We know that many of the challengs that you face in your Group could be solved by a few more volunteers, not to mention being able to provide life-changing adventure to even more young people across East Lancashire!
So here’s some easy-to-implement ideas, pulled together by the Regional Services Team, for recruiting adults into your Scout Group.
Parents…
- Use parent packs and customisable inserts from the print centre. They help to set a standard for communication from the group.
- GSL engages with parents once a month whilst they are waiting to pick up their young person.
- Incentivise adult recruitment with members of the Group Executive – as it is part of their role too!
So for example, a dinner out for the individual and their partner for the most successful over the year. - Ensure that sectional programmes, have an opportunity to have parental engagement at least once a term, so parents can actively get involved alongside their young person.
- Run a parent rota, use parents for their skills, to actively get them involved.
- Beaver Sleep-overs – try to get parents involved in small slots, so like help out with a single meal, or one of the activity sessions, rather than the whole event. Parents then see that it’s easy to help.
Plus it gives the leadership team the opportunity to see who’s good, and then ask and sell on what they’ve achieved. See more advice here for involving parents in camps. - Use a Vacancy board at your meeting venue for vacant tasks that need doing within the Group.
Past Members…
- Use an annual update to keep in touch with past members, celebrate achievements, illustrate “benefits” of volunteering flexibly, actively promote / ask for suggestions for names to current vacancies
- Have at least one social event in a year which is a “friends” of the group, and open to past members.
External Recruitment
- Create a good profile for the group, be seen in the community, be known for the right reasons. So perhaps ensure the group does a Community Week Project.
- 2. Ensure that the group gets a small article in any local parish / community magazines.
Remember “Fun / Challenge / Adventure”. Could even be written (or partly) by a young person. Forward plan – know what you’re going to commit to, and stick to 300- 500 words.
Get in touch with the County Communications Team for advice and template releases you can use. - Be seen at local community events – remember to promote at the same time as fundraising or get involved with the action.
- Make an arrangement with a local shop keeper, where there is a good fall for a poster slot in their window. Change / update it regularly, so it’s never stale.
Keys to success, regardless of what and where you try…
- Keep it task focused – it’s easier to say yes to a defined task.
- Think about what the individual might be good at, or have skills that already fit.
- Ask some fact finding questions before you, ask your leading question, like; have you ever been camping? Have you ever made Paper Mache models? Then ask will you or could you etc etc…
- Slowly, slowly, catchy monkey (or potential helper / adult / leader). Build individual’s confidence that they can do “Scouting”, remember to acknowledge successes along the way.