The Young Leader key
Helping you to unlock your potential
Welcome to the Young Leader key.
Here you’ll find recommendations on how to make the most of your leadership journey, with advice and ideas from other Young Leaders.
Perhaps you’re wondering how to jump in to leading your first game, or you're keen to know how best to share the skills you have? You might even want a few tips that'll help you to introduce yourself into the leadership team that you're becoming a part of.
You’ll find everything you need here.
Take hints from this Young Leader key, then share the expectations you have for your Young Leader role with the volunteers in the section you’ve joined. They can help you grow during your time in this role, and develop the confidence, skills and teamwork needed to succeed.
The more you can tell the volunteers you're working with what you want from your Young Leader adventure, the more they can help you achieve it.
Your journey starts here
It's time to get started! You're not alone on your first steps into leadership, as some fellow Young Leaders have some tips to share.
Tasks
Here are some suggested tasks that you could complete to help get you up and running as a Young Leader - from welcoming young members into the meeting to planning and running an activity yourself.
Conversations
Sometimes it's hard to know where to start, so these conversation starters will get you going. Look at these tips to help you know what to say when you're in your role.
Games
Do you need a quick game to fill a few minutes of your meeting? Here are some games that Young Leaders run with their groups.
What's next?
Are you looking for your next challenge in your role? Or do you feel ready to move onto Network Scouts? There's lots more to explore in your Scouts journey.
Explorer Scout Young Leaders' Scheme
ESYLs are Explorer Scouts who volunteer alongside adults in a Squirrel Drey, Beaver Colony, Cub Pack or Scout Troop.
Discover more about the Young Leaders' SchemeYoung People First Orange Card
The Orange card is a code of practice for young people. It's the policy of The Scout Association to safeguard the welfare of all members by protecting them from neglect and from physical, sexual and emotional harm.
Read the Young People First Orange Card
After completing your getting started modules, look at these early years learning resources. These will help you and your team learn about volunteering with this age group. You can access these at any time while volunteering with early years. There are videos to watch, blogs and articles to read and short quizzes to reflect on your learning. These resources are new, and we'd love to have feedback on what you think. Look out for any upcoming pop-up surveys or feedback forms.
Young Leaders leading the way with Squirrels
Find out how a few other Young Leaders are getting on volunteering in their Dreys.
Young volunteers leading the way with Squirrels