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Week-in, week-out your Scout Group, Explorer Scout Unit or Network  meets in the heart of your local community, but how many members of that community are aware that Scouting is happening just a stones throw away from their home, school, church etc.?  How many young people miss the opportunity to join and benefit from Scouting just because they don't know where and how to get involved?

   

Unfortunately, too many non-Scouting parents and young people hear and see nothing about what Scouting is doing in their community and what our Movement has to offer today.

   

Our community awareness badge has been designed to help you publicise your Group or Unit within your local community and help you grow your membership, both young people and adults, gain increased recognition for Scouting and help ensure everyone knows how to be part of the adventure. To help it's a good idea to:

     

Identify a member of your Group/Unit (maybe a parent or support) to act as your Media Co-ordinator. Their job will be to collect news stories and photographs and arrange for these to be passed to our County Communications Team. who will then make contact with the media and get coverage. You can email them on comms.team@southlondonscouts.org.uk

Identify one or two members of your Group/Unit to be your Young Spokespeople. They need to be able to talk passionately about Scouting to interested parties.

When you are working out what to say to your local community about Scouting, you will find it helpful to consider the following points:

   

• Many of the things your Group, Section, Unit or Network does as part of its normal programme have the potential to be positive and newsworthy. Raising money for other local charities, investing new Members in unusual places or going camping can all be good stories given the right treatment.
• With some simple thought and preparation, you can use the media to give your Group, Section, Unit or Network a higher local profile.
• In order to raise your profile you need to tell the media what you are doing. They are not psychic!
• Local newspapers and radio always need material to fill column inches and airtime. They will be interested in what you have to offer if it is presented positively and professionally.