Why Wrexham Scouts Say a Million Hands Make Light Work

Young people from across Wrexham have signed up to make a difference with a new campaign from the Scouts to give them the opportunity to help others.

New figures released today have revealed that the UK may be losing out on over 15.4 million hours of youth volunteering time each month.

The poll, commissioned by The Scout Association and conducted by ComRes, discovered that 82% of young people in the UK believe it is important for today’s youth to tackle social issues. However only 36% of one thousand 12-24 year olds spoken to believe that they have the opportunity to do so, with one third (37%) participating in social action once every week.

Scouts in Wrexham hope to help buck this trend by forging partnerships with charities concerned with disability, mental health, dementia, and access to clean water. One group of teenagers, K2 Explorer Scouts, looked at each of the issues and decided to work with Mind to support those with mental health issues.

One of the Scouts, Harry Morgan, 17 from Cross Lanes, said: “Mental health has become an ever more prevalent issue that we have only really come to grips with over the past decade. Being able to provide support to those who need it most will give us a feeling of satisfaction, knowing that those who are coping with their day to day struggles are being given the attention and care that they deserve.”

Sue Lister from Wrexham Scouts said: “In Scouting, we believe in changing lives, which is why we encourage young people to get involved in volunteering early on. Almost three quarters of Scouts volunteer in their local communities every week.

“Scouts have always helped other people. In the past this has manifested itself in many ways, from litter picking to washing cars. However we want to move from being merely ‘useful’ to having a life-changing impact. That’s why The Scout Association has launched A Million Hands, a new campaign to mobilise half a million Scouts to help inspire more youth volunteering and social action across the UK.”

Bear Grylls, UK Chief Scout, who is launching the campaign, said: “The Scout Association is pledging one million hands, to support four of the biggest social issues currently facing the UK and the wider world. But we can’t do it on our own. We want all young people to come and give Scouting a try and to get involved. This is how we can all play a vital role in shaping tomorrow’s world for the better.”

Find out more about the Scouts at www.scouts.org.uk/get-involved