Be prepared: Cubs from Tylers Green helped a man who collapsed ASHORTAGE of volunteers and rising costs are combining to hold back the Scouting movement in South Bucks.

The rigours of modern working life mean fewer people have time to offer their services as voluntary youth leaders.

To top it all, the increasing cost of vetting potential leaders may soon be be added to the financial burden of the movement as a result of new Government proposals.

Scout leaders claim demand for the kind of outdoor activities and camps, which have always been the traditional preserve of the Scouting movement, remains high but there is a shortage of staff to supervise them.

A lack of voluntary leaders is the most common cause for the closure of a scout group.

David Muncaster, district commissioner for the Misbourne Valley District, is in charge of seven scout groups consisting of beavers (six-eight years) cub scouts (eight-ten) scouts (ten-15) and venture scouts (15-20). He has responsibility for almost 1,000 leaders and members.

David claims: "We've got waiting lists and I could double the number of personnel in my patch overnight if I could find enough suitable leaders."

Following the closure of the First Amersham Common group in December 1997, David devised a presentation which has since become known as the DC's Roadshow, to give prospective leaders more information about Scouting.

"That was just over a year ago," explains David. "Now that group has been resurrected again and has four great leaders."

There are 21 cub scout packs which cover the High Wycombe area, welcoming both boys and girls from eight to ten years old.

Bob Park is the assistant district commissioner of the Cub Scouts in High Wycombe. He became a scout leader after the Akela of the his sons' pack left and there was no-one to replace him.

He says: "The movement has a good ethos, which still remains. Scouting differs from every other organisation because we have a progressive training scheme.

"Members start off using very simple tasks and by the time cubs get to scout level they could almost survive by themselves in the wild."

Members of the Howe Cub Scout Pack in Tylers Green found themselves on the front page of the BFP last week when they helped a man who collapsed outside a phone box. As luck would have it, the seven cubs were using the phone box to learn about emergency calls for their communication skills badge.

Using what they had been taught, the young cubs covered the man with their jackets to keep him warm and phoned 999.

John Fogg, public relations officer for the Scout Association, said the movement nationally has experienced a downturn in numbers of two per cent every year for the past three years and expects this year's figures to continue the trend.

"At its height, there were 630,000 scouts in the country. Now there are 570,000," he says. "But there are still more scouts than members of the armed forces in this country."

Proposals in the Government's new Protection of Children Bill are also causing concern. The bill, currently in the Lords, aims to set up a criminal records bureau for vetting adults who work with young people.

Mr Fogg says plans to extend the bill from paid staff to volunteers could cost the Scout Association something in the region of £750,000 a year.

The association, in common with other voluntary organisations, is worried about footing the £10-per-person bill for having the criminal records of each prospective volunteer checked out.

Mr Fogg said: "We have a well-established vetting system of our own. Having access to criminal records would help with that process."

But he added: "We're currently making representations to the Government, saying we don't think it's right. We've got a system of checking out 60,000 adults a year."

Scouting activities range from painting and learning the country code to navigating, knot-tying, building a shelter, map-reading and abseiling.

However, these days the internet and computer games, TV programmes and youth clubs all compete for the attention of the young, particularly teenagers.

Ed Mallam, full-time youth worker at Hazlemere Youth Club, Rose Avenue, says the most popular activity with 14 to 17 year olds is The Joint, the centre's club night.

"It's organised and promoted by the young people themselves," Ed explains. "One of our volunteers helped train some of them as DJs. We get 200 people for these events -- the maximum that we are allowed to hold. The music is garage and drum and bass."

He adds: "I wouldn't see this age range being Scouts, though some of our younger members are."

Hazlemere Youth Club is just one of the projects funded by the county's Youth and Community Service.

Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC) speaks with representatives of the Scouting movement at regular meetings of the Bucks Council For Voluntary Youth Services.

A spokesman for BCC said the county has also supported the Scout movement by donating land and office space at the movement's regional centre at Green Park, Aylesbury. The county provided £12,000 of funding to the Scout movement last financial year.

For more information on becoming a volunteer call David Muncaster on (01494) 433321.

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