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Whether you are a parent or relation of a child already
involved in Scouting, someone who is totally new to Scouting, or a Network
Scout, you’ve come to the right place to find out a bit more about how you can help
out the movement locally with Lisburn and
District Scouts.
One of the biggest myths about Scouting is
that Groups are closing down due to a lack of young people wanting to
become Members. Nothing could be further from the truth; Scouting in the But we need to recruit a greater number of
adults to manage this growth. Below are comments of some existing adults
currently involved within the Movement:- To give something back to the
community:
‘I believe the kids get such a lot out of it; I just put a bit
back for what the kids take out.’ To support the Leaders:
‘They give so much, you’ve
got to give some of that back.’ Because volunteering is a
‘good thing’: ‘I just personally believe that you should always do some kind of
voluntary work…otherwise nothing would get done in this world.’ As an enabler, so the Leader
can do more: ‘If I can help Sam, our Leader, out by doing the little things,
then it means she has got more time to give the kids and then they get more out
of it.’ To spend more quality time
with your child: ‘David used to go on his X box
while I read the paper after
school and work – now we get a chance to do activities together.’ To develop your own skills:
‘I hadn’t used a compass
since I was a Scout. After I learned how to use one again, I take one out on
family walks. We get lost less than we used to!’ To enjoy and rediscover
adventure for yourself: ‘We had a water fight at Beavers the other week, it was
great!’
The Scout
Association is run by volunteers and we welcome help especially from parents
and guardians. This could be on a regular or occasional basis depending on how
much time you can commit. There are many different roles we need to
fill. As well as helping at weekly meetings we need help with
administration, fund raising, outdoor activities and in many other ways.
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Why does Scouting
need more adult help in the Lisburn and District Area?
We have an ever increasing
number of young people joining our Movement especially in the Scout and Explorer
Scout sections. If more adults helped out this would take the burden off our
current volunteers and allow more young people to experience the adventure of
Scouting. More adults would allow a greater number of young people to join
Scouting and Group could expand the number and frequency of activities
undertaken. We always welcome any help from adults.
How can I help with
Scouting in the Lisburn and District Area?
There are many ways in which
you can give your time to help Scouting whatever your gender, age, abilities
and skills. Simply let us know your availability and how you would like to help
and we will match this to roles within your local area.
I don’t have a background in
Scouting, does this matter?
No previous Scouting
experience is needed. Energy and enthusiasm are the qualities we are looking
for.
My child is in Scouting, is
there anything I could do help?
The short answer is yes. Many of our helpers and Leaders are parents of our youth Members. This is for a number of reasons including being able to see first hand how Scouting benefits young people and wanting to give something back, being able to spend more time with their child and realising that volunteering for Scouting is enjoyable and teaches them new skills. Speak to your child’s Section Leader to discuss how you might become involved.
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I will only be able to help out on a
flexible basis is this ok?
Yes. There are many different
ways to help in Scouting and many of these can be adapted to suit your needs.
Whether you can 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.
Unfortunately, as a voluntary
organisation we are unable to pay volunteers for the time they give to
Scouting. Out of pocket expenses are paid and many Leaders are offered
opportunities to take part in activities and social activities.
There are a number of benefits you can gain from volunteering. Spending time with children, learning new skills and contributing to your community are just a few of the reasons why our current Leaders choose to spend some of their spare time in Scouting.
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I don’t have a specific skill but am
keen to help out, what can I do?
Everyone will have a skill,
attribute or ability that they can pass on to our young people. One of the best
things about volunteering however, is the chance to learn new skills you may
not have been able to otherwise.
No. Although Scouting is a
uniformed organisation, some adult roles in Scouting do not require a uniform.
Are there any age restrictions in helping
out?
As long as you are over 17
years of age, you can help out as an adult volunteer in Scouting. There is no
upper age limit for adult volunteers.
There is an application form
to fill out which someone in your chosen Group will be able to help you with.
For some roles you will be required to meet a small group of people outside of
the Group (the District Appointments Advisory Committee) to discuss the role
you wish to take on. References are also required for some roles. An enhanced
ACCESS NI check is carried out on all volunteers.
Yes. All Members are covered
under our Personal Accident and Medical Expenses Policy.
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Every Section (Beavers, Cubs,
Scouts, Explorers and Network) has a Leader. The Leader has overall
responsibility for the running of the Section. This means planning and
delivering the Balanced Programme with the help of Assistant Leaders and
Section Assistants.
Section Leaders can choose to
lead one of the following Sections:
Beavers (aged 6-8)
Cubs (aged 8-10½)
Scouts (aged 10½-14)
Explorers (aged 14-18)
Network (aged 18-25)
Leaders are responsible for the young people in the Section and for any adults helping to deliver the Programme.
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As an Assistant Leader
Assistant Leaders support the
Section Leader in delivering the Balanced Programme. This can mean anything
from helping to plan and run games or activities, or helping to keep records up
to date. The responsibilities of an Assistant Leader will depend on their own
interests and on what they agree with the Leader.
Assistant Leaders are
supported by Section Assistants, as well as by other Assistant Leaders.
As a Section Assistant
All our Sections need helpers.
Outdoor activities and nights away require a certain number of adults in
relation to the number of young people. So by helping out whenever they can,
Section Assistants could be enabling an extra 6 (in the case of Beavers) or 12
(in the case of Scouts) young people to participate in Scouting.
More importantly, Section Assistants provide invaluable support to Leaders and Assistant Leaders. Regularly attending meetings to collect subs (fees) or to make refreshments means that the Leaders have more time to deliver the programme to young people.
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As
an Occasional Helper/Parent
Parents and family members are
encouraged, where possible, to help out a Section in some way. Some Sections
will organise rotas where support can be given once or twice a term by all the
parents in the Section. This should be used as an opportunity to get involved
in what the young people are doing.
Adults who have a specific
skill or interest can also choose to run a particular activity or event one
evening a term. Such skills are invaluable to Scout Groups and can usually
assist young people in gaining, or working towards, a particular badge.
As
a Young Leader (14-18)
The Young Leaders’ Scheme is
designed for those aged 14-18 who are primarily interested in helping out in
one of the younger Sections (Beavers, Cubs or Scouts).
Young Leaders will be members
of the Explorer Scout Section, which means that they can take part in all the
activities and opportunities that Scouting in the Explorer Unit or District has
to offer.
As
Group Chairpersons
The Chairman of a Committee
will manage meetings and will work with the relevant Group Scout Leader to
ensure the Scout Group operates in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of the
Association.
This is the ideal role for
adults who do not necessarily wish to work directly with young people, but who
are committed to the purpose, aims and development of Scouting.
Chairmen are responsible for members of the Committee, including the Treasurer and Secretary.
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As
Group Treasurers
Treasurers assist the Chairman
in the effective administration of a Scout Group by providing financial
support. This could mean setting the annual budget or completing annual
accounts. This role is ideal for someone
who does not necessarily want to work directly with young people, but who is
comfortable working with figures and budgets.
As
Group Secretaries
Secretaries assist the
Chairman in the effective administration of Scout Groups by providing sound
administrative support. This could mean ensuring the completion of the annual
census or maintaining records of members of the Group.
This is the ideal role for
someone who does not necessarily want to work directly with young people, but
who is organised and enjoys administrative work.
As Adult Training Advisers
Training Advisers work with
other adults, making sure that they have the knowledge and skills to be
effective in their roles. They act to support adults in their training by
explaining how the Scout Association’s Adult Training Scheme works, by agreeing
Personal Learning Plans, validating the relevant modules and by keeping records
of their progress.
If you are over 18 you can join a Scout Fellowship. Scout Fellowships are a large part of the “backbone” of the Scout Movement – supporting young people and voluntary leaders wherever help is needed. All Fellowships provide ‘active support’, whether it is physical, mental, geared to a particular technical skill or general support. It could be as a badge examiner, a Training Adviser to new leaders, catering for courses, running pioneering courses, assisting with hill walking, rock climbing or anything else that would support Scouting. We all have something to offer as far as supporting Scouting is concerned whatever our age or ability.
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