Bath University Guides and Scouts (BUGS) take part in a range of activities every year from boating and crafts, to pub tours and campfires. Affiliated with the Student Scout and Guide Organisation.
Volunteering in Scouts
Scouting is the largest mixed volunteer-led movement for young people in the UK, providing opportunities for children aged 6-18 to enjoy a range of activities, events and experiences. However, a current leader shortage means that 51,000 children in the UK are unable to join Scouting.
There are a variety of roles in Scouting to work with a range of different age groups, meaning that there is an opportunity for everyone to get involved, regardless of how much time you can commit:
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Section Leaders: Organise and lead the meetings. It sounds like a big job for students, but a number of our members are running sections in Bath and we have helped to put on some of the best events and activities in the district. It's a lot of work but has a lot of rewards, so is certainly worth considering!
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Assistant Section Leaders: This is the role most members pick. It provides the opportunity to run games and activities, but with less pressure than a full leader. An assistant leader attends (almost) every week to help with whatever the group is doing.
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Section Assistants/Occasional Helpers: Don't want to commit to a weekly basis but to help? Occasional helpers still run games and activities, but less frequently. It could be anything from once a semester to a couple of times a month. This is perfect for the busy yet helpful student. It's also a great stepping stone for anybody not quite sure about Scouting!
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Other: There are plenty of other opportunities in Scouting, we can basically accommodate anything. Maybe you have a specific skill or particular interest to share with the young people, or you would rather just offer a bit of time to help with the upkeep of our district campsite. Just send me a message and we can sort something out.
Benefits of volunteering in Scouting:
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It's fun!
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Gain skills relevant to working (improve your CV) or personal lives, such as teamwork, communication, leadership, etc.
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Opportunity to work with a variety of age groups and meet new people
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Getting involved with the local community
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Opportunity to go to national events such as Gilwell 24, Winter Camp, Strategy and Evolution, the European Jamboree, and much more
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Contributes to achieving the Bath Award, Duke of Edinburgh, or GOLD volunteering requirements
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Training in Scouting has also enabled volunteers to gain accreditation for Open College Network awards in Youth Work, and helped them to become associate members of the Institute of Leadership and Management and the Institute for Training and Occupational Learning.
Our training scheme is flexible and free, with options for volunteers to choose which modules are relevant to their role and development. For many roles, the handful of required training modules can be completed online.
If you want to get involved or have any questions, feel free to get in touch!
P.S. You can get involved at any point during the year, you don’t have to start straight away in October, we always need volunteers!