Squirrel stories: Supporting communities
Over the past year, Squirrel Dreys have supported their local communities in incredible ways.
Near Gosport Squirrel Drey, there’s a strong military presence in the community, meaning that lots of young people and the people they live with move around a lot.
Some may only live in the area for a few months, so young members can find it hard to adjust to the changes of being in a new place.
By going to Squirrels, no matter where they are, it means these young people have some consistency in their lives. They’re always able to be a part of Scouts, make friends their own age and have fun.
When one family moved from Scotland, the Gosport Squirrel Drey linked up with their group in Scotland before they moved, so they could immediately welcome the family and help them settle in.
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As well as young people, Squirrels can support the whole family. Some parents and carers see the group as an extension of their military families, with a few parents and carers also volunteering at the group.
One mum moved to the community from Wales. She said helping at Squirrels made her transition much easier.
Gosport also opened their doors to a family who recently moved to the UK as refugees from Afghanistan. Squirrels has given them a new community in the UK and helped them to settle in after fleeing their home. They’ve done lots to support the family, such as giving them parcels for their daughter, Madiha.
Madiha loves attending Squirrels and she’s made lots of new friends. To make her feel at home, the volunteers made sure they had books in her native language. Her dad, Hik, also speaks very highly of the group, and he’s had a positive experience helping each week.
Since opening Gosport Squirrels, the community has grown and the support for Scouts has strengthened, as they’ve been able to recruit more amazing adult volunteers.
We hope you continue to have lots of fun together!