Scouts - Why Scouts is partnering with Omaze and how you can take part
How partnering with Omaze can assist Scouts in providing additional opportunities for young individuals.
We’re excited to announce that this October and November, Scouts is the official charity partner for Omaze, The Million Pound House Draw. This is a new venture for Scouts, but it represents a significant opportunity and could turn out to be one of our largest fundraising efforts to date.
The additional revenue will enable us to speed up our growth initiatives across the country and bring in more young individuals to our cause, particularly from diverse communities.
Omaze: Who They've Supported So Far
Since 2020, Omaze has gathered more than £60 million for charities in the UK, now ensuring a baseline donation of £1 million for each official charity partner. Several have received two to three times that amount. Charities that have gained from collaborating with Omaze include Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity, the RSPCA, RNLI, British Heart Foundation, Macmillan Cancer Support, and many others. Recently, David Beckham was spotted endorsing the Omaze prize draw to support London’s Air Ambulance Charity.
The concept is straightforward. Any adult in the UK who is at least 18 years old can take part in a prize draw to win an amazing house, along with other fantastic rewards like cars and cash. Even if they don't win, their participation helps support a meaningful cause. This prize draw is available to all eligible adults, including our Scouts volunteers and their families (though paid Scouts staff cannot participate), but it's entirely voluntary. No one in the Scouts community should feel obligated to join in, but they’re certainly encouraged to do so if they wish. The more people who participate, the more funds will be generated for Scouts. You can learn more about the official rules at Official Rules UK – Omaze UK.
How We Plan To Use The Fundraised Money
As you may know, expanding membership is a top focus for Scouts across the UK, with 107,000 young individuals currently on waiting lists. The funds generated from the Omaze Million Pound House Draw in the Wirral would allow us to open new Dreys, providing additional spots for Squirrels, which caters to four and five-year-olds from underprivileged areas. This initiative would enable them to make friends, enjoy themselves, and develop new skills. Furthermore, we would create and maintain even more positions in Squirrels, Beavers, and Cubs, as well as enhance the training and support for our volunteers, ensuring that Scouts remains enjoyable, safe, and fulfilling. We also aim to advance our programs focused on mental health and well-being, which have become increasingly important for young people in the aftermath of the pandemic. Ultimately, we wish to use these funds to make Scouts more inclusive and relevant to communities we have yet to engage. A key factor in securing our competitive bid to become an Omaze partner was our commitment to reaching more young individuals, which will primarily guide how we allocate the funds raised.
We have thoroughly examined Omaze to ensure it's a good fit for Scouts and aligns with our principles. Their approach isn't a lottery or raffle and doesn't fit the definition of gambling. It's a prize draw, and participants can enter for free by sending in their entries by mail.
The Scouts x Omaze Million Pound House Draw is happening from October 17 to November 24. Throughout this period, you'll come across various messages and promotions, including some from our supporters. Bear Grylls, the Chief Ambassador for World Scouting, has graciously accepted to kick off the house draw, and you can expect to hear from other ambassadors and our Chief Scout as the campaign progresses. We believe this is an incredible chance for the Scouts. This prominent campaign will not only highlight the amazing efforts of our volunteers throughout the UK but also help raise funds to bring in more young people.
Reasons We're Backing This Partnership
Our collaboration with Omaze will speed up our efforts and enable more young individuals to get involved in the experience. We appreciate Omaze and all the participants for their support of Scouts – it truly has a significant impact.
We currently have more than 107,000 people waiting to join us. By collaborating with Omaze, we can create new groups and connect with families who haven't had the chance to experience Scouts yet. Join us in inspiring a new generation with valuable life skills.
The collaboration with Omaze will create numerous opportunities for many young individuals. Every young person deserves a fair shot, and by working together, we can motivate an entire generation to aim high and have big dreams.
