Question Time
Question Time
Panel: Andrew Wellbeloved (County President), Barry Manley (County Commissioner), Russ Dyble (Local Development Officer) & Simon Holt (Nominated Youth Representative on the Council of the Association).
The information below is a summary of the topics put to the panel – where appropriate, the answers have been added to the relevant workshop page. The answers provided on the day and further information we have been able to obtain from volunteers and staff at County or HQ. Where similar questions were asked, they have been grouped for ease of reading.
Questions about our transition from Scout Fellowship to Scout Active Support
Questions about Adult Training
Questions about CRBs
Questions about Involving Parents
Questions about the recording of youth members on the National Membership Database
Questions about Young Leaders, Young Leader Training and membership requirements
Questions unrelated to workshop contents
Please clarify the level of membership required of Group/District officials (Chair, Secretary and Secretary)?
Is there a target date by which Districts must load info in the new “Permits” section of the national membership database?
- No – there is no set deadline, but clearly recording this information centrally is an important development in ensuring our records are available to all those who need them – so the County are encouraging Districts to adopt this way of working as soon as possible.
Could we have instructions on how to access and update or records on www.scouts.org.uk please.
Why is it so time-consuming for an LTM to update Personal Learning Plans on the national membership database?
- There are many improvements which could be made to the database – as these are fed back to HQ, they are prioritised and actioned based on the demand and budgets. If you have any suggestions about how the database could be improved, please email info.centre@scout.org.uk
What is the County doing to develop the Scout Network section? This is vital to keep young people /potential volunteers involved but those at university are unwilling to pay the membership fee when they can only take part during holidays.
- A new County Scout Network Commissioner, Phil Wilkins, was appointed last Autumn – filling an appointment which had previously been vacant for almost 9 months. Since his appointment Phil has been contacting District Commissioners and local Scout Network units to agree a way forward for the Scout network section.
- The intention is to to plan a County-wide attendance at a number of national Scout Network events, as well as encourage and support local Scout Network units to run their own local programmes.
- The County Executive have agreed to reduce the amount payable by Scout Network members from previous years in an effort to encourage individuals to join, however Scout Network members are members of the Association and as such cannot be exempt from paying the national membership to ensure they receive membership benefits such as insurance and magazine etc.
What is happening about Duke of Edinburgh Awards?
Who is the DoE representative?
When do the Scout Association intend to change to electronic log books?
- Someone has been approached with a viw to becoming the Counties new DoE adviser, we are waiting on this appointment to be confirmed.
- Since last October, a team including the County Commissioner, ACC Scouts, ACC Explorers and Deputy DC have been meeting with the DoE adviser at HQ to decide the best way to manage DoE and Queens Scout Awards within the County… Going forward, the new DoE adviser will work closely with individuals within Districts to ensure that the DoE scheme is running successfully and that these awards are also being translated into Queens Scout Awards.
- In terms of electronic log books, UK Chief Commissioner has replied:
- The DofE Award launched the eDofE system and moved from record books to welcome packs. As the largest operator, we are working with them to determine how we can launch eDofE to the movement in a manner which makes it easy to work with for both leaders and youth participants.
- The key challenge at the moment is ensuring that we minimise the amount of administrative effort required by leaders. As soon as we have a pragmatic solution we will introduce eDofE, it is likely that this will be an interim solution whilst we develop an integrated system with the DofE. No specific date yet I’m afraid.
What legal advice/support is available from HQ?
- The Association can offer general advice on issues facing Groups, District and Counties, but does not have the capacity to offer to defend Groups, Districts or Counties who find themselves involved in a case.
How do we pass the content from today to our section leaders?
Are there any plans to do a similar event for section leaders / young leaders?
- As yet, there are no plans to run a similar day for section leaders / young leaders – as line managers, it is important that you take back the information you have got out of today and disseminate through your group – including section leaders, young leaders and executive committee.
A few words on the cost of using this venue for the weekend – it’s useful, pleasant and appreciated but was it expensive?
- Using the DeVere hotel as a venue is more expensive than a Scout Hall or school, but sets an appropriate tone for the day – and is part of the County’s Development Plan to use appropriate venues for meetings such as this.
- Whether the day is value is ultimately down to the success of Group Scout Leaders and Group Contacts disseminating the information and working wtith their leaders to develop their group.
Ethnicity is not recorded on the Association’s record cards – why is it required on the Annual Census?
- The Association is part of a world-wide movement that is proud to be multi-cultural in terms of e.g. ethnicity, faith and gender. For this reason, it sees ethnicity as irrelevant when a person joins, regardless of age; and there is consequently no requirement to ask about and record individual ethnic origins as an item of data on the Application Form(s) and the membership database.
- However, many organisations with which the Association deals, particulary in national and local government and the public sector in general, require information about how representative our membership is of the diverse cultural environments in which we operate. We need therefore to be able to demonstrate that we are aware whether our membership ratios of ethnic origin do reflect those of the society we serve, and that we try hard to ensure they do. The figures entered on the annual Census Return do not have to be spot-on. A broad-brush split of which GSLs and Section Leaders should be well aware is adequate for the Association to provide hard evidence as well as assurances to our stake-holders.
- The template membership form available from the “Involving Parents” workshop has been amended to include this for ease.
What impact could the Olympics have on Scouting in GLN?
- Despite meetings taking place with the IOC at a regional and national level, we do not have any information about how adults in Scouting could be involved with the Games as volunteers in any way other than the opportunities available to members of the public.
- Our biggest opportunity to tie the Olympics into Scouting is through the youth programme – taking advantage of the chance to find out about the countries and cultures which will be represented at the Games, inspiring young people to participate in the Athletics and Fitness badges and possibly arranging a visit to see one of the events take place in 2012.
What is the County’s policy regarding the expenses of the uniformed leaders – especially when they have children in the group. It can be expensive for the individual to do and enjoy Scouting.
- In addition to out-of-pocket expenses, the County Team and Executive would strongly encourage groups to reimburse the cost of uniforms and membership fee - these costs can be included in the group’s annual budget and youth membership fees / fundraising planned to cover the associated costs.
- An example Group Expenses Policy can be found on the 18th Edmonton Scout Group’s website.
- Grants are available from HQ to subsidise the cost of uniform and activities for families who would otherwise struggle to afford them. The County will consider applications to support Groups or individuals but will want to see evidence of support being offered by the Group (in the form of applications to small grants) and District where possible.
Why is it a leader can’t take Scouts/Explorers away camping without a permit, but a 13 year old Patrol Leader or 15 year old Explorer Scout can go camping without a leader?
- This question has been passed to the Activities team at HQ for guidance.
If different people can edit their own page on the County website who will be checking the content and how often?
- Access to add/edit information on the County website will be granted to relevant Commissioners and others – overall control of the website rests with the Web Manager (Simon Holt) and ACC Communications (Mark Darlow).
Do you know if Sainsburys are still running the Active Kids voucher scheme for Scout Groups?
- Yes they are – more information can be found on the Sainsburys website.
Can the County please give more notice when it intends to increase the membership fee – in good time before September please?
- The County Executive’s policy is to agree it’s levy on the membership feat the earliest opportunity – usually aiming to announce their intentions at least 9 months in advance through North Circular and direct to District Commissioners and District Treasurers.
What is the County’s timetable for the introduction of the InTouch system – and what guidance is available?
- This item was discussed at the District Commissioner’s meeting – the day before the GSLs Conference. The consensus was to leave the roll-out of this to Districts, as a County-wide implementation date seems unnecessary.
- Full details of the new InTouch scheme can be found at www.scouts.org.uk/intouch.
How much does the Chief Executive get paid and do we pay for the Chief Scout’s expenses?
- Public details of the Association’s staff pay structure can be found in the Annual Report.
- The Chief Scout and other national volunteers receive reasonable out-of-pocket expenses – in the same way Groups, Districts and Countys are encouraged to in line with volunteering good practice.
Why have some people got a blue dot on their badge?
- Those with blue spots visited the “Review and Update of County Development Plan” session first in the afternoon, those without started in the “Group Support Marketplace”.
If I cannot take young people away overnight without a Nights Away Permit, why can a group of Scouts or Explorer Scouts go away without an adult present under the “passport” system?
- We are awaiting clarification on this.
