Young Scouts from North Wales influence future plans

Young Scouts from Clwyd have played a key role in shaping the future of the UK Scout Movement by attending a national youth forum at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. The event, one of the first of its kind, brought together 500 young people from across the country to discuss and influence the organisation’s future direction.

Seven young people from Clwyd, representing areas such as Flintshire, Wrexham, Llangollen, and the Vale of Clwyd, were supported by four adult volunteers, all under the age of 25.

They joined Scouts from every county in the UK to take part in workshops and discussions on sustainability, outdoor experiences, safety, and youth leadership.

Sam Brumby, 13, from Rhyl, said: “I feel important, I feel like I’m making a really big difference. I’ve been participating in loads of activities today, and I feel like this is going to help change Scouts for the better. I think it’s a good opportunity to meet new people, to make new friends, and to have fun with other people from all walks of life. I feel very proud of myself.”

The forum is part of a wider effort to ensure that young people have a direct say in shaping the movement’s future.

Additional forums are being held in Belfast, Edinburgh, and Oxford, giving Scouts from across the UK an opportunity to take part.

Dwayne Fields, the recently appointed Chief Scout, said: “It’s important that the future plans of the Scouts are informed by young people, so that’s why it’s essential that young people from Clwyd are able to contribute to the future of the Scout Movement in the next ten years by having their say on our future plans.”

The day included interactive sessions where young people could propose ideas and refine existing plans for the next decade of Scouting. Activities focused on maintaining a strong connection with nature, ensuring safety within the movement, and amplifying youth voices in decision-making.

Aimee Curtis, Clwyd Area Youth Lead from Wrexham, who supported the group at the event, said: “Being part of the first-ever Scouts UK Youth Forum was an incredible experience. Making sure Scouting is youth-shaped at every level is crucial for our future, ensuring we offer activities that truly engage young people in the 21st century. The young people we took were fantastic—they contributed brilliantly, fully engaged in every activity, and proved themselves to be real change makers.”

Jacob Jones, Vale of Clwyd District Lead Volunteer from Rhyl, added: “I’m incredibly proud of the young people we took to the Youth Forum. They shared fantastic ideas and suggestions, helping shape the future of Scouting. They connected with Scouts from across the UK and British Scouting Overseas, fully immersing themselves in the experience and representing our area brilliantly.”

With over 2,000 young members, Clwyd Area Scouts was fortunate to send two delegations to the event, ensuring that voices from North East Wales were well represented.

The experience provided participants with valuable skills in leadership, teamwork, and public speaking, as well as the opportunity to influence the movement they are passionate about.