Feature: Youth work - Uniformed groups raise their game

10 February 2009 6 mins read Youth Work

Uniformed youth organisations have a long, rich history but face a challenge to prove their appeal and relevance to today's young people. Anne Gulland asks six of them how they attract members and volunteers and address current social issues.

GIRLGUIDING UK

Half the female population of the UK has been a Guide at some point. It is this extensive pool of former members that the organisation is hoping to tap into in its drive to recruit more adult volunteers in its centenary year in 2010.

Chief Guide Liz Burnley says: "We have been involved in the lives of so many women that the centenary is a great opportunity for us to welcome them back."

The problem of recruiting adult leaders is common to all youth groups, but the Guides has a waiting list of 50,000 girls who are unable to join because of the lack of adults. Burnley says: "We have to be more flexible about what we want leaders to do. We need to sell the benefits - we provide all sorts of support for leaders in terms of training and their own development."

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