We endlessly read about the incredible burgeoning popularity of Scouting and Guiding (presumably in these days of not allowing DCs out to play alone and unsupervised!) YET parental involvement is like hens teeth around here!
DS2s Beavers draw up a roster for parent help BUT only from those who have agreed to help so my actual 'turn' comes round once every half term tho' I help far more often than that; DS1s Cubs- well, I'm at risk of being put in a uniform I'm there so often! Probably 2 out of 3 meetings! Now I have to say there are several reasons I help: my DSs are not 'natural' scouting material but I really feel what scouting has to offer them is so worthwhile that I go often to 'encourage' them, AND they go 'out of village' which means there's no one from their schools there; also, I don't mind helping as I think scouting and guiding leaders deserve medals for all the time they give our DCs for free. At Beavers, by and large, you're a bit supernumerary- they don't actual NEED the help but they do need the legal minimum adult to child ratio. Cubs- well, you're in there running around, generally having a good time. Oh, and stacks of washing up at both!
MY thing is I believe that the movements should INSIST on some reciprocation in that if you want your DC to benefit from these activities, YOU, as a parent should expect to have to put something IN. God, Akela has had to insist that the parents actually enter the hall to collect their DSs so he can eyeball them and pass on important information! I can't deny also there is also the issue that I think a couple of parents might get a bit of a rude awakening if they saw how 'difficult' their DS is once they're out of supervisory eye-shot!
And OK we could argue we SO have to be involved in EVERY aspect of our DCs lives these days, which is true but I DO feel organisations run entirely by volunteers deserve the help!