2nd Leyland & URC Scout Groups – Inspiring a new generation with skills for life

This week, we launched Squirrels in Leyland, a brand-new programme for children aged 4 and 5 years old. Our first official Squirrels Dreys at 2nd Leyland and Leyland URC Scout Groups – are creating a positive, safe environment for young children to develop, as they learn essential skills for life.

Squirrels offers the best of Scouts – learning by doing and getting into the great outdoors – combined with early years best practice of storytelling, routine, and play. It’s a huge leap forward for us: our first new age range in 35 years. And it is a key part of our response to the challenges facing young people.

We know that the most fundamental connections are made during the precious, formative years before five years old. What happens then – positive or otherwise – stays with them for life. Change the start of the story, and we change the whole story.

Rik – Lead Volunteer at 2nd Leyland Scout Group said ‘We are thrilled to have welcomed Squirrel Scouts into our group this week, the young people really enjoyed getting to know each other and we are super excited to see the section develop over the coming months.’

Ian – Lead Volunteer at Leyland URC Scouts Group said ‘We are incredibly proud that we will now be supporting 4 and 5 year olds with our new programme, Squirrels. A fun place for early years children to make friends, have adventures, and learn skills for life.

Giving children the best start in life

Research from Ofsted tells us that the young people hardest hit by the pandemic are not developing the basic skills and learning they need. Early years children have returned less confident and more anxious after lockdowns.

Squirrels offers skills for life when and where it’s needed most. This is our opportunity to help enrich the lives of young people, preparing them for a brighter future.

We’re offering this brand new programme, with wellbeing, kindness and social action at its heart.

Building closer families, stronger communities and a fairer society

Squirrels comes at a time when inequalities in our society are all too clear.

So we’re:

• Helping 4 and 5 year olds gain key skills like communication, teamwork and resilience through structured play and story telling
• Giving them a sense of achievement with great role models and a positive environment encouraging kindness and aspiration
• Strengthening the bond between parents or carers and their children by encouraging family volunteering
• Creating closer, more connected communities with volunteering at the heart.

Chief Scout Bear Grylls said: “I’m so glad that younger children will now have the chance to join our family of Scouts and develop skills for life.

All of us at the Scouts believe that by offering opportunities at this early age, inspiring a sense of wonder, fun and curiosity, we can have a long-lasting, positive impact on young people’s lives.

To make this work we need more volunteers to join the team and get behind us.”

Why we need help to make this work

We’re a charity and a volunteer-led youth movement. Squirrels can only succeed with the help and support of You! Volunteering at Scouts isn’t just about changing young people’s lives. It’s about doing something that’s #GoodForYou too. Good for your health and happiness, good for developing skills, and good for making friends.