Come and join our Community of Practice

On 30 March 2021, a group of Scouts joined together for the first Community of Practice meeting. Outside the group, there was some trepidation and resistance from those who wondered why we needed a group like this.

So far, the Community of Practice has been doing brilliant work to represent more communities in various projects. We’re looking for more people to join, so we can keep making a positive impact and giving voices to underrepresented areas.

I hope this blog answers your questions about the Community of Practice, and I’m always happy to have a conversation about any other queries you have.

Championing underrepresented communities

As Simon Sinek says, it’s important to start with ‘why.’ Initially, for me, setting up the group was about making sure interview and search panels became more representative of underrepresented communities.

However, myself and others later realised there was a greater opportunity for the Community of Practice to increase representation across other projects.

The group is made up of volunteers all across Scouts, with different backgrounds, experiences, ethnicities, and volunteer roles. As part of this community, we work together to increase diversity in lots of projects in Scouts. At the moment, we have 19 members, but we’re looking for more to join us.

What we've been up to

Since the group started, we’ve been involved in several interview panels. This includes the recent recruitment of the UK Leadership Team, and the Team England recruitment.

Alongside these recruitment projects, the Community of Practice has been involved in other projects from Headquarters, such as the #GoodForYou volunteer recruitment campaign, the Race Equity consultation, and much more.

Here's what Tom Milson, UK Commissioner for Inclusion, has to say: ‘Our Community of Practice allows us to build links and share the unique experiences of those who are currently underrepresented in Scouts. Building a community is about more than representation – it’s about creating a support network that motivates, inspires, and challenges us to do better as a movement.

'It helps us to truly live by our values, and celebrate our diversity. Safe spaces, like the Community of Practice group, enable us to do these things in fun and supportive ways, and lets us focus on the reason we volunteer – to help young people develop skills for life!’

Let’s hear from members of the Community of Practice

Nirav Patel, Deputy County Commissioner, Kent Scouts

‘I joined the Community of Practice because I wanted to be involved in making Scouts more diverse.

'When I joined, I was pleased to be joined by other people from underrepresented ethnic communities who’d like to do the same.’

Bijal Bhagwan, District Commissioner, Leicester North East

‘As a Scout, I’ve gained so much, both in my youth and my adult career. Scouts is always about giving back, and joining the Community of Practice was a big part of this.

'In my District, we’re still not representative of our community. I don't want to be the exception, either – I want to learn how to encourage local families to get involved.

'When my District Commissioner stepped down, I didn't want to go for the role, but members of the Community of Practice were very encouraging and made me rethink my decision. They were a big part of the reason I went for the role, and I’m hoping to do more to help young people benefit from Scouts.’

Pupsi Phull, Group Scout Leader, 1^st Burnham & Hitcham

‘I joined the Community of Practice for two main reasons. Firstly, as a member of minority ethnicity within Scouts, it’s been great connecting with others from minority groups. Secondly, to use our shared experiences to help Scouts become more representative of modern society.

'Joining the CoP has allowed us to understand some of the national programmes being developed, as well as hear from guest speakers, such as Carl Hankinson. This level of information sharing doesn’t exist locally.

'Through the COP, I could take part in an interview for a County Commissioner, which gave a greater awareness of the differences in Scouts across the country.

'Finally, I believe the COP provides a platform for minorities to feel part of the larger Scouts movement. Thanks Keyur for setting this up.’