We’re looking for a County Youth Lead – Could it be you or someone you know ?
Purpose of the role
To support, empower, and connect District Youth Leads across the County, ensuring young people’s voices are heard, valued, and acted upon in shaping Scouting at every level. The County Youth Lead helps create spaces for meaningful participation (such as youth forums), champions youth-shaped Scouting, and works alongside adult volunteers to strengthen youth involvement in decision making.
Key responsibilities
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Support District Youth Leads
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Provide guidance, encouragement, and practical support to District Youth Leads.
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Help them share good practice, develop skills, and grow in confidence in their roles.
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Act as a first point of contact for District Youth Leads within the County.
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Facilitate youth voice
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Coordinate and run County youth forums, events, and opportunities for young people to share their views.
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Ensure feedback from these forums is passed on clearly to County Teams and beyond, and that young people see the impact of their contributions.
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Champion youth-shaped Scouting
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Promote meaningful youth participation at all levels, working with County and District teams to embed youth-shaped approaches.
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Share resources, ideas, and inspiration to help leaders and managers involve young people in decisions.
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Encourage a culture where youth voice is listened to and acted on in programme planning and governance.
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Connect and collaborate
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Work as part of the County Team, ensuring youth perspectives are included in discussions and decision making.
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Liaise with the UK and Other Counties Youth Leads to share updates and opportunities.
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Support inclusive practice, making sure all young people—regardless of background or ability—can contribute.
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Qualities and skills
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A good communicator, able to listen to and represent the views of young people.
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Supportive and approachable, with a focus on enabling others rather than being the centre of attention.
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Organised, with the ability to run effective meetings and forums.
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Passionate about youth-shaped Scouting and making it a reality across the County.
Time commitment
This role is flexible but typically involves:
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Supporting District Youth Leads (regular online/in-person catch-ups).
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Helping run 1–2 County youth forums per year.
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Attending County & HQ Team meetings (as appropriate).
What the role is not
This is not about being a “figurehead”. The role is about supporting others, enabling youth voice, and ensuring young people across the County have a genuine impact on shaping their Scouting journey.
How to apply or nominate someone:
You can either nominate someone using or apply for the role yourself using the Form. Any nomination you make will be kept in the strictest confidence. Nominating an individual does not commit them to applying for the role.
The closing date for applications or nominations is 10th October. Interviews will be held shortly after
Please do share this information with anyone you think may be interested and do get in touch with questions that you may have!
