The Countryside Education Trust, based in Beaulieu, New Forest, are looking for young people who wish to connect with the countryside and are looking for new challenges or outdoor experiences.
From one week taster courses, to young volunteer mornings, Year 10 and college work experience, internships and content makers, they provide a host of ways to learn new skills, develop experience and grown the CV.
The course is for young people aged between 16-19 years with an interest in the outdoors or sustainability. This free course is a great opportunity to get hands-on experience in environmental practices, build a CV with unique skills and experiences, and explore a future career in sustainability, nature conservation or farming.
Lifts from Brockenhurst Station and free lunches will be provided. Participants will spend the week working with the centre's farm animals and learning about environmental education, sustainable farming, conservation and woodland management, community engagement and early years education.
Date: 14th-18th July 2025
Times: 10am - 4pm
Location: The Countryside Education Trust, Palace Road, Beaulieu, New Forest
Signup: Email [email protected] to express interest.
We're always on the lookout for the next generation of leaders, inspirers and motivators. The Future Leader's Workshop is here to help do that.
We're delighted to announce our first future leaders workshop, taking place on Saturday 10th May at Base 2000, Basingstoke from 10am to 4pm.
If you think you might be interested in a Group, District or County Lead Volunteer position one day, or hold a role away from weekly section meetings, sign up below.
Plus, if you know someone who would be perfect, have a chat and nominate them below too.
Interested in becoming a kayaking or canoeing permit holder?
Already got a permit but want to improve your skills or build your contacts?
Maybe you’re an assessor who wants to help others get their permit?
You’re in luck! There’s a meet up of these permit holders this month.:
Where: 25th Southampton Sea Scouts, SO14 5GZ (Crosshouse road car park)
When: 09:00 to 14:00 on Saturday 26th April
What to bring: Your normal paddling equipment and clothing (Canoe, Kayak, Paddle board), Lunch and drink, Dry clothes
Cost: Free
Please let the organiser know if you intend to come: Steve Preston [email protected]
9:00 Arrive
9:30 Session 1 : Meet permit assessors and presentation on the kayaking and canoeing permits. How to obtain a permit: prerequisites, what to expect at assessment.
10:30 Session 2: On the water : Practising and improving our paddling and leading skills
12:00 Session 3: Rescue skills
13:00 Lunch and after paddling discussion: Sharing planned events this year, planning
assessments.
14:00 Depart
Dear Fellow Scouts,
I was very pleased to receive an email this week from the County Commissioner, following the completion of the 2024 census, informing me of the results. First, thank you for completing the forms. Second, I was thrilled about the outcomes and in particular the growth in our young and adult numbers, now positioning the organisation in Hampshire above our pre-pandemic figures. We also continue to grow our Squirrel Dreys which is extremely good for the future of the organisation and our Mission Statement 'to prepare young people with skills fore life'.
Finally, may I thank all the Leaders for their continuing support and enthusiasm in developing this excellent organisation.
I wish you all the very best for 2024. Yours sincerely,
Nigel Atkinson
HM Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire
President of Hampshire Scouts
Following on from ten previous successful sessions in 2023, we are offering further free Neurodiversity training courses.
The new dates are:
The course is provided by Ellie Hunt. Ellie is a neurodivergent neurodiversity advocate, with lived experience of autism and ADHD, and a teacher with 20 years experience working to support access and equity for young people with a wide range of differences that create barriers to education.
The day will look at what neurodivergence is, covering autism, ADHD and specific learning differences like dyslexia, how these might present themselves when at Scouts and how we can make reasonable adjustments to avoid what others may potentially see as challenging behaviours.
A light lunch will be provided, however our ability to cater to dietary requirements is limited to vegetarian only, so unfortunately if anyone has any further food intolerances, they will need to cater for themselves.
Booking is first-come-first-served by emailing Kelly Taylor and you can also notify her of any additional needs the organisers need to be aware of.
We know that the Scouts change lives by giving young people skills for life. So we want to make growing the Scout movement as easy as possible.
Along with the ever-changing hub of ideas and resources available on the Scout website, Hampshire Scouts has its own five-strong team of Growth and Development officers here to help start Scouts in places we're not currently in and to help volunteers grow their local Scouts.
Meet the team below and get in touch through the form on the Growth and Development page or by emailing them at [email protected].
Since May 2022, Kelly’s has been our Growth and Development co-ordinator. It's an important job involving scoping and allocating new projects, supporting her colleagues to ensure our projects have positive outcomes and reporting back to the County Leadership Team the impact they have made.
Kelly continues to look for ways to improve the experience of her colleagues and volunteers and to build on the success the team has had, ensuring opportunities for growth are acted up on. She's delighted to see the incredible work the team have achieved over this last year and the positive impact Scouting has directly had on our young people.
Our most experience Growth and Development Officer, Melissa has a wealth of knowledge of all things growth and development.
She has been involved in working with young people and the Scouts for many years and volunteers as Chair for the trustee board for her local Scout group.
Melissa is especially keen to see our sections for those aged 14-25 years and young leader programme grow. Melissa has supported many projects, from opening new groups & sections to the supporting struggling groups to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Lucinda is also new to the Growth and Development team, having started in February 2023.
Lucinda has previously worked in commercial recruitment & on STEM projects at Winchester Science Centre where she was involved in recruiting and retaining volunteers as part of an outreach team on the STEM Ambassador volunteering programme.
Lucinda is keen to start projects which have a positive impact on growth within Hampshire Scouts and is able to think outside the box when all other options have been exhausted.
Our newest member of the Growth and Development team, Ellie is an enthusiastic supporter of raising up young people to fulfil their potential.
Ellie is creative, empathetic and a determined individual who is passionate about the Growth & Development role.
She has worked as a science communicator and presenter for the last three and a half years working with various age groups; from schools and people with all different backgrounds, SEN/SEMH groups and behavioural support units to name a few.
Chris became a Growth and Development officer in May 2023 and has over 30 years of Scouting experience.
He is an active Beaver Scout leader in Denmead and is passionate about ensuring Scouting is for all and we give as many young people the opportunity to get involved as possible.
You could be part of the team at CarFest this year, as Hampshire Scouts is looking to expand the number of volunteers at this event. You'll help deliver the event, shout about the Scouts and show young people the best of what Scouts has to offer.
C4R-FEST is a one of the largest national festivals held at Laverstoke Park Farm raising money for children’s charities over the August Bank Holiday weekend (24-28th August).
The three-day event was devised by Chris Evans and is described as a family-friendly festival, bringing together legendary music performances, celebrity chef demonstrations, impressive cars stunts, amazing activities and celebrity appearances – something to suit all tastes and every member of the family
Since the event first began Scouting has been involved with C4R-FEST. Our Scout volunteers are an integral part of the team that delivers this huge event, helping out in a variety of roles and duties throughout the festival weekend. We also have a stand within the event itself, demonstrating and promoting the benefits of Scouting to up to 50,000 people over the three days.
We are looking for people to join our team volunteers at the event, helping us to expand the existing team, deliver the event, shout about Scouts and show young people and families the best of what Scouting has to offer.
As a scout volunteer you will be asked to work a couple of shifts over the weekend, usually Friday and then either Saturday or Sunday. In return for volunteering you will get free camping at the event, as well as free access to see the many different attractions during your free time. There's lots more information, including the acts that have been announced so far, on the C4R-FEST website.
There are approximately 10,000 daily visitors on site and an additional 15,000 who are camping for the weekend. This is a massive event and Scout volunteers play a key role in helping to make it happen. Our presence is a great way to promote Scouting as we are usually the first and last smiling faces the public see when they visit this event.
We want you to come along and join the team, so please follow the link to sign up:
This volunteering opportunity is open to:
We are also running a Residential Opportunity for those looking to complete their Kings Scout Award and/or Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. This runs from 24th to 28th August, with residential participants working each day of the event, getting to see first hand different aspects of what is involved in putting on a national festival event.
We want you to come along and join the team, so if you are interested and want to know more and join in the fun then please follow the link to sign up (please note on the application form that where it is asking for “Child’s Name” that is the name of the person volunteering).
You could be part of the team at CarFest this year, as Hampshire Scouts is looking to expand the number of volunteers at this event. You'll help deliver the event, shout about the Scouts and show young people the best of what Scouts has to offer.
CarFest is a huge car and music festival held at Laverstoke Park Farm raising money for children’s charities over the August Bank Holiday weekend (25-29th August).
The three-day event is described as a family-friendly village fete, bringing together legendary music performances, celebrity chef demonstrations, impressive cars stunts, amazing activities and celebrity appearances.
For more than 10-years Hampshire Scout have been part of the team welcoming visitors as they arrive and distributing the entry wristbands. There is also a stand with lots of Scouting activities taking place for young people to take part in.
You will work three 8-hour shifts and when you are not volunteering you will have the opportunity to see the cars, watch the bands and visit all of the different stands and activities around the site. This year the star acts include: Rag'n'Bone Man, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Kaiser Chiefs, Olly Murs, Tom Odell, Basement Jaxx, Bjorn Again, Natalie Imbruglia, Steps and Paloma Faith
With more that 10,000 visitors on site, many camping for the weekend it is a massive event and Scout volunteers play a key role in helping to make it happen. This is an adult only event so young people can't help unfortunately.
We want you to come along and join the team, so please follow the link to sign up:
Training dates have now been added to the training calendar.
Interactive training webinars have been organised for October and November 2022.
The webinars are presented via Zoom and include most of the modules for wood badge training.
There are also two residential weekends and a module 38 organised for October.
Details of the residential weekends and webinars can be found on the Adult Training Calendar.
To book your place on any of the residential weekends or webinars you can either download an application form via the training calendar page or use the online form.
First Aid (Module 10) courses and e-learning can be found on the First Aid page.
Latest information on Coronavirus can be found on the Scouts and Hampshire Scouts websites.
With events to get involved happening soon, find out about HYPER and how our older Scouts can support our community in an emergency.
Back in 2019, we started a project in conjunction with the Hampshire Local Resilience Forum, Hampshire Police, and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service. Called HYPER, the Hampshire Young Persons Emergency Response network, the aim was to train and support young people so they can help in times of emergency.
During those first stages of incidents such as flooding and heavy snow, our local councils and emergency services can get snowed under. The idea was that the various uniformed youth organisations could help distribute sandbags, leaflet households or help at reception centres. Whatever each local council would need from us! These volunteers aged 13-18 already have the skills needed and would be under the guidance of their existing trained leaders.
As we move beyond the COVID pandemic, we are restarting the project in 2022 to take it from pilot to operational. That's where you come in.
We have now scheduled three leader training sessions, where you can find out more before deciding if you want to stay involved.
If anyone is interested, could they please complete the attached form and return to [email protected].
If you want to find out more about the project and the journey so far, there is a flyer below - perfect to distribute to others too.
