Demos / Scouts · 2023
This report by Demos, supported by The Scout Association, investigates the role of extracurricular activities in addressing youth unemployment and a "double skills gap" in both technical and transferable skills among young people in the UK. Drawing on a nationally representative survey of 3,000 people, a poll of 500 employers, and qualitative interviews and focus groups with current Scouts, Scouts alumni, employers, and employment experts, the report finds that participation in extracurricular activities is strongly associated with better employment outcomes, greater career optimism, and improved preparedness for work. Scouts alumni in particular showed higher rates of career readiness and optimism than non-participants. The report also highlights significant inequalities in access to extracurricular activities by socioeconomic background, ethnicity, and gender, and sets out 13 recommendations for government, employers, schools, and extracurricular organisations to widen access and enhance the employability impact of these activities.