Over 3,100 young Scots waiting to join as volume of new members far exceeds new adult volunteers
You could be forgiven for thinking that in a world of Xboxes, Playstations and iPads all young people do these days is lock themselves into an online world, but you would be wrong – at least according to Scouts Scotland.
For the 10th consecutive year its membership has grown and it now has 46,095 members – the most it’s had this century.
Up 1,737 on last year, even more surprising is that just under half of those were girls and the organisation has got so popular it now has a waiting list of over 3,100 young people looking to join their local scout club but unable to due to a lack of adult volunteers.
This year scouting has grown in new areas of Scotland as two local development officers were employed to open new groups in communities in Glasgow and Ayrshire. Working specifically in areas of social and economic deprivation, they were hugely successful and oversaw the opening of 29 new sections and brought scouting to over 300 new young people and over 90 new volunteers.
Message from chief scout Bear Grylls
I am super proud to see so many young people and adults learning new life skills, and achieving personal rewards through Scouting in the UK. I am excited to see Scout numbers continue to rise across the UK, especially the numbers of girls.
What I’m most pleased about is that Scouts across the UK are putting their time in to helping their local communities.
Through our A Million Hands campaign we are pledging one million hands to supporting four of the biggest social issues currently facing the UK and the wider world, but we can’t do it on our own.
We want all young people to come and give Scouting a try and to get involved. This is how we can all play a vital role in shaping tomorrow’s world for the better.
However there are still some people who want to take part but can’t.
Last year, over 7,500 volunteer leaders in Scotland helped put on activities from abseiling and coding to drama and archery but despite a push seeing 800 new volunteers, more are still needed.
Scouts Scotland’s chief commissioner, Graham Haddock, said: “I am absolutely delighted to see so many new people joining Scouts Scotland. We know that young people want to be Scouts because we give them the chance to try out more than 200 different activities.
“Our growth in the number of girls and women in particular shows that life changing adventure is attractive to everyone.
“Unfortunately, as our numbers grow, so do our waiting lists. Currently, there are 3,119 young people on local waiting lists to join our movement.
“We rely on adult volunteers to deliver Scouting across Scotland, and while our adult numbers grew by 800 last year we still need more volunteers to help us meet the clear need for new groups right across the country.”
Scouts is open to anyone aged 6 to 25, but adult volunteers of all ages are welcome.
The most popular section last year for new members was the Cub Scouts for 8 to 10 year olds, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2016.
As scouting continues to grow, so does the reach of the organisation. Last year the Scouts launched its A Million Hands campaign, which aims to mobilise half a million Scouts to help inspire more youth volunteering and social action across the UK.
The Scouts themselves identified four key issues to take action on: improving the lives of those affected by dementia, improving the lives of the disabled, improving the mental wellbeing and resilience of families and ensuring everyone everywhere has access to clean water and sanitation.
In Scotland the young people will be working with some of the country’s biggest charities, including Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), Alzheimer’s Scotland, WaterAid, Guide Dogs, Scottish Waterways Trust, and Leonard Cheshire Disability.
Kerry, a 17-year-old Explorer Scout from Edinburgh, (picture below wearing pink) told TFN that Scouts had made her feel welcome and continues to give her fantastic opportunities.
“I am really looking forward to my group going to Cambodia in the summer to build a school,” she said.
“It will be great to experience a new culture and way of life, and spend a month with friends.
“It is a fantastic opportunity to make a difference to people in the country as well as developing ourselves.
“I would encourage other young people as well as adults to join the Scouting movement and fully embrace all the opportunities and experiences that it has to offer.”
To find your nearest Scouts or sign up to become a volunteer, visit the Scouts Scotland website.
