ScoutsCymru

As #WelshCharitiesWeek comes to a close we’re sharing the story of someone who didn’t discover Scouting until she was an adult and went from helping out at her local group to becoming ScoutsCymru’s Chief Volunteer, the highest volunteer role in Wales. No two days are the same for Rhian Moore Chartered FCIPR – she helps plan Welsh and UK Scouting strategy, organises events, attends board meetings and selection panels for new volunteers as well as representing ScoutsCymru at official events. Above all, she loves helping people to “be brilliant” and seeing them “have fun and try things they wouldn’t consider doing without Scouts”. Read Rhian’s story, and find out how you can volunteer with us, here. https://lnkd.in/eV6g8zF2

Scouts and Explorers from Wales are invited to be part of ScoutsCymru’s very first Welsh Youth Parliament. Taking place on Wednesday 19 February 2025, young people aged 14 to 18 will form a Government for the day, and debate and vote on the issues that matter to them, just as our elected Welsh representatives do. Taking place in The Neuadd at the Senedd in Cardiff – where the government of Wales takes place – young people will play the part of Ministers representing their area, and will learn first-hand how topics are debated and laws are passed. ScoutsCymru has worked closely with the Welsh Centre for International Affairs (WCIA) and the Llywodraeth Cymru / Welsh Government to create this hands-on experience, and the event is sponsored by Lee Waters MS. You don’t need any previous experience of politics or debating to apply – we would love to have young people from across Wales and from all backgrounds, taking part. ScoutsCymru can fund reasonable travel and accommodation costs to ensure young people from all parts of Wales are able to attend. We also have template letters for young people to take to their schools to explain the educational value of this amazing experience. To apply, young people simply need to provide their details and tell us about something that is important to them. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/gG4AhmrY The closing date for applications is Monday 16 December, 11.59pm.

It’s Welsh Charities Week, and today we’re celebrating all the incredible organisations doing fantastic work right here in Wales. Whether they are saving people’s lives, looking out for the wellbeing and safety of young people, or providing exciting and life-changing opportunities, we want to say diolch yn fawr iawn for everything that they do. As a charity ourselves, ScoutsCymru recognises the importance of working with others so that together we can reach and support more people and better understand the different challenges faced in communities across Wales. We are proud to be part of a rich and active uniformed youth sector in Wales with wonderful organisations including Girlguiding Cymru and St John Ambulance Cymru. What you may not know is that our volunteers run Scouting activities with young people at Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice, or that we’ve developed a badge with RNLI in Wales so that more young people know how to keep safe in the water, or that we’re working with organisations such as Kidscape Kidscape, Brook and Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team - EYST Wales to develop new and interesting programmes to reach even more young people in Wales. There are 42,915 voluntary organisations in Wales doing such important work – and it’s a privilege to be part of this vibrant community. WCVA | CGGC #WelshCharitiesWeek #StrongerTogether 

Easyfundraising helps Scout groups in Wales raise money for free. Throughout December, countdown to Christmas, and your group could win £1,000! Back by popular demand, easyfundraising’s Advent Calendar returns to bring some festive cheer. Open the Advent doors from 1 to 24 December for daily chances to win up to £200 for your group. Every door opened is an automatic entry to win the big Christmas Day prize. To take part, sign up your group to easyfundraising. Then encourage your parents, volunteers, and leaders to sign up to easyfundraising too, so they can enjoy 24 days of advent fun. easyfundraising isn’t just for Christmas though. It’s a year-round fundraising option for your group. By partnering with popular online retailers, including John Lewis, Etsy, eBay, M&S, Boots, Argos and booking.com, easyfundraising provides a free and accessible way for your group to receive funding. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/euz7pcSD

ScoutsCymru helps young people in Wales build friendships, grow in confidence, and develop leadership and teamwork skills. It gives them a chance to have their voices heard, and teaches so many skills for life, whether that’s camping and hiking, cooking or wiring a plug, or making a difference in their community by litter picking or tree planting. We’re really thankful for everything our 4,700 volunteers do to give our 14,000 young members such life-changing experiences. However, 4,000 young people in Wales are currently waiting to join our adventure and experience what Scouts has to offer. As we celebrate #WelshCharitiesWeek this week, we’d love to get these young people off our waiting lists and into our weekly meetings. Can you help us make that happen? Find out about different ways you can volunteer with us and help give more young people these experiences here. https://lnkd.in/eWUzFPAZ WCVA | CGGC #WelshCharitiesWeek3

Play Wales held its national conference yesterday, including the launch of its new report, Playing and Being Well. This is a review of recent research into children’s play, social policy and practice, with a focus on Wales, investigating the connections between play and children’s wellbeing. ScoutsCymru’s Scouting Support Officer Helen Kenny Gough attended what she called a “fantastic event” and was inspired by the workshops including one on an anti-racist practical toolkit for people working with children, and one on play working alongside youth work.  ScoutsCymru will be reading the full report in detail and looking at how we can continue to keep working with other organisations in Wales to help transform the landscape of childhood play and learning across Wales. Read more about the report here: https://lnkd.in/e8QuXKqP

Best wishes to the cast and crew of the 2024 Cardiff Gang Show which opens at Cardiff's New Theatre, Cardiff tonight and runs until Saturday. Scouts and Guides have been busy rehearsing for months for the show, which celebrates 50 years of gang show tradition in South Wales, with a journey through the decades, showcasing the best of music and dance from each era. Two of our ScoutsCymru Youth Leads will be there tonight - look out for their review tomorrow! Let us know if you're watching or if you or someone you know is taking part. Tickets are still available. Book here: https://lnkd.in/ewPt2Z57 Girlguiding Cymru

Explorer Scouts from across Wales attended the annual Young Wales Festival in Cardiff at the weekend. The event was organised by Children in Wales - Plant yng Nghymru and gives young people the chance to meet with key decision makers and to share their opinions on the topics that matter most to them. Young people met with Rocio Cifuentes, Children’s Commissioner for Wales, and also took part in a video link up with Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden. They also attended workshops in social justice, mental health and education as well as getting creative with poetry writing and playwriting. Lowri Williams, Youth Lead for Wales, attended the event along with the Explorers. She said: “As the new Youth Lead for Wales my biggest passion within my role is giving a voice to young people and getting those voices heard. It was amazing to see this in action in the young Wales festival. Jamie Barlow, Youth Team member, added: “This was the first of many opportunities for young people that I will attend. It was fantastic to see so many young people from across Wales be so passionate about how our country should take steps to be better in the future.” ##YWFestival2024

"We support the wellbeing of our communities and play a part in our society doing our best to leave the world a better place". Can you help us support even more young people in Wales? We need all sorts of help, from joining weekly meetings, helping with projects across the Wales to supporting our governance. Reflections from ScoutsCymru's annual general meeting at the weekend from our Chief Volunteer Rhian Moore Chartered FCIPR. Find out more about the ways you can volunteer with us here:

Look out for Bridgend Explorer Scout Ethan, who will be performing on BBC Children in Need’s live appeal show this evening.    Ethan, 16, was chosen to be a part of this year’s Challenge Squad for Children in Need and has been busy rehearsing these last few weeks, ready for his challenge of performing with the theatrical circus group Come Alive, which pays homage to The Greatest Showman.    Ethan has been involved in Scouting since he was a Beaver, firstly at 1st Pencoed Scout Group and now with Bridgend District Explorers. He has a rare genetic disorder called Hurler Syndrome (Mucopolysaccharidosis type I) which affects his sight, hearing, and movement and has had 26 operations and will soon need to have a cornea transplant to save his eyesight. After his last operation, his mental health took a downturn – which is when his school put him in touch with UCAN, a BBC Children in Need supported performance and creative arts charity for visually impaired children and young people. The therapy and mentorship provided by UCAN helped Ethan come to terms with the health challenges he faces and begin to look forward and to embrace life again.    David Collier, Lead Volunteer for Explorers in Bridgend, said that everyone at the group was incredibly proud of Ethan and was looking forward to seeing him perform.     He said: “I have only known Ethan for two years, but he is a remarkable young man and never lets his condition affect what activities he wants to do. His drive to achieve all he can is truly inspiring.”    Speaking to The One Show, Ethan said: “I want to show the world that people living with disabilities should be proud and in the spotlight. I am excited and I am also terrified, but it will be a challenge of a lifetime. Rhian Moore Chartered FCIPR