My name is Sarah Withers. I have recently been appointed as Assistant County Commissioner (Inclusion) and my role will be to support the development and growth of fully inclusive Scouting within East Lancashire. I come from a background in Special Education and have twenty years experience of working with young people with learning difficulties and physical disabilities. I have been a Scout Leader for a similar length of time, covering all Sections and have had many roles during that time – including nine years as Leader of a joint Scout/Explorer Scout Unit based at a school where all the youth members had additional needs.
Inclusive Scouting is not just about ensuring that those with disabilities are able to access Scouting in their local area. The Equal Opportunities Policy states that we must ensure that Scouting will be as diverse as the communities in which we live. Scouting must welcome members who are disabled, LGBTQA+, socially or economically deprived, black, or from religious or ethnic minorities.
I am not an expert in many of these areas, so I am asking for your help. If you, or someone you know, has an interest in promoting Inclusive Scouting and would like to be involved, please contact me at sarah.withers@eastlancashirescouts.org.uk
I would also like to hear from any adult or youth members who have experiences that they wish to share (positive or negative) regarding their own inclusion within Scouting.
In the meantime if you, or your Group, need advice, support or training to help you ensure inclusion and meet the needs of our members, please contact me. I may not have all the answers, but I will be able to put you in touch with someone who has.
Hi my name is Tina Wise, my friend Emma has mentioned that she met you on a Leader Training Course and that you were looking for someone who would be happy to discuss strategies around inclusion.
We have been involved in Scouting and Guiding for many years, We were Scout Leaders before our own children were born, having been a Guide and Ranger Guide/ Young Leader myself and (my husband) Paul being Scout, Venture Scout/Young Leader.
When our son was 8 months old he was diagnosed Profoundly Deaf, When he was 6 we tried join him into Beavers but he struggled to fit into the mainstream Beaver Group and we realised some of his friends were having the same difficulties and so we approached the Essex County Scouts Team to set up a group that was Deaf friendly but anyone Deaf or Hearing could join. This ran quite successfully for a number of years until we had a change in family circumstances and moved.
Before that we ran a group where several children came from the local SEN school.
Both my husband and I would be more than happy to be involved to share our knowledge and skills as we feel strongly that Scouting offers all children some great opportunities that they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
We are both still members of the Scout Association on Compass, We are both still a members of Essex Scout Caving Team, although due to my health I no longer cave myself.
Sorry its taken me a while to contact you,
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours in Scouting
Tina Wise.
Hi Tina
It’s good to hear from you.
I will email you to discuss how you can get involved with the Inclusion Team
Sarah