Running a Squirrel Drey
Find out everything you need to know to run an amazing Squirrels programme that focuses on making new friends, having new experiences and learning skills for life.
How to start a Squirrel Drey
Everything you need to know to get started in opening your own Squirrels Drey.
How to run a Squirrel Drey
Getting to grips with the basics? We’ve put together everything you need.
Programme planning for Squirrels
Get information and advice on planning great programmes, based on the Squirrels activity and challenge badges.
Learn and develop your skills
Everything you need to know for getting started as a Squirrels volunteer and about working with Squirrels.
Furthering reach in your local area
Support everyone in the local community to participate as a volunteer or Squirrel.
Welcoming new Squirrels and moving on
Whether you’re welcoming the shyest of newcomers or need help preparing older Squirrels for moving onto Beavers, we’ve got you covered.
Express your interest to open a Squirrels Drey
If you've decided that you'd like to start a new Squirrels Drey and have completed the readiness checklist, please complete the form to express your interest.
This should be done by Group Scout Leaders, with the District Commissioner carrying out a final review.
Thinking about Squirrels
Are you wanting to find out more about Squirrels or considering opening a Drey? There’s lots of opportunities to discover more.
You can sign up for our online information, as well as question and answer sessions with the Early Year's team to find out more our newest and youngest section in Scouts, Squirrels.
Find out more about SquirrelsSquirrel Leaders should complete all the mandatory trainings:
There is also optional, Squirrel specific training:
- Learning and development for volunteers
- Keep your young people safe
- Get to know your young people
- Run games and activities
- Plan challenging sessions
Take a look at the main training pages for more information:
Programme updates noticeboard
As new material and programme updates are released, this notice board will be updated for quick access to Squirrel Programme Updates.
Squirrels Appreciation Day fun badge
With Squirrels Appreciation Day on the 21 January, new activities and a fun badge have been created to celebrate our furry friends.
Check out the Squirrels Appreciation Day badge
Disney partnership and fun badges
We're delighted to announce we've joined forces with Disney to create a range of fun badges for Squirrels.
Together we've co-designed a programme of exciting new activities to teach our youngest Scouts the values of confidence, kindness and courage.
Check out the Disney fun badge
Nights Away Staged badge
Your Squirrels can now earn their Nights Away Staged badge!
As of the end of January 2023, Squirrels nights away has been permitted in POR and can form part of your programme.
Youth social action in Squirrels
Getting young people thinking about the world around them and their role in it is integral to Scouts. No social action activity is too small.
Share your experiences to encourage social action in Squirrels.
Fill out the youth social action formOur Strategy - Skills for Life
Help support our goal to deliver more young people the skills they need in life.
Get involved