Scouts jamboree 2023

[Pissedoffcat]

I already give regular amounts to my chosen charities.
I also provide the relatively expensive presents requested by my friend for her children in terms of birthday and Christmas and have done so for many years.

I am now being tapped up in very unsubtle ways to contribute to one of their children going to next year's jamboree in Seoul. Will cost around£4000 approx.

AIBU to feel annoyed at being put under emotional pressure when Im personally on a budget myself and, rightly or wrongly, I don't necessarily see the Scouts as a charity?

I admit I don't know much about the Scouts and their infrastructure.
But I'm uneasy at adding another financial burden onto myself, for what seems a very nice jolly.

I don't want to appear unsympathetic but I am torn about this.

Is it me being unreasonable in feeling annoyed at being prompted to dig into my pocket? Especially for an organisation I really don't know about and I have already chosen certain places for regular donations?

Advice welcome.

It'll be a great experience for the DC. Scouting on an international level is really eye opening.

Tbh it's less annoying than sponsoring a MAMIL to abandon his kids to cycle the Pyrenees 'for charity'.

It's up to you if you want to donate, but it's been going on forever.... I've been tapped up to support other people's kids to go trips with scout & guide groups, schools, sports clubs etc. There's a lot of it about. That's before you get to the adults who do this!

Scouting is a charity, but probably not relevant to this situation.

In our group, anyone going to a jamboree goes through multiple selection processes to attend in the first place. It's a big achievement to be picked. Then the attendee is expected to raise the funds to attend - usually with assistance from the group eg holding quizzes, carwashes etc. Not just asking for a friend to pay......

I'm a scout and a world jamboree is an amazing experience for the child. And I personally believe in supporting the scouts as an organisation and while its not necessarily a charity, it chooses make a difference. However, this really isn't about if it is a worthy cause. Its about your friend wanting you to contribute towards their child's hobby. Maybe instead of yhe Christmas/birthday present give them cash towards the camp. You don't have to finance it if you don't want to.

Agree that the attendee is supposed to raise the funds, there is a child at my DD's school doing this at the moment. Not asking a parent's friend for money.

Just say you can't afford it. No discussion, just cut the friend off every time with the same phrase.

I would feel the same. While it might be a positive experience, it's a nice to have. I would rather donate to something more "essential" (like an animal rescue - the one near me has to turn away hundreds of animals every week as they can't afford to help them all).

I know some kids going and am happy to help in exchange for a service eg they have made cakes and washed cars. I also gave some old toys for them to sell on their tombola. But just sending money just because, seems wrong to me and I don’t think anyone should feel pressured.
I do hope the middle class parents involved are topping it up.

I think the same applies to this trip, there was a lot of selection process involved and those selected here will be fund raising through their Scout troop, if others want to chip in that's fine.

With the way the world is militarising, it could be debated that having as many people as possible, training in many essential skills, is a useful and positive for society as a whole.

My DC is fundraising, and we are restricting activities to those where people get something for their donation e.g cake sale, car wash and not sponsorship. I don't expect anyone to get involved but am grateful for everyone that does give them stuff to sell, buys a cake or requests a job done. I do check they do jobs well for people. I am conscious it is asking people to pay for my child's holiday.

Friend used to be safeguarding officer for scouts, no child of mine would go anywhere near a jamboree.

Too many volunteers not police checked and suitable to be anywhere near children.

What have they and their parents done so far to raise the cash for themselves?

Mt attitude, and the amount I'd be prepared to give (if any) would very much depend on this

Those international jamborees really are great experience though. And from their point of view if you dont ask you dont get. You can also just say I cant spare anything right now.

All scouting volunteers have a DBS @clippety clop otherwise they can't stay overnight. No one going to Jamboree will be an unchecked adult.

If we have parent helpers that don't have a DBS with us, they can only help out during the day and are never ever left alone with any of the children.

Certainly scouting has had its issues in the past but DBS is an absolute requirement for anyone who holds an appointment.

Jamboree is a great experience op but you shouldn't feel pressured to contribute - just like you shouldn't feel pressured to give money to anything.

Maybe offer to bake a cake if they're doing a cake sale but leave your assistance at that. Their group should be helping them to raise the money through various events etc.

I know children who have been to past jamborees and one who is fundraising currently to go on the 2023 trip. Their fundraising has all focused on selling stuff (homemade cakes, homemade Christmas decorations, second-hand book stalls) and holding social events (quiz nights, coffee mornings etc). I've supported them because I've personally got something out of it so it's a transaction rather than a donation.

If your friend's child is selling something you're happy to buy or holding a social event you'd like to go to then you could support them that way but don't feel pressured into making a donation if they haven't done anything to earn it other than qualifying for the trip. The fundraising itself is part of the challenge to participate.

Hi op, in what ways are they making unsubtle suggestions for money? Please just say no.
My dd was fortunate enough to get selected to attend the previous WSJ & my son for this one. No way would they just ask people for money but instead did cake selling, car boot sales, raffles at local fairs, made woodchip paths at pubs plus wrote to local businesses… There are so many ways to raise the money without making other people feel uncomfortable.

Say you'll give them cash for their next birthday instead of a separate gift, that they can put towards the trip. Just to the value that you would have spent anyway.

My son was at the jamboree that celebrated one hundred years of scouting and my dad at the fiftieth anniversary jamboree. They are big events but, as others have said, the scout is expected to raise the money themselves with the help of their family and scout troop. Asking a friend directly for money is very bad form. We had a lot of fun while fundraising and he had a tremendous experience at the jamboree and made friends with scouts from all over the world.

It’s a big deal to be selected to go to an international jamboree. Fundraising is expected but that means actually doing something to raise funds, not just asking your parents friends for money for nothing. And like any fundraising, it’s up to you whether you decide to contribute or not.

Either give him cash for every occasion when you would normally give him a present, or pay him for a service. My Scout dc washed cars, baked cakes, took recycling to the bottle banks, as well as doing the group fundraisers, when he was raising money to attend the WSJ.

Scouts is a charity, and as an organisation generally offers cheap activity provision in many areas where families wouldn't be able to afford it otherwise.
The kids that go on the jamboree are supposed to work to fund their trip, and should not be guilting people into donating.
I might be jaded, bc the kid who went to the Jamboree in my year was an utter slimy arsehole and a bully who was very skilled at fooling adults into thinking he was god's gift to scouting, but I hated all the fuss and fundraising about it tbh. Seemed a bit OTT given that it was only one kid from each region that went.

Sorry didn't answer the AIBU. No YANBU to not want to fund it, whilst Scouts as a whole is a (imo worthwhile) charity, the big international trips are different and should be worked for by the kids. Even if it's buying cakes, car washing etc, friend shouldn't be pressuring you into accepting it.

You have to sell a lot of cakes to make £4k!

Why do you have to give expensive presents to a friend’s child? If you want to make a donation for his trip I would do it in replacement of birthday present and have it paid into their Jamboree pot. Children in the UK pay more for the jamboree than it actually costs to cover the costs for children from poorer countries who wouldn’t be able to attend otherwise

Be warned though, a friend’s DC changed their mind about going after raising all the funds!