{"content":{"layouts":[{"type":"sidebar","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003ECommunity engagement is about recognising the importance of positive interaction whatever form it takes, as well as facilitating, encouraging and promoting it.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ERemember that different people will want to interact in different ways or to different extents \u2013 don\u0027t force it, try to be flexible.\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHere are some top tips to consider when engaging with communities:\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"accordion","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","showExpand":false,"items":[{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIdentify a key person/local community group in the local area who\u0027s able to connect and engage with those communities you haven\u0027t yet interacted with or that aren\u0027t yet engaged in Scouts. These champions represent a given community so will have great in-depth knowledge of those you wish to reach.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis could be the local church reverend, Imam from the local mosque, local community police or even the after-school parent that always connects with other parents at the school gate. It would be great if they are brand new to \u0027scouting\u0027 as they\u0027ll come with a fresh new perspective and engage differently to how Scouting volunteers may have already done. \u00A0\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Find a community champion"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ECheck information with the local councils, they\u0027ll hold relevant data that should be accessible through their website. You could also check out the \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.ons.gov.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Office for National Statistics website\u0022\u003EOffice for National Statistics (ONS)\u003C/a\u003E. Consider do a learning walk and check out the locality yourself.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESpeak to prominent key people like the librarian, shopkeepers and post office. This would help identify pockets of communities that are generally not represented in Scouting. Children\u0027s Centres, local pre-schools and nurseries are ideal places to check out when looking to recruit young people and families.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESquirrels look to engage and open up into different communities through looking at three different models, the family-led, partner-led and Scout-led models. Being flexible in approach is key to engagement in different communities, one model may work better than another. \u00A0\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Research area demographics of the local community"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EDiversity is sometimes perceived as differences amongst us which then in turn adds to barriers and boundaries. It\u0027s far easier to engage with people when there is commonality.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAt times we concentrate far too much on our differences instead of our common traits like \u0027 I\u0027m a dad or mum\u0027 or \u0027I work from home\u0027 or \u2018I enjoy gardening\u2019. With this in mind, it\u0027s easier to start up a conversation and build for effective engagement.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EScouts is all about opportunities for young people, strengthening communities and having fun \u2013 these are all things that resonate with most communities, parents/carers and young people!\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Encourage Scouts groups to find out and talk about what we have in common with local communities and local community groups"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFestivals are an expressive way to celebrate glorious heritage, culture and traditions. Many such celebrations focus on different cultures, faiths or ethnicities cultural topics and seek to inform community members of their traditions.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETherefore, the more we\u0027re informed the better the engagement. This would help with bridging communities and shows you are keen to interact, engage and embrace them. Communities from underrepresented groups will have cultural and religious differences, some may not eat a certain meat, some may fast at times throughout the year and some may not eat meat at all. \u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELook at how we can ensure and create an open and truly inclusive environment. Scouts\u2019 \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/inclusion-and-diversity/\u0022 title=\u0022Inclusion and Diversity\u0022\u003Einclusion webpages\u003C/a\u003E can help you with this and the \u003Ca href=\u0022/activities/\u0022 title=\u0022Activities\u0022\u003EActivity Finder\u003C/a\u003E is full of activities that link to different cultural events that help too. You can also look at programme evenings that celebrate this diversity.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Recognise and celebrate different cultural events and festivals"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWe know the values of Scouting and the benefits to young people. Start off by making it clear that it\u0027s an opportunity that\u2019s all about young people, life-changing experiences and brilliant values.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMake \u2018\u003Ca href=\u0022/about-us/strategy/\u0022 title=\u0022Skills for Life\u0022\u003ESkills for Life\u003C/a\u003E\u2019 the main talking point, this is the selling factor that will attract everyone regardless of background. Showcase Scouts by using visual aids and activities, pictures can tell a thousand words and is understood by all. Videos of four and five year olds enjoying the benefits of Scouts tells a great story!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOpening a satellite section is a successful way of opening new provision in new communities and in areas of financial vulnerability. They get the benefit of an existing trustee board and financial structure and so can concentrate on delivering the Scouts programme.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis will help with building confidence and supporting the group to later become more equipped to carry out other elements of Scouting duties.\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Scouts is an incredible product"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERepresent the community you\u0027re in. It\u0027s not about having one person from a certain ethnic background or under-represented group in order to give the appearance of diversity.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s also not just about attracting people. It\u0027s about being inclusive and welcoming to all, being visible and appealing to diverse communities. This way we can encourage people from different backgrounds or under-represented groups to join our Scout groups.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s easy to accidentally slip into tokenism and show representation without genuinely thinking about your actual community.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDon\u2019t let your efforts to increase both diversity and inclusion be just about mere gestures. We should try to think of ways to include those that normally would not get the opportunity to join Scouting, therefore active interaction is necessary.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Pushing Scout groups beyond tokenism"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA local community has been defined as a group of interacting people living in a common location. The word is often used to refer to a group that is organised around common values. It\u0027s attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location generally in social units larger than a household.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe local community will include schools, pre-schools, nurseries, community/ youth and children centers, perhaps the local mosque, synagogue, parent and toddler groups, libraries and so on.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt is here where you\u0027ll find the communities you wish to open Scouting to and so your group will be reflective and equally represented. Parents may be a little reluctant to join in fear of their own apprehensions, particularly if English is their second language. One way to overcome this is to use family rotas so that the pressure is not on the same person all the time and they can share and learn together.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey can choose different ways of supporting the group in tasks they\u0027re comfortable with rather than be in a leader role. This way they\u0027re more likely to get involved.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Ensure Scout groups are reflective of their local community"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EUse promotional materials that include people from different ethnicities, genders, backgrounds and in different settings like rural and urban. Even in some areas it\u0027s still surprising to know that Scouting is not recognised as being open to girls.\u00A0 Pictures that reflect the local community open the opportunity to say that Scouts is welcome to all.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThink about where else you could promote the Scout group other than the typical routes. Depending on the community you wish to attract, look at other non-traditional routes used like visit Madrassah classes, community events or the local temple. Social media platforms reach a wide audience so think about the catchment targets and use appropriate wording and pictures.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Use recruitment strategies that engage and attract people from different backgrounds"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s always helpful to have someone on the team to be able to guide us and keep up to date on current matters. They can help you to better understand any barriers which are fundamental blockers of community engagement and interaction.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EGetting the communication right from the start helps open the gateway to hearing the reasons for not getting involved and finding ways to overcome those concerns. Getting support from the right people can help with any apprehensions you may have when it comes to engaging with diverse communities.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/inclusion-and-diversity/\u0022 title=\u0022Inclusion and Diversity\u0022\u003ENational Inclusion Team\u003C/a\u003E \u2013 This Team is the National Team that looks at Diversity and Inclusion on a National Level, they host events throughout the year and have created training around diversity and inclusion.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECounty Inclusion Team \u2013 Each County will have an Inclusion team and they will have a responsibility for all aspects of Inclusion in the county. It would be beneficial for the Local Champion to get in touch with the County Inclusion team and get some additional support.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Utilising the additional contacts within Scouts"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThink of the audience you\u0027re trying to engage with and use language that is easily understood. Avoid typical Scout jargon, especially when engaging with people that are unfamiliar with Scouting.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis can often scare them and make them feel uncomfortable. Try to do a bit of learning about the language or cultural aspects of communities you\u2019re engaging with or even simpler, ask someone from the community to help you out with this.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPeople may view things differently, so be cautious and do your research so not to offend anyone. It\u0027s better to ask questions rather than presume. People are appreciative of questions that are asked sincerely and show interest in them.\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Engage communities using correct language and awareness of cultural differences"}]}]},{"items":[{"type":"Image top","cta":"Find out how to welcome your local communities","body":"\u003Cp\u003EYour local area is filled with a variety of communities. Have a look at the toolkit to explore ways to welcome everyone into your Drey.\u003C/p\u003E","link":{"name":"Furthering Reach Toolkit","id":null,"url":"/volunteers/growing-scouts/furthering-reach-toolkit/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":"#ca1a10","title":"Furthering reach toolkit","image":"/media/14018/210510_squirrels_0645.jpg?cc=0,0.04998333888703765,0,0.106547817394202\u0026width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1dadf67f1e08660","imageFocus":"","imageId":27047,"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/ongoing-support-for-your-drey/","title":"Ongoing support for your Drey"},"next":null,"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/engaging-with-diverse-and-under-represented-communities/","id":76275,"nodeName":"Engaging with diverse and under-represented communities","title":"Engaging with diverse and under-represented communities","type":"codexPart","image":{"url":"/media/14017/210510_squirrels_0632.jpg?rxy=0.4962962962962963,0.3388888888888889\u0026width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1dadf67f1d562d0","caption":"Group of Squirrels in woods with volunteer","type":"jpg","size":1041079,"width":4324,"height":2883,"altText":"A group of Squirrels, wearing red jumpers and scarves, stand in the woods with their leader."},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Engaging with diverse and under-represented communities","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"searchDescription":"Discover our top tips to consider when engaging with diverse and under-represented communities.","subHeader":"Discover our top tips to consider when engaging with diverse and under-represented communities.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC83NjI3NSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-your-section/running-a-squirrel-drey/how-to-start-a-squirrel-drey/engaging-with-diverse-and-under-represented-communities/"}