Hannahs Info on New Adults

8/14/2019 Hannahs Info on New Adults

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About Scouting!

Scouting is a global, educational youth movement and in the UK alone, provides over400,000 young people with opportunities for adventurous activities and personaldevelopment.Scouting operates using a 6 zoned programme with the titles: Outdoor and Adventure,Global, Community, Fit for Life, Creative and Beliefs & Attitudes.

A fully equipped Scout Group would consist of 3 Sections:

6-8yrs 8-10yrs 10-14yrs

There may be young leaders involved with some sections too.

All Leaders are warranted (have had Scout Association training and certification) but alladults are CRB checked.

In reality, a group is usually looking to recruit adult volunteers to fill one or more roles.

Cumbria Scout Development Officer- Hannah Bester.Brougham Hall, Penrith, CA10 2DE Tel: 0845 094 6059

Email: [email protected]

A Cub pack with:leader/s,assistant leader/s,pack assistant/s,occasionalhelpers

A Beaver colonywith: leader/s,assistant leader/s,colony assistant/soccasional helpers

A Scout troopwith: leader/s,assistant leader/s,troop assistant/s ,occasionalhelpers

Overseeing all sections of thegroup, a Group Scout Leader

Executive Committee:Chairperson, Treasurer,

Secretary
mailto:[email protected]://www.cumbriascouts.org.uk/mailto:[email protected]://www.cumbriascouts.org.uk/


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How Can I Help?

As an adult interested in volunteering there are a number of things you need to consideror answers that a group needs to give to help you with your decision.

Would you like a role where you work directly with young people?Being a committee member can offer invaluable support to a group if you want to beinvolved in scouting but feel unsure about regularly working with young people.

How much time do you feel that you can dedicate?Be honest with yourself, if you take too much on, it will only feel like pressure andhassle, if you find it easy, you can always offer to do more when youre comfortable.Once you are clear about the time you can offer, leaders can think about the suitable

job roles available for you.

What type of things do you enjoy doing and is there a role to suit your interests andtime commitments?It is important that the group consider what help they need by drawing up a jobopportunity list. That way it is clear for you as a potential volunteer what opportunitiesare available and exactly what you are signing up for.

Thank-you for your interest.Remember all the adults involved are volunteers too! If they cant give you the answers

straight away, you may have caught them by surprise or when they are thinking what amI doing next with my group? Let them take your details so that they can get back toyou, believe me, they will be very appreciative that youre interested.




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Examples of opportunities:

Adults can join the adventure too, if you enjoy the outdoors, working with young peopleand learning new skills why not become a leader.If you can offer:1-2 nights a week (approx. 5 hrs) and occasional weekends or more, consider working as aleader or an assistant leader.

1 night a week, then maybe working as a troop/ pack/ colony assistant is for you as therecan be little planning involved and you are mostly there to support leaders on the night.

10 or 15mins after dropping young people off or before picking up, the leaders may beable to use you to collect subs while they talk to parents or to run the first/ last gameof the night while they set up/ tidy away activities.

1 night a month or 4-6 nights per term, it may be possible to create a parent rota wherea few people take it in turns to help support the leaders in activities at their meetingsor to take on a committee role.

Occasional weekends, then the leaders may need help at fundraising/ special events orcamps. These weekends are also a great way to see scouting in action and what its all

about, particularly if youre unsure about getting involved on a regular basis.

Remember:If you dont understand what a job role would involve, ask leaders or contact theCumbria Scout Development Officer or find out more information from the scoutwebsite:http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/General information.http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/facts/#sec_70 Official Job RoleDescriptions.http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/support/role/ How new volunteers and a group can worktogether with their new role.


http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/facts/#sec_70http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/facts/#sec_70http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/support/role/http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/support/role/mailto:[email protected]://www.cumbriascouts.org.uk/http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/facts/#sec_70http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/support/role/mailto:[email protected]://www.cumbriascouts.org.uk/


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Committee Role: Treasurer

What do you broadly understand this role and your responsibilities to be?Keeping accurate financial accounts for the group. Banking, paying moneyowed, obtaining gift aid, create end of year report for group/ district,keeping group insurance up to date, provide financial report forcommittee meetings ( about 3 a year).

On a weekly basis, how many hours are given to fulfill this role?Mostly 1-2 hours a week.Gift aid and end of year report can take much more time.

What specific tasks e.g. writing up meeting minutes, do you regularlycarry out as part of you role?Accounting is undertaken on a computer programme. Inputting thisinformation is the main task: Filing of documents/ receipts, report

writing, writing cheques, going to the bank, applying for gift aid andinsurance.

How do you feel the troop benefit from your input?They have knowledge of the financial health of the group. Comfort in theknowledge that it is someones main role just to look after the pennies!

How do you feel you benefit from helping the troop?I have gained new knowledge and a new skill.

Any Other Comment:This role is daunting when first taken on, especially if you have nofinancial background. Once you gain experience it becomes a lot easier. Itwould have been nice to have a closer network of other treasurers whoalready know the role, to help at the start (mentors/ training).




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Volunteer Role: Assistant Beaver Scout Leader

What do you broadly understand this role and your responsibilities to be?Assisting the Beaver Scout Leader with running of the weekly meetingsand contributing to planning/ ideas for outings etc. (I currently help oncea fortnight).

On a weekly basis, how many hours are given to fulfill this role? hour approx plus 1 hours on the meeting night.

What specific tasks e.g. writing up meeting minutes, do you regularlycarry out as part of you role?Organising games and helping set up activities.

How do you feel the troop benefit from your input?

Different ideas, consistency of helpers, helps Beavers feel more settled(+ parents know who to speak to- weekly attendance would be better).

How do you feel you benefit from helping the troop?Rewarding to see Beavers having fun, trying new activities, receivingbadges- and becoming more confident. I have also become more confidentin my abilities and have had the opportunity to try new activities and visitnew places, which I have really enjoyed.

Any Other Comment:My children enjoy me being a helper (most of the time). On the whole,Beavers like to see parents helping on the rota my mums on duty tonight!




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What are the opportunities available and what would I do?

These roles are totally flexible, based upon your requirements and theneeds of the group. Examples of ways you can help are:

A Games Leader

How often will I be needed and how much time will it take?You can help every week or once a fortnight for 10min-2hours dependingupon your availability. To start with a little pre-planning will be requiredbut after a while youll develop a stock of games and be able to just turnup and run with it.

What help and support will be available to me?The leaders can offer support as to example games for the targeted agegroup but there are also lots of books and websites available too.

A Handicraft Leader

How often will I be needed and how much time will it take?You would need to attend leader programme planning meetings (approx 1night a term) and let them know your available dates for the comingweeks. If handicrafts are required to fit with certain badges or activitiesyou can organise/ run or just help out with them dependant upon yourabilities or preferences.

What help and support will be available to me?Leaders will direct you in the type of handicrafts required. There are anumber of books and website resources for help on running activities andthe group may have funds available for purchasing materials if required.




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A Specific Skills Instructor- depending upon your job or hobbies.How often will I be needed and how much time will it take?

One night to organise and one night to deliver to the group, once or twicea year.

What help and support will be available to me?Leaders would direct you with what is required and to any books or onlineresources that would help. The group may have funds available forpurchasing materials if required. Examples are:If you work as a nurse, you could help with first aid training.You may be qualified in outdoor activities and able to help with taster

sessions.If you have an unusual pet e.g. a reptile to bring along for a talk on animalcare.You may work in IT and be able to help with equipment or advice oncompleting staged badges.Check out www.scoutbase.org.uk library- badges & awards, for moreideas on how you can help.

How will the group benefit from my help?Nobody is an expert in everything! Your help improves the Scoutingexperience being offered to young people by filling in the programmeareas that a Leader feels weaker in delivering. Your help will give theleader a bit of time out, although they would still be on hand to help andthe young people benefit by meeting different adults and learning fromtheir specific knowledge/ experience.

What will I get out of helping?

92% of volunteers say they do it because they get satisfaction fromseeing the results and because they enjoy it. Scouting is fun- for adultsas well as young people. You will meet new people, take part in newexperiences and positively contribute to the development of young peoplein your local community.


http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/mailto:[email protected]://www.cumbriascouts.org.uk/http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/mailto:[email protected]://www.cumbriascouts.org.uk/


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Committee Role: Chairperson

What do you broadly understand this role and your responsibilities to be?I oversee the committee members to ensure we are all carrying out ourroles. I help the group with fundraising, recruiting adult help and

maintaining our presence in the local community.

On a weekly basis, how many hours are given to fulfill this role?It averages out at a couple of hours a week but my main commitments areto 4 or 5 meetings a year, time leading up to the AGM and occasionalfundraising events.

What specific tasks e.g. writing up meeting minutes, do you regularlycarry out as part of you role?

I attend and chair the Group Executive meetings and AGM. I make surethat there is a good link between the leaders and Exec so that everyonecan get on with their role as smoothly as possible. I attend group eventsand help organise group fundraising or grant applications.

How do you feel the troop benefit from your input?I really wanted to help out but with work I couldnt commit to weeklymeetings, being Chair I can take extra work off the leaders, allowingthem to focus on running an exciting programme.

How do you feel you benefit from helping the troop?My family was new to the area and the kids got involved. I saw themmaking friends and having a good time and wanted to join in. Beinginvolved at group level makes me feel part of something big and part ofthe community, as well as having fun!

Any Other Comment:




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The leaders and district team let me know all I had to do was pick up thephone if I didnt know things which really helped early on.



Hannahs Info on New Adults

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