Questions people ask

Across South London we have 92 Scout Groups and 28 Explorer Scout Units but despite this we have hundreds of young people on waiting lists. This is because we simply can't meet the demand for membership. With more adults helping out this would take the burden off our current volunteers and allow more young people to experience the adventure of scouting. More adults would mean more young people could join scouting, Our smaller scout groups could take more young people or we can start new groups. We always welcome any help from adults. Volunteering is easier than you think and doesn't mean making a regular commitment.

As long as you are over 18 years of age, you can help out as an adult volunteer in scouting. There is no upper age limit for adult volunteers.

If you are aged between 14-18, there is the option of becoming a young leader. Click here for information about our young leaders’ scheme.

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. Find out more about the ways you can get involved here.

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.

You don’t have to be an adventurer like Bear Grylls to get involved with Scouting. No previous scouting experience is needed to get involved. Energy and enthusiasm are the qualities we are looking for.

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. 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 Leader to discuss how you can get involved.

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. 

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 getting involved. Spending time with your child, 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.

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, adults in scouting do not have to wear a uniform.

There is an application form to fill out which someone in your 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 to discuss the role you wish to take on. References are also required for some roles.  An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Criminal Records Check is carried out on all volunteers.

Yes. All Members are covered under our Personal Accident and Medical Expenses Policy

Yes. The best way of doing this is to join our Scout Network. The Network is part of local scouting and will be able to help you locate a group close to you. Alternatively, or if you are already a member of the Network, you can contact us and we can then put you in contact with a local group based on your interests.