Our Scouts’ Manifesto
Building brighter tomorrows
Supporting today’s young people to build brighter tomorrows.
.
We’re so pleased to be launching our Scouts’ Manifesto. Developed with young people and volunteers, it calls for policies to help young people and support our communities.
You can find out more about The Manifesto and read it here: Our Scouts’ Manifesto
Some suggested ways of helping to launch Our Manifesto can be found below
Host a youth husting!
What is a husting?
A husting is a meeting where election candidates or parties debate policies and answer questions from the audience. Hustings provide an opportunity to hear the views of candidates or parties.
When all candidates or parties standing are invited, a husting does not promote any candidate or party because they all can speak and be questioned.
You can read our political campaigning and general election guidance for support.
Who is responsible for hosting a youth husting?
We suggest group leaders and assistant leaders take the lead, with the option to seek support from the District Lead. However, note that our district boundaries may not align with constituency boundaries.
Why should I organise a youth husting?
There are many benefits for hosting a husting:
- Democratic education: Hosting a youth husting helps educate young people about how politics works, getting them more involved and informed about what's happening in their community.
- Representation: It makes sure that young people's voices are heard and included in political decisions, making sure everyone's perspective is considered in democratic discussions
- Dialogue: Youth hustings spark conversations between young people, political candidates, and elected officials, helping everyone understand different policies and viewpoints better.
- Policy Influence: By organising a youth husting, you can give young people a platform to influence political agendas and policies, empowering them to make a real difference in their community.
How do I organise a husting?
- Pick a date: choose a date for the hustings that works well for everyone.
- Please note that MPs are in Parliament from Monday to Thursday so you may want to pick a date on Thursday or Friday evenings!
- Invite candidates: Invite a balanced selection of political candidates from different parties or viewpoints to participate, allowing equal opportunity for all to present their ideas. To find who your local candidates are, you may want to use this resource: https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/ppcs/
- Invite young people: Reach out to young people in the Scouts community and invite them to attend the event.
- Provide information: Share information about how the hustings will run, making sure young people and candidates know what to expect.
- Prepare questions: Encourage young people to prepare a range of questions for MPs and candidates so they can get involved.
- Make it happen and share with the Public Affairs team so we can promote your amazing work supporting young people!
Share on social media!
Running a Facebook group? Active on Twitter or Instagram? You can lend your support and amplify the campaign message by sharing the social media materials provided below.
Who can share the manifesto on social media?
We encourage all volunteers to demonstrate their support and join us in shaping a brighter future by reposting and spreading the message across platforms such as Facebook groups, Twitter, and Instagram.
Check out this example of how you can help spread the word:
At Scouts, we're committed to making sure every young person has access to enriching extracurricular activities.
Right now, we have 100,000 young people on our waiting lists. To meet the demand, we need over 40,000 new volunteers. But we can’t do this without Government’s support.
Young people and volunteers cannot afford to wait any longer. They urgently need support to #BuildABrighterTomorrow.
Visit Scouts.org.uk/Manifesto to find out what support we’re asking for.
Run a Scouts’ twitter account? Tag your local MP and ask them to support!
Today, @[MP's Twitter handle], @scouts launched the #ScoutsManifesto, calling for govt support for youth & volunteers to #BuildABrighterTomorrow. In your constituency, waiting lists are growing, and we need more volunteers. Young people can't wait. Join us in taking action!
Our Public affairs team: Who We Are and What We Do
Our Public Affairs team is a small but dedicated team that works with politicians and decision-makers from across the political spectrum to increase awareness of Scouts and advocate for policies that support our movement, including our young people and volunteers.
We organise and facilitate one-on-one meetings with MPs both in Parliament and at local levels, and we participate in youth sector events and conferences. We actively engage young people in shaping our work, empowering them to speak up for issues that matter to them and ensuring that our advocacy aligns with the needs and aspirations of our membership.
Need support or planning an MP visit? Our Policy and Public Affairs team, Katie Jackson, Head of Policy and Public affairs, and Molly Taylor, Policy, and Public Affairs Executive, are here to assist you every step of the way!
Feel free to reach out to us at:
Thank you for your support – only together can we build a brighter future for the young people of the UK, and a stronger society for all together.
