Youth Leads

Youth Leads support volunteers to make sure that young people shape their programme, influence decisions, and take the lead.

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What do Youth Leads do?

Youth Leads are volunteers responsible for driving youth shaped Scouts in their local area. They’re aged between 18 and 25 when they’re appointed.

Youth Leads support volunteers to embed young people’s ideas and decisions into local Scouts. They play a key role in the leadership and management of their District, County, Area or Regions (Scotland).

District Youth Leads

District Youth Leads support volunteers in their District (including Section Lead Volunteers, Group Lead Volunteers, District Lead Volunteers, and District Explorer Scout Commissioners), helping them to understand the importance of being youth shaped and put it into practice.

District Youth Leads can:

Support volunteers to put the views and ideas of young people at the heart of their section’s programme.
Promote participation in the YouShape award and top awards.
Help to make sure that young people get regular opportunities to take the lead, including promoting peer leadership and the Young Leaders’ Scheme.
Inspire and motivate young people in the District and make sure they know about all the different opportunities available to them in Scouts, including what they can do when they turn 18.
Influence decisions that are made in the District as a member of the District Trustee Board, making sure that young people are at the heart of decisions.

Download an example role description for a District Youth Lead.

County Youth Leads

County Youth Leads support volunteers in their County (including District Teams, District Youth Leads, and County Programme Team Members) to make sure that the County’s activity is informed by young people’s ideas and feedback.

County Youth Leads can:

Help to make sure that the County programme is shaped by young people.
Create opportunities for young people to provide feedback (often through a County Youth Forum).
Promote the YouShape award and top awards.
Support the District Youth Leads in their County, bringing them together to support each other, share ideas, and work towards a shared vision.
Inspire and motivate young people in the County and make sure they know about all the different opportunities available to them in Scouts, including what they can do when they turn 18.
Influence decisions that are made in the County as a member of the County Trustee Board, making sure that young people are at the heart of decisions.

Download an example role description for a County Youth Lead.

UK Youth Lead team

The UK Youth Lead and team are here to help.

Ayesha Karim, UK Youth Lead – Email Ayesha
Robert Mason, UK Youth Team Member focusing on Youth Lead Support – Robert will focus on supporting the growing number of Youth Leads locally, improving the support they get. He’ll look at how we can improve Youth Leads recruitment, training and inductions.
Izzie Inga, UK Youth Team Member focusing on Engagement – Izzie will put young people at the heart of our internal and external communications. She’ll support young people to engage in media and public affairs opportunities, our social media channels and other projects relating to engagement.
Chris Styles, UK Youth Team Member focusing on Youth Voice – Chris will look to find new ways supporting young people to speak up through Scouting, including through local and national youth forum delivery.
Nathan Heath, UK Youth Team Member focusing on Leadership and Development – Nathan will focus on building more leadership and personal development opportunities for young people in Scouting, including through peer leadership.