By now you may have heard that the Duchess of Cambridge has chosen to help out in Cub Scout Packs and Beaver Scout Colonies. What an incredible inspiration to young people and adults – showing that busy lives are not a barrier to volunteering

So what can the Duchess expect on her first day as a volunteer?  The first thing she’ll notice is the enthusiasm; when you walk into a Scout meeting place you really can feel the positive energy, I always find a smile creeps onto my face and the need to duck as a ball comes whizzing past me!   She’ll see young people helping other young people – passing on skills, working together on tasks as varied as map reading, community projects and learning about Fair Trade.  She’ll see parents and other helpers running games and activities.  The Duchess will also be joining over 106,000 girls, young woman and female volunteers in the UK Scouting.

But it’s unlikely she will see the same faces every week.  Scouting in the UK has over 100,000 adult volunteers and many of these help out on a flexible basis.  This means that they can fit Scouting around work, social and family commitments.  The Duchess is willingly helping out where she can, when she can, and we need as many other people as possible to do the same.

Young people have a natural instinct to do the right thing, and we try to encourage that.  But they need guidance and positive role models, which is very important with the development of a young person.

As someone who enjoys her home comforts, please don’t think that you need to be an outdoors expert to join Scouting; we do so much more than just camping and climbing! From arts and crafts, to drama, street sports and international expeditions, there’s a new adventure every week.

So, this week, we have a wonderful new face joining us – and it’s a brilliant boost for Scouting near her home and across the country.   Next week it could be your turn to go to your first Scout meeting and experience the great Scouting spirit for yourself.  It’s not signing your free time away – it’s about experiencing everything life has to offer and helping young people see a more positive future.  When you give, you receive.  Interested and want to find out more? Click “Join The Adventure” at the top of this article!