Due to a shortage of volunteers there are currently 30,000 young people waiting to join the Scouts in the UK.

Locally, Scouting is thriving and some of our groups have waiting lists. It is advisable to contact your local group as soon as possible to get a good picture of the joining procedure. If there is a waiting list for your local Group – why not help out? Whatever your skills and availability, there will be some way you can contribute, meaning more young people get to experience the adventure of Scouting.

Is your child currently under 6 years old?

If so please use the Groups tab above to find out about the different Groups within the District where, by clicking on the "More Details", you can discover for each Group when and where they meet, their respective Waiting List policy, and register an interest in that Group.

Is your child over 6 years old?

The District Waiting List serves as a central record of children 6 and over interested in joining Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorer Scouts.  When the List is informed by a section in any of the Groups in the Harpenden District that a place has become available, places are allocated on a like for like basis, being filled by a child born in the same term as the departing child so that there continues to be a smooth flow of numbers from section to section. 

This means that when a place becomes available, eligible children on the District Waiting List that were born in the same term as the departing Beaver, Cub, Scout or Explorer Scout, are sent an email advising them that there is a space available and asking them to apply if interested.  The place(s) are then allocated to the first positive response(s) received.  This helps to minimise the amount of time a vacancy exists.