Warwickshire Scouts Annual Report 2010

Hello!

Our next steps for 2010-2011

And so, it’s the new boy’s turn, and with it a chance to let you all know my thoughts as I get to grips with the new role. My next six months will be a fact finding mission. I will be asking for people’s thoughts and feelings about how the County could be improved, what it does well and ensuring that we have the right people in the right roles to carry Scouting forward over the next 3 years.

Good progress has been made in the past year. We plan to build on that progress by continuing to ‘step up to the challenge’. The following objectives were agreed recently by the County Executive for the coming year.

• Increase youth membership by 3% (and aiming for 5%) by January 2011 • Increase the number of adult volunteers in Scout Groups by 3% (and aiming for 5%)

by January 2011 • Get more young people involved in our decision-making • Strengthen the support we give to District Teams and Leaders • Strengthen the positive public perception towards Scouting • Improve our budgeting and finance management • Reflect and celebrate the diversity of the communities in which we operate • Increase the number of trained leaders • Work towards Premium Scouting across Warwickshire

Teamwork is very important to me. I don’t see Warwickshire as lots of individual groups, to me it’s one big team delivering varying Scouting programmes to young people across the County, and a lot of my focus will be in strengthening this belief.

I am keen to ensure that we remain a youth driven organisation. To me this is not so much about having young people in County team and district roles, but more about ensuring that the people in those roles really are focussed on inspiring and developing young people. I see our young leader training scheme as an integral part of this, but I will also be encouraging you all to find new ways of running a balanced ‘youth led’ programme.

Also high on my agenda will be ensuring that our movement is one which welcomes all cultures, faiths, sexes and abilities. Just making sure our doors are open to people from all walks of life is all this requires, but it is something I strongly stand for and support.

For the County team I will be discussing objective setting and succession planning, as well as pushing a philosophy of ‘logical, achievable, and fair’. It is important to realise that we are all volunteers, even me, and so when we look at what we ask of our volunteers we need to make sure it is logical, achievable and fair, otherwise Scouting will no longer be fun… and I don’t know about you but I like to have a lot of fun when Scouting!

Overall, however, the more immediate concern is getting out there and meeting as many of you as possible. I know there is some fantastic Scouting going on in this County, and we should all be really proud of what we accomplish on almost a daily basis. It is a privilege to be able to represent you, and I look forward to working with you over the coming years!

Andy

Census

Acknowledgements

Membership Beaver Scouts Cub Scouts Scouts Explorer Scouts Scout Network Fellowship/Active Support Leaders & Commissioners Administrators Totals

Acstede Design Chris Whitmore Associates Coventry Building Society Dale Street Methodist Church Gavin Slark & BSS Group On Centre Surveys Ove Arup & Partners PTS Trust Pet Products Volvo Warwickshire Police W.C.V.Y.S.

2010 1,164 1,524 1,327 463 66 43 1,030 47 5,664

2009 1,038 1,512 1,363 413 48 40 873 59 5,346

St. George’s Day Awards

Patron:

The Chief Scout has awarded the following in the 2010 St. George’s Day Honours list:

The Rt Hon. The Earl of Aylesford

Silver Acorn: David Barclay - County Vic Harmsworth - Rugby Philip Houghton - County & Leamington Gillian Nelson - Rugby David Wright - Stratford

Martin Dunne Lord Lieutenant, JP

Congratulations to all members recognised for their efforts and leadership over many years, including recipients of Medals of Merit who are not mentioned here.

My final year as your County Commissioner has yet again made me proud to be a Scout. As I hand over the reins to Andy Shorter I know I leave behind a strong team who are focused on what is best for Warwickshire. Over the past 5 years I have seen some fantastic Scouting and we have moved forward further than I could have hoped.

This year has been no exception; our growth of 4.9% in adult volunteer numbers is the result of commitment in Districts to support local recruitment activity. This has further resulted in more Scouting for more young people with youth numbers up by 3.9%.

I’ve had the pleasure of attending a variety of activities and events across Warwickshire including some outstanding St. George’s Day celebrations, Stratford Districts’ Centenary celebration, along with a wide range of District and Group activities. Many of the County team attended a development day in early in 2010 which set the scene for working on how to involve more young people in decision making.

I was very pleased at the increase in training activity and the resultant increase in Woodbadge numbers. We also saw increases in the numbers attending sectional County events, from the 200+ Explorer Scouts packed into Dale Street for Explor’09 to the record number of Beaver Scouts at their fun day District and Group activities, long with County events such as WAGS. To all of you who have worked so hard in Warwickshire Scouting over the past 5 years I send you my heartfelt thanks, I firmly believe that the work we all do is hugely valuable to the youth of today and to our communities. May you long continue to enjoy your Scouting and I wish you lots of FUN in the years ahead.

County President:

Finally there are two special people without whom I could not have been your County Commissioner. Jo-ann and Gemma have supported me, put up with so many phone calls, tolerated many absences and been dragged along to events to allow me lead Scouting in Warwickshire. Thank you.

Warwickshire Scout Council is affiliated to Warwickshire Council for Voluntary Youth Service (WCYVS).

The County Executive is grateful to all those who have contributed to this report and to all leaders for their hard work and commitment to the young people of Warwickshire.

www.warwickshirescouts.org.uk

Warwickshire Scouts

County Report

www.warwickshirescouts.org.uk

2010

David Registered Charity No. 506367

During this year, County and Districts teams have been working together to achieve the aims we set out at the AGM in September 2009. The County Executive is pleased to report the progress we have made.

The challenge: Strengthen the positive public perception towards Warwickshire Scouting

The challenge: Reflect our community in Warwickshire

The challenge: Enhance the participation of young people

What we did:

What we did:

What we did:

The challenge: Increase youth membership by at least 3% and aiming for 5%

With the sectional ACC team we looked at ways to improve the content of the County website.

We looked at the female membership across Warwickshire and started work with Districts to promote the full inclusion of girls in Scouting.

Working with Districts we promoted the inclusion of 18-25 year olds within District & County Executive meetings.

What we did:

We provided support to County events and created professional looking advertising materials for County activities.

We started work on developing our diversity strategy in conjunction to work by HQ.

The County Team Development Day in January 2010 looked at new ways to give young people a voice in Warwickshire.

Through working with District teams we improved the management of youth ‘Want to Join’ enquiries.

We looked at how to increase the circulation of WISPA.

How we did: How we did:

Female youth membership increased to 17% as at January 2010.

In January 2010 we refined the data collection process for the annual census with the aim of more accurately measuring waiting lists.

Press and media support was provided to a number of Districts.

Through analysis of census information we started to monitor retention levels between sections.

How we did:

Working in the Scout & Explorers Scout sections we started to promote best practice for linking.

We created a map of Group locations and started the work to highlight linking opportunities.

From May 2010 WISPA is received by every adult volunteer in Warwickshire, with only a small increase to budget.

How we did:

The majority of County events are now advertised in a positive and professional looking way.

What we did:

Total numbers have increased, as at January 2010 youth membership had increased by 3.9% in the year.

Positive ‘on message’ local publicity was achieved in most Districts during the year.

County and Districts worked together to coordinate a County and Regional training diary.

Seven Groups received HQ start up grants for new sections.

The challenge: Develop effective management of resources

We helped the County team ensure all County team members are working towards their Woodbadge for their role.

The challenge: Increase adult volunteering by at least 3% and aiming for 5%

What we did:

We started the work to improve access to more adventurous activities across Warwickshire.

Regular support meetings were held between the County Commissioner and each District Commissioner focusing on practical support.

What we did:

As part of the County Executive Committee review we looked at the structure & purpose of the Committee and the way it worked.

How we did:

A project group was created by the County Executive committee. Its task was to review the way the County Executive committee works and make recommendations to improve it.

Started to support Districts in their focus on ensuring there is a GSL in place for every Scout Group.

We started to create an adult recruitment support team, subsequently this support was taken over by the Regional Development Team. Several recruitment events have been held with Groups and Districts during the year.

Planned work to improve the registration of Explorer Scouts on the Young Leadership Scheme and to deliver young leader training across Warwickshire will be carried forward to next year.

We used case studies in WISPA to highlight examples of flexible volunteering in Warwickshire.

Through work implemented by District teams we improved the management of adult ‘Want to Join’ enquiries.

Working with the sections we helped promote the use of the Parent Pack and the Big Adventure to engage (and recruit) parents.

Explore’09 saw over 200 Explorer Scouts gather together to look at topics they are interested in.

Of the 72 Groups in Warwickshire, 57 have a GSL and the number is increasing.

Several Groups have used the ‘Big Adventure’ resulting in increased parental support to Groups.

Recent County appointments have been of younger thinking people.

The challenge: Improve the support & leadership of volunteers across Warwickshire

With District teams we ensured each District had an effective local training manager.

We improved the way we manage the County budget. With the County Treasurer we developed regular reports to support this process.

With the District teams we promoted the cooperation and sharing of resources between Groups and Districts.

How we did:

What we did:

County Team members all have training plans in place (where appropriate).

All training opportunities are now coordinated with Districts and are published on the County website along with dates from other counties.

More units have access to the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme after attending courses run locally.

How we did: We now have a different way of working and a clear view of the County Executive committees’ structure and function.

There has been an increase in support meetings held between District and Group teams.

Most sectional events saw an increase in the numbers attending.

The Cub Leader Training weekend is planned for autumn 2010.

The County Executive team now uses more effective and regular reports to monitor budgets.

There has been increased participation by members of the County Executive and clearer understanding of what the Committee wants to achieve.

District teams report increased cooperation between Groups and Districts.

How we did: Total numbers have increased, as at January 2010 adult volunteering had increased by 4.9% in the year.

Two youth forums (WANG for the Scout Network and an activity in Motivat10n for the Explorer Scout section) are planned for autumn 2010.

The challenge: Work towards delivering ‘Premium Scouting’ across Warwickshire

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youth led, adult volunteers, support & leadership, positive perception, effective management, reflect our community = Premium Scouting