St George's Day is almost upon us and with it my District's annual Parade. True Scouting, reliving our heritage or a pointless blast from the past? Certainly our commitment to our Scouting ideals and our Promise is important - together with the the Scout Law the promise gives us purpose and directs us just as Baden-Powell hoped when he created it a century ago.
But is a parade and largely Christian church service the right place to renew it? I think not. Our young people should feel proud to be Scouts, doing a walk through a local town in uniform doesn't do this and doesn't communicate to anybody watching what we do or why they should be Scouts.
Perhaps a better event would combine service and adventure in a fun, relevant activity might be better. Certainly its time to reconsider and question this cornerstone of traditional Scouting and make it attractive to our members and Leaders. Perhaps then our Scouts may understand why our Promise & Law are worth remembering and following.
Sunday, 1 April 2007
Sunday, 25 March 2007
The Numbers Game
Its now that time when Scouting reviews its membership numbers in the annual census. After a period of decline things are looking up - last year saw a small increase in overall numbers and hopes that this will continue this year.
Its too easy however to look at overall numbers without understanding whats really happening 'under the hood'. For example, the Scout Association has been pushing the idea that when a section running weekly runs out of space then open a second and meet both sections on alternate weeks - more members enjoying Scouting. But wait, the volume of Scouting is still the same - our young people experience 50% less Scouting and core activities such as camps are more difficult as the pool of adult leaders vs number of members is halved. Great for census numbers, great for national income (more capitation) but good for Scouting? I think not.
In my District we are seeing a increasing polarisation of Groups. We have a core of successful groups that have always been of a certain size and whilst their numbers fluctuate they are generally strong. The smaller groups however seem to be getting weaker - less new Leaders, decreasing numbers and gradual, slow deaths. So whilst overall District numbers are up (just), it isn't a uniform growth. Once a group falls below a certain size they struggle to regenerate and are at risk of closure - once closed it is too easy for Districts to never visit Scout provision in an area again. Reopened and new Groups are not everyday occurrences and certainly in my District closures are more common (the last new Group was about 30 years ago but we've had 2 closures in the last 5).
Being positive about our Scouting and understanding what our members expect are the keys to our survival. HQ have done much in recent years with branding, making programme easier to deliver and communicating this to the general public but for struggling groups and overworked leaders it doesn't help. Its easy to fall back on weak programme and bad habits but at the same time this is when members get bored and leave.
Districts need to be aware of this - the District team is key to providing support, maintaining standards and stepping in when the danger signs are posted - their role is as hard and challenging as running a section and one that is easy to overlook. Visiting sections to see what is going on, turning up at camps and making Leaders feel good is crucial. There role is far more than offering advice - it is about active, practical support - it should never be passive.
Districts shouldn't see the census as the only health check method and shouldn't wait for the crys of help from Groups before they act. If they do then they and not the Groups are the one's that are failing...
Its too easy however to look at overall numbers without understanding whats really happening 'under the hood'. For example, the Scout Association has been pushing the idea that when a section running weekly runs out of space then open a second and meet both sections on alternate weeks - more members enjoying Scouting. But wait, the volume of Scouting is still the same - our young people experience 50% less Scouting and core activities such as camps are more difficult as the pool of adult leaders vs number of members is halved. Great for census numbers, great for national income (more capitation) but good for Scouting? I think not.
In my District we are seeing a increasing polarisation of Groups. We have a core of successful groups that have always been of a certain size and whilst their numbers fluctuate they are generally strong. The smaller groups however seem to be getting weaker - less new Leaders, decreasing numbers and gradual, slow deaths. So whilst overall District numbers are up (just), it isn't a uniform growth. Once a group falls below a certain size they struggle to regenerate and are at risk of closure - once closed it is too easy for Districts to never visit Scout provision in an area again. Reopened and new Groups are not everyday occurrences and certainly in my District closures are more common (the last new Group was about 30 years ago but we've had 2 closures in the last 5).
Being positive about our Scouting and understanding what our members expect are the keys to our survival. HQ have done much in recent years with branding, making programme easier to deliver and communicating this to the general public but for struggling groups and overworked leaders it doesn't help. Its easy to fall back on weak programme and bad habits but at the same time this is when members get bored and leave.
Districts need to be aware of this - the District team is key to providing support, maintaining standards and stepping in when the danger signs are posted - their role is as hard and challenging as running a section and one that is easy to overlook. Visiting sections to see what is going on, turning up at camps and making Leaders feel good is crucial. There role is far more than offering advice - it is about active, practical support - it should never be passive.
Districts shouldn't see the census as the only health check method and shouldn't wait for the crys of help from Groups before they act. If they do then they and not the Groups are the one's that are failing...
Sunday, 18 March 2007
Beginnings and Centenary Concerns
So, here we are - first posting of a new Blog. I'm a Scout Leader in the UK and hope you enjoy reading some of my views and ideas. I hope you enjoy reading it.
2007 is an important Scouting anniversary. 100 years ago Robert Baden-Powell held his first experimental Scout Camp on Brownsea Island and so this year we are celebrating our centenary. The UK are also hosting the 21st World Scout Jamboree this summer. The only issue I have is that I can't get excited by it and I'm not sure why.
It may be that most of the planned events seemed to have underwhelmed me. Our District centenary camp seems to little more than a large cub camp with weak activities (and a high camp fee), our county event - visiting a theme park - lacks the imagination and Scouting input I would have expected. Nationally things aren't much better, the planned pop concert already cancelled and ticket prices for Live '07 still not announced. I just hope as we get closer to our Group celebration camp I can raise my enthusiasm levels and make it an event to remember.
Does it really matter though? The energy and excitement the young people bring to our meetings and their lust for adventure and challenge is what really drives me and if in their eyes the centenary is distraction then maybe I shouldn't be too bothered.
The biggest camp of the year is the Jamboree - here Scouts from all over the globe will live together and celebrate Scouting. Whilst the centenary forms a backdrop and a reason for the UK to host the Jamboree the participants are more likely to remember the new experiences, new friends than the marking of the 100th year. The same memories that every Jamboree participant has had since the first Jamboree held in London in 1920.
Let's hope that we don't become so occupied by marking the centenary that we don't loose sight of what we do well. Baden Powell once wrote:
2007 is an important Scouting anniversary. 100 years ago Robert Baden-Powell held his first experimental Scout Camp on Brownsea Island and so this year we are celebrating our centenary. The UK are also hosting the 21st World Scout Jamboree this summer. The only issue I have is that I can't get excited by it and I'm not sure why.
It may be that most of the planned events seemed to have underwhelmed me. Our District centenary camp seems to little more than a large cub camp with weak activities (and a high camp fee), our county event - visiting a theme park - lacks the imagination and Scouting input I would have expected. Nationally things aren't much better, the planned pop concert already cancelled and ticket prices for Live '07 still not announced. I just hope as we get closer to our Group celebration camp I can raise my enthusiasm levels and make it an event to remember.
Does it really matter though? The energy and excitement the young people bring to our meetings and their lust for adventure and challenge is what really drives me and if in their eyes the centenary is distraction then maybe I shouldn't be too bothered.
The biggest camp of the year is the Jamboree - here Scouts from all over the globe will live together and celebrate Scouting. Whilst the centenary forms a backdrop and a reason for the UK to host the Jamboree the participants are more likely to remember the new experiences, new friends than the marking of the 100th year. The same memories that every Jamboree participant has had since the first Jamboree held in London in 1920.
Let's hope that we don't become so occupied by marking the centenary that we don't loose sight of what we do well. Baden Powell once wrote:
"Scouting is a movement because it keeps on moving forward. If it stops moving it becomes an organisation and is no longer Scouting!"so maybe he to would have been looking to the future and new adventures rather than the past for inspiration.
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