West Region has biggest numbers growth in Scotland

Posted on 14 April 2016

West Region Scouts rise a perfect 10 per cent

Scouts Scotland membership at the highest number this century

 

• Scouts Scotland has highest membership this century 46095 members including 4755 members in the West region
• 10^th year of consecutive growth as more girls, boys and adult volunteers continue to join Scouting in Scotland
• 47% of new members in Scotland this year are female

Figures released today show that, after 10 years of consecutive growth, Scouts Scotland now has the highest membership numbers this century. The continuing popularity of the Scouting movement means there are now 4755 members in the West region which is an increase of 436 (10%) members in the last year – the biggest growth of any region in Scotland!

There is further reason for celebration in the Scouting movement as 47% of the new members in Scotland are female, as more girls and women seek out life changing adventure. The Cub Scouts (8–10 years) is the most popular Scouting section in Scotland among girls joining, which is a welcome boost as Cub Scouting celebrates 100 years of Adventure in 2016.

Stewart Harris (15) an Explorer Scout from the Random Explorer Unit in Dunbartonshire said:

 

“I love being a Scout, because of Scouting I’ve made so many new friends and been able to try out so many new things and I always enjoy the adventures that Scout volunteers have helped us plan. I’ve picked up some really helpful life skills along the way like team building, planning and how to communicate with people. Scouting has also helped me grow in confidence and I have enjoyed learning new skills alongside my friends. I have been to camps and events including the World Scout Jamboree in Japan and I have had great fun and learned loads of skills every time I do something Scouting.  I’d definitely encourage young people of all ages and both genders to join.”

 

 

The impressive growth in young people joining Scouting means that there is a greater need for adult volunteers than ever before. Despite 180 more adults joining in the West region in the past year, there is still a huge need for more volunteers to cope with increased demand from young people.

 

Scouts Scotland, Chief Commissioner, Graham Haddock said:

“I am absolutely delighted to see so many new people joining Scouts Scotland. We know that young people want to be Scouts because we give them the chance to try out more than 200 different activities from abseiling to zorbing. Our growth in the number of girls and women in particular shows that life changing adventure is attractive to everyone.”

 

“Unfortunately, as our numbers grow, so do our waiting lists. Currently, there are at least 109 young people on the local waiting list in the West region to join our Movement. We rely on adult volunteers to deliver Scouting across Scotland, and while our adult numbers grew by 180 last year we still need more volunteers to help us meet the clear need for new Sections in the West region.”

 

Chief Scout Bear Grylls said:

 

“I am super proud to see so many young people and adults learning new life skills, and achieving personal rewards through Scouting in the UK.  I am excited to see Scout numbers continue to rise across the UK, especially the numbers of girls.

 

What I’m most pleased about is that Scouts across the UK are putting their time in to helping their local communities. Through our A Million Hands campaign we are pledging one million hands to supporting four of the biggest social issues currently facing the UK and the wider world, but we can’t do it on our own. We want all young people to come and give Scouting a try and to get involved. This is how we can all play a vital role in shaping tomorrow’s world for the better.”

 

About Scouting:

• Scouting is the largest co-educational youth movement in the United Kingdom.
• We are open to people of all faith backgrounds including no faith.
• 1 person began Scouting on 1^st August 1907 (Robert Baden Powell); today nearly 550,000 Scouts (young people and volunteers) now take part in the UK and 40 million around the world.
• The first registered scout troop in the world was the 1st Glasgow, registered in January 1908. The Scottish Scout Council was founded in 1909 to administer Scouting in Scotland.
• The Scout Association released its most recent membership census figures in April 2016. Scouting in Scotland has enjoyed 10 Years of sustained youth membership growth.
• Adventure is at the core of Scouting, and The Association exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.
• We offer over 200 activities from abseiling and coding to drama and archery. All made possible by the efforts of more than 7,500 volunteer leaders in Scotland.
• Scouts are aged 6-25; we welcome adult volunteers of all ages.
• At present there are at least 3119 young people on waiting lists in Scotland. Becoming an adult volunteer is fun, rewarding and good for your CV.  Adult volunteers receive full training, support and many opportunities for adventure as well.
• Adults working in Scouting contribute in excess of 364 million hours of voluntary work each year to their local communities across the United Kingdom.