This week is Volunteers’ Week – a national week celebrating and recognising volunteers across the UK. Throughout this week, Gloucestershire Scouts is going to be highlighting the important work of our volunteers and the benefits of volunteering.
Today we are focusing on reasons for volunteering – there are so many reasons someone may choose to volunteer, not just in Scouting but with other organisations.
Kat Holter, our County Volunteering Development Lead recently visited 1st Prestbury to find out about why the adults there volunteer and what they enjoy about it.
Ashley started volunteering at Squirrels in Prestbury but has enjoyed it so much that she has now also become a Beaver team lead in Swindon Village. When asked why do you volunteer in Scouting she said ‘If you’re going to volunteer you might as well do something fun, and Squirrels is fun’. She says that working with the Squirrels and Beavers is exciting as it is different to her day job and is a great way to support young people’s development.
The Beaver session that night was run by group lead Chris Whisker and supported by a team of volunteers, most of whom are parents of children in the group. One volunteer said, ‘you ask why we volunteer, well why wouldn’t you!’ as they supervised the Beavers holding young quail which a few weeks earlier they had seen as eggs!
Across the county there are many parents who become volunteers to support the groups which their children belong to, but this is not the only reason people volunteer. We also have members who have grown up through the movement who decide to continue with the organisation and volunteer when they turn 18. Many of these will have been young leaders during Explorers, developing leadership skills and learning about programme planning. For many it’s a great way to give back to the movement or a way to meet new people as they venture to university or move away for work.
Other reasons for joining include meeting likeminded people, getting experience of working with young people for careers or passing on skills to the next generation. Take a look at the video to see the story of Anes, a volunteer.
Whatever their reasons are for volunteering, the adults making Scouting possible across our County are doing great work. There are inspiring programmes happening every week within Gloucestershire and we want to recognise the hard work put in to making them possible.
Keep an eye out for more about volunteers throughout the week!