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Celebrating The Positives Amidst The Challenges

Celebrating The Positives Amidst The Challenges

14 Sep 2025

Picture of Martin Elliot

Martin Elliot

Lead Volunteer for South East Scotland

South East Scotland and Scouts Scotland Volunteers at Gilwell Reunion

Welcome back to a new term of Scouting. I hope that you all managed to enjoy some well deserved downtime over the Summer and that you are excited for what the rest of the year has in store for Scouting in South East Scotland. 

I recognise that this year has presented several challenges for Scouting in the Region – with continued teething problems with the new membership system, the new Safety learning, the ongoing challenges of leader recruitment and retention and the growing challenge of meeting places all affecting the time that we can spend doing what we Scout for – to provide opportunities to young people across our Region and beyond. 

As Lead Volunteer I want to thank all of you for your continued support and the constructive and positive attitude that you taken to ensure that young people across the Region continue to enjoy the experiences that only Scouting can provide. 

It is because of this that we have so many positives to celebrate from 2025:

  • Our first Regional Gala was a great success with over 2000 people visiting Bonaly over the weekend and seeing many of the things that make South East Scotland Scouts so successful – in particular our amazing volunteers and young leaders. My thanks to Stewart Nicoll, Dave Siddle, Ross Nicoll and their team for the huge amount of work that went into the event. 
  • Our first Regional Explorer Belt to Norway has seen all the participants be awarded their belts at a recent joint event at Bonaly with Swedish Scouts doing their own expedition. Well done to Alex, Cliona, Greg and Scott and my thanks to the Regional Programme team – in particular Laura Haley, Colin Liddle and Allison Gamble for leading this.
Regional Explorer Belt Presentation
  • South East Explorer Expeditions (SEEE) continue to provide opportunities for young people to complete Expeditions towards their Top Awards. Thanks to David Newton, John Buchanan and the SEEE team for the considerable work that goes into supporting these opportunities. 
  • Our Region continues to grow! After amazing growth in membership at the 2025 census of 3%, we have continued to see sections start or restart. I was delighted to join the 9th Braid (George Watson’s College) Scout Group, which reopened its Scout Troop this month, for their AGM and present Commendation Awards to Chris, Ben and Jamie in recognition of the work that has gone into reopening the group. 
  • I was also delighted to join our newest Group the 7th Midlothian (Ehsan) group for a brilliant community day as they prepared to open their Scout Troop. With new Squirrel Dreys planned across the Region and at least 3 Beaver Colonies planning to reopen, it is incredible to see more young people getting to enjoy Scouting in South East Scotland. If you are thinking about new or reopened provision or are looking for help strengthening your existing sections please reach out to our Scouting Support Staff Nacho and Amy 
  • Our Regional Centres continue to thrive and welcome visitors from our Region and beyond. It was a privilege to be invited to join 100 Years of Bishopton Summer Camp at Bonaly Scout Centre for their opening ceremony and to have the opportunity to welcome them to South East Scotland.
    The Camp saw young people and volunteers connected to the Bishopton group come together with members of Austrian Scouting, which the group has a close connection to, to celebrate the group’s centenary. It was also great to have the opportunity to speak with Maximilian Müller, Bundesvorsitzender or Chair of Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Österreichs, to compare the challenges and successes our two organisations face.

I hope as we start the new term that you have the opportunity to reflect on the positives in your own Scouting and to celebrate them. We would love to hear your stories so reach out to communications@sesscouts.org.uk if you have a Scouting success story to share. 

Thanks for all that you do to support Scouting in our Region. 

Martin Elliot
Lead Volunteer
South East Scotland Scouts

Thank You From SE Scotland Region

Thank You From SE Scotland Region

23 Jun 2025

Picture of Martin Elliot

Martin Elliot

Lead Volunteer for South East Scotland

At Summit25 in January
Presenting a Chief Scout's Silver Award at Musselburgh
Presenting Angus with his Coronation Medal
Getting to meet Owls with Cubs at 10th Craigalmond
Joining volunteers and young people for Pride Edinburgh
1st Midlothian at Gorebridge Gala Day
Braid Chair and Regional Trustee Steve Gamble receiving his Silver Acorn Award
Melrose Scouts win fancy dress Cup at the Melrose Festival

As we come to the end of another eventful year, I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for your incredible commitment to Scouting across South East Scotland.

Whether you’ve been leading weekly meetings, supporting adventurous activities, helping behind the scenes, or offering a listening ear — your efforts have made a real and lasting impact on the lives of young people. Your time, energy, and passion are what make Scouting such a positive force in our communities.

This year has brought its share of change, not least the transition to the new membership system. We know it hasn’t always been easy, and we’re deeply grateful for the patience, resilience, and good humour you’ve shown as we’ve navigated this together.

Despite this we have continued to work towards our #SkillsForLife strategy with:

  • a 3% growth in membership, with 5 new sections opening in the first half of this year alone
  • continuing focus on being more inclusive, 
  • being shaped by young people 
  • having a positive impact on our communities
We have a lot to look forward to. In particular I hope to see many of you at the Regional Gala on 6th and 7th September. It promises to be a unique and memorable event with hundreds of members from across the Region taking part. 

As the summer approaches, I hope you find time to rest, recharge, and reflect on all you’ve helped achieve. You’ve earned it.

On behalf of the South East Scotland Scouts team — thank you again, and enjoy a very well-deserved break.

Yours in Scouting,
Martin Elliot
Lead Volunteer, South East Scotland Scouts

Celebrating The Positives Amidst The Challenges

Many Voices, One Movement: Inclusion in Focus

22 May 2025

Picture of Martin Elliot

Martin Elliot

Lead Volunteer for South East Scotland

As we are currently in Mental Health Awareness month and approaching Pride month in June, it is a time when we see inclusion given a higher profile as companies and organisations display rainbow colours and feature diversity more prominently. 

However, in South East Scotland this isn’t just something that we focus on for a month, it is a focus all year round. When I became Lead Volunteer 4 years ago I made it a key priority to make Scouting in the Region more representative of our communities and to remove barriers that prevent anyone being able to be part of Scouting. 

Our latest Census figures show that we are becoming more representative of our communities (see charts below) – in particular a sizable improvement in our gender mix. Our diversity as a Region should further improve with the establishment of our first Ukrainian Scout Group and Scouting in Hospitals.   

2025 Census Data for South East Scotland Scouts

How do we build on our progress?

I could finish my update here with our positive progress – which is only possible due to the hard work of volunteers and staff across the Region and should be celebrated – but we have to recognise that there is still work to do and that the progress that we are seeing is not the same across the Region. 

I am disappointed when I hear volunteers in the Region downplaying the importance of inclusion or in some extreme cases even fighting against it so I want to be clear that in South East Scotland Scouting is for all young people and volunteers irrespective of their gender identity, their race, their sexuality, their background or their additional support needs. Therefore, if you are actively preventing this by not allowing girls in your group or putting up obstacles to particular communities being part of Scouting then you probably need to consider whether Scouting is the right organisation for you. 

We recently gathered officebearers from all 7 districts for a workshop to look at areas of focus and how the Region and others can support with this. I was delighted that Alison, our Regional Inclusion Lead, was invited to present at it, celebrating some of the success that we have had but also sharing some ways that districts (and groups) can help to improve inclusion locally. 

How We can Support Inclusion

  • Make inclusion part of your vision and strategic priorities, ensuring it is reflected in all decisions and plans.
  • Lead by example, ensuring the District/Group is welcoming, respectful, and representative of the communities the it serves
  • Provide funding for inclusion-related needs, such as:
    • Transport for young people who face barriers getting to meetings.
    • Additional equipment or adaptations for young people with disabilities.
    • Uniform grants or fee subsidies for families in financial hardship. The Regional Uniform Bank could help.
    • Support adult volunteers with training or materials that promote inclusive leadership and understanding of diverse needs.
  • Encourage inclusive language, imagery, and storytelling in communications, events, and materials.
  • Celebrate diversity through events, heritage months, and visible support for LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, disabled, and ethnically diverse members.
  • Promote inclusive policies and practices—for example, allowing flexible volunteering, being sensitive to cultural and religious needs, and promoting gender-inclusive facilities
  • Identify underserved communities in the District and support outreach to schools, faith groups, or community organisations that serve them.
  • Remove practical barriers to participation, such as inaccessible buildings, inconvenient meeting times, or complicated administrative processes.
  • Encourage diversity in leadership by proactively welcoming adults from all backgrounds and supporting their development into trustee or leadership roles.
  • Gather data (where appropriate and legal) on demographics of volunteers and young people to understand where inclusion can be improved.
  • Seek feedback from volunteers, parents, and young people about their experiences—especially those from minority or marginalised groups.
  • Act on findings to remove barriers and adjust practices.

  • Challenge discrimination or exclusionary behaviour, whether overt or subtle

  • Ensure safeguarding policies are inclusive and protective of all identities, including LGBTQ+ young people and those with additional needs.

  • Review trustee recruitment practices to ensure a broad pool of people are encouraged to join the board—including younger trustees, parents, and people from diverse backgrounds.
  • Provide DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) training for all trustees so they understand their role in fostering inclusion.
  • Work with Regional and National Inclusion leads for support, resources, and training.
  • Share good practice with other Districts or Groups to learn from their experiences and inspire improvement.
  • Highlight stories of inclusive Scouting in newsletters, events, and awards.
  • Recognise volunteers who go above and beyond to create welcoming spaces for all.

If you have questions or would like support with any inclusion areas please reach out to Alison at alison.robertson@sesscouts.org.uk 

The Inclusion Team is working on a number of initiatives to support inclusion in the Region:

  • Let’s Talk About Series – Covering key inclusion topics
  • Edinburgh Pride – I am really excited that South East Scotland Scouts will be attending Edinburgh Pride again this year. 
As I mentioned earlier, we have made great progress in Inclusion and I would like to thank all of you for the part that you have played in making this possible. It is only due to this work that we are in the position to develop our work in this area further.
Celebrating The Positives Amidst The Challenges

Heading for the Summit

7 Feb 2025

Picture of Martin Elliot

Martin Elliot

Lead Volunteer for South East Scotland

In January I joined a delegation of volunteers and staff from the Region and Scouts Scotland to attend the Summit25 National Scout Conference in Birmingham. 

Bringing together more than 700 volunteers from across the UK and overseas, the event celebrated what has been achieved with our Skills for Life Strategy as we enter its last year whilst also reflecting on what we have learned from the challenges that Scouting has faced.

The event also allowed us to ensure that the views and priorities of our Region feed into the next strategy which will take us from 2026 – 2034, whilst also challenging us to think about what Scouting may look like in 10 years time.

Our Next Chapter

As we embark on a new chapter in Scouting, it’s important to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re headed. Scouting in South East Scotland has always been about empowering young people, fostering adventure, and building a strong sense of community. But as we look to the future, we must also embrace new opportunities, challenges, and ways of working to ensure that Scouting continues to thrive in an ever-changing world.

The needs of young people are evolving, and Scouting must evolve with them. Across South East Scotland, we are already seeing innovative approaches to Scouting activities, from incorporating new technologies into badge work to offering flexible meeting times that accommodate busy family schedules. These small but significant changes reflect our commitment to staying relevant and engaging to today’s youth.

Moving forward, we want to encourage groups to think creatively about how they deliver Scouting. Whether it’s exploring new outdoor spaces, integrating STEM activities into programmes, or partnering with local organisations to expand opportunities, there are countless ways we can ensure Scouting remains dynamic and exciting.

Growing our Movement

One of the key priorities for the future is growth. Scouting in Scotland has seen incredible expansion over the years, but there is always room for more young people to join the adventure. Our South East Scotland Region is full of untapped potential—communities where Scouting could make a significant difference. By working together, we can grow our numbers and extend the life-changing benefits of Scouting to even more young people.

Equally important is recruiting and supporting more adult volunteers. Leaders, assistants, and supporters are the backbone of Scouting, and ensuring they feel valued, trained, and equipped for success will be a major focus in the years ahead.

Sustainability and Inclusivity

As Scouts, we have a duty to protect the planet and foster inclusivity within our communities. Sustainability is a key part of our future. By encouraging eco-friendly practices and engaging young people in environmental initiatives, we can do our part to combat climate change and promote stewardship of our natural world.

I have made no secret of the importance I place on inclusion – and going forward this will remain at the heart of everything we do. Scouting is for everyone, regardless of background, ability, or circumstance. Our Region is committed to breaking down barriers, ensuring that as many young people as possible have the chance to participate and thrive.

Building the Leaders of Tomorrow

Finally, as we look to the future, let’s remember that today’s young people are tomorrow’s leaders. Through Scouting, we’re not just teaching practical skills and fostering friendships—we’re helping to shape compassionate, resilient, and capable individuals who will make a positive impact on the world.

By providing opportunities for leadership, teamwork, and personal growth, we’re equipping young people with the tools they need to navigate an uncertain future with confidence and purpose.

A Shared Vision

The future of Scouting in South East Scotland is bright, but it depends on all of us. Together, we can build on our proud legacy, embrace change, and create an even stronger movement for generations to come.

Whether you’re a leader, volunteer, parent, or young person, your role in this journey is vital. Let’s work together to ensure that Scouting continues to inspire, challenge, and transform lives across our region.

Here’s to the next great adventure in Scouting!

Regional Uniform Bank

Regional Uniform Bank

6 Feb 2025

Picture of George Brightman

George Brightman

Youth Lead for South East Scotland

We are really excited to launch our new uniform bank as part of our goal to make Scouting more accessible to young people. As a Region, we are opening a Uniform Bank, which will gather and re-distribute uniforms and badges free of charge to young people who need them the most. The uniform bank has been made possible through a grant from the Region’s Inclusion Fund.

Along with the uniform, the young person will also receive the badges they need to begin or continue their journey with us.

George Brightman, Regional Youth Lead said “As a Region it’s essential that we provide support to young people who cannot access Scouting for financial reasons. I am absolutely delighted that the Regional Inclusion Team has agreed to support this initiative from the Youth Team!”

If you have any old uniforms you’d like to donate or want to request a uniform on behalf of a young person, please email: uniform.bank@sesscouts.org.uk