Should the government boost funding for cadets, Scouts and Guides to reach 30% more members by 2035?
The Ministry of Defence supports over 137,000 cadets and has reset its target for 30% growth (around 40,000 more cadets) from 2030 to 2035, with required funding still unfinalised. Scouts has nearly 450,000 young members and Girlguiding over 200,000; both receive grants through the ended Uniformed Youth Fund and ongoing National Youth Strategy but without a shared 30% target. A yes vote would commit extra government funding to achieve combined 30% membership growth by 2035.
6 Opinions
If government can increase funding for children it should benefit a wider demographic
The focus and investment should be in cadets, rather than scouts and guides
I think we need to fix local youth clubs first before looking at Scouts / Guides and Cadets. But more importantly, we actually need the money to invest and right now, there are more critical children's services like CAMHS and SEND support that are in vital need of funding.
Similar organizations were very popular in communist countries. Additional place to brainwash children. No, made this country worth of protecting, as at the moment it's catastrophically bed. If kids want to and parents will be able to afford, they can expand their interests without taxpayer money.
Funding through the MoD shows cadets in particular is just military indoctrination for children. Scouts and guides need to be separated from it.