As one of your two Denewulf Youth Leads, I will be drawing on my own experience of youth-led Scouting as a King’s Scout, Hampshire Explorer Ambassador and former Young Leader to drive opportunities for young people across the district, supporting them (and their leaders) to involve young people in decision-making; encouraging the take-up of Top Awards and YouShape challenges.

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I’m excited to be in this role, helping shape the future of Denewulf, providing support for young people and their leaders. I have been involved in Scouting since I was 8, including being a Young Leader for 4 years, which has helped me to understand more of what young people need from Scouting. It has provided me with so many opportunities, one of those being Project 23, I want to make sure young people are aware of the opportunities that are available to them.

District Youth Representative – Kara Nash

I’m an Explorer at Watkins ESU and a Young Leader at 2nd Fareham Sea Scouts. I’m really looking forward to meeting other Explorers and younger sections, helping them access the amazing opportunities available in Scouting.

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You can find the Youth Team on Facebook and Instagram; please drop them a follow!

• Support volunteers to put the views and ideas of young people at the heart of their section’s programme.
• Promote participation in the YouShape Award and Top Awards.
• Help to make sure that young people get regular opportunities to take the lead, including promoting peer leadership and the Young Leaders’ Scheme.
• Inspire and motivate young people in the District and make sure they know about the different opportunities available to them in Scouts, including what they can do when they turn 18.
• Influence decisions that are made in the District as a member of the District Trustee Board, making sure that young people are at the heart of decisions.

That’s a lot of words, and despite that, it’s still vague, so here is what we’re actually planning and working on:

• Visiting Explorer Units to earn their Central Badge, beginning the YouShape Award.
• Creating a Youth Forum for Scouts and Explorers to share and present their ideas.
• Developing YouShape Award packs for all sections, supporting delivery by volunteers.
• Promoting the Young Leader Scheme with our information pack.
• Showing a clear pathway to becoming an adult volunteer for young people.
• Making young people’s voices heard at Trustee meetings, securing their priorities.

If you think you can help with any of these plans, have an opinion, or would like us to visit your section, please get in touch with the team via [email protected].