Jane McGowan finds a rejuvenated Scout movement prepared for modern life...
During the early years of the 21st century, the Scouting movement underwent a transformation. Out went the khaki shorts, long socks and dib dibs; in came an edgier, hoodie-wearing crew who could not only read maps and tie a mean clove hitch but could also abseil down buildings or BMX with the best of them.
For the Scouts – founded in 1907 by Robert Baden-Powell to bring boys from different backgrounds together and give them the opportunity to acquire skills – the result has been a new lease of life. And, if we are to believe the social commentators who constantly bemoan how long youngsters spend in front of screens, how unhealthy they are becoming and how unprepared they are for the rigours ahead of them, the resurgence of this vigorous, life-affirming movement could not have been better timed.
“No other organisation offers such a range of activities,” says CJ Ledger, Deputy County Commissioner for Surrey. “Scouting gives you the chance to try so many different things, and you don’t have to be an expert. It’s not like other clubs where you need to be the best – you just have a go. No one is judging and next week it will be something new.”
Here indeed is a world of infinite variety. Yes, there is still the traditional camping, fire building and yomping, but there is also the chance to visit skate parks, build go-karts, try paddleboarding or take on the rest of the troop in a session of laser tag. My 11-year-old’s favourite Scouting activity is the Chip Shop Challenge, in which small groups of Scouts race across town to various purveyors of fine fries, rating each establishment on length of shop queue, customer service, taste and number of chips per portion.
Martyn Milner
Open to young people aged 6-25 through its Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorer divisions, the movement has worked hard to banish its middle-class, Blytonesque reputation and embrace a wider demographic. Since 2013, it has created 1,280 sections in areas of deprivation, reaching more than 20,000 youngsters from the hardest-to-target communities. It has even dropped the ‘Boy Scout’ moniker and opened up the organisation to girls, who currently account for 102,000 of its 460,000-strong membership. And there are another 60,000 youngsters on waiting lists across the land. In Surrey alone, 176 Scout groups already host more than 14,000, not to mention the 4,813 adult volunteers who make it all possible.
So why the upswing?
“Scouting offers youngsters skills for life that they may not get elsewhere,” explains CJ. “Teamwork, the importance of helping others, being there when people need you, even things like budgeting and providing food for your team: it’s all covered while the kids are out having fun.”
Moreover, faithful to Baden-Powell’s vision, Scouts gives young people the chance to interact with those outside their everyday social group.
“They get to mix with people from other schools, and of different ages too. At a time of such concern about young people’s mental health, Scouts helps to build resilience – through physical challenges, the opportunity to get some fresh air and time shared with others.
“Kids get to take responsibility and other people, including adults, put their trust in them, allowing them to take the lead. That is not something that happens in their lives every day.”
And while the activities and uniform may have changed over the decades, one thing remains resolutely the same: the ethos. Baden-Powell believed that a scout “should be a friend to all”. Today that principle extends not only to solidarity with fellow scouts but to fundraising and helping people in the local community. According to the organisation, over the past four years, 250,000 young people have had the opportunity to take part in “high-quality social action”.
Dave Bird
“Volunteering gives you greater awareness of the people around you,” says CJ, who has been involved with Scouting for more than 15 years and now works for Macmillan Cancer Support. Being part of the organisation has certainly had great bearing on her own life – not least because it’s how she met her husband – and helped to shape her career choice.
“I knew that I wanted to be of help to people. You learn so many transferable skills at Scouts, from learning how to chair meetings to building a team. Scouting also fosters a sense of pride for those around you and yourself. You have the chance to gain skills and friends for life. But most of all, it’s fun.”
To find out more visit: scouts.org.uk
