U.K. Scouts see largest membership surge since WW2

[RememberSchiff]

...UK Scouting Association

"New figures released on Thursday show that youth membership – those aged between four and 18 – has grown from 362,668 to 421,852 between January 2021 and January 2022."

Rest of story is behind paywall at

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/scouts-bear-grylls-cub-scouts-volunteering-covid-b2067142.html

Compare Scouting Association transparency and feedback receptiveness with the BSA.  There is even a Scout Experience survey form for@Eagle94-A1to review.

https://www.scouts.org.uk/about-us/our-impacts-and-reports/

Edited April 28, 2022 by RememberSchiff

[Eagle1993]

I have forever been a fan of UK scouts.  Their transparency, their smaller board, their media, etc.  I also like how they separate their age groups.  Their result ... 3% of available youth in scouts.   BSA is at 1%.  

[RememberSchiff]

32 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

I have forever been a fan of UK scouts.  Their transparency, their smaller board, their media, etc.  I also like how they separate their age groups.  Their result ... 3% of available youth in scouts.   BSA is at 1%.  

IMHO, hard to argue with success, we and the court could use their counsel in reorganizing the BSA.

My $0.02,

Edited April 28, 2022 by RememberSchiff

[Eagledad]

53 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

I have forever been a fan of UK scouts.  Their transparency, their smaller board, their media, etc.  I also like how they separate their age groups.  Their result ... 3% of available youth in scouts.   BSA is at 1%.  

I’m now sure how any of that enhances the program towards growth, I’m willing to to listen. But, I don’t like how they separate the ages after the cub ages. Character growth is very dependent on older scouts mentorship and they don’t do a good job there. The UK scouts believe in Patrol Method, but without the older mentors, their program relies heavily on adult mentorship. And that is not the same. 
 

Barry

[fred8033]

1 hour ago, Eagle1993 said:

I have forever been a fan of UK scouts.  Their transparency, their smaller board, their media, etc.  I also like how they separate their age groups.  Their result ... 3% of available youth in scouts.   BSA is at 1%.  

... separate their age groups ... imho that's a key change that's needed ...  at least in the cub years.  Few 4th and 5th graders want to participate in activities also compatible with kindergarten and 1st graders.

... their smaller board ... not sure what this means ... is this driven by England having smaller trees?  

Edited April 28, 2022 by fred8033

[RememberSchiff]

12 minutes ago, fred8033 said:

... separate their age groups ... imho that's a key change that's needed ...  at least in the cub years.  Few 4th and 5th graders want to participate in activities also compatible with kindergarten and 1st graders.

... their smaller board ... not sure what this means ... is this driven by England having smaller trees?  

Small empowered teams with names (even photos) and contact info readily available on their website.  No google search of tax or Chapter 11 documents required.

https://www.scouts.org.uk/about-us/our-people/

[yknot]

2 hours ago, Eagle1993 said:

I have forever been a fan of UK scouts.  Their transparency, their smaller board, their media, etc.  I also like how they separate their age groups.  Their result ... 3% of available youth in scouts.   BSA is at 1%.  

Less than 1%. Latest membership numbers as of March 2022 were at about 650,000. Many of those in units with holdover charters pending bankruptcy clarity for COs. 

[qwazse]

Its been a long climb to this point. A decade ago, Scouts UK's challenge was a lack of adult volunteers to support the demand. My observation is that scout alumni are more likely to take up roles as scouters before they have children vs. after.

@Cambridgeskip or @Pint might want to elaborate.

[fred8033]

3 minutes ago, qwazse said:

Its been a long climb to this point. A decade ago, Scouts UK's challenge was a lack of adult volunteers to support the demand. My observation is that scout alumni are more likely to take up roles as scouters before they have children vs. after.

@Cambridgeskip or @Pint might want to elaborate.

I find that an interesting perspective; young adult leaders.  Are scout leaders just too old for the scouts ?  I always could connect better with younger teachers / coaches (20s / 30s).  Feels like most of our SMs are in their 50s / 60s / 70s.

QUESTION - I swear I read somewhere that in some countries you are age-out of youth leadership roles?  

Edited April 28, 2022 by fred8033

[Eagle94-A1]

17 minutes ago, fred8033 said:

I find that an interesting perspective; young adult leaders.  Are scout leaders just too old for the scouts ?  I always could connect better with younger teachers / coaches (20s / 30s).  Feels like most of our SMs are in their 50s / 60s / 70s.

QUESTION - I swear I read somewhere that in some countries you are age-out of youth leadership roles?  

Yes and no for the first part. There are some "old fogeys" who for whatever reason can still connect. Younger Scouters have a lot to offer and I encourage them. Sadly the 18-20 YO crowd in my neck of the woods feel completely disrespected by not being counted as 2 deep for YP purposes within Scouting, BUT also have to follow YP rules outside of Scouting per National.  KNow several outstanding young men who are no longer involved because the 2018 rule would interfere with school, work, and friendships

As for some countries having a max age for direct contact roles, I was told Belgium had one, and a few others, back in 1995.  One Belgium SM I talked to was in his mid to late 20s.

[Eagle1993]

4 hours ago, Eagledad said:

I’m now sure how any of that enhances the program towards growth, I’m willing to to listen. But, I don’t like how they separate the ages after the cub ages. Character growth is very dependent on older scouts mentorship and they don’t do a good job there. The UK scouts believe in Patrol Method, but without the older mentors, their program relies heavily on adult mentorship. And that is not the same. 
 

Barry

My thought was primarily Cub Scouts.  They have Squirrels (4 - 6), Beavers (6-8) and Cubs (8 - 10.5).  I wonder if by keeping these groups in smaller age groups, they may see less drop off when they go on to Scouts (10 - 14.5).  I do wonder how the patrol method works by moving 14.5 year olds to Explorers.  Most, if not all, of my PLs are >14.  My SPL is 16 and my JASM is 17 (Eagle).  

 

[Eagle1993]

2 hours ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

KNow several outstanding young men who are no longer involved because the 2018 rule would interfere with school, work, and friendships

The 18 - 30 year old age group is prime to help if approached.  One of my biggest complaints of the BSA is that they seem to ignore that demographic.  When I was in my 20s, I didn't have kids, had a TON of free time (compared to now) and was volunteering for various organizations.  BSA never reached out (and I never even thought of it).  I volunteered for sports clubs & FIRST robotics.  If BSA reached out, I could have been a district volunteer or even unit.  I'm convinced that there is huge potential in that group.

[ThenNow]

1 hour ago, Eagle1993 said:

The 18 - 30 year old age group is prime to help if approached.  One of my biggest complaints of the BSA is that they seem to ignore that demographic.  When I was in my 20s, I didn't have kids, had a TON of free time (compared to now) and was volunteering for various organizations.  BSA never reached out (and I never even thought of it).  I volunteered for sports clubs & FIRST robotics.  If BSA reached out, I could have been a district volunteer or even unit.  I'm convinced that there is huge potential in that group.

This side note is based on my out of nowhere, self-motivated attempt to reengage at age 58. Along with the LC thing, I became a NESA member. I then began getting very infrequent emails related to Scouting and mostly NESA. Why didn't BSA reach out to me sooner? I receive my Eagle in 1975, Vigil in 1977 I think, and turned 18 in 1979. I have not been hard to locate, though I've lived all over the place. Never a letter to donate even. Odd. Rather foolish and shortsighted, me thinks.

[Eagle94-A1]

1 hour ago, Eagle1993 said:

The 18 - 30 year old age group is prime to help if approached.  One of my biggest complaints of the BSA is that they seem to ignore that demographic.  When I was in my 20s, I didn't have kids, had a TON of free time (compared to now) and was volunteering for various organizations.  

I was one of those 18- 30 year olds.  I served in a variety positions, including professional,  in that age range: ASM, OA lodge officer, OA chapter advisor, AIA advisor, UC, and council training staff. Because of my age, I got along with the youth very well, and still keep in contact with a bunch of them years later.

As for being asked, I think it varies. Some  other Scouters had no issues asking me to help out. Others ignored me, told me I had not idea what I was doing or talking about, etc. It was frustrating at times. 

[PACAN]

Maybe the title of this post should be U.K. Scouts not just Scouts.  JMHO