Be A Volunteer

Week by week, our volunteers empower thousands of young people to learn new skills, make new friends and stand on their own two feet. They’re our everyday heroes. They shape young people’s lives for the better, and find out a whole lot about themselves in the process, too.

Today, there are nearly 60,000 young people on the waiting list to join us in the UK. We’re more relevant and more needed than ever, but it’s not always easy to keep up with the demand.

That’s where you come in.

You don’t need to be Bear Grylls to join us. You don’t need to have been a Scout when you were younger. You don’t even need to know how to put up a tent.  Our door is open to people of all ages, genders, races, and backgrounds, and we’re only able to change lives because people like you lend a hand. We’re talking about tea makers, tidy-uppers, and skill sharers. We’re talking about minibus drivers and first aiders. We’re talking about students who want to boost their CV, and parents who volunteer so they can spend more time together as a family.

Whatever your skillset, lend a hand for as little or as much time as you can spare, and we promise you’ll get more out than you put in.  Because whether you’re helping a leader to run an activity in the local town hall, organising a night away, or buttering 120 slices of bread a group of very hungry eleven-year-olds – no two Scout meetings are the same. The difference you make, though, is always great.

We provide the training. You show up, get stuck in, and make memories for life.

Sounds fun? Worthwhile? It is.

Start the journey by filling this form and we will be in touch.

Or download the Application Form here

Some FAQs about being a volunteer

This form is to be used by anyone over 18 years of age who wishes to volunteer with the Scouts, or become a member of Scout Network. The form is designed to support the collecting of information to help input data onto Compass, the Scouts online membership system. Your personal data will be stored on Compass to support your application process, as well as your current and potential future involvement in Scouting. It is also kept for monitoring purposes. Some information is considered special category data under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, and as such will be managed as required under the regulation. Further information can be found at scouts.org.uk/dppolicy. Once this information has been added to Compass, this form will not be retained.
If employed please provide details of employer
The information you share with us will be used to assess if your skills can be used within the local Scouting programme. This information is not required to complete the appointment process and can be completed online at a later date. Please list the qualifications and skills that you are able to bring to Scouting.
Hobbies and interests The information you share with us will be used to assess if your skills can be used within the local Scouting programme. This information is not required to complete the appointment process and can be completed online at a later date. Please list any hobbies or interests that you may wish to share within Scouting.
Please add details of two people to act as referees who are known to you and who can be contacted by email. The referees should preferably have knowledge of your work or contact with young people, and should be able to comment on your character and relationships with others. At least one referee should have known you for at least five years and one of the referees must not be from Scouting. Referees must not be relatives. Examples of referees include your employer, college tutor, etc. The referees’ personal data will only be used for the purposes of providing a reference.