SOLIHULL Scouts joined others from across the UK to help shape the future of the Movement.
The landmark UK Scouts Youth Forum came together at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester at one of the first events of its kind taking place to help the youth organisation to create its next decade of sustainable growth.
Kieran Smith, 17, from Solihull, said: “I’ve been a Scout for most of my life, so being at an event which is all over the country makes me very proud to be a Scout and very honoured to share my ideas.
“One of the things I love about Scouts is how you can meet loads of different people from all different cultures and backgrounds, and I think this is a great example of that. If I look back to when I started as a Beaver Scout, and the change to now, it’s really impacted my life.”
A pair of Scouts aged 10 to 14 and Explorer Scouts aged 14 to 18 from every Scout County or Area along with two adult volunteers, have been invited to youth forums in Belfast, Edinburgh, Manchester and Oxford to give as many young people as possible the chance to input into the Movement’s future plans.
Adult volunteer, Jo Jones, from Solihull, said: “It was fantastic to see so many young people from across the country coming together, sharing ideas and wanting to be involved in shaping the future of Scouts.”
The day forum event consisted of workshops and plenary sessions where those attending were able to examine draft plans for the future of the Movement and update and modify those plans in the light of their experiences.
Dwayne Fields, the recently appointed Chief Scout, said: “It’s important that the future plans of the Scoutsare informed by young people, so that’s why it’s essential that young people from Solihull are able to contribute to the future of the Scout Movement in the next ten years by having their say on our future plans.”
