Matt Hyde, the recently appointed Chief Executive of The Scout Association, will take up his new role today.
Matt, who joins The Scout Association from the National Union of Students (NUS), is an experienced leader with a strong record of developing membership organisations and delivering social change. He replaces Derek Twine CBE, who retired after 16 years of service in the role.
As Chief Executive of the NUS, a position he held for over six years, Matt was responsible for the organisation’s strategic development and overall management; delivering campaigns that saved students millions of pounds, increasing membership satisfaction and reducing reliance on affiliation fees. These achievements were underpinned by a financial turnaround, an award-winning programme of governance reform and the development of cutting-edge, digital campaigning.
Scouting strengths
Matt will work with The Scout Association’s Chairman, the UK Chief Commissioner and the Chief Scout to build on the strengths and standing of the organisation, so it remains relevant to the needs of young people.
Over the past decade the number of teenagers in Scouting has almost doubled to around 40,500 and in the last year alone, the number of female volunteers joining has increased by 3.2%; among them is occasional helper, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.
Scouting also better represents the communities it serves; since 2002, over 50 Groups catering mainly for young people from Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities have opened across the UK. With support from the government’s Youth United Foundation Supporting Inclusion Programme, the Movement is also focused on opening new Groups in areas of extreme deprivation.
‘Honoured and excited’
Matt commented: ‘I am honoured and excited to be building on the success of my predecessor, Derek Twine. Under his leadership, The Scout Association has helped to transform the lives of tens of millions of young people, which is no mean feat.
‘I am proud to be joining The Scout Association at a time of huge growth, and want to drive forward a future programme that will deliver tangible social change. Together, we will look to open Scouting up to an even greater number of young people, from those living in inner cities that may not previously have had access to outdoor adventure, to those representing the diverse spectrum of Britain’s society.’
Join the adventure
With over 37,000 young people currently on waiting lists to join Scouting, one of the challenges that Matt will face is addressing the shortfall in volunteers. Finding more adult volunteers is critical to ensuring the Movement’s future, so that all young people can have the opportunity to experience the adventure of Scouting.
Whether it’s one weekend a year or one hour a week, volunteering can make a big difference and will help give all young people the opportunity to experience everyday adventure. Find out more about Scouting and get involved.
