Why scouting is shaping lives in Greater Manchester West...

Greater Manchester West Scout County have been nominated for a Community Organisation Award for Race, Religion & Faith at this year’s National Diversity Awards for our work with 1st Buddha’s Light - the UKs first Buddhist Scout Group. 

As a Scout County with 5000+ young people and another 1,200 volunteers, Greater Manchester West have approached the Scout Association’s 2014-2018 National Strategy on Growth, by focusing our efforts on Inclusivity, Diversity and Community. To have a truly diverse, inclusive and youth shaped county it is important to have Scout Groups who can see beyond the four walls of their Scout Hut and are connected through a lively County programme. Encouraging Inclusivity, Diversity and Community brings Growth borne out in the fact that scouting is more popular than ever before across the UK. The 2018-2023 National Strategy published alongside a rebrand brings with it a tag line reflecting the philosophy that scouting gives young people skills for life #skillsforlife. To do this scouting needs to take place in an environment which reflects society; boys and girls; multi-racial; multi-cultural and regardless of physical and mental capabilities.

I am the Deputy County Commissioner for Development and was privileged to attend the Buddha’s Birthday celebration this time last year before the Scout Group at Fo Guang Shan Temple was up and running. I met talented, motivated and enthusiastic leaders keen to get started. In recent months I have seen Mun Kit Choy his Cubs, Scouts and Leaders out and about, most recently at the Regional Shelterbox Scavenger Hunt in Liverpool into which he entered 5 Patrols! The evidence I have seen shows both the commitment and the value of pursuing new provision regardless of background, cultural and religious differences. The real value is that this is not a closed scout group; they are actively sharing and engaging with other troops and will ultimately accept young people from the local area whether they attend the temple or not.

Credit for this achievement needs to go to Mun Kit Choy, the County Commissioner, Andy Farrell, Matthew Percival of GMN and the local Stretford District Executive committee. Greater Manchester West has a Development programme and five year plan which is all about engagement, inclusivity and diversity bringing young people with disabilities, of all religion and every background into the organization. This is being supported by local businesses through our Corporate Patrons Scheme which reaches out to businesses in the community and engages them in funding projects which increase the breadth of activities and accessibility to new and enriching experiences for all our established and new groups.

There are many places in the UK where Diversity represents a greater challenge, but here in Greater Manchester West the achievement is not the level of diversity, but the levelling of access to scouting across the County. The 1st Buddha Light Group have already visited other Troops, taken part in District, County and Regional competitions and events and are active on Social Media sharing their enthusiasm for their adventures with other young people. They are also generously sharing their cultural heritage by hosting other Cub and Scout Packs at the Fo Guang Shan Temple and inviting leaders from the County to celebrate the Buddha’s Birthday.

Scouting is uniquely placed to offer young people from all backgrounds an opportunity to make friends and have fun in a safe environment, learning new skills and developing their sense of adventure. Here in Greater Manchester West, we need to celebrate our Diversity, Inclusivity and soul, and raise greater awareness of our scouting community.

Please vote for Greater Manchester West using the following url:

https://nominate.nationaldiversityawards.co.uk/Nominate/Endorse/32758?name=Scouts