focus june july 2010

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]


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.



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


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



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.



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.




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!



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

FOCUS_FINAL.indd 10 13/05/2010 10:52


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.

FOCUS_FINAL.indd 11 13/05/2010 10:53


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

FOCUS_FINAL.indd 12 13/05/2010 10:53


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


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


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.

FOCUS_FINAL.indd 15 13/05/2010 10:53

OBC_Focus_JunJuly.indd 6 12/05/2010 14:28

focus june july 2010

Documents

scout active support

ukfocusnew support

gsl support

issue of flexible volunteering

active support fl y

new support resource

focus of responsibility

development adviser