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IST Rafts

Everything you need to know about IST Rafts

A Raft is a group of IST members from across areas near you. Rafts give you other members of the IST talk to, plan with, and travel alongside. Each Raft: 

  • Helps you connect with others before travelling;
  • Supports you with information, updates, and guidance;
  • Provides a space to ask questions and share experiences;
  • Builds a sense of community through the journey to the Jamboree. 

Each Raft has a Raft Leader (also a member of the IST) and a designated member of the UK Contingent Support Team (CST) to help keep things running smoothly. 

Here are the Rafts set up across the UK:

A - NE Scotland, East Scotland, Forth, West Scotland 

B - SW Scotland, SE Scotland, Clyde

C - Cleveland, Cumbria, Durham, Northumberland, North Yorkshire

D - Greater Manchester (North, East, and West), East Lancashire, West Lancashire, West Yorkshire

E - Central Yorkshire, Humberside, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire

F - Cheshire, Derbyshire, Merseyside, Staffordshire

G - Birmingham, Coventry, Hereford & Worcester, Shropshire, Solihull, West Mercia, Warwickshire

H - Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire

I - Cambridgeshire, Guernsey, Jersey, Norfolk, Suffolk, British Scouting Overseas (BSO)

J - Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire 

K - Kent

L - London (all Counties)

M - East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey

N - Berkshire, Hampshire, Isle of Wight

O - Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset

P - Avon, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire

Q - Wales

R - Northern Ireland

Connecting with Your Raft 

To help everyone get connected safely and consistently, we’re using a two‑step approach: 

Step 1 - Initial email introduction 

You’ll first receive an email which will: 

  • Introduce you to your Raft
  • Explain what to expect
  • Share the next steps for joining your Raft community 

All emails follow Scouts Safeguarding and Digital Communication guidance. 

Step 2- Join your Raft on WhatsApp 

We’ve set up a WhatsApp Community for all IST. Within it, each Raft has its own group. 

This is where: 

  • Raft Leaders share updates;
  • CST members answer questions;
  • You can chat, support each other, and build connections. 

Join the IST WhatsApp Community, then request to join your named Raft group. You can find which Raft you belong to, based on your County/ Region/ Nation, at the top of this page. 

If you can’t use WhatsApp, don’t worry, key information will still be shared by email, so you won’t miss out on any exciting news and updates.

Safeguarding 

All communication follows UK Scouts guidance. If you’re under 18: 

  • You must include an additional adult in any direct messages to your CST.
  • Your CST will support safe communication within the WhatsApp group, by ensuring that Scouts guidance for online communication is always followed.

Raft Leaders 

Raft Leaders are members of the UK IST who support other IST members in their Raft. A Raft Leader will be a friendly face for IST in their Raft in the run up to the Jamboree. Raft Leaders are a local contact who is also IST and can facilitate get togethers for their Raft alongside answering local Scouting or general Jamboree questions.   

Raft Leaders should be your first contact should you need to ask a question about the Jamboree.  

Raft Badge Guidelines 

Many Rafts choose to design a badge to help build identity and community. To make sure badges are consistent with Scouts brand guidance: 

  • Follow the official badge guidelines. Read the full guidance and find resources here: IST Raft Branding and Media Guidance
  • Submit your design to the UK Contingent for approval before ordering any branded items. 
  • We’ll review submissions to ensure they meet brand requirements and help make sure the whole Contingent represent Scouts as best as possible.