Guides and Scouts unite for £2.4m expansion push

Girlguiding and the Scout Association are seeking to open 200 new units in deprived areas of England by 2020 as part of a £2.4m joint project between the UK's two largest youth organisations.

The project will see the uniformed youth organisations work together to open the units, which they hope will attract 3,300 young people and 768 volunteers to join the movement.

It marks the first time the Scouts and Guides have made a joint bid for funding to expand their networks. The expansion will be overseen by a joint service manager although each of the new units will belong to either the Scouts or Guides networks. The two charities do, however, intend to share their knowledge about different communities and how best to attract young people and volunteers.

The money for the project is being provided by the Pears Foundation and the #iwill programme that was created by the Big Lottery Fund and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.