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Focus Sup June July 2010
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FLEXIBLE VOLUNTEERING VOLUNTEERING VOLUNTEERING VOLUNTEERING
Fact or fiction?
scouts.org.uk/focus
The magazine
for volunteer managers in Scouting
June/July 2010
FocusShifting
perceptionsMaking Scouting
work around work
Taking offHow one
Scout Active Support Unit is
sprouting wings
FOCUS_FINAL.indd 1 13/05/2010 10:51
ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: CANOEING • CLIMBING • COASTEERING
GORGE WALKING • KAYAKING • SURFING • CAVING • WHITE WATER RAFTING
TEAM BUILDING • ASSAULT COURSE/ LOW ROPES • FIELD SKILLS
Nant Y Pobty Farm Coed Y Bryn, Llandysul Ceradigion, SA44 5LQ
Phone: 07787123761 [email protected]
Adventure Beyond is a family run centre
based in West Wales. We have venues and camping or bunk house accommodation
in St Davids, Cardigan Bay, Brecon Beacons.
Jethro MooreAdventure Beyond
IFC_Focus_JunJuly10.indd 6 12/05/2010 14:28
Welcome
3scouts.org.uk/focus
NEW SUPPORT FOR GROUP SCOUT LEADERSThe Regional Development Service has produced a new support resource for Group Scout Leaders. GSL Support is six digestible sessions that break down the key aspects of the role and offer practical advice on managing adults, working with the Group Executive, planning and more. www.scouts.org.uk/gslsupport
Your Adult Support TeamMark Flexman, UK Adviser for Adults in Scouting, Ben Storrar, Programme and Development Adviser (Adults in Scouting)Contact them at:[email protected] [email protected]
Adult Support TeamThe Scout Association, Gilwell Park, Chingford;London E4 7QW; Tel: 0845 300 1818 email [email protected]
ADVERTISINGRichard Ellacott [email protected] Tel: 020 8962 1258
County: Although in some parts of the British Isles Scout Counties are known as Areas or Islands - and in one case Bailiwick - for ease of reading this publication simply refers to County/Counties. In Scotland there is no direct equivalent to County or Area. In Scotland, Scouting is organised into Districts and Regions, each with distinct responsibilities. Some Ô CountyÕ functions are the responsibility of Scottish Regions, whilst others lie with Scottish Districts. The focus of responsibility is outlined in Scottish variations from POR.
The hard work is
paying off!
In Focus 4 Four of a kind
Some different takes on fl exible volunteering
6 Look northHow fl exible Scouting is taking off in the north east of England
8 Work, rest and playShift patterns are no barrier to volunteering say Tony, Craig and Andrew
10 Taking the sting out of volunteering
How fl exible volunteering and social networks are helping Scout Active Support fl y high
12 Look far and wideExploring other cultures can be a rewarding experience says Sheridan Allman
14 Focus newsGet the lowdown on Volunteers’ Week 2010 and Gilwell Reunion
15 Why fl exible volunteering is for everyone
UK Chief Commissioner, Wayne Bulpitt shares some fl exible success stories
This issue is a bumper one, says Ben Storrar, as we look again at the issue of flexible volunteering within Scouting. And with membership numbers up, the signs
are that our recruitment and retention work is paying off
As managers, think about how you can adapt Scouting to suit the skills,
strengths and time commitments of willing adults. Working with people about
what they can do, rather than what they can’t is a key way to keep them
involved.
Flexibility in practice We kick off with a look at what ‘flexible Scouting’ actually means. We also hear
from the Regional Development Service’s Peter Thorp about his view on
flexibility. Paulina Sekrecka reminds us that Volunteers’ Week is coming up at
the start of June. Why not take this opportunity to refresh, review and thank all
the adults who give their time in your Scouting area?
Moving onOn a personal note, this will be my final edition Focus. I know that line
managers in Scouting will continue to receive fine support from the Focus team.
Your suggestions welcomePlease continue to send in your thoughts on management issues and article
suggestions to [email protected]
FOCUS_FINAL.indd 3 13/05/2010 10:51
Four of a kind
Adults in Scouting Working Group
Scout Active Support
by Laura McManus
by Sam Morris
WeÕ ve heard a lot about this phrase flexible volunteering Ð but what does it mean and look like in practice? We hear from Sam, Laura, Claire and Samantha about four different ways it is already working in Scouting
D o you know what? We don’t struggle
to attract young people to Scouting. Our
problem seems to be recruiting and retaining
adult volunteers. Using a flexible approach
seems to be the way to increasing the number of
volunteers we recruit and then retain within Scouting.
This requires a different way of thinking about how
Scouting can be delivered and how we manage
volunteers to do this.
Flexible volunteering is about using the skills and commitment that volunteers bring to us rather than trying to pigeon-hole them into our traditional model, which is generally a weekly evening meeting at one location with the same leaders present each week.
We should be looking at ways that we can accommodate
all potential volunteers. For example, if someone can only
give one evening per month, or who are keen to volunteer
but are only available at weekends, then we should try and
find a role for them. To help make this possible, consider:
• holding section meetings on a Saturday morning
• student volunteers who could volunteer in separate
locations throughout the year. Student volunteers
should not be excluded from volunteering just because
they cannot commit to a set number of weeks in a year.
Scout Active Support is
a way for men and
women aged 18+ to
volunteer some time
to Scouting in a way that
suits them. Depending
on the support the Unit
they join provides,
flexible volunteering,
is, well, flexible.
If the Unit supports
sections in case
of leader absence
then it could mean
volunteering once
a month.
If the Unit supports an annual event,
then it could mean volunteering for a weekend once
a year. Scout Active Support is an opportunity for adults
to give what time they can to supporting Scouting.
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5scouts.org.uk/focus
Flexible volunteering
Diversity
Do you have some good examples of flexible volunteering you can share? Email them to [email protected]
more info
by Claire Welch
by Samantha Marks
If we are going to be accessible to people of different
backgrounds, faiths, cultures and abilities we need to take
a personalised approach to our volunteering offer. Take
a look at these two situations:
1. George suffers from bad back pain. Most of the time it
is manageable but occasionally he is bed bound and has
to undergo treatment. His skills are in working with
young people and he would like to be a Scout Leader.
2. Sarah is Jewish and observes the Sabbath, which means
she does not travel or do anything ‘work-like’ on a
Friday from sundown to Saturday nightfall. She has
strong management and planning skills and wishes to
be a DC.
By anticipating that not everyone will fit the same mould,
we can think creatively about how we can get the job
done. Can support for George be given through role
sharing, or sharing volunteer resources with neighbouring
Groups? For Sarah, can any commitments that have been
made over the Sabbath period be moved to another day?
Or can Sarah delegate part of her role to a Deputy DC to
pick up the functions that occur during the Sabbath?
By looking at a person’s situation, their skills and what
time they can offer will help us to think about how we can
include new and different people. Let’s not allow ourselves
to get stuck or become too rigid in our approach.
The Adult Training Scheme offers great flexibility to
learners in how they learn and how they validate their
learning. The methods used for learning can involve the
more traditional styles, such as learning by doing, but
these are complemented by methods such as courses, web
based learning or workbooks. And let’s not forget about
the recognition of the knowledge and experience adults
bring from other parts of their lives.
Many training teams now offer a selection of options
for people, from weekday, evening and weekend sessions,
to running training as an activity on sectional camps. It is
also important to consider things like childcare and travel,
to ensure these are not a barrier.
Validating learning is something that adults do as part
of their normal Scouting role, and should not generate any
extra work for them. Training teams try to be flexible
in their approach by running drop in validation sessions
and allocating personal Training Advisers. They try to find
a variety of methods so that at least one will fit the
circumstances of the adult.
As with all other areas of flexible Scouting, it’s about
looking at the person’s situations, their needs and finding
the best way to meet them.
Adult Training
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6 Focus June/July 2010
Look northThe Regional Development Service promotes the message about flexible volunteering, says Peter Thorp, Regional Development Officer for the North East, but it needs time to become an idea with which everyone is comfortable
What do people in the Movement think flexible volunteering is?Generally, there is a high level of uncertainty about flexible
volunteering and what this means. It is often seen as
something negative (eg flexible for the volunteer, not for
the Group) and people think of it as hard work. However, I
have also seen many excellent examples of people using
their adults in a flexible way. I think many managers are
already using this concept but might not refer to it by this
name. Those Groups, District and Counties that do adopt
this practice certainly seem to benefit from it.
What is your view on flexible volunteering?Flexible volunteering is about getting the right balance of
people in your Scouting roles. Scouting needs to fit in with
other people’s commitments, just as much as it needs to
fit in with their skills and experience. If line managers are
on board with the idea of flexible volunteering, and can
help Scouting to develop in this way, it will mean a greater
number of adults are appointed – and kept. Thinking
broadly about how people can be involved is key. There is
nearly always an appropriate role for someone who has
expressed an interest in Scouting.
What would be a good example of flexible volunteering; is there one you can share with us?The best example of flexible volunteering I can think of
was a Scout Troop whose leaders fitted the role of Scout
Leader around the lives of three individuals. They would
take it in turns to be the Scout Leader and run the Troop
for a month at a time. Of course, they all needed to be
involved in planning the programme and direction of the
Troop. The advantage is that for one month at a time, the
focus is on one person, giving flexibility to the others.
Similarly, for those who work shifts or unusual hours, I’ve
FOCUS_FINAL.indd 6 13/05/2010 10:52
Flexible volunteering
To find out more about flexible volunteering, please contact [email protected]
more info
noticed section leaders who split the role – allowing the
term’s schedule to be marked out in advance.
One Cub Scout Leader I know left the role in order to
have a baby and was encouraged to stay involved by
becoming Group Secretary. Her skills and experience have
stayed within the Group and she is likely to remain.
What do line managers need to do to make flexible volunteering happen in their Scouting areas?Flexible volunteering is not an ‘invitation to not turn up’. It
is, on the contrary, just thinking about the functions
people can perform in a slightly different way. Providing
positive leadership and accepting the possibility that
everyone has something to offer is very important.
What challenges might make it difficult for flexible volunteering to become a reality?Flexible volunteering needs to fit in with local situations
and not make things too challenging for anyone. There
needs to be an awareness that society is changing – and
that work patterns, people’s expectations and time
available is also different to previous years. Reinforcing the
idea as a positive way for people to be involved is one of
the challenges line managers can help us meet.
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8 Focus June/July 2010
Work, rest and playElsewhere this issue weÕ ve look at flexible volunteering and what it means for Scouting. Here, Bunty Ridgway and Ben Storrar meet three volunteers who manage to fit Scouting around their work patterns
Craig MacDonaldWhat is your job and your role in Scouting?I’m an officer of the UK Border Agency
and a Scout Leader.
What sort of shifts do you do and how much notice are you given of changes?I cover a 24 hour period, doing eight hour shifts and
I’m occasionally on call. I rarely have to change at short
notice and can predict my shifts.
How do you handle this within your leadership role?Our Assistant Scout Leader, Tony, is also in the UK
Border Agency but works a different shift pattern.
At the beginning of each term we work out if either
of us will be working on Troop night. Whenever
possible, we’ll ask leaders from other sections within
the Group to cover if one of us or, occasionally, both
of us cannot attend.
What do your fellow leaders think of managing without you when you can’t be there?They’re fine about it, but we try to arrange help
wherever possible.
What would you say to someone who only has a limited amount of time to offer? Any help is better than none at all! The more leaders
there are with a section, the better the programme.
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9scouts.org.uk/focus
Flexible volunteering
Tony CondonWhat is your job and your role in Scouting?I am an anti-smuggling officer
in the UK Border Agency. My
job is to stop, search and find
illegal substances, firearms and smuggled goods. I
also am an Assistant Scout Leader and have been for
over 25 years.
What sort of shifts do you do and how much notice are you given of changes etc to times/days?I work twelve hour shifts either days (7am
to 7pm) or nights (7pm to 7am) but may have to
remain until any legal process has been completed.
My longest ever continuous shift was 52 hours.
As I work rostered shifts I do know up to a year in
advance what shifts I will work. I just cannot
guarantee that once started I will finish as expected.
How do you work this within your leadership role?The Scout Leader, Craig, also works shifts, so we
plan meetings accordingly and use Group Scout
Leader and others to help us out.
What do your fellow leaders think of managing without you when you can’t be there? The other leader is, as I say, in the same boat. Other
leaders within the Group understand that we do what
we can and we don’t bother them unless we need to.
What would you say to someone who only has a limited amount of time to offer? Please, please come along, whatever you can do will
be appreciated.
Andrew Hardy What is your job and your role in Scouting?I’m a British Telecom Engineer
and Assistant Scout Leader.
What sort of shifts do you do and how much notice are you given of changes?Normally I’m advised of my shift patterns 14 days
in advance.
How do you work this within your leadership role?I took the appointment of Assistant Scout Leader because
I knew there would be times when I couldn’t get
there. Sometimes a shift pattern could last
between three and four months when I
wouldn’t be able to commit to every week
but would then attend weekend events,
activities and camps.
What do your fellow leaders think of managing without you when you can’t be
there?
I keep in good contact with the Scout Leader and
know of no problems with either the leaders or
young people. To me, the key
to volunteering is being adaptable.
What would you say to someone who only has a limited amount time to offer? You’re welcome!
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10 Focus June/July 2010
Taking the sting out of
volunteering
David Morris, Explorer Scout Leader in Wrexham explains why he got involved in WASPS (Wrexham Active Support Plus Social) and how its flexible approach is paying dividends
I ’ve already got too much to do in Scouting. I’m
a Scout Leader, Explorer Scout Leader and an
Assistant Area Commissioner. So why am I getting
involved with the establishment of a Scout Active
Support Unit?
The answer is that I like seeing new adults joining
Scouting, attracted by the flexible nature of Scout Active
Support. They are able to help with the task of, say,
running Area and District events for Scouts and Explorers,
something that is currently done by myself and other
leaders who also have weekly meetings to run. It means
less work for us!
Opening doors to ScoutingI’ve asked quite a few people I know if they’d be interested
in getting involved with Scouting in the past. They’ve said
they couldn’t commit to weekly meetings, but could help
out now and then. The Scout Active Support structure
supports occasional volunteering and makes them feel
part of something bigger.
Another opportunity, which could otherwise be seen
as a challenge, is the Network age range in our District.
There’s not really an active Scout Network, but those aged
18-25 can join WASPS and help out with our projects,
and at the same time be members of Network Wales.
More help!
Our focusWe’ve decided that our main service provision will be
in the support of the Scout and Explorer Scout sections.
I’ve asked the ADC Scouts and District Explorer Scout
Commissioner for ideas and projects that we can get
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11scouts.org.uk/focus
You can visit the WASPS Facebook Group at www.facebook.com/WASPSactivesupport
More information on Scout Active Support can be found at www.scouts.org.uk/activesupport
If you have a story that you think others would find useful, then please let the Scout Active Support Team know at [email protected]
more info
Scout Active Support Scout Active Support
Taking the sting out of
volunteering involved in. One that has been proposed already is
providing assessment for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Many Explorer Scouts find it tricky to find a way of
developing a skill or physical recreation and getting
it assessed. A few friends of mine who’ve said they’d
be keen on joining WASPs are enthusiastic mountain
bikers and would love an excuse to head for the local
forest.
Better communications But how are we planning to keep in touch with these new
volunteers? This may be unusual for some, but we find
social networks, such as Facebook, invaluable. Virtually
everyone I know is on Facebook. It’s a great way of
keeping in touch, and organising groups.
We’ve already used the site to recruit for WASPS.
I messaged everyone I knew who’d possibly be interested,
and I’ve had a great response. Within the first hour of
sending the message, seven people new to Scouting
had shown an interest. I’m sure we’ll be able to take this
even further. Lots of other clubs and societies have pages
on Facebook – the local climbing centre, the local
canoeing club. Posting there may bring in more
volunteers.
Obviously it’s important to make sure those who don’t
use social networking will still be able to feel part of
WASPS, but I do think the majority of our communication
will be done through our Facebook group.
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12 Focus June/July 2010
June and July 2010 offer several exciting opportunities to explore new themes, says Sheridan Allman, UK Adviser for Diversity. Why not use these to build understanding and knowledge within your Groups?
W ith 5 June being World Environment Day
and the week of 21 June being Recycle
Now Week, you could use these as an
opportunity to focus on the wider world.
Knowledge of these events allows you, as managers, to
include as many people, faiths and events as possible,
increasing the flexibility of Scouting in your area.
Perhaps you could also explore Scouting in different
countries with 1 July being Canada Day and 4 July being
USA Independence Day? How about setting up some
email contacts, a shared webpage or even Skype calls with
Scouts in Canada or the US?
Roads and riversJune is Gypsy, Roma and Traveller month across the
European Union so looking at travelling people’s way of
life may help young people understand a culture that is
very different to their own and would present many
opportunities to discuss the challenges facing the Roma
people. Alternatively you may want to opt to arrange your
very own Dragon Boat Festival on 16 June which of course
does need to take place on water.
There are also several notable faith days across
the two months:
• Ratha Yatra on 13 July is a huge Hindu festival
• Corpus Christi is Christian Feast Day on 3 June
• Dhamma Day on the 25 July is a significant day
for Buddhists
• 20 July is Tisah B’Av, a Jewish fasting day in the
Hebrew calendar.
Exploring the spiritual life The night of 26/27 July is the Night of Forgiveness for
Muslims. This takes place two weeks before Ramadan and
it is the time when Muslims seek forgiveness for their sins
and believe that on this night one’s destiny is fixed for the
year ahead. You could use any of these dates to set some
activities that encourage young people to explore spiritual
ideas and practices outside their own personal experience.
Look far and wide
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13scouts.org.uk/focus
Insurance
Am I insured?This is a question often asked by Trustees in Scouting Ð and one which Ralph Doe of Unity Insurance is now pleased to answer. The simple answer is yes
A change to the Charity Commission rules in
June 2007 (which, until then, precluded
Scouts from purchasing a Trustee Indemnity
Insurance policy) means that cover for
trustees can now be purchased.
In 2008, The Scout Association elected to provide a
national policy to cover the trustees of any Scout charity.
That includes members of executive committees for Scout
Districts, Counties and Groups, as well as those who
manage other Scout assets such as building or campsite
committees.
What does it cover? This insurance is specifically designed to cover the
management risks incurred by charities and their trustees
against wrongful acts. These include actual or alleged acts
and the policy is designed to pay for and defend these
actions. It does not cover acts which the trustee knew (or
should reasonably have known) would constitute a breach
of trust.
The provision of cover is designed to protect people
who, having acted responsibly and honestly, find
themselves being held to account. An obvious example
might be where a trustee has sent a cheque to pay for
insurance, it is mislaid in the post and an uninsured loss
occurs. The limit of indemnity set by the Association is
considered adequate for the Association, so no additional
cover need be purchased.
Who is covered?Any person elected, co opted or appointed to act as a
trustee to Scout assets (these will usually be the members
of an Executive Committee).
What are they covered for?Personal liability to make good a loss to the charity caused
by their joint or several action.
What is not covered?Criminal actions, acts which the trustee(s) knew (or should
reasonably have known) could result in a breach of trust
and acts taken in reckless disregard of whether a breach
of trust might occur or not. These cannot be insured.
Do I need to take any action?No this cover is already in place for all trustees in Scouting.
Peace of mind Unity’s Scout Insurance policies are designed specifically
with Scouting in mind to help you run your Group or plan
your next event, safe in the knowledge that you are
protected and prepared.
For more information and additional products, visit
www.unityins.co.uk or email [email protected] or call
0845 0945 702.
FOCUS_FINAL.indd 13 13/05/2010 10:53
14 Focus June/July 2010
Focus news A round up of the latest news
and information especially for managers in Scouting
VolunteersÕ Week (1-7 June 2010)
Volunteers’ Week is a national celebration of volunteers
and volunteering which takes place in June each year.
Everyone is invited to join this national celebration of
volunteering; it’s up to you to decide exactly how.
The week is a great opportunity:
• to increase public awareness of the thousands
of leaders and supporters within Scouting
• for young people and their parents to arrange
an event to show your appreciation to their leaders
for their highlight their contribution to local groups
and the wider community
• to gain positive media coverage
• to showcase the excellent events you run
• to recruit additional adult volunteers
• to make links with other Scout Groups in your area
• to make contacts with other voluntary groups
• to find out more about volunteering
• to take part in some events taking place across
the UK.
Events are happening across the country and you
can visit the Volunteers’ Week website to find events
happening near you.
www.volunteersweek.org.uk The site also has a number of free resources, such
as certificates and posters, to help you organise
events and thank volunteers.
Coming to Reunion 2010?
Bookings are now open for this year’s Gilwell Reunion
event, held at Gilwell Park over the weekend of the
3-5 September. The event has changed over the last
few years and so we thought now would be a good
time to provide an update.
The event is open to all adults within Scouting and
not just those who have gained their Wood Badge.
The event has a number of different elements:
• Entertainment – a great opportunity to socialise
and have fun.
• Saturday programme – this is all about supporting
the sections, with bases and stands full
of information and new ideas.
• Sunday programme – this is all about supporting
the individual. We are offering workshops, trainings,
activities and practical skills sessions, a real chance
for everyone to learn something new, try a new
activity or share ideas and skills.
As well as encouraging adults to attend, we are also
looking for people to help with the programme. If you
have any activity providers, Scout Active Support Units
with unique skills or just something interesting to share,
get in touch.
www.scouts.org.uk/reunion or
email [email protected]
FOCUS_FINAL.indd 14 13/05/2010 10:53
15scouts.org.uk/focus
Opinion
Follow WayneÕ s activities and share comments by visiting his blog at www.scouts.org.uk/ccblog
more info
Tim Kidd and Mark Tarry – flexible volunteering in practice.
We talk a lot about flexibility and thinking differently but often struggle to put it into practice, says Wayne Bulpitt. Is it time to think again?
Why flexible Scouting is for everyone
I often hear ‘flexibility is a good idea for other
people, not us’. In fact, it can work for everyone
and at every level. The recent appointment of the
Chief and Deputy Chief Commissioners for England
is a good example where we have split the role to suit the
strengths of the two individuals, Tim Kidd and Mark Tarry.
Such examples of flexibility are not the exclusive domain
of headquarters however. Chatting to Hamish Stout,
County Commissioner of Berkshire, he mentioned that
they had started looking differently at the role of District
Commissioner two years ago when they first appointed
joint DCs, in the District of Wokingham.
Flexible teamsSteph Gould and Andy McBain, who share the role, both
have demanding day jobs. Doing something in partnership
seemed the best way forward. They both bring different
skills to the role so where one lacks the other usually plugs
the gap. In practical terms though, they divide the eight
Scout Groups up between them, four each, so that each
Group has a ‘link’ District Commissioner with whom they
can communicate. ‘Sometimes people go to the wrong
District Commissioner but it doesn’t matter,’ says Steph.
‘We communicate well so we can answer questions from
any Group if one of us is away on business.’
They have found two heads are better than one especially
when it comes to dealing with those sticky political
situations. ‘It’s really good to bounce things off each other,
especially when you’re not sure or if it’s a particularly
difficult situation. Our one tip would be to communicate
well with each other – chat things over regularly so you
both know what is going on. It also prevents that divide
and conquer approach.’
Dramatic resultsHamish explains that when appointing a District
Commissioner or similar role, they now always look at the
options of role sharing, or identifying a Deputy. Perhaps
this has something to do with the great growth Berkshire
is enjoying: 8 per cent in 2008, and over 6 per cent last
year. That’s 980 (15 per cent) more young people over two
years and 140 (9 per cent) more adults. In two years they
have added membership equivalent to one complete new
average size District.
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