019s not a difficult task but it\u2019s an important (and super rewarding) one, so we\u2019ve put together below some top tips for Squirrel leaders to help Young Leaders reach their potential.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"accordion","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","showExpand":true,"items":[{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EJust like the rest of the Squirrel Leaders, each Young Leader will have their own unique mix of skills, knowledge, and experiences. Check in with where they\u2019re at, where their skills are, and what they want their time as a Young Leader to look like.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOf course, becoming a Young Leader can feel a bit daunting too. Give them the opportunity to let you know if they\u2019ve got any worries or concerns, or if there\u2019s an area, mission, or module they\u2019re feeling less confident about.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOnce you know your Young Leader, you can support them to get stuck in (without being thrown out of their depth). They might want to start small, and that\u2019s OK.\u00A0\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhen they\u2019re ready, Young Leaders can lead games and activities and take part in planning and delivering part of the\u00A0\u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/programme-planning/\u0022 title=\u0022Programme Planning\u0022\u003Eprogramme\u003C/a\u003E. Don\u2019t forget to show them all the stuff that\u2019s there to help, too. The\u00A0\u003C/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://scouts.org.uk/programme-planner\u0022\u003Eprogramme planning tool\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E is ideal for their award \u2013 Young Leaders can \u003C/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/\u0022 title=\u0022Activities\u0022\u003Efilter by games or activities\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u00A0and use the off-the-shelf programme to get started.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOnce they\u2019ve found their feet, Young Leaders may want to take on an even bigger challenge, such as running an entire evening or gaining a leadership permit for an activity.\u00A0 Community Impact is a great opportunity for Young Leaders to take a lead.\u00A0\u00A0\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThe key is that you\u2019re there every step of the way, encouraging them to give it a go.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Make it work for each Young Leader"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWe understand that sometimes it seems to make sense to ask Young Leaders to do everyone\u2019s least favourite tasks \u2013 the tidying up, filling water bottles, or tying laces. In reality though, Young Leaders have a range of skills and should be equal members of the Squirrel leadership.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIf Young Leaders are always stuck with the rubbish tasks, their experience as a Young Leader won\u2019t be fun or rewarding \u2013 and they won\u2019t gain the skills the Young Leader training scheme\u2019s designed to help them develop.\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Don\u0027t just give Young Leaders the boring jobs"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EYoung Leaders have a position of responsibility but they\u2019re still aged under 18, so adult volunteers supporting Young Leaders need to follow the\u00A0\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/safe-scouting-cards/young-people-first-yellow-card/\u0022 title=\u0022Young People First - Yellow Card\u0022\u003EYellow Card \u0027Young People First\u2019\u003C/a\u003E\u00A0code of practice\u003C/span\u003E\u00A0or\u003Cspan\u003E\u00A0\u003C/span\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://shop.scouts.org.uk/essentials/publications/young-people-first-yellow-card\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eorder the Yellow Card from Scout Store\u003C/a\u003E\u00A0and\u00A0\u003Ca href=\u0022/por/2a-key-policies/#2.4\u0022 title=\u00222. Key Policies\u0022 data-anchor=\u0022#2.4\u0022\u003ESafety and Child Protection Policies.\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYoung Leaders count as young people (not adults) for ratios, and if you\u2019re staying anywhere overnight, they need separate accommodation from both the young people in the section and the adult volunteers.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/safe-scouting-cards/young-people-first-orange-card/\u0022 title=\u0022Young People First - Orange Card\u0022\u003EThe Orange Card is the \u2018Young People First\u2019\u003C/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u00A0\u003C/span\u003Ecode of practice for Young Leaders or\u003Cspan\u003E\u00A0\u003C/span\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://shop.scouts.org.uk/essentials/publications/young-people-first-orange-card\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eorder the Orange Card from Scout Store\u003C/a\u003E\u00A0\u2013\u00A0make sure all Young Leaders have a copy, and that they understand it too.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Keep Young Leaders and Young People safe"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EYoung Leaders get a lot out of helping out, but they also give their time, skills, and energy. Don\u2019t forget to say thank you \u2013 and make it specific, thanking Young Leaders for their contributions (whether it\u2019s a fun game, a thoughtful activity, or a brilliant attitude).\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs a Squirrel Leader, you\u2019re perfectly placed to help Young Leaders reflect and recognise their successes. We all like to be encouraged and it\u2019s important that all volunteers recognise the stuff they\u2019re really good at, whether they took the time to encourage a young person to get back up and try again, or thought on their feet when a game didn\u2019t quite work.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETake some time to think about anything that didn\u2019t go to plan too. It\u2019s helpful to create an environment where all helpers (including Young Leaders) can talk about the times things go wrong. Reflecting doesn\u2019t have to be a formal discussion \u2013 it could be a quick chat while you\u2019re packing away equipment, or you could sit down and make it visual with pens and paper.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Young Leader training scheme\u2019s designed to benefit Squirrel Leaders, young people in sections, and Young Leaders. We\u2019re really thankful to the adults who take the time to make it work.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the end of the day, everyone\u2019s a winner.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESections get the benefit of talented young people, ready to share their skills and experiences (and be great, approachable, role models).\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAdults get an extra pair of hands, another perspective, and the chance to help the leaders of the future.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd Young Leaders get not only the fun of getting involved but the skills they need for college, university, the job interview, the important speech, the tricky challenge, and the big dreams (in a nutshell, the skills they need for life).\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Say thank you (and help Young Leaders reflect)"}]},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EWhy young leaders are so important\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.crec.co.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Centre for Research in Early Childhood website\u0022\u003ECentre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC)\u003C/a\u003E report has found that involving Young Leaders in your Drey is a win-win-win.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt helps young people develop relationships and strong bonds, supports Young Leaders in developing \u003Ca href=\u0022/about-us/strategy/\u0022 title=\u0022Skills for Life\u0022\u003ESkills for Life\u003C/a\u003E, and benefits Scouts overall with new ideas and the retention of volunteers.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOther benefits of having Young Leaders in your Drey include:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThey\u2019re great role models for your Squirrels\u200B\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThey can often relate to and understand Squirrels better \u200B\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EThey can be brilliant at ideas for planning, or jumping in to run an activity while you\u2019re dealing with something\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEvery Drey should have at least one Young Leader and this is why we\u0027ve put some advice together on how and what you would need to do to \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/recruiting-adults-and-young-people/\u0022\u003Erecruit Young Leaders to your Drey\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBringing together more young people ultimately means building a brighter future.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"value":"https://player.vimeo.com/video/695867193?h=6e12a1dd36\u0026amp;app_id=122963","gridType":"embed","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass"},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow to empower Young Leaders\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0027\u003C/span\u003EThe impact on these Young Leaders is clear and they report increased confidence and ability to take on responsibility\u003Cspan\u003E\u0027\u003C/span\u003E \u2013 CREC report \u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u0027ve provided ideas and tips on how to recruit and empower Young Leaders in our \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/learning-and-development-for-volunteers/squirrel-squad-sessions/\u0022\u003ESquirrel Squad Sessions\u003C/a\u003E. But, to make sure you\u2019re offering the best support you can, have a think about these tips:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EGet Young Leaders involved in the running of the Drey. It might be that you plan to meet in a place suitable and accessible for Young Leaders (perhaps a caf\u00E9 or online) and at a time that works for them too (Doesn\u2019t clash with Explorers or school commitments)\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EHave a conversation with your Young Leaders about the areas they\u0027d like to develop and what excites them\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EIdentify where they could develop these areas safely within the Drey and work towards their missions and modules\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EEmpower them to give it a go and support them if things don\u2019t quite go to plan \u2013 Scouts is all about learning by doing\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]},{"items":[{"type":"Image top","cta":"Check out the Young Leader Key","body":"\u003Cp\u003EYoung Leaders from across the country have shaped these webpages to help others make the most of their leadership journey.\u003C/p\u003E","link":{"name":"The Young Leader Key","id":null,"url":"/volunteers/running-your-section/running-an-explorer-unit/explorer-scout-young-leaders-scheme/the-young-leader-key/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":"#f1f1f1","title":"The Young Leader Key","image":"/media/13986/210510_squirrels_0206.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1dadf67f15f4870","imageFocus":"","imageId":27015,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Promo","cta":"Sign up to the forum","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThese forums are part of our commitment to bring together our pioneering Young Leaders to offer support, build a community and share ideas, resources and activities.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey\u0027re also a great compliment to the Explorer Scout Young Leaders\u2019 Scheme - but don\u2019t replace it.\u003C/p\u003E","link":{"name":null,"id":null,"url":"https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=-0KGeT3N9EqWt8YapC6clHbjfjJZ3iVPgbVuPJB0i6FURVZTT1M1RzhIQlVEVVlCRkRYRkxSTTBKUSQlQCN0PWcu","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":"#ca1a10","title":"Young Leader Forums","image":null,"imageFocus":"","imageId":0,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Image top","cta":"Find out more about the Young Leaders\u2019 Scheme","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe Explorer Scout Young Leaders\u2019 Scheme is the training programme for Young Leaders. With 11 modules and four missions to complete, it provides the skills and knowledge required for Young Leaders to be successful in their role.\u003C/p\u003E","link":{"name":"Explorer Scout Young Leaders\u0027 Scheme","id":null,"url":"/volunteers/running-your-section/running-an-explorer-unit/explorer-scout-young-leaders-scheme/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":"#f1f1f1","title":"Explorer Scout Young Leaders\u2019 Scheme","image":"/media/4813/explorer-teamwork-3-jpg.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1dae7e8d8541930","imageFocus":"","imageId":10670,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Promo","cta":"Read the blog post","body":"\u003Cp\u003EHear from some of our current Young Leaders on what they love about volunteering at their local Squirrel Drey.\u003C/p\u003E","link":{"name":"Young volunteers leading the way with Squirrels","id":null,"url":"/news/2022/july/young-volunteers-leading-the-way-with-squirrels/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":"#ca1a10","title":"Young volunteers leading the way with Squirrels","image":null,"imageFocus":"","imageId":0,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Promo","cta":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETo make sure we can keep our young people safe, we ask that everyone reads and makes sure that they understand the Volunteer Joining and Trustee Agreement.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you have any concerns or queries, contact the\u003Cspan\u003E\u00A0\u003C/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022/contact-us/\u0022 title=\u0022Contact us\u0022\u003EScout Support Centre\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E","link":{"name":"Volunteer joining and trustee agreement","id":null,"url":"/about-us/policy/declaration/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":"#f1f1f1","title":"Volunteer joining and trustee agreement","image":null,"imageFocus":"","imageId":0,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"prev":{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/recruiting-adults-and-young-people/","title":"Recruiting adults and young people"},"next":{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/learning-and-development-for-volunteers/","title":"Learning and development for volunteers"},"allParts":[{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/admin-for-your-drey/","title":"Admin for your Drey"},{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/recruiting-adults-and-young-people/","title":"Recruiting adults and young people"},{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/empowering-young-leaders/","title":"Empowering Young Leaders"},{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/learning-and-development-for-volunteers/","title":"Learning and development for volunteers"},{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/ongoing-support-for-your-drey/","title":"Ongoing support for your Drey"},{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/engaging-with-diverse-and-under-represented-communities/","title":"Engaging with diverse and under-represented communities"}],"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/empowering-young-leaders/","id":75912,"nodeName":"Empowering Young Leaders","title":"Empowering Young Leaders","type":"codexPart","image":{"url":"/media/13986/210510_squirrels_0206.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1dadf67f15f4870","caption":"Young volunteer reading to Squirrels outside","type":"jpg","size":1006310,"width":5490,"height":3660,"altText":"A young Squirrel leader, wearing a beige shirt and red scarf, reads to three Squirrels wearing red jumpers."},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Empowering Young Leaders","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"searchDescription":"Young Leaders are a key part of Squirrels. Find out how you can support and empower them in their roles.","subHeader":"Young Leaders are a key part of Squirrels. Find out how you can support and empower them in their roles.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC83NTkxMiJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/empowering-young-leaders/"}