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Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing at Scouts. Read more

Discover what this means

Supporting Refugees and Displaced Children

Supported by Save the Children

Request a speaker

Get in touch to request a speaker from the Save the Children, to help you explore the theme of supporting refugees and displaced children. Depending on availability and where your group is based, this could be a physicalvirtual or pre-recorded session. 

Get in touch

Step one: identify the need

What would you take?

Get thinking practically about young people’s experiences when they flee their home because of a conflict.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 1 hour

Run what would you take?

Word or phrase charades

Mime or sign a common word or phrase as we look at the challenges of communicating with those who speak other languages.

Ages: 8 to 14 | Takes: 30 minutes

Play word or phrase charades

Strongest shelter challenge

Work as a team to build a shelter from the materials you have, to get an idea of what life can be like for refugees and displaced children.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 1 hour

Run a strongest shelter challenge

Emoji maps

Make maps with symbols to help guide refugees and displaced children in new and unfamiliar places.

Ages: 8 to 14 | Takes: 1 hour

Make emoji maps

Displaced cook-off

See what life is like for those who must cook and eat after being displaced in this challenging cook-off.

Ages: 6 to 18 | Takes: 1 hour

Run a displaced cook-off

Community connections

We are closer to people around the world than ever - find the connections between migrants, refugees and yourself.

Ages: 8 to 18 | Takes: 30 minutes

Make community connections

Step two: plan action

Safe spaces

Discover what makes a safe, child-friendly space, build your own, and learn how Save the Children use them.

Ages: 4 to 14 | Takes: 1 hour

Discover safe spaces

Spread the word

How will you get your voice heard and spread the word about the issues facing refugees and displaced children?

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 30 minutes

Run spread the word

Hunt the ring

Learn a game from another country that’s been affected by conflict, then think about your favourite games.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 30 minutes

Play hunt the ring

Plan a community impact event

Plan an event in your local area to raise awareness of the issues refugees and displaced children face.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 1 hour 30 minutes

Plan a community impact event

Kind news

Can you think critically and challenge the headlines to build empathy for people affected by conflict?

Ages: 10½ to 18 | Takes: 1 hour

Run kind news

Welcome new arrivals

What makes you feel welcome when you arrive somewhere new? Could your group be more welcoming?

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 45 minutes

Welcome new arrivals

Step three: take action

Hold a child friendly space event

Build a child-friendly space in your community and use it to raise awareness about refugees and displaced children.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 4 hours

Hold a child friendly space event

Forced to flee solidarity walk

Follow one family’s escape from conflict with this interactive walk.          

Ages: 8 to 18 | Takes: 4 hours

Take an interactive walk

Welcoming messages

Send a welcoming message to young refugees and displaced children to show them they are welcome in the UK.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 1 hour

Send welcoming messages

Welcoming signs

Design and display signs that show refugees and displaced children are welcome in your local community.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 4 hours

Make welcoming signs

Show your support for the children of Afghanistan

Learn about the crisis in Afghanistan and create artwork to show your support for children forced to leave their homes.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 4 hours

Show your support for the children of Afghanistan

Community collage

Think of some of your favourite local places and create a collage to welcome anyone new to the area.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 25 mins

Make a community collage

Share a story

Create your own books to tell your community about the lives of refugees and displaced children.

Ages: 4 to 14 | Takes: 1 hour

Share a story

Share an international activity

Share meals, games, and dances from communities who’ve been affected by conflict.                           

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 2 hours

Share an international activity

Plan a film screening

Using film as the focus, plan an event to help others think about the experience of child refugees and welcoming new friends.

Ages: 6 to 18 | Takes: 1 hour

Plan a film screening

Step four: learn and make more change

Caring map

Put yourself in someone else’s shoes and make a visitor guide to your community.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 2 hours

Make a caring map

Debate the Sustainable Development Goals

Which goal should people focus on to help refugees and displaced children? Make your choice then defend your decision.

Ages: 8 to 18 | Takes: 1 hour 30 minutes

Debate the Sustainable Development Goals

Making connections

Build links with other Scout groups and learn about diversity in Scouts.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 3 hours

Connect with other Scout groups

Step five: tell the world

Sustainable development time capsule

Create a time capsule with a message for the present and the future.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 1 hour

Make a sustainable development time capsule

Quiz your community

Share your knowledge of the crises which force children to flee their homes, and quiz your community to raise awareness.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 30 minutes

Quiz your community

Share a shelter activity at an event

Share what you’ve learned about refugees and displaced children by building shelters at an event.

Ages: 4 to 18 | Takes: 6 hours

Build shelters at an event


Themes

Protecting our environment

With a little help from our friends at WWF, we’re fighting to protect our environment by restoring thriving habitats, bringing species back from the brink, and tackling root causes such as climate change.

View activities for protecting our environment >
Ending homelessness

Partnering with Crisis and Simon Community NI, we’re enhancing young people’s understanding of the many factors that contribute to homelessness, and showing them how they can help end the problem for good.

View activities about ending homelessness >
Better mental health for all

We’re working alongside Mind, SAMH and Inspire, to empower Scouts to take good care of their mental health, now and in the future.

View activities for better mental health >
Understanding disability

With support from the National Autistic Society, we’re helping our young people to become advocates for inclusion and build a more considerate world.

View activities for understanding disability >
Kindness in every community

Supported by the British Red Cross, we’re showing kindness to those who most need it at home and overseas – and we’re encouraging others to do the same too.

View community kindness activities >