Youth in the Lead
Youth in the Lead is an innovative new funding stream designed to promote and develop youth leadership skills. Scouting's Vision for 2018 tells us:
- Scouting in 2018 will be shaped by young people in partnership with adults
- Scouting in 2018 will prepare young people to be active citizens
- Members of Scouting in 2018 will feel empowered
Youth involvement is about engaging our young people in shaping their movement - from their own Scouting experience at Group and District level to decision-making at Regional and National level.
It is also about encouraging them to take the lead - in Scouting and in wider society - by helping them to develop the skills of active citizenship and leadership and helping them feel empowered to use them.
Youth in the Lead is an additional funding opportunity provided by the CashBack for Communities Small Grants Scheme.
Over £150,000 of funding is available over the next 3 years to support the promotion and development of youth leadership skills, across 5 key areas:
Patrol Leader Training
A minimum of 10 Districts per year will be able to bid for funding to support the delivery of leadership training to Assistant Patrol and Patrol Leaders in the Scout Section.
These applications should be made by the Assistant District Commissioner (Scouts), even though they may not be the person running the event.
Support resources for running the training will be provided and should be available in May 2013. You can download an application form here.
Young Leader Training
Funding will be made available to Regions to support the delivery of Young Leader Training, and will allow for at least 25 Young Leaders to complete the training modules in each Region.
For information of how this funding will be used in your Region you should contact your Assistant Regional Commissioner (Explorer Scouts) or Assistant Regional Commissioner (Section Support) for information.
If you would like information regarding the Young Leaders' Scheme itself, please contact the SHQ Adviser (Young Leaders) by email.
Application packs can be downloaded here.
Young Spokespeople
Youth in the Lead will be funding a Young Spokesperson course in Scotland each year for the next 3 years.
If you are a young person who is interested in attending - or you know of someone who you think would make a great spokesperson for Scouting you should make it known to your Assistant Regional Commissioner (Communications).
Youth Forums
In order to build on previous work in forming Youth Forums in Scotland, Youth in the Lead will be supporting pilot forums each year for the next two years, in both Districts and Regions.
Funding is available to:
- Pilot District Scout or Explorer Scout Forums in Districts which have previously not had such a body, with the aim of gathering views and ideas from young people to enhance delivery of their programme
- A District or Regional Forum of young people, convened to carry out an investigation into an aspect of Scouting which has a direct bearing on them and then report back to the District or Regional Commissioner
- A Forum for older Scouts and younger Explorer Scouts, or older Explorer Scouts and younger Scout Network members in a District or Region to discuss the issues around transition between their sections
- Pilot a Regional Scout Network Forum with the purpose of examining how 18-25 year old members can grow their own Section and better influence wider decision-making in their Region
Application forms can be downloaded here.
Activity Permits
In order to encourage more young people to gain activity permits in the hill, water and biking disciplines Youth in the Lead is providing bursaries of up to £200 to allow people between 16 and 25 to attend training and assessment courses at our National Activity Centres.
More details will be published on the courses available in the near future, at which point application forms will also become available.
Travel Bursaries for Rural and Remote Locations
To ensure that young people from all areas of Scotland have the opporunity to participate in Youth in the Lead funded activities, travel bursaries are available to help fund travel to and from the event.
Whilst any young person can apply for a travel bursary it is expected that applications will be from Districts in the far North and South of Scotland, as well as those Districts which do not form part of the mainland.
Should any young person wish to apply for a travel bursary they should first make contact with their District Commissioner, who should then make contact with Scottish Headquarters.
For information on any of the above intiatives please contact [email protected] or call 01383 419 073.