Home Culture Opportunities to volunteer at Edinburgh North East Scouts

Opportunities to volunteer at Edinburgh North East Scouts

November 11, 2022 8:49 am

Sign up for an online information evening on Tuesday 29 November at 7.30pm to find out how to become a volunteer with the Scouts.

Edinburgh North East Scouts has almost 100 young people on a waiting list to join, and, they need new helpers to support their 14 Scout Groups in Portobello, Craigentinny, Craigmillar, Duddingston, Calton, Joppa, Stockbridge, Pilrig, Broughton, Trinity, Leith, Newhaven, Wardie and Willowbrae.

Demand by young people to join Scouts in the Edinburgh North East area is good with youth waiting lists growing. However, they need new adult volunteers to reduce the waiting list and enable more local young people to benefit from Scouting. Edinburgh North East Scouts is appealing to the local community and organisations to help change the lives of local young people. They are appealing for help to reduce the youth waiting list and support 100 more young people to benefit from Scouts.

Scouts is only possible thanks to superstar volunteers – ordinary people making an extraordinary difference in young people’s lives. They are looking for new adult volunteers to assist their existing leader and executive team. So please think about what you can do and if you know anyone who may be willing to get involved and ask them to join the virtual event too. It may be possible for volunteers to job share if that is of interest.

District Commissioner, Rob Whitelaw, said: “This isn’t a job application, and you certainly don’t have to be an adventurer like Bear Grylls to get involved with Scouting and in fact not many of our volunteers are! 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. Are you ready to inspire a generation of young people to experience fun, friendship and real adventure? The opportunities to volunteer with us are flexible. Think of something you’d like to do and chances are it’s just what we require. Whatever your skills, experience and interests, we can find a role for you.”

Scouting has a reputation for helping young people to develop resilience, a positive character, respect for others, good community skills, as well as physical and mental fitness.

FACT 1: There are 14 Scout Groups in the Edinburgh North East area and they all want to provide more Scouting to more local young children.
FACT 2: You do not need to have any specific skills or be Bear Grylls to lend a hand.
FACT 3: ENE Scouts have a collective youth waiting list of almost 100.
FACT 4: For anyone who becomes a volunteer as a Leader Scouts will consider how your child could get automatic entry into their preferred Scout Group.
FACT 5: You do not require previous Scouting experience to get involved.

As a District, ENE Scouts want to offer your child and other local children across the Edinburgh North East area the chance to participate in all the fun experiences and adventures they do in Scouting week to week such as, camping, fire-lighting, climbing and abseiling, and yes, learning how to tie and use knots (Scouts confirm these will come in handy in later life).

Are you passionate about seeing local young people succeed?
Are you a team player with a positive, can-do attitude?
Do you enjoy fun activities?
Do you want to do more in your community?
Are you more of a ‘behind the scenes’ person?
Do you have a skill or hobby you can share?
Then this event is right up your street. Scouts offer the opportunities – just show up, get stuck in and make memories for life.

We all have the power to help young people to realise their potential. It is not essential to have been a Scout when you were younger. You do not even need to know how to put up a tent. The door is open to people of all ages, genders, races and backgrounds, and Scouts are only able to change lives because volunteers lend a hand. There are many ways to become more involved with Scouts as a parent, carer or family member. From helping out occasionally on a family rota or as part of their Executive Committee to stepping up as a leader, their volunteering activities are as varied as the volunteers. Volunteers shape what they do and the time they give.

Scouts happens when a lot of people give a little.

Most of the volunteers work directly with young people aged 6-18 through their Beaver, Cub and Explorer groups – helping young people gain skills for life through fun activities.

Or contact Kirstie Armsworth, Scouting Support Officer, South East Scotland Scouts, kirstie.armsworth@sesscouts.org.uk