Lead our Team: Area Lead Volunteer

April 8, 2024

Overview of the role


Welcome to Team BSO (British Scouting Overseas), where we're embarking on an exhilarating journey to empower the next generation through our Skills for Life strategy. Our mission is to shape brighter futures and equip young individuals in Scouting with invaluable life skills.


At the heart of the BSO lies the pivotal role of the Area Lead Volunteer (previously called Area Commissioner). As the guiding force, you'll spearhead the BSO Leadership Team, inspiring and mobilising volunteers to provide exceptional experiences and life-enriching skills to our youth. Your mandate includes ensuring a well-organised and adequately staffed Area team capable of delivering outstanding programmes.


Your pivotal responsibility involves implementing the Area’s 2018-25 Strategy. You will be rallying Area, District and Group Lead Volunteers and their teams to align with its objectives. This entails motivating and supporting volunteers to achieve the Growth, Youth Shaped, Community Impact, and Inclusivity targets outlined in our strategy.


As the leader of the BSO Team, you will bolster Scouting throughout the Area by nurturing volunteer development, enriching section programmes, and providing operational support. Additionally, you'll maintain a vibrant volunteer cohort in the Explorer and Network sections, establishing a well-regarded 14-24 provision within our multiple international communities.


Leading a team of dedicated volunteers passionate about delivering exceptional Scouting experiences to every young person is at the core of this role.

Read the Information Pack (pdf)

Application process



You can apply for the role yourself using the application form, or nominate someone else using the nomination form.


Nominated people are under no commitment to apply unless they wish to. 


A search group has been put together to oversee this process and will review all applications and nominations in order to make decisions as to who to invite to attend the selection stage of this process.


At the end of the application form, we also ask applicants to please fill out our Diversity Monitoring Form. You will be automatically directed to this.


Apply for this Role Nominate Someone for this Role

 

Key dates


Closing date: 09:00 on Wednesday 1st May 2024

Interview date: W/C 3rd June 2024 



For more information


For more information, or for an informal chat about this vacancy, please contact: 

Callum Kaye, UK Chief Volunteer for International
Email: 
Callum.Kaye@scouts.org.uk



Jon Gill, Outgoing District Commissioner Rest of the World District and search team lead.

Email: Jon.Gill@britishscoutingoverseas.org.uk


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By Chris Preston February 1, 2026
BSO Southern Europe wishes to appoint an additional trustee. Our trustee board provides collective leadership and oversight of the charity, and supports our volunteers who deliver our programme to young people around the world. The Trustee Board’s role is to support our volunteer line managers, through the District Lead Volunteer and District Chair, so that they can be as successful as possible in their role of supporting leadership teams to deliver our programme. You may be of any nationality and live in any part of the world – the only condition is that you are willing and able to carry out the duties of a trustee and to bring a constructive and independent-minded approach to the role. We are keen to include younger adults in the team. Applications from within Southern Europe are encouraged About BSO BSO is a part of the UK Scout Association with headquarters in Gilwell Park, London. BSO members have access to the same resources, support and programme as UK based Scout groups. BSO exists to support British families living overseas in the provision of a UK Scouting programme to expatriate British children and to several British Overseas Territories. We aim to ensure that all our members have the opportunity to feel and experience high quality UK Scouting whilst providing support and advice to adult members no matter where they are in the world. BSO undertakes Scouting activities in a safe and secure environment with flexibility to adapt to both local customs and guidelines set out within The Scout Association's policies and rules. BSO operates 57 Scout Groups, 22 Explorer Units and 3 Scout Networks, with an impressive 2,997 young people supported by 936 adult volunteer leaders across 30 countries around the world. Whilst most adult volunteer members are delivering programme activities with our young people, many volunteers are also based in the UK offering support, training, mentoring, governance and resources in a variety of different roles from trustee to marketing and event support to skills assessors. BSO is fully inclusive and open to all who share our fundamental values. BSO exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.
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