Mayor calls for more volunteers to help lead London’s uniformed groups
April 19, 2011The Mayor of London Boris Johnson is calling for 3,000 Londoners to become adult volunteers and give thousands of youngsters the chance to join uniformed groups, like the Scouts and Guides.
More than 7,000 young people across the capital are currently on waiting lists to join organisations including the Volunteer Police Cadets, St John’s Ambulance and the Boys’ Brigade because there aren’t enough adult volunteers to help run the groups.
Today, the Mayor visited an activities centre at the Docklands run by the Scouts to meet youngsters from the YOU London partnership- a collaboration with some of the oldest, largest and most experienced uniformed organisations in the capital.
The Mayor wants more young people from all backgrounds to have access to the activities and highly structured learning that uniformed groups offer. Research* has shown that youngsters who are part of uniformed groups are less likely be bullied or to get bored and are more likely to want to make a difference in the world, compared to those who are not involved in any activity.
The Mayor London Boris Johnson said:
‘Uniformed groups are a fantastic way for youngsters to have fun, make friends and learn new skills. It’s also a great opportunity for volunteers to get involved with their local community and really make a difference to the lives of young people. The wonderful people who give up their time to become leaders are the lifeblood of these groups and we desperately need more volunteers to enable thousands more youngsters to fulfil their dreams of becoming a Scout, Guide, Cadet or Brownie.
‘I would urge any Londoner who has a hankering to do something different and want to challenge themselves in a new way to sign up and become a YOU London leader.’
Colonel Hugh Purcell, Chair of YOU London said:
‘Today’s event at the Docklands is a terrific opportunity to kick-start the campaign to encourage more Londoners to become adult volunteers with some of the oldest and most experienced youth organisations in the country.
‘YOU London partners have a prestigious history and by signing up to be a leader, you could be a part of their exciting future. ‘
Shaun Bailey, Managing Director of MyGeneration, a charity working to inspire young people to lead more socially responsible lives, said:
‘It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Army Cadets made me the man I am. It was not only terrific fun, it was the arena in which I developed many of the personal skills that made me successful as an adult.
‘As a young boy I was at risk of going off the rails; Army Cadets was the biggest single factor in turning that around. I was taught focus, drive and one of the most important skills that children need today – joining a uniformed group – made me robust enough to come back from tough situations.’
As well as providing benefits for young people, uniformed groups offer great opportunities for adult volunteers, including improving job prospects, providing academic qualifications, learning new skills and contributing to the local community.
ENDS
Notes to editors
YOU London is a unique partnership between some of the oldest, largest and most experienced uniformed youth organisations in the capital, who work to empower young people and help them to feel valued citizens of their local communities.
Organisations in the partnership are:- Air Cadets, Army Cadet Force, Boys’ Brigade, Community Fire Cadets, Girl Guides, Girls’ Brigade, Sea Cadets, St John Ambulance, Scouts, Volunteer Police Cadets and Prince’s Trust.
In London around 75,000 young people are in uniformed groups
*Nfp Synergy (2007) Typical Young People: a study of what young people are really like today
The Dockland Scout Project, HQTS Lord Amory is the only permanently moored campsite in the UK.
For more information on MyGeneration go to http://www.mygeneration.org.uk/
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