Stepping up to help other people

Each year I look back with pride – and no little astonishment at what we’ve achieved together. But this year, I truly believe we’ve more to be proud of than ever.

Growth’s been a key priority for me this year, and it’s so encouraging to see such healthy numbers of volunteers. With just over 3,450 more adults, we’re now helping over 436,000 young people aged 4–18 gain those all-important skills for life. Thanks to all our teams who’ve helped Scouts reopen since the COVID-19 pandemic, and for making a special effort to bring Scouts to even more young people.

We need to repay their commitment through the excellent support we offer. I’m excited about our transformation work to make volunteering easier and more rewarding. Positive change is already happening and there’s more to follow.

Reaching out to new communities

We’re reaching out to communities where we know Scouts can inspire even more bright futures. At a Diwali celebration in Greater London Middlesex, I met people from all parts of the community who were given the chance to see Scouts for themselves. It’s only by working in partnership with our communities that we succeed in promoting inclusive growth.

Inspiring new adventures

But we haven’t just opened our doors to more young people. We’ve helped them get outdoors too, and experience phenomenal summer events like Poacher International Jamboree in Lincolnshire, and the Kent International Jamboree. I was honoured to attend the Muslim Scout Fellowship North and Midlands summer camp – a joyful celebration of skills, friendship, and adventure.

Meanwhile, the Agoonoree, a summer camp for young people with additional needs, celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2022. Seeing a young person with learning difficulties make a new friend and scale a climbing wall together says everything about why Scouts is still needed today.

Supporting young people in a changing world

Our young people face an uncertain future. The world of work and society is changing fast, and the skills they need – from emotional resilience to digital confidence – are evolving. As the needs of young people change, I’m proud of the way Scouts adapts to support them. We help young people believe in themselves. It’s a place to belong and a safe space to grow.

To support this, we’ve driven our safety and safeguarding training standards forward, and compliance now stands at 97% apiece. Keeping people safe will always be our number one priority.

Young people deserve the best possible experiences, delivered in the safest possible way.

Celebrating our volunteers

All of these efforts were recognised by the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Volunteering Award in December. The judges were impressed by our Young Leaders’ Scheme, and the fact we’re one of the UK’s leading deliverers of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. We were also incredibly honoured that so many of our volunteers were selected as Coronation Champions; a huge honour and fitting tribute to their great service.

Inspiring a generation of leaders

This underlines our commitment to our programme for young people from 4–25 years old. We’re there for young people at every stage of their journey.

Our UK Youth Commissioner, Ayesha Karim, is a shining exemplar of this new generation of volunteers. Starting in the role in September 2022, she’s been a fantastic ambassador for us. She’s already made positive progress recruiting her Youth Commissioner team.

We’ve taken other important steps in our national leadership by appointing Liz Henderson, our new Chief Commissioner of England, and forming the UK Joint Leadership Forum, joining up the staff and volunteer support for the movement. This year, and into the next, we’re focusing on supporting our local teams as they go on journeys of transformation to make volunteering easier, more enjoyable, and accessible.

It was wonderful seeing so many volunteers at Reunion at Gilwell Park, returning face-to-face for the first time in three years. These moments are vital for making sure we’re delivering nationally what’s needed locally.

Doing our duty

But perhaps the proudest moment of the year was Operation Feather, supporting the Lying in State of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Over 180 Scouts (and more behind the scenes) were brought together at incredible speed. Our Scouts team of volunteers and staff led shifts in central London, day and night, to support the public, while redistributing food with the Felix Project. They acted in a true spirit of service, and even inspired new volunteers to join. They’re a credit to the movement and our late Patron, Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Their contribution will long be remembered.

Scouts is a team game, and everyone plays their part. Thank you to every one of you for what you do, making Scouts open to all, supporting our young people, and most of all, looking out for each other.

Carl Hankinson

UK Chief Commissioner