Scout groups not enough Volunteers

[girlfriend44]

Local Scout group has lots of children signed up but enough volunteers do in danger of closing.

Is this the same everywhere?
What stops people from volunteering?

@RedToothBrush definitely not the same people doing everything here! For starters the Beavers group is made up of kids from different schools. I work for the local council and we run remembrance - yes the staff put in the extra hours and we don't get time time to take it back. Rotary run the Christmas lights switch on
There are many diverse groups in our community and sometimes they cross over but not often. We all do what we can. I do what I can without sacrificing my mental health.

My kids cub and scout group seem to have just about enough volunteers- it’s done as a parent rota, which seems to prevent some kids skipping the help.

I notice it with my kids football teams more - simple things like setting up the goals or running the line seems to be left to the same small number of parents.

Kids here are from different schools in our Beavers.

There is cross over to help them all for different events.

Rotary run the santa float here. Guess who they ask to help run it??!! (Forgotten that one!) Its in Rotary's name but its the Scout group that in party provide the bodies.

Also parents with younger kids, don't have to volunteer to help with nights. There is always the backroom option. Which has been said upthread.

Or can juggle things around to make it to one scout meeting per term, even if they have to bring younger kids with them, or their other half has to come home from work a little earlier than normal.

If bringing my other kids with me was allowed I would happily volunteer every week, but it's not. Again, can't make my other kids not exist.

And you do understand there are jobs where you can't 'just come home earlier'?

I'm sure it often is the same people who volunteer for things, the people who have jobs or spouses who can 'just come home earlier' for example, will be able to volunteer whenever they want, won't they? Doesn't mean that those of us that can't are deliberately being arseholes or taking the piss. Try to imagine for a second that not everyone's life works the same as yours.

As I say, I volunteered before having young kids and can't wait to get back to it, but at the moment I can't do anything because no one wants a volunteer who needs to wrangle their own children (which is fair enough). Again, if I needed volunteers, parents of small children would not be the ideal workforce because while there are some with only one child/family support/spare time, the majority probably don't have those things.

DD attended her first Scout event at 4 months old. But that wouldn't be possible on a regular basis. She started regularly at 4yo.

When it comes down to it... People don't want to volunteer. Thats the reason. Its not for everyone.

It's not just scouts. I know of a few charity run preschools that have closed recently because they couldn't find 5 parents to be on their committee. I have volunteered a lot in the past and it is very easier to let a voluntary role take over your life.

This.

I used to volunteer with the guides and I just got fed up of it because of this.

My final irritation came one evening I was running the session (I was assistant leader and the leader has to do a work shift) and finished promptly at 9 pm as I had somewhere to go afterwards. I ended up waiting with one of the guides for 40 minutes. She refused a lift home (as no one would be there) - turned out that he dad was a driving instructor and was out doing that until 9.30 pm and had no intention of picking her up until 9.40 pm. Neither of them thanked me when he did arrive - she just got in the car and they drove off before I had chance to say anything. I was FUMING!

I've since volunteered a the swimming club - too many parents 'couldn't help' but felt free to moan about all the stuff 'the club' should be doing but didn't. I asked one of them one day exactly who 'the club' was - did she mean the other parents who volunteered should be doing more?

I can't volunteer regularly as I can't bring my younger child and DH often has to work late.

I totally agree with this post.
I think what most people aren't aware of is that there are at least as many volunteers working behind the scenes in Scouts (and probably all voluntary organisations) that parents don't see, as there are the 'public facing' volunteers.
All the folk that put on the training that the section Leaders need to do, for example. Those that do the administration for that. Those that cut the grass. Those that lock and unlock the hut, put new toilet rolls in and empty the bins. Those that welcome and interview new Leaders. Those that put the DBS checks through. Those that do the accounts. Those that plan, set up, run and break down every single camp - that's from your 24 hour indoor sleep over, to your Gillwell24 type event, where 500 older teens have a phenomenal weekend every year, and even your World Scout Jamboree where 40 000 people from countries across the World meet once every 4 years. The quartermasters that dry the tents after camp, sort repairs or replacements. The person that does the shopping to feed100 people on a weekend camp. The people that run the weekends that volunteers go on, to get permits for activities such as climbing, hill walking, archery, and all the water activities. The list is endless.

I don't agree with getting cross with people that can't volunteer.
I do however roll my eyes when people say "I can't volunteer because I have 3dc and we both work outside the home", as that is the profile of huge numbers of people who do volunteer. I know it isn't for everyone - particularly running a section - BUT, if people were to say "I can't do meeting nights, but if you can think of something else I can do to help you out, please ask", it just gives off a completely different vibe.

or their other half has to come home from work a little earlier than normal

Some of us don't have an "other half". 🙄

I run a scout troop and have done for the last 15 years. I gave notice in January that I would be stepping down at the end of the summer term as were 2 others (out of a team of 4)

This left 1 trained leader and parents were all told that the troop would not reopen in September if we couldn't recruit new leaders. Out of 30 parents only 2 contacted me to say Thankyou and sorry you are leaving. Not one stepped up to help.

I've agreed now to stay until Christmas and we have put a parent rota in place - someone not connected to the troop has come forward to be a leader and is doing really well and I'm in the background more as support.

Despite reminders parents "forget" they are due to help and many are now dumping their kids in the carpark and speeding off. This backfired a few weeks ago as I was the only adult that turned up to run the evening (other leader was out sick and parent helpers just didn't show) I had no choice but to phone parents to come back and collect their kids as I'm not allowed to run a troop meeting in those circumstances. Major complaints from parents but it hasn't made any difference.

I'm tired to trying to keep the show on the road. I'm tired of dealing with parents who don't show up in time to collect their kids. I'm tired of trying to put on a decent program with kids who are there but have no interest so ruin it with their behaviour. But mostly I'm tired of giving up my time for no thanks or support from parents.

I'm not looking for praise or any accolades but a simple Thankyou and an acknowledgement of what we do goes a long way.

I started with scouting when my eldest dc was in beavers and the colony was going to be closed due to a lack of leaders.

I will walk away at Christmas.

that being said, I do agree that there are more volunteers for some things than others.

Last winter school did a trip to the local church, it only took an hour, yet they really struggled for volunteers, it had to be rearranged. I was able to volunteer as I wfh flexibly, it was only an hour out of my day, and it was on a day that ds2 was in preschool.

Yet the trip to the sealife centre in the summer term required parent volunteers from 8-5 and they were inundated with offers

Yet the trip to the sealife centre in the summer term required parent volunteers from 8-5 and they were inundated with offers

This is my main peeve. I do understand that for many, it's definitely a juggling act to get to a meeting. But usually, we are only asking for one or two evenings a year. If everybody helped, it would be less than that. I know many have younger children (although we alway say they can bring them), or difficulty rearranging things. But most people seem to be able to rearrange things for an interesting trip, or for a personal night out. So for many, it's less 'I can't', and more 'I don't want to'. Of course, there will always be one or two who genuinely can't, but they are much fewer and far between than many would have you believe.

Yet the trip to the sealife centre in the summer term required parent volunteers from 8-5 and they were inundated with offers
this with bells on , when I was the cub leader we had one or two dads that helped on a regular basis but struggled for other volunteers until it came to the canoeing night or climbing night when suddenly 15 dads could be free to help .

If I am being honest, I find my local scout leader a bit scary. She is rather bossy with the kids, but it is very well organised and she does a great job.

I finish work 20 minutes before the group and have another preschooler with SN, so not possible for me to wind down from work, eat, get changed and travel there and do the group in that time. I don't really have other time outside of work and other commitments to do it either.

Unfortunately a big part of it is the crappy management of the organisation. They often treat the leaders (those of us that actually work with the kids) like crap while the management swan about patting each other on their back and giving each other awards!!

It needs a complete shake up and modernisation in my view.

The harvest is great but the labourers are few

Ooh. I love this

Maybe that is specific to your District ? As it's not my experience in any of the District's I've worked in over all the decades I've been involved. Some of the people who work behind the scenes work incredibly hard, and I've never come across any of them treating any Leaders like crap.

I don't get this need on MN threads to tear people down so much.

No not just my district @UsingChangeofName - but both of those that I've been involved in.

And no one is 'tearing anyone down'. I'm answering the ops question. I'm glad if you've never had that experience but it doesn't mean that I'm wrong in what I'm saying. It's my experience which lots of us actual leaders in those districts agree with.

Stand for a District role, perhaps? Thinking of Gandhi's dictum about being the change you want to see?

I've considered it @moggerhanger but I actually like working with the kids and not with the other adults that quite frankly are more childish than my teenager!

In my section we just get on and ignore the District and County nonsense. But it is a reason why we have issues with volunteers- they can't be bothered with some of the stupid drama and leave.

That's a real pity, that your District/County are a barrier rather than an enabler. I'm lucky in that my (female) DC is very pragmatic and can-do, and brooks no nonsense. But I can imagine how a culture develops that loses sight of what Scouting is for. (The arguments I've had with some fellow leaders about uniform are a small snapshot!)

What stops people from volunteering?

• don't agree with the ethos of the organisation
• don't like helping out with kids (or horses or over 75s or whatever it may be)
• haven't got time due to work / caring
• haven't got the energy
• prefer other hobbies
• hours are better spent in 2nd job or on overtime or side hustle (especially now)
• messes up the family timetable / too much of a commitment

I used to volunteer in the scouting/guiding movement for about 20 years. I enjoyed it, felt it was worthwhile but gradually in my view political correctness and politics just began to take over. I feel sad as I think children used to get so much out of it all.