Opportunities list
Parents and other family members are sometimes reluctant to offer
their help to local scouting simply because they don’t know how they can
help. By creating an opportunities list you can let parents know what
needs to be done.
You provide information about a variety of roles,
including uniformed and non-uniformed, and can send out the list on its
own, in a newsletter or with a section brochure.
Top tips
- Don’t just send out a list of role titles and
descriptions. Include a friendly introduction or even a separate
covering letter explaining that local scouting needs as much help as
possible to provide effective Scouting to young people. Remember that no
contribution is too small!
- Promote flexible scouting. Make parents aware that they
can share the roles with friends or that they can do just one part of a
role. By using this approach, you may be more likely to get greater
parent involvement in the future. Getting that first offer of help is
the most difficult thing. Once a parent is involved they may gradually
become more willing to take on other responsibilities.
- Be as detailed (and as honest!) as you can with the role
descriptions. Say whether the role requires the parent to wear uniform
or not and estimate how much time the parent is likely to spend carrying
out the role (i.e. hours per week, days per month or year). If a parent
knows exactly what is needed they are more likely to commit to
something. You will also save yourself time by doing this, as only
parents who can actually do the role will reply.
- Ask parents about their jobs and hobbies. For example,
if a parent is a fire fighter and is willing to show your cub pack
around the local fire station, then he/she can help but in a role they
are comfortable with. If a parent likes biking then they might be
willing to help run a hobby or mountain biking badge for your section.
Stress to them that there is nothing wrong with one-off help. If every
parent helped once then that could be anywhere between 10-30 helpers
over the year. Any help should be welcomed.
- Give parents the opportunity to talk to you about the
opportunities without committing themselves to a role. Give out an
appropriate contact number or let them know that you or somebody else
will be staying after a section meeting for this purpose.
Support material
The Parent’s Guide to Scouting
resource can be used to provide parents with more information about
Scouting and about how they can get involved. It can be a helpful
conversation starter!