Scouts announces more job cuts due to pandemic

The organisation, which previously announced 50 job losses in August, has now said around 100 staff will be made redundant in total.

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It has also announced the sale of Baden-Powell House, a hostel and conference centre in central London, and its Downe Scout Activity Centre in Kent.

The Scouts board of trustees described the moves as “a decisive plan of action to stabilise the movement’s finances”.

“These actions will enable Scouts to ensure young people continue to gain skills for life, to support communities most affected by the pandemic and safeguard Scouting’s future,” the board said, adding that it had “taken every possible action”, including using the government’s furlough scheme and increasing membership fees to safeguard jobs.

Matt Hyde, chief executive of the Scouts, said: “These are incredibly challenging decisions for our board to have to make. The prospect of losing valued colleagues and places that matter so much to our movement is incredibly painful.

“By taking these difficult steps we are driven by our purpose. Our priority is supporting young people at a time when they need us most, both during and after the pandemic.”

Two thirds of young people have told the Scouts that the pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health. Scouting aims to help young people feel better about themselves and the future.

Scouts has recently launched a nationwide fundraising campaign #RaceRoundtheWorld to support more than 500 Scout Groups who are in danger of closing within the next six months due to financial hardship.