Volunteering with York Scouts
The City of York District Team supports 500 adult volunteers York, providing opportunities for over 2000 young people who belong in our Scouting family and develop skills for life through fun and adventure. We group responsibilities into a number of teams of volunteers to provide this support. Each team will have experienced volunteers to lead on specific topics, but also need managers to coordinate and inspire them, and to drive forward projects. We also need team members to share the tasks.
Team members do not need to have Scouting experience. Instead they are invited to apply their professional skills as “People Managers”, “Project Managers” or “Administrators”, in a Scouting context.
Each role is fully flexible around what the volunteer can provide, on an ad-hoc basis, around their personal circumstances and availability. This could be done via video calls or in-person meetings. Contact us to discuss options on volunteer@yorkscouts.org.uk. Specific opportunities we need your help with:
Section Team Leaders and Members
We always need more volunteers to join our local teams to plan and run activities for our young people on a regular basis, for all our age groups i.e. Squirrels (4-6), Beavers (6-8), Cubs (8-10½), Scouts (10½-14), Explorers (14-18). Get in touch so we can discuss your specific situation and find you a suitable match.
Scout Group Leadership Team Members
Group Leadership Teams share tasks to help volunteers across all Sections work well together and feel motivated. They make sure the Group is respected and supported in their local community. To be a team member your attributes might include:
- Inspiring and enthusiastic, super resourceful and full of energy.
- A problem solver, fantastic team builder, and a leader.
- Believe passionately about developing young people and volunteers to be the best they can.
Section Volunteer Support Lead
We would like experienced Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorer Leaders to encourage collaboration and peer support, and identify support needs. They can also guide what District activities we have for specific age groups (Sections). The role helps to build connections between Section Leadership Teams, and with the District Team. We share ideas and help each other as part of a wider Scouting family.
Programme Team Members
We need energetic people to drive and coordinate:
- Development of Young Leaders (aged 14-17)
- Support for older teenagers and young adults to achieve Duke of Edinburgh and other top Scouting Awards.
- Support for volunteers to earn permits to deliver adventurous activities.
- Planning and delivery of District Events, where young people and adult volunteers come together from a number of Scout Groups, to have fun together.
Adventurous Activity Permit Lead
Adventurous activity permits show that our volunteers have the skills to provide activities from archery to snowboarding, and hillwalking to kayaking. We’re looking for someone to administer and promote the permit scheme, and connect volunteers to others who can help them develop skills and gain their permits.
Duke of Edinburgh Scheme Adviser
Put your adventurous skills to use, learn new ones, and play an active role in the world’s leading youth achievement award. We want to grow our team to guide more young people through their DofE and higher Scouting awards, and support their expeditions. You can volunteer on a flexible basis as:
A DofE Support Coordinator or Administrator
An Expedition Supervisor
An Awards Adviser
Top Awards Mentors
The King’s Scout Award is the highest youth award in the movement. Earning it is a huge achievement. We’re looking for volunteers to encourage and support those working towards their King’s Scout Award, and other top awards.
Activity Planners
Scouting is all about providing young people with skills for life through activities and experiences. But who makes this happen? People like you. We need people who are passionate about providing exciting opportunities for young people. We’re looking for great organisers, fantastic listeners and great communicators to make our ideas a reality. You don’t have to lead on everything, just be part of the team to make great experiences happen.
Activity Centre Team Members
We need people with practical and professional skills to maintain and develop services and facilities at our York Scout Activity Centre, Snowball Plantation. Join the camaraderie of making friends and meeting up, to undertake a wide range of maintenance tasks or improvement projects. In doing this you will be helping to make a tangible impact on providing campsite facilities and activities in a lovely woodland setting.
Volunteering Development Team Members
Proactive people to attract and welcome new adult volunteers, plan learning events, and drive membership growth initiatives.
Support Team Member
To manage projects or provide specialist advice and support to help make sure:
- We are engaging with local communities
- We encourage people to use our York Scout Activity Centre at Snowball Plantation
- Administration gets done
- We raise funds to keep Scouting affordable and develop services for our volunteers, and activities for our young people
- We manage our finances efficiently and effectively
- Scouts has a positive image we encourage more young people and adult volunteers to join
Marketing and Communications Team Member
To manage internal and external communications such as: the website, internal newsletters, social media, and press releases. We also need people with website development skills.
Administrator
Are you a wiz at organising and getting things done? We’re looking for volunteers to support our District Team (or Scout Groups) with administrative tasks such as responding to enquiries, or supporting projects and events.
Additional Needs Advisers
Go-to people for adult volunteers to guide volunteers and build confidence, in how to discuss and plan support for young people and helpers with specific needs.
It would be great to have some relevant professional experience but we can provide access to resources if needed. We can also help people to appreciate adoption in a Scouting context. Fundamentally, we need people with good conversation and listening skills. We only have occasional requests for help but we see this support as an integral and growing aspect of what we do in Scouting.
Trustees
If you have skills in professions such as auditing, finance, premises management, or health and safety we would love to have you on one of our Trustee Boards. These teams help to provide Charity governance and strategic oversight of District or Scout Group Operations, so that other volunteers can do what they do best providing opportunities for our young people. Each Scout Group (and District) has it’s own Trustee Board as each is an individual charity.
Treasurer
As Treasurer, you’ll provide strategic financial oversight to help ensure the long-term sustainability of Scouting across York — enabling volunteers to focus on delivering fun, adventure, and skills for life. Some of our teams have a Financial Administrator in place, so this role may be focused on oversight, governance and guidance rather than day-to-day processing.
Ideally you should have accountancy experience, and be confident with:
– Financial management and reporting
– Budgets and oversight
– Supporting trustees in good financial decision-making
Grant Applications Volunteer
To develop our provision of adventurous activities and facilities for young people we want volunteers to submit grant applications and source funding.
Youth Engagement Team Member
Join our pool of volunteers aged 18-24 to support young people across the District to have their voice heard and acted upon. The team gathers views from young people and delivers specific projects. We want enthusiastic young adults who desire to make a positive impact.
Contact us today on volunteer@yorkscouts.org.uk to discuss any of these opportunities, or to design a role that fits with what you can provide.
