Additional Needs Training with Colin Millar MBE

Date: 4th Feb 2025 Author: Phoebe McDowell

On Sunday, our volunteers gathered at Ardnavally for an interactive session on Autism, led by Colin Millar MBE. The session focused on equipping leaders with the knowledge and skills to better support autistic young people in Scouts, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to develop skills for life.

Colin, who has extensive experience working in Special Schools, shared practical strategies that can be adapted for voluntary youth settings. He emphasised the importance of structure, routine, and familiarity, encouraging volunteers to engage with parents to understand what support systems are already in place at school.

One key takeaway was the introduction of the Scouts NI Autism Toolkit, a resource designed to help leaders create a more inclusive environment. Colin’s message, “Pre-preparation Prevents Problems”, served as a simple but powerful reminder that planning ahead can make all the difference.

Volunteers also had the opportunity to raise questions and discuss real-life scenarios, making this a valuable learning experience for all involved.

A huge thank you to Colin Millar MBE for delivering such an insightful session, to Pamela Emerson from the Scouts NI Development Team for helping to facilitate the event, and to our Chief Volunteer, Stephen Bell, for his support on the day.

 

HM King Charles III has been confirmed as our new Patron, a great honour for UK Scouts.

The King continues a long tradition of the monarch giving their Patronage, dating back to 1912. This was when Scouts was granted its Royal Charter and HM George V became our first Patron.

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King Charles III

Our Patron, HM King Charles III