Pahīatua scout group’s future in doubt

Pahīatua Scouts at a Christmas parade in 2013. Scouts have always been a big part of the community.

The future of Pahīatua‘s scout group could be in doubt after an unpopular decision by Scouts Aotearoa.

However, coordinator Margaret Drysdale says the decision has been made without adequate consultation with the community.

The group weren’t able to open last year as the previous scout leader had left but, in communication with regional leaders, Margaret was given time to sort out some issues and a date for when the group needed to re-open.

She says they then added extra rules and regulations in order for that to happen.

“We thought we’d sorted that, then they added more.”

Margaret says volunteers at the group were asked to fulfil some requirements, but then those she was communicating with requested more.

“They just kept moving the goalposts,” she says.

Margaret spoke to someone in the association in December about the possible closure and the aim to get the group going again and she was told someone would get back in touch.

The association had also been in communication with someone who was keen to be a leader.

A further communication suggested the association was keen to work with the group to get it going again.

“I just left it in their hands and thought the next move was theirs,” Margaret says.

But there was no more communication from the office until last month when Margaret received an email saying the group was to close.

Margaret says she had received messages from people who were interested in their children joining the scout group, or wanting to be involved as leaders.

“I feel like we’re letting them down.”

On the one hand, she does understand that the group is incurring debt as rates and other costs aren’t being covered with no fees coming in, and she realises they can’t keep doing that.

But she still can’t understand why they wouldn’t even discuss it with the community before making the decision.

Marlene Rankin from Scouts New Zealand Lower North Island Territory says the Pahīatua Scout Group has had no active young people participating since late 2021.

She says a communication was sent in December last year advising them the group would be closed due to “a sustained period of no active young people”.

There were also no online enquiries received by Scouts Aotearoa for new young people to join.

“Further financial resources held by the group to meet costs associated with the property have been expended resulting in dishonoured payments,” she says.

Marlene says regional volunteers and the National Scout Association who support local groups have tried to communicate on multiple occasions during 2022 and 2023.

“The decision was made collectively between the regional volunteers and National Scout Association that due to the extensive time period, lack of progress and continued expenses associated with retaining the group and facility that the last remaining option was to formally close the group.”

Marlene says that if the community has a sustainable collective of adult volunteers wishing to coordinate, and young people wanting to experience the programme, the association will “always be willing to engage in exploring effective ways to do so”.