This year I want to … get into nature more; This year I want to … make new friends; This year I want to …. learn new skills; This year I want to … be more energetic; This year I want to … be part of my community; This year I want to … change my look. This year I want to volunteer with Scouts!
If you are aged 18 or over why not start the New Year by trying something new. If you are already a Scouting volunteer perhaps encourage a friend to give it a go! Whether you were a former Scout or not, everyone is welcome. No matter your background.
When considering your New Year’s Resolutions, please add volunteering with Scouts in 2023. The benefits go both ways – you can help and give back to local young people and you can also benefit yourself in so many ways such as socialising, learning skills, helping in your career and making you feel healthier and happier in the long term, which many people may not be aware of before they start volunteering.
We want to continue to offer Scouting to local young people but we can’t do it without your help. Demand for Scouting remains strong with South East Scouts region holding a waiting list of 1,800+ across the region of young people aged 4-14 years old. To provide the best Scouting experience and continuity for our young people we need volunteers – leaders, assistants, occasional helpers and part of the Executive Committee. Please can you help.
Scouting actively engages and supports young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society. We prepare more young people with skills for life, supported by amazing leaders delivering an inspiring programme.
South East Scotland includes the local authority council areas of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and Scottish Borders. There are over 6,500 young people enjoying Scouting in this Region. They are led and supported by almost 1,800 adult volunteers. We have 7 Districts and 89 Groups so there are lots of ways to get involved as a volunteer.
Scouts is both a young person and an adult’s experience – making friends, trying something new, doing something good for both your community and yourself and importantly making memories.
This everyday adventure is possible thanks to our adult volunteers (we’d like to say another BIG thank you to our existing volunteers’ commitment and dedication) who support Scouts in a wide range of roles from working directly with young people, to helping manage a Group, to being a charity Trustee. We help volunteers get the most out of their experiences at Scouts by providing opportunities for adventure, training, fun and friendship.
Our award-winning training scheme for volunteers means that adults get as much from Scouts as young people. Our approach focuses on what you want to get out of volunteering with Scouts while respecting how much time you can offer. Over 90% of Scout volunteers say that their skills and experiences have been useful in their work or personal life.
Supporting our young people and our recovery and regrowth of Scouts can only happen when ordinary people, like you, make a difference. Together, no matter your background and reason for giving your time and energy, we must ‘Build Back Better’ with common goals – to help our young people be the best future person they can be.
We rely on people like YOU to play your part to give our young people the opportunities they need. But it’s not just about giving something back. It’s also about doing something that’s #GoodForYou. Volunteering activates our fast-track system enabling your child to join quicker, but it also gives you career-boosting skills, improves your well-being, and helps you make connections with your family, friends and your local community.
Wondering what your New Year’s resolution could be? Please mobilise with us and join our Scouts volunteering community in 2023.
“I’m teaching my child things I value and that other children and other parents value as well – it’s brought out something I never knew I had.”
“It’s a fantastic way to give young people some of the skills I have learnt. It’s therapy I have been able to continue scouts through some very difficult times.”
“Meeting new people and teaching life skills also offering opportunities to children that they may not have at home.”
This year, as part of your New Year’s Resolution, why not choose to give back to others? Did you know when you help others, it’s good for your own soul. So it’s a win-win. And you can’t truly know how good it feels until you try it yourself!
Here are 10 ways that volunteering with Scouts will give back to you:
And it doesn’t have to be anything big. It can be flexible too. In fact, it’s really the accumulation of all the small ways we can be of service to others every day that can make our lives significantly brighter and more meaningful, while helping us feel more connected within our communities. In 2023, what do you say we all resolve to make the world a better place, together, by committing to practice these powerful and simple acts of service to others as often as possible?
TO VOLUNTEER VISIT HERE
South East Scotland Scouts is full of ordinary people making an extraordinary difference to young people’s lives and learning a whole lot along the way.
Read their stories and find the perfect volunteer role for yourself. Whether you want to work with young people directly or help behind the scenes, there’s something for everyone at Scouts.
What next? Please volunteer and get in touch.
Volunteering with Scouts – The Feel Good Factor
Yes, it’s very rewarding helping young people to face new challenges and learn to overcome them. Seeing them grow in confidence will put a smile on your face. As a Scouting volunteer, you’ll get plenty out of it too. You’ll:
The role of a Scout volunteer is also good for your CV, as it suggests that you’re someone who joins in, takes the lead, is supportive and can build successful relationships. All of these qualities are prized and sought after by employers.
Improve your Career Opportunities
As a volunteer, you’ll develop skills that will be useful in your life and work. You’ll get so much out of working with young people, such as:
There’s nothing like the buzz of adventure, exploring possibilities and doing surprising new things with young people.
For more visit HERE.
We provide flexible volunteering that works around you, your time and your personal life.
Are you unsure where you could fit into the adventure? Do you want to better understand where your skills could be put to the best use? Not really sure about what you would like to do?
No problem… send us a few contact details and someone will be in touch to discuss volunteering for South East Scotland Scouts in more detail.
We will talk you through all of the exciting opportunities available, answer any questions you may have and then leave it to you to decide how you want to get involved.
Generally, there are a variety of roles in Scouting to work with a range of different age groups, meaning that there is an opportunity for everyone to get involved, regardless of how much time you can commit:
Scouting is about having fun, building good relationships, and taking part in activities that contribute to the community and improve life chances. Scouting develops the leaders of today and tomorrow. Based on previous research:
But what’s the real impact to Volunteers?
Research has shown that volunteering has a hugely positive impact on the lives of those who volunteer in the charity sector.
According to our research, the majority of volunteers reported having improved life satisfaction (70%) and self-esteem (66%) since beginning volunteer work, as well as having reduced feelings of loneliness (42%) and stress (33%).
Nearly two thirds (65%) also said that since beginning volunteer work they have developed useful employability skills; with 59% saying they feel more confident and 54% feeling more motivated in their jobs.
Scouting helps businesses
*Scouts grow up to have better mental health at age 50
* Scouts are 15% less likely to suffer from anxiety or mood disorders at the age of 50 than their peers who didn’t join a Scout Group
Volunteer by visiting HERE.
Do I really have the skills you need?
You don’t have to be an adventurer like Bear Grylls to get involved with Scouting. Do you have first aid knowledge? Are you good with numbers? Handy in the kitchen? Or are you a DIY whizz? We all have useful skills and you can volunteer and help in many ways. Volunteers can help in many ways. You might have first aid knowledge that you could teach the group, or you might be able to teach our Scouts a thing or two about DIY. If you’re good with accounts you could be Group treasurer, or if you’re a culinary whizz you could run cooking sessions with the young people. Everyone has a skill (whether you know it or not) and we can make use of it.
Volunteering with us is easy, fun and flexible – how much time you give is completely up to you. Whether you help out once a fortnight, month or term or just at special events or camps, there is bound to be a role you can play, and no matter how you get involved, we’ll make sure you’re properly trained and supported. We sometimes offer a job-share opportunity if you ask more about this.
You can do a couple of evenings a month or one hour a week: how much time you give is completely up to you. With whatever time you can give to Scouting, hopefully, we’ll be able to inspire you by showing how easy and rewarding it can be to volunteer with Scouts.
As well as gaining externally recognised skills and having a brilliant time, Scouting also offers the chance to build on personal skills, like teamwork, confidence and leadership. A study found that over 90% of our volunteers believe that the skills and experiences they have gained through Scouting have been of relevance to their working or personal lives.
The short answer is yes. Many of our helpers and leaders are parents of our youth members because they’ve seen firsthand how Scouting benefits young people and want to give something back. It’s also a chance to spend more time with your children and learn new skills. Speak to your child’s leader to discuss how you might become involved.
As long as you’re over 18, you can help out as an adult volunteer in Scouting. There is no upper age limit for adult volunteers. If you are aged between 14 to 18, there is the option of becoming a Young Leader.
Our award-winning training scheme for volunteers means that adults get as much from Scouting as our young people. Our modular training scheme delivers the full spectrum of required skills. Volunteers can choose training modules that are relevant to the role that they do, ranging from leadership to running residential experiences and first aid.
Our training scheme was recognised with a National Training Award from UK Skills. It is one of the reasons why we have managed to increase our volunteer numbers over the past few years, against the national trend.
Why not just come along and see what we are about. We have a simple 4 week ‘challenge’ (or more opportunity) which is ideal for learning a bit more about Scouts (and would make a great New Year’s resolution):
Week 1 – Come and see what we do
Week 2 – Help out
Week 3 – Get a little more involved
Week 4 – Decide if volunteering with us is for you
Who knows, if you enjoy what you see then perhaps you might stay a bit longer…..
To find out more about the different roles within Scouting and to volunteer with South East Scotland Scouts you can:
Email our Scouting Support Officer, Kirstie Armsworth, for a no-obligation informal chat – kirstie.armsworth@sesscouts.org.uk or call 07710 703 372
You can read more about other volunteer stories here.
You can research Scouting more by visiting here.
You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to join in our conversation.
We can put you in touch directly with a local District or Group for a 1:1 conversation or to pop in to see what Scouting is all about.
Please volunteer by visiting HERE.
South East Scotland Scouts
71 Bonaly Road
Edinburgh
EH13 0PB
© SES Scouts 2022 | Scottish Charity SC010563
