Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey District Scout Council offers first-rate Scouting to over 550 young people across the vast INBS District. The district stretches from Beauly in the west to Nairn in the east, and from Aviemore and Fort Augustus in the south up to the City of Inverness on the Moray Firth coast.
That is roughly 2,000 square miles - mountains, glens, forest, coast and one city. It is also, conveniently, one of the best places in the country to be a Scout.
The District at a Glance
| How many | What |
|---|---|
| 550+ | young people in Scouting across the district |
| 8 | Scout Groups, from Nairn in the east to Grantown-on-Spey in the south |
| 6 | Explorer Scout Units, for young people aged 14 to 18 |
| 1 | district hall - Dalneigh Scout Hall in Inverness, used by groups and let to the community |
Where We Meet
The district boundary is much bigger than the places we currently meet. Four of our Scout Groups are in Inverness itself - Kingsmills, Crown, Muirtown and Lochardil - and the other four are in the surrounding areas: the Aird, Croy, Nairn and Grantown-on-Spey. Our six Explorer Units cover the whole district, with Glen Albyn, Ness and Jacobite Sea meeting in the city and Aird, Cairngorm and Croy meeting further out.
If you live somewhere inside the district with no group nearby, please get in touch anyway. Some families travel, some units meet centrally, and if there is enough interest in a place we would rather know about it than not.
Find your nearest group or unit →
Who Scouting Is For
Scouting runs in sections, by age. A young person moves up through them, and many stay on as adult volunteers afterwards.
| Section | Ages |
|---|---|
| Squirrels | 4 to 6 |
| Beavers | 6 to 8 |
| Cubs | 8 to 10½ |
| Scouts | 10½ to 14 |
| Explorers | 14 to 18 |
| Scout Network | 18 to 25 |
Not every group runs every section, and some sections have waiting lists. Each group’s page says what it runs and whether there is space.
How the District Works
The person responsible for supporting Scouting across the district is the District Lead Volunteer, who works with the District Team and the Group Lead Volunteers, and reports to the Region.
The district exists to support the groups, not the other way round. It runs the shared things no single group could manage alone:
- Dalneigh Scout Hall - the district’s own building, used by groups in the week and let to the community
- The district equipment store - tents, marquee, trailer, pioneering poles and more, available to every group
- Explorer Scout Units, which draw young people from across the whole district rather than one group
- Adult training, appointments and safeguarding, so that every volunteer is supported and properly checked
- Funds and grants - money set aside to help groups grow, start new sections and send members on international trips
- The district waiting list, which places young people into the group nearest them
Almost everyone involved is a volunteer with a job and a family as well. Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey District Scout Council is part of Highlands and Islands Region Scout Council, and is a Scottish charity, number SC041542.
Keeping Young People Safe
Every adult in Scouting is appointed through a process that includes references, a disclosure check and mandatory safeguarding training, and every section works to national rules on supervision, activities and nights away. If you have a concern about a young person, you do not need to know who to speak to - our safeguarding page explains exactly what to do.
Find Out More
Our Team
Who does what across the district, and which roles are currently looking for someone.
Our Groups and Units
Where every group and Explorer unit meets, which nights, and who has space right now.
Join Us
For young people aged 4 to 25, and for adults who fancy giving a couple of hours a month.
Dalneigh Scout Hall
The district’s own hall in Inverness - used by groups in the week, and available for the community to hire.