How we talk about teams and titles
Discover how to speak about your role in different scenarios
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We've always spoken about our roles in different ways, in different scenarios.
Most volunteers will be recorded on scouts.org.uk as a Team Member, Team Leader or Lead Volunteer, and using your formal role title is important in some instances.
It may sometimes be useful to also add Group, District, County (or equivalent), Region, Nation or UKHQ next to the role titles - for example, 'County Lead Volunteer'. In particular, you'll see this on the website and in POR, where roles with the same name may have different rules and responsibilities depending on their location.
But in many other instances, you’re best off describing what you do. Not only does it make you sound human, but it also makes volunteering with Scouts easier to understand.
Here are a few examples of different ways to talk about your role. Have a look at them with your team to help us use consistent language across Scouts.
Beavers Section Team Member for Anytown Scouts
Previously Assistant Section Leader - Beaver Scouts
Social:
‘I help at Anytown Beavers.’
Parents and carers:
‘I’m Eliott, one of the Beaver Leaders, but the young people know me as Rabbit.’
Email and formal situations:
Team Member
Anytown Beavers
Cubs Section Team Leader for Anytown Scouts
Previously Section Leader - Cub Scouts
Social:
‘I lead the team at Anytown Cubs.’
Parents and carers:
‘I’m Sandra, one of the Cub Leaders. At Cubs, all our leaders have names from the Jungle Book, so everyone knows me as Akela.’
Email and formal situations:
Team Leader
Anytown Cubs
Lead Volunteer for Anytown Scouts
Previously Group Scout Leader, District Commissioner, County Commissioner
Social:
‘I’m the Lead Volunteer for Anytown Scouts, and we’ve got 200 young people and 20 volunteers.’
Parents and carers:
‘I’m Debbie and I lead Anytown Scouts.’
Email signature:
All the best,
Lead Volunteer
Anytown Scouts
On the phone to an external agency:
‘I lead the volunteers at Anytown Scouts.’
To Scout volunteers or staff:
'I'm the Group / District / County Lead Volunteer for Anytown Scouts.'
Programme Team Member for Anytown Scouts
Previously District, County Leader, Assistant Commissioner - Programme, Section Support
Regional:
‘I support the Beaver Sections across the District/County/Region/Nation.’
‘I give programme support to the Beaver Sections across North Blankshire.’
UKHQ and official settings:
Programme Team Member
Anytown Scouts
Volunteering Development Team Leader for Anytown Scouts
New role
Social:
'My team makes sure volunteers are well supported in Anytown Scouts.'
Parents and carers:
‘I’m the Volunteering Development Team Leader at Anytown Scouts, which means I lead a team that supports new and existing volunteers.’
Email and formal situations:
All the best,
Volunteering Development Team Leader
Anytown Scouts
Support Team Member for Anytown Scouts
New role
Social:
‘I run the social media for Anytown Scouts.’
Parents and carers:
‘I’m on the Support Team for Anytown Scouts, and run the social media, so we can reach more young people who might want to join us.’
Email and formal situations:
Support Team Member
Anytown Scouts
Meeting Place Team Member for Anytown Scouts
New role - an example of a sub-team
Social:
‘I help look after the meeting place for Anytown Scouts.’
Parents and carers:
‘I’m one of the volunteers who looks after the meeting place here at Anytown Scouts. We’re always looking for more help, so even if you just have a couple of hours every now and then, you could come along and help.’
Email and formal situations:
Meeting Place Team Member
Anytown Scouts