Northamptonshire Scout membership booming , boosted by extra volunteers

The Scouts in the county recorded an eleven per cent increase in volunteers, according to the annual survey.

Following a call for more adult volunteers across the county in 2017, 252 signed up in the last 12 months.

These new adults have supported the growth of 184 new youth members, with a total of 2,460 adults and 6,336 young people enjoying adventure and learning valuable skills for life.

The strong volunteer growth also coincides with new research conducted by The Scout Association, highlighting the overwhelmingly positive impact volunteering has on the lives and mental wellbeing of those who volunteer.

The research showed that the majority of volunteers reported having improved life satisfaction (70 per cent) and self-esteem (66 per cent) since beginning volunteer work, as well as having reduced feelings of loneliness (42 per cent) and stress (33 per cent).

Nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of volunteers also stated that since beginning volunteer work they have developed useful work skills; with 59 per cent saying they feel more confident and 54 per cent feeling more motivated in their jobs.

Lee Jones, Lead Volunteer for Northamptonshire, said: “It is great to see such strong growth for Scouting in the Northamptonshire, both in youth members and volunteers is a huge achievement - and much of this is down to our amazing volunteers.

“We’re acutely aware of the importance of all the volunteers in Northamptonshire who give up their time every single day to help others.

“A majority of Scouting volunteers say they feel more motivated, confident and more skilled as a result of the work they do with us, so it’s not just those they’re helping who benefit.