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SCOUTS
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OUR STRATEGY FOR 2015 – 2025
scouts.org.nz
CONTENTS Making a difference................................................................................1 Better Prepared – a call to action.......................................................3 Our Purpose..............................................................................................5 Our Vision...................................................................................................5 Our Vision.............................................................................................6 Our Brand.............................................................................................6 Our Values............................................................................................7 Our Approach.....................................................................................7 Our Better Prepared priorities............................................................8 Who will take action? All of us!........................................................ 10 Our Strategy at a Glance.................................................................... 12 Youth at the Centre.............................................................................. 15 Quality and Relevant Programme.................................................. 16 Inclusive Growth................................................................................... 19 Prepared Volunteers............................................................................ 20 Organisational Strength.................................................................... 23 Resources/talk to us............................................................................ 25
MAKING A DIFFERENCE Kia ora koutou In my three and a half years as Chief Scout in New Zealand, I have enjoyed meeting representatives of our 16,000 Scouts and seeing for myself how much they appreciate the experiences, opportunities and fun that scouting offers. In that time, I have also seen some of the changes that SCOUTS New Zealand has been seeking to implement, including changes in the way young people are engaged. I welcome SCOUTS’ commitment to chart a course for the next ten years. I wish everyone associated with SCOUTS New Zealand all the best in implementing the plan. Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, GNZM QSO Governor-General of New Zealand and Chief Scout
One element from my first memories of Scouting has stayed with me in every sphere of my life. Be Prepared – those 2 words have helped me overcome many obstacles in my life journey. Going beyond ‘Be Prepared’ to ‘Better Prepared’ is a powerful vision for SCOUTS to take a successful and growing culture, and give it the tools to excel. To be just prepared on Everest sure helps, but to be better prepared is the key. Everest is a place where you need to live and breathe the concept of one team. You may think the direction is simple – up – but in fact it is far more complex than that. Just like the journey for SCOUTS. The next decade will build on all those that have gone before, with old and new challenges. Better Prepared calls on everyone in and around SCOUTS to step up, as I am sure all will – an exciting decade ahead. Mark Inglis, Adventure Plus Ambassador
SCOUTS has been an incredibly important part of my life since I started when I was ten. I progressed through the ranks, gaining my Queen’s Scout Award and am now a Leader. This journey has had so many positive impacts on my life, improving and shaping my leadership, self-direction, and organisational skills. Without SCOUTS, I would never have gained such a passion for tramping, met so many awesome people or flown a plane solo. SCOUTS has enabled me to grow as an individual, learn the benefits of service to the community and to flourish under even the toughest of circumstances. SCOUTS has prepared me for life. Danielle Stevens, Queen’s Scout 2013
OUR STRATEGY FOR 2015 – 2025
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When all of us – youth, leaders, volunteers and staff – focus on the Better Prepared priorities, and work as One Team in the same direction, we are a powerful force for future scouting. Let’s grab the opportunity and go for it!
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BETTER PREPARED – A CALL TO ACTION BETTER NEVER STOPS SCOUTS New Zealand has been making a difference for youth in New Zealand for over 100 years. We are part of one of the greatest movements the world has known, with 40 million members worldwide. You can find our former youth members succeeding in all walks of life, drawing on the skills they first learned as scouts. Today, SCOUTS New Zealand brings our strengths to the 21st century with nearly 16,000 youth members and more than 5,000 adult volunteers. Every day we empower youth to create adventurous experiences which make them Better Prepared for the future. Over the last 10 years we have done many things to help SCOUTS flourish, including actions from the 2006 Forward Planning Concepts Group. We have grown, we are better recognised, and our youth members have access to greater opportunities. But even a strong organisation needs to adapt to remain relevant and successful in a changing world. Better Prepared is our game plan for shaping SCOUTS 2015 – 2025 and is fully aligned with the World Organisation of the Scout Movement’s (WOSM) strategy for scouting. Better Prepared puts youth at the centre of all we do. By putting the game plan into action, we will ensure that our activities and programmes offer a consistently high quality and relevant experience, that we reach out to all young New Zealanders, that our volunteers feel well prepared, and that SCOUTS has strong foundations.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to Better Prepared through the Vision 2025 project – whether you made a submission, attended a workshop, or were part of the Vision 2025 working group, your actions helped make a difference. So here is the call to action. Whatever your role - a National Council member, a youth member, a volunteer, a front line leader, a staff member, a group committee member, there will be actions you can take to turn each of the Better Prepared priorities into practice. Please read the strategy, talk about it with others, look on the website for resources that will help you, and be willing to try new things. When all of us – youth, leaders, volunteers and staff – focus on the Better Prepared priorities, and work as One Team in the same direction, we are a powerful force for future scouting. Let’s grab the opportunity and go for it!
Martin Smith National Chair
Niamh Lawless Chief Executive
Kelly Bleakley National Commissioner
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OUR PURPOSE
We empower youth through adventurous experiences to lead lives that make a positive difference. OUR VISION
In 2025 more than 25,000 youth will enjoy scouting adventures. They will come from every background, with a place for all, shape their own experiences, and make a positive difference for New Zealand. OUR STRATEGY FOR 2015 – 2025
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OUR VISION
OUR BRAND
In 2025 more than 25,000 youth will enjoy scouting adventures. They will:
ADVENTURE FOR LIFE
–– come from every background, with a place for all –– shape their own experiences, and –– make a positive difference for New Zealand.
This will happen because: –– A consistently high quality and relevant youth experience will be available everywhere –– Every adult volunteer will feel supported and equipped to empower and support youth –– SCOUTS will be a confident organisation with sustainable resources and a brand that is well known, trusted and admired –– SCOUTS will work as One Team of youth, families, volunteers, and staff who share mutual respect, and a positive mindset
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Our ‘Adventure for Life’ brand, presented as ‘Adventure Plus’, helps us express our offer in a clear and consistent way. We must strengthen our ability to consistently understand and communicate with our brand.
OUR VALUES
OUR APPROACH
Our values are expressed through our refreshed Scout Law* and set a benchmark for everyone, from Keas to adult volunteers, to observe in their life, work and scouting.
This is how we will work:
Have Respect –– For yourself and others –– For the environment
Do What is Right –– Be trustworthy and tolerant –– Have integrity
Be Positive –– Accept challenges with courage –– Be a friend to all * The refreshed Scout Law will be rolled out when it has been endorsed by the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM).
–– Youth centred learning organisation We seek to learn from everything we do so that we continuously enable quality adventure and leadership experiences for youth. –– The Scout Method Our youth development method is: our Promise and Law, working in small teams, learning by doing, personal progression, adult support, and adventure. –– One Team Everyone in SCOUTS is positively connected to our purpose and to working collaboratively to deliver it, with respect for all roles played. –– Relevance We assess everything we do for its relevance to our purpose of empowering youth through adventurous experiences to lead lives that make a positive difference. –– Outdoors and adventure The primary place and way we do our learning; this distinguishes us as a movement. OUR STRATEGY FOR 2015 – 2025
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OUR BETTER PREPARED PRIORITIES A strategy is all about clear direction and choice. We know what we want to be and achieve. We can’t do everything, so we have to choose the things that will have the most impact. Better Prepared describes the five priorities we will focus on over the next ten years to achieve our vision for 2025. Better Prepared is not a detailed ‘how to’ guide, but it will help us to allocate our resources to the
activities that will have the highest impact for the future success of SCOUTS. You can see examples of proposed Better Prepared practical actions at www.scouts.org.nz/betterprepared
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Better Prepared describes the five priorities we will focus on over the next ten years to achieve our vision for 2025.
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WHO WILL TAKE ACTION? ALL OF US! Better Prepared is for all of us. Whatever your role – a National Council member, a youth member, a volunteer, a front line leader, a staff member, a group committee member – there will be actions you can take to turn each of the Better Prepared priorities into practice.
National council member
Front line leader
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Youth member
Staff member
Volunteer
Group committee member
Here are some examples of how Better Prepared can be implemented by people in different roles.
PRIORITY
YOUTH ACTION
GROUP LEADER ACTION
NATIONAL ACTION
Youth at the Centre – shaping experiences
Contribute good ideas for youth programme
Support all section leaders to seek feedback from youth on a regular basis
Develop governance training for youth with input from youth
Youth at the Centre – safe from harm
Know how to speak up, who to talk with
Ensure that safe from harm practices are regularly assessed
Lead the development of Child Protection policy
Quality and Relevant Programme
Help review all my programmes
Support all sections to run a balanced programme
Implement a One Programme approach to the Award Scheme
Inclusive Growth
Bring a friend
Work with zone to share waiting lists
Set up Online Scout Manager and build capacity fund
Prepared Volunteers
Regular thank yous for leaders and volunteers
Support leaders to take part in skills development
Develop new adult development policy and review training approaches
Organisational Strength
Tell your friends and family about the benefits of SCOUTS
Consider how sharing facilities and equipment could meet future needs
Build national and international partnerships to support our activities
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OUR STRATEGY AT A GLANCE OUR PURPOSE
We empower youth through adventurous experiences to lead lives that make a positive difference. OUR VISION
In 2025 more than 25,000 youth will enjoy scouting adventures. They will come from every background, with a place for all, shape their own experiences, and make a positive difference for New Zealand. OUR VALUES
Have respect
Do what is right
Be positive
OUR PRIORITIES
Youth at the Centre To ensure youth are empowered to lead and shape scouting.
Key Outcomes –– Creating better youth experiences drives all our decisions –– Youth work together with adults to shape their scouting –– Youth are empowered to lead and contribute to all our decision making –– All youth are safe from harm –– Our values are relevant for all ages
Quality and Relevant Programme To ensure our programmes are driven by considering our purpose and what is best for today’s youth.
Key Outcomes
To broaden our community reach and increase our membership.
Key Outcomes –– 25,000 youth members –– Our diversity is tripled
–– Scouting experiences are consistently relevant and highly valued by youth and their families
–– No youth is left behind because of affordability, availability or inclusiveness issues
–– Programmes and activities are driven by considering our purpose and what makes the most difference for today’s youth
–– We are widely seen as open to all
–– Our Award Scheme fully reflects our purpose and vision –– All members are open to different ways of learning and working
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Inclusive Growth
Prepared Volunteers
Organisational Strength
To become a learning organisation that supports and continues to develop its volunteers
To strengthen the foundations for being a valued, smart and sustainable Movement
Key Outcomes
–– Places to meet and go
–– We have a positive culture of being One Team –– We have an Adult Development Policy that supports continuous development –– Volunteers feel supported and valued from the time they join –– Our expectations of volunteers are clear and feedback is provided –– We have effective approaches for managing volunteer recruitment and departure
Key Outcomes –– Strengthen our Adventure for Life brand –– Encourage youth advocacy –– Build on our positive culture –– Effective governance –– Digital technology –– National and international partnerships –– Sustainable finances
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YOUTH AT THE CENTRE Youth are the reason we exist; everything we do will put youth at the centre. Our ways of operating will be relevant and accessible to 21st century youth. When scouting first began, it was young people themselves who decided what they wanted to do. We want to live consistently by that principle, providing youth members with the opportunities to shape their scouting in partnership with the adult volunteers who will support them. We need to be responsive to the needs and realities of our youth members to remain relevant. Actively involving youth members in our decision-making processes will help ensure this. So will ensuring that the values we live by and formal commitments our members make remain youth relevant. All youth can expect to be safe in all their scouting experiences. We have a duty of care to keep all the youth associated with SCOUTS safe from harm.
Where we will be in 2025 –– Creating better youth experiences drives all our decisions –– Youth members of all ages work together with adults to shape their scouting –– Adults enable and empower youth in age appropriate ways to share their ideas and have a meaningful voice in planning, implementing and reviewing all that we do. This will be standard good practice from a Kea section to the National Council –– All youth are safe from harm
How we will achieve this –– Youth members will be offered leadership and governance development opportunities to shape their scouting, help make decisions and become community leaders –– Practical support will be given to leaders to empower youth members through the programme and in decision making –– Safe from Harm Policies will be developed and implemented that ensure all aspects of health, safety and wellbeing are front of mind for youth and adult members –– The refreshed Scout Law will be implemented for all members following WOSM endorsement –– Initiate a review of the Scout Promise to ensure we sustain a commitment which is relevant and inclusive for the 21st century –– Youth members will have more recognised opportunities to actively volunteer in the programme delivery of younger sections
All youth can expect to be safe in all their scouting experiences. We have a duty of care to keep all the youth associated with SCOUTS safe from harm.
–– Our values, as expressed by our Promise and Law, are relevant to all ages and actively lived by
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QUALITY AND RELEVANT PROGRAMME Lifting our ability to deliver high quality, relevant programmes consistently is a crucial challenge facing SCOUTS. Developing the potential of our youth members comes from quality programmes that support learning, achievement and enjoyment. Growth follows quality. As scouts, our Programme includes not only our activities but also our ways of working. The Scout Method includes: our Promise and Law, working in small teams, learning by doing, personal progression, adult support, and adventure.
How we will achieve this
Learning styles are changing and what youth and their families expect of a learning environment is shifting. We need a common understanding of what quality and relevance means today and in different local contexts.
–– A Youth Development Policy will be prepared that guides us in defining what a quality and relevant scouting programme is. This policy will drive our approach to Award Scheme, National Programmes, activities and events
Lifting the quality of our programme delivery will attract more youth members and adult volunteers, while also making SCOUTS more attractive to potential sponsors, partners, and the community.
Where we will be in 2025 –– Scouting experiences are consistently relevant and highly valued by youth and their families –– Programmes and activities are driven by considering our purpose and what makes the most difference for today’s youth –– Our Award Scheme fully reflects our Purpose and Vision, enable high value youth development opportunities, and are easy for youth members and adults to understand and use. As a result more youth members will fulfil their potential and gain confidence and meaningful skills –– All members will be open to different ways of learning and working
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–– We will investigate the interests and needs of youth and their families inside and outside SCOUTS to understand what they see as relevant and beneficial in a scouting programme
–– Our Award Scheme will be redesigned with a ‘One Programme’ approach which will be consistent between all sections and reviewed on a regular basis –– Adult volunteers will be provided with tools and development opportunities to fully implement our new approaches to Programme –– A renewed focus on National Programmes will be used to drive greater relevance and alignment to our Purpose and Vision in our weekly programmes –– Youth members will have opportunities to contribute to their programme planning and review
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INCLUSIVE GROWTH We want to make quality scouting opportunities available to all youth and, if we do this, we will grow and become more inclusive. Scouting’s philosophy, going back to Lord Baden-Powell1, is that scouting should be available to every youth who would benefit from it. Growth is important to SCOUTS, but not just for its own sake. As a larger organisation we would be stronger and have access to greater resources. But more importantly, there are thousands of youth missing out on the opportunities SCOUTS provides, for example because the groups in their areas are full and there are long waiting lists. Some live in an area where no scouting activities are offered, possibly because we don’t have enough volunteers. Some families believe that they cannot afford the costs of scouting. SCOUTS is not yet seen as open to all, regardless of gender, faith, culture, ethnicity or other individualities. We live in a diverse society. Having a membership that reflects the community we live in will make all our members feel more valued, and more positive about being part of SCOUTS. Interacting with people from all walks of life helps build more rounded, tolerant and worldly future citizens.
Where we will be in 2025
How we will achieve this –– Research the barriers to joining and sustaining membership throughout New Zealand, and develop actions that make SCOUTS available and affordable to all youth –– Develop capacity building actions that take a targeted approach to extend SCOUTS by growing existing groups with high potential, opening new groups in communities we are not present in, and supporting youth led actions such as ‘Bring a Friend’ –– Collaborate with a wide range of partner organisations, such as iwi organisations, schools, women’s groups, religious organisations and other diverse community networks, at local and national levels to reach a diversity of youth –– Develop innovative scouting approaches, and consider how tailored programmes, activities and formats could help make SCOUTS more inclusive –– Identify new ways to grow a more diverse leader base –– Ensure we consistently promote ourselves as a welcoming place for all
–– Our membership is over 25,000 youth members and broadly reflects the communities we live in –– No youth is left behind because of affordability, availability or inclusiveness issues –– We are widely seen as open to all
1 Lord Robert Baden-Powell (1857–1941) was a
lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, founder of the Scout Movement and the first Chief Scout
Photo credit: www.newspix.co.nz
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PREPARED VOLUNTEERS Good leaders are vital in developing youth so they can make a difference. To be effective all our adult volunteers must be clear on what is expected of them, be well supported, have ready access to welltargeted and easy-to-use resources, enjoy their volunteering, and be recognised for the contribution they make. The expectations of volunteers have changed, as have the expectations our society, youth and families place on those who work with youth. In response, we need to strengthen the support and development frameworks provided for adult volunteers, while helping them understand and easily meet these new expectations.
How we will achieve this –– Create an Adult Development Policy to guide the continuous ongoing development of all adult members –– Define and actively promote our desired behaviours and culture, which include positive behaviours, openness to feedback and fresh ideas, team work, and collaborative leadership appropriate for a volunteer based organisation. Design processes which help us hold each other accountable to our shared values and responsibilities
Continuity and consistency in support and development matter, and our adult volunteers’ experiences need to be enjoyable and personally rewarding.
–– Immediately implement some of the high impact and easy to achieve gains identified by the AR&R Taskforce and regularly refer back to the report for guidance on longer term development
Our Adult Recruitment and Retention Taskforce (AR&R) has provided recommendations on how we can better attract volunteers and help them stay longer. These have fed into our strategic approach, and will be used as an ongoing resource.
–– Strengthen the capacity of our groups to recruit adult volunteers by developing targeted approaches for family members, youth volunteers and alumni
Where we will be in 2025 –– We have a positive culture of being One Team focused on creating quality youth development opportunities and are welcoming of fresh ideas –– We have a flexible and networked approach for supporting and developing adult volunteers in a consistent way such that they feel supported and valued on their arrival and throughout their time in SCOUTS. Our adult volunteers never stop developing their skills –– We proactively recognise and reward the contribution of all our adult volunteers –– All adult volunteers have a clear understanding of the expectations and term of their role, the support and mentoring available to them, and access to clear feedback on a regular basis –– We have effective approaches for managing both adult volunteer recruitment and succession 20 BETTER PREPARED
–– The role of an adult volunteer will be made simpler and more enjoyable with a greater focus on Programme delivery and easier access to resources and support –– Provide those in support roles (Zone and Group Leaders) with the development opportunities, tools, and direction to consistently offer high impact support for Groups and Sections –– Develop our adult volunteer capability through succession planning, and ensure that all volunteer roles have clearly defined terms and performance feedback –– Encourage a culture of recognition focused more on contribution than longevity and make it easy for volunteers to be thanked and recognised regularly –– Our practices will be welcoming and inclusive of entire families
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ORGANISATIONAL STRENGTH The first four Better Prepared Priorities all rest on the firm foundation of a strong organisation. So, to reach our 2025 vision, we will need to invest time and energy where our current foundations need strengthening. WHERE WE WILL BE IN 2025 SCOUTS will be: –– Recognised and valued –– Healthy in terms of safety, finances, assets, governance, technology, advocacy and support –– One Team made up of youth, families, adult volunteers and staff who are active champions working together for the movement
PRINCIPLES FOR BUILDING OUR ORGANISATIONAL STRENGTH –– Focus on what adds the most value and equips us to be a smart, sustainable movement –– Strengthen our One Team approach –– Be open to new ways of working and sharing resources and effort –– Work in transparent ways that build trust –– Use smart technology to enable our activities
ORGANISATIONAL STRENGTH ACTIONS Places to meet and go Effective stewardship of our capital assets is vital; to do this we must have accurate records and condition assessments. We need to become more flexible in our approaches to finding places to meet and go.
–– Develop a national asset management plan (a high level plan which identifies and assesses our assets, including land and buildings and what it will take to care for these and gain value for youth members through their use) –– Consider flexible use of assets, including shared facilities, to best empower youth members to make a positive difference
Brand: selling the stories Mainstream media, advertising campaigns and promotional flyers offer one method for recruitment of youth members and adult volunteers, but we can harness other channels. –– Reinvigorate and strengthen the consistent application of the Adventure for Life brand –– Develop an external communications strategy for building our brand recognition and public profile and an internal communications plan to engage and support adult volunteers, including better sharing of information such as volunteer development –– Develop an alumni database and communications strategy that will keep former members informed, and feeling part of the movement
Champion youth interests We carefully select how to use our voice: we have much to add on youth development issues nationally, but until our resources are stronger, our input will be limited. –– Empower our youth members to be advocates for youth in their communities and at a national level –– Be an effective voice for our essential needs
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Culture: One Team approach
Digital Technology
A One Team approach, where we respect and value all contributions, is vital if we are to achieve our goals for youth. Organisations that have an “us and them” mentality do not flourish.
There are multiple options for SCOUTS to harness the benefits of IT development while keeping focus on the SCOUTS approach of learning in the outdoors.
–– Build better understanding of the role and value of the contributions made in different parts of SCOUTS (for example, National Council and NEC, zones, groups, youth members, working groups, parents volunteers, and staff ) –– Identify ways we can build our culture and positive behaviours to help us move towards an empowered network of adult volunteers with clear accountabilities
Effective Governance Effective governance is vital if SCOUTS is to navigate the changes and challenges of the next ten years. –– Sustain fit for purpose governance with extended opportunities for youth training and induction, and regular reviews of performance –– Improve monitoring and evaluation of our activities so that we understand what is giving us best value for effort, and what will drive long term sustainability and performance in our structure and practices –– Refresh the Policy Organisation and Rules (the Rule Book including the Constitution) to fully reflect Better Prepared and the desired culture of SCOUTS as a 21st Century organisation –– Take a strong, whole organisation approach to health, safety, and risk –– Prepare and publish an annual review of progress against the Better Prepared strategy
–– Establish an IT steering committee to develop a digital technology plan, which oversees effective long term development of IT tools that empower youth members and support adult volunteers –– Maximise the value of Online Scout Manager (OSM)
National and International partnerships Being an active partner both in New Zealand and World Scouting offers opportunities to extend our impact for youth and secure access to resources and knowledge. –– Maintain and develop relationships with World Scouting to inform our choices and advance our interests –– Build selected strategic partnerships within the World Scouting community for mutual benefit including benchmarking our approaches –– Within New Zealand, extend our connections with potential partners in youth development and consider how to deliver with and through partners
Sustainable finances Healthy finances and a One Team approach provide us with confidence and ability to invest in the strategic objectives of Better Prepared. –– Promote a whole of movement approach to the sound management of our finances, including financial reporting consolidation –– Sustain our credibility and reputation as a high performing charity –– Diversify our revenue sources
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RESOURCES/ TALK TO US You can find out more about the consultation and analysis behind Better Prepared and the team involved in preparing the Strategy on www.scouts.org.nz/betterprepared
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KEAS
CUBS
SCOUTS
VENTURERS
ROVERS
LEADERS
SCOUTS NEW ZEALAND PO Box 11348, Wellington 6142 Level 1, 1 Kaiwharawhara Road, Wellington +64 (0)4 815 9260 www.scouts.org.nz/betterprepared reception@scouts.org.nz
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