Scouting in York is thriving. There are over 2000 children and young people developing skills for life across every community in the City. Supported by over 600 adult volunteers, we operate over 120 Squirrel, Beaver, Cub, Scout, and Explorer sections in our geography.
Collectively Scouts is changing, as we move to make ourselves easier to understand, more inclusive, and open to new volunteers wishing to join our movement. Through teams-based volunteering, we are making our roles clearer, our structures more streamlined, and our teams easier to join.
To help us remain relevant, fit for purpose, and ready to grow, Scouting in the City is changing too. We will move from three charities governing Scouting in York to a single charity and Scout organisation. This will be called ‘City of York District Scouts’.
In our recent update to volunteers in the City, we asked you to save the date of 7 October for a drop-in information session, to hear all about how we plan to transition to our new operating model. This is an optional session, and is simply an opportunity to ask the County Trustees and County Leadership Team any questions you may have. You can drop-in anytime between 18:30 and 21:00 in York RI Rugby Club’s function room. This is off New Lane, Acomb, York YO24 4NT, and there is ample car parking available.
We’re looking for the team of people that will build, shape, and lead City of York District Scouts. With over 600 volunteers already involved across our 24 Scout Groups, we are keen to invite everyone to express their interest in joining the new team. Whether that is governance, leading a team, supporting with administration, or driving the tractor at Snowball, we want to hear from you!
We are just asking for expression of interest in joining City of York Scouts at this stage, to enable the County Team to open up conversations with those interested in playing a part in the team!
If you have any questions about any of the below roles, please email york@nyscouts.org.uk and one of the team will come back to you.
Please note that the below opportunities will likely grow and develop, as we will be appointing the District Leadership Team first. We are trying to find the right balance between setting up the team to hit the ground running, whilst still enabling the District Leadership Team the opportunity to tweak and shape their teams.
*Also a member of the District Leadership Team
*Also a member of the District Leadership Team
This team will plan, lead, and deliver our annual programme of events for our sections – examples include the District Night Hike and our Sixer & PL event.
*Please note that the Programme & Events Delivery Team Leader will also be a member of the Programme Leadership Team
This team will be a pool of volunteers who will help support our events Delivery Team by providing people to help at events such as St George’s Day, and the Snowball Easter Event. A great opportunity for those volunteers who may have been in what used to be “York Active Support”
*Please note that the Programme & Events Support Team Leader will also be a member of the Programme Leadership Team
We’re also looking for people who just want to help out as a general members of the team, at work days, cutting the grass, building and maintaining the site, or being a friendly face to welcome groups at the weekend!
*Please note that the York Scout Activity Centre Team Leader will also be a member of the Programme Leadership Team
*Also a member of the District Leadership Team
We are looking for a group of volunteers to help our sections collaborate and support each other across the District.
If you would like to express your interest in any of the above opportunities, please complete the quick form via the below link!
If you have any additional questions that are not answered below, please reach out to the team on york@nyscouts.org.uk and we will do our best to answer.
A: It is the intention that the District, inline with other Districts across the County, will continue to run Explorer Units as devolved provision, partnered with Scout Groups. We will phase out the use of the current Ebor and Minster neckers and let Units choose whether to wear Group neckers, or to wear the new district necker (which has not yet been designed)
A: Yes. St George’s Day is a great example of an event that our Districts all collaborate on and we would like this to continue. Planning for the event in 2026 has already started.
A: The District Lead Volunteers and representatives from the County have already met with the Treasurers from York Joint Scout Trust, Ebor and Minster to discuss a way forward. Finances will be pooled to support Scouting in York, with a budget designated for the development of activities provision and improvements at Snowball.
The Scout Association prescribes two ways in which District boundaries may be changed; merger or closure. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages however in either case the outcome is the same.
If two (or more) Districts are to be merged, one District takes over the other. The District remaining incorporates the funds and assets of the closing District and the closing District is wound up both as a Scout District and as a charity. The main drawback of this method is that since the merger is a takeover, one District may be perceived as being the “winner” and the other the “loser”. It can be difficult to deal with the sensitivities of Members involved in the merger. In summary, the merger process is easier at a practical level but more difficult to achieve without an emotional impact.
The alternative is to close the current Districts and to open a new District to cover the same geographical area. In this case the original Districts need to be closed (both as Scout entities and as charities), and new District(s) should be opened (both within Scouts and as charities). The disadvantage of this method is that it is procedurally more complex than a merger, for example in this case finances from the original Districts should be transferred to the County/Area/Region who then gives them to the new District as appropriate. The advantage of this approach is that all of the original Districts are treated equally and so it is emotionally easier to achieve. Taking this in to account, the North Yorkshire Scouts Trustee Board has agreed to manage this as a brand-new District.
A: York Scout Activity Centre is owned by The Scout Association Trust Corporation (SATC), who hold title deeds on behalf of local Scout Units (Groups, District, and Counties). In this case, the SATC holds the title deeds on behalf of York Ebor and York Minster District Scout Councils. As part of the closure of any Scout District, the assets (property and finances) are transferred to the relevant County, who reallocate them to the appropriate new District. In this case, North Yorkshire Scouts will hand over the management of the asset to City of York Scouts.
A: The management of Snowball will rest with the District Leadership Team, with responsibility delegated to the new Snowball Team Leader who will be a key member of the District Programme Team. The Governance of Snowball will rest with the District Trustee Board. In line with the structures adopted post transformation, the Snowball Management Committee will cease to exist and responsibilities passed to the Trustees and Snowball Team as appropriate.
The District Support Team will support the Snowball Team with the management of day-to-day finances, general administration, and marketing.
A: In an ideal world, in line with other Scout Centres across the UK, York Scout Activity Centre would be entirely self funding, through fees charged to those who use it. However, for various reasons we are a long way away from this. One of the first tasks for the new District Leadership Team is to agree their annual budget in collaboration with the new Trustee Board. This will take in to account whether there is a need to continue adding a cost to the District’s capitation levy to fund improvements to the site, as well as whether Groups will be charged to camp or use the site at on an evening.
A: When the new District is set up, everyone with a District appointment in Ebor or Minster will be allocated to a Holding Team in the new District. This will allow the new District Leadership Team to work with team members on the right role for them in the new structure.
A: When the District is stood up and registered with The Scout Association, all groups will transfer to the new District. Automatically, the roles noted in POR5b.3.2.5 will become the Scout Council of City of York District Scouts. The Scout Council will hold an Annual General Meeting
A: Here at Scouts, due to our status as a federated charity, we can close sub charities without legal representation, as our governing document and bylaws permit it through a process outlined in P.O.R. 4.8.4
A: Groups will be split geographically in the City: York North, York East, and York West. There will be three District Team Leaders who will each be responsible for managing, supporting, and developing between eight and ten Scout Groups. Essentially these volunteers will take the Group line management responsibilities away from the District Lead Volunteer. This will help ensure that The District Lead Volunteer can remain strategically responsible for the overall District. These ‘Sub Districts’ will only comprise a District Team Leader and the Group Lead Volunteers. It is not intended for these teams to replicate any kind of District Structure, to run their own events, or have any additional responsibilities.
It is acknowledged that with 24 Groups it would be unproductive for Group Lead Volunteers to meet together with the nine District Leadership Team Members. Instead, District Team Leaders will hold Sub District Team Meetings for their Group Lead Volunteers to share initiatives, collaborate on development topics, and support their fellow groups. Group Lead Volunteers will also participate in a WhatsApp Group with their District Team Leader.
A: We are already really lucky as a City to have a shared identity and badge that everyone wears on their uniform. Members will continue to wear the City of York badge which will transfer to be the District Badge. Groups should stop issuing Ebor and Minster badges to their members. It would be down to the local Groups and sections as to whether they have a stitch unpicking exercise with their Young People and Leaders, or whether the old badges are just phased out.
A: As and when they expire, contracts will be passed to City of York Scouts as appropriate.
A: It is not envisaged that there will be a need to write to parents at this stage. If this changes, some key messages will be shared as appropriate for Group Lead Volunteers to cascade.
An explorer, adventurer and TV presenter, Dwayne's been seen in BAFTA nominated Channel 5 series Race to the Pole, on BBC Springwatch, Countryfile, National Geographic and Disney+.
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