FROM THE REGIONAL COMMISSIONER
Welcome to another newsletter.

It has been really good to see all the continuing good work [and lots of fun!] throughout the Region this past month or so.

Our development project continues to run very successfully. We had a visit from the Development Grants Board representatives in March to monitor our progress [ and how we were using the money they allocated to us for the project!] and were are pleased to confirm that all went well.

I am pleased to announce that Isabel McNab has been appointed as ARC Adult Support. Isabel will be working closely with the Regional Team and DCs over the next period of time to fully establish the role which will primarily be to provide ongoing support for District Commissioners.

I was really pleased to attend the Borders Leaders day on the 27th March. It was great to see you all and from the feedback it is clear that the day was beneficial. During the day the Borders team received updates from UK, Scottish, Regional and District levels, a workshop on recruiting adults into Scouting, opportunities to discuss issues and input ideas for future planning as well as swapping ideas.  Thank to Graham Coulson for organising the day.

Plans are well underway for the ‘Bonaly Birthday Bash’ on the 11th June.  By all accounts it is going to be a great day so please see the advert in this newsletter for more details.

Our Gang Show colleagues are also well underway with plans for this years show and details of auditions are also in this newsletter. This is a magnificent opportunity for our young people to push the boundaries out in a different way so please ensure that the information goes out to your young people.

Our Longcraig colleagues are also getting geared up for the season, they are always on the lookout for volunteers so anyone who is interested please contact the centre.

Ken and his team have been working away on ensuring that opportunities for training are in place when and where you need it. They are planning ‘Its Outdoors’ on the 14th May, further details in the Newsletter.

The team undertaking the District Boundary review have had their first meeting. Progress is detailed elsewhere in this newsletter.

As we get closer to AGM season I and the Regional Team look forward to seeing you at your AGM.

Dorothy McKinney      Regional Commissioner

UPDATE FROM THE REGIONAL CHAIRMAN ON MATTERS FROM THE REGIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

REGIONAL CHAIRMAN’S UPDATE

The Regional Executive Committee met on 23 February to deal with a very full agenda. Progress is being made on various matters including the following:

A paper on Regional Funds, prepared in response to requests at the Regional Conference last year, was agreed and is now available on the website, along with further information on fundraising.

A further one year contract, covering the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012, was agreed for Alan Willoughby, again for a four day week as in the past year. Alan continues to provide excellent service in the Region; his role has changed over the past year and it will continue to evolve as we progress.

The Committee received a report: Bonaly Outdoor Centre – A Way Ahead, and accepted in principle the recommendations made. Various matters need to be addressed further before full details are shared widely, and it is important that proposals are shared and discussed with those most directly affected first. At this stage, I am able to share the following points:

-          The Executive will take a more practical role in staff management and development

-          A training and development programme will be implemented for the Centre Manager, with a view to developing the role.

-          Consideration is being given to changes in the way the Executive supports the management of the Centre and the Centre Manager.

-          More appropriate accommodation for volunteer centre staff needs to be arranged.

-          Further development of the facilities at the Centre is required, including the activities on offer.

-          Further income generation is required to enable further progress to be made and opportunities for this are being reviewed.

-          New marketing opportunities will be pursued.

-          Opportunities to work along with the water activities centre at Longcraig will be considered.

In addition to the above, good progress is being made with administrative support and further development of systems, since Christine Moodie commenced work with the Region as noted in my last update.

The review of Longcraig is nearing completion and group will report to the next meeting of the Executive in May, as will those who are undertaking further work on how we can make best use of the centre in Valleyfield Street in the future.

If anyone has any comments or wishes to raise any points in relation to the work of the Executive Committee, please contact me. (email jwkennedy@blueyonder.co,uk )

John Kennedy        Regional Chairman

 

DISTRICT BOUNDARY REVIEW - UPDATE

I advised you in the last newsletter that we had established a Project Team to undertake the work relating to the District Boundary Review and gave you details as to how you can contribute to this by being involved in the initial consultation.

The Project Team have been identified and had their first meeting on the 28th March 2011. As I indicated previously the team have been identified due to their personal qualities and experience [ not in any way relating to representing a District or other view]. I am pleased to advise that the team are as follows:

Dorothy McKinney        Regional Commissioner and Project Manager

Alan Willoughby          Project Administrator

Team Members

Peter Henderson          Formerly a DC and an AC in an Area which had changes in district structure

Ken Hyslop                  Served on Edinburgh Executive and on a number of Area and Regional Working Parties.   Formerly  Rector of Leith Academy
 

Graeme Luke                Programme and Development Executive at Scottish Headquarters since 2001 and former Scouter, DC and AAC(AT) in Edinburgh Area.
 

Al Reid                         Formerly AAC Venture Scouts.  Operations Manager in Aerospace industry
Project Management of change programmes, Organisation & operational design.
 

Graeme Russell            Held both uniformed and Executive positions in Gorgie - Merchiston and Pentland Districts.
He has recent experience of change management and transition within Districts.

Works as a Director of a large Edinburgh based Housing Association

Craig Turpie                 Chairman of the European Scout Committee and experienced in supporting the organisational development of National Scout Organisations across Europe to help them provide better Scouting for more young people.
 

Tim Wallace                 Held roles as AAC Cub Scouts and an ADC as well as group roles in different Areas.  Primary School Head Teacher

I would like to reaffirm in this update that we are working with a set of objectives which we regard as being important to the future of Scouting in South East Region and that the project team will look at how District Boundaries can contribute to the achievement of these objectives and where necessary make proposals to adjust boundaries to do so.

The team focused on the First stage of the Project at their recent meeting i.e. Initial Fact Finding and consultation and confirm that work is progressing well in regard to gathering information however we do need you to contribute to this exercise. To support this to happen we will be writing to you all individually to reaffirm what this work is about and how you can contribute to it. We will also be offering you an opportunity to meet with the Team and share your views on the future needs of Scouting in South East, the date and time will be detailed in the personal letter I referred to earlier which will be sent out to you over the next few weeks.

In the meantime it is really important that you take the opportunity to give us your views via the survey form available on paper obtained by e-mailing    review@southeastscotlandscouts.org.uk  or by writing to ‘Review Team’, Regional HQ at Valleyfield St.,  or by using the link on the website under the heading Review. You will have until the end of April to submit your response.

If as the project progresses you have any questions for me or the team in relation to the review then please do so via the following e-mail address  review@southeastscotlandscouts.org.uk

I look forward to hearing from you

Dorothy McKinney  Regional Commissioner

 

NEWS FROM ADULT TRAINING
 

It’s … Outdoors
 

Coming up on 14 May at Bonaly is ‘It’s … Outdoors’!

This is the first in a series of skill training opportunities we shall offer to Leaders over the coming years. This topic – outdoor camping skills – has been chosen in response to requests from several individuals and being marked as a priority in the recent Bonaly Review.

It is a one day event, led by the Training Team and supported by leaders from within the Region and at Bonaly, with the aim of ‘providing adult leaders with the chance to try out traditional scouting outdoor skills in a ‘safe’ environment’.

Leaders in the Cub Scout and Scout section will be invited for the day: it is likely that you can attend 3 different activity sessions and then take part in two projects, such as pioneering, campfire leading and cooking your own meal … then home to your own bed.  We may be able to meet any other skills, which are requested. This will all be done as a group of leaders only – without their young people – and supported by a team of experienced scouters!

Watch out for the advert which will come out by post or email during the week beginning 11 April. Please sign up quickly if you would like to take part.

Everyone welcome.                                                                It should be good fun too!

Forthcoming Training Opportunities

I would like to remind Leaders in South East Scotland Region about training opportunities that are being offered in the near future. You may need to take part in some of them.  If so, please send a completed application form to Alan Willoughby or contact him directly. Please contact Ken Thomson (0131 663 2979) if you would like further information.

Tue 3 May      19.30 – 22.00         V/Field St           20 Admin                       for GSLs & Commissioners                        

Wed 4 May     19.30 – 22.00         V/Field St           24/26 Man.& Sup. Adults   for GSLs & Commissioners

Thu  5 May     19.30 – 22.00         V/Field St           21 Growth                     for GSLs & Commissioners

Mon 9 May     19.30 – 22.00         V/Field St           23 Safety                          for GSLs & Commissioners

Tue 10 May    19.30 – 22.00         V/Field St           22 Section Support     for GSLs & Commissioners

Sun 8 May      13.00 – 16.30         Lasswade HSC    37&1 Appointment Process   for AAC Members etc.

Sun 8 May      10.00 – 12.30         Lasswade HSC    13 Growth (Sections)     for Leaders in the Sections

Sun 8 May      13.00 – 14.30         Lasswade HSC    14 Young People Today  for Leaders in the Sections

Sun 8 May      14.30 – 16.00         Lasswade HSC    15 Challenging Behaviour  for Leaders in the Sections

Tue 17 May    19.30 – 22.00         Bonaly                12 Balanced Programmefor   Leaders in the Sections

Tue 17 May    19.30 – 22.00         Bonaly         25 Assessing Learning  for GSL/Com & Training Advisers

Wed 11 May   19.30 – 22.00         Bonaly (evening) - and Residentials (inc. Outdoor Skills)  for Leaders in the Sections

Fr 3-Su 5 Jun Residential            Bonaly (camping) - covers Modules16 & 38 Residential Exp along with 17 Activities Outdoor &18 Practical Skills                

Sun 19 Jun     10.00 – 16.30         V/field St            10 First Aid                      For all

Training Calendar for 2011/12
 

It’s the time once again for planning the programme of training opportunities for the new Scout year! Your ADCs and Training reps have already started and have agreed a number of changes. Next year we plan to include three ‘Its … ‘ skill training opportunities to build on those we have introduced this year, like ‘Its … Outdoors’ due on 14 May (see below). Next year we are likely to include ‘Its … Young Leaders’ and ‘Its … Fund Raising’. We also intend to offer training modules in Instructing, Facilitating and Presenting and further training for trainers, if possible. Trainers will also be involved in several local development ‘days’. It is difficult to fit these all into our programme so it was agreed that we should reduce the number of specific days when we provide ‘Getting Started’ modules regionally. We will continue to offer personal support for District delivery of these modules at agreed times.

As usual, I would welcome comment on, or suggestions for inclusion in, the proposed programme.

The following two articles are included in response to comments and questions received.

First Aid
 

A number of leaders have presented their own qualifications, gained professionally or through membership of another organisation, to complete Module 10. This is fine, as long as you have the certificate and the training undertaken covers at least the same topics and depth as the Training Module. The only additional element is to ensure that you also cover what The Scout Association requires of us in an emergency situation. (There is a useful card to support this, which is available from the Information Centre or myself. The rules are specified in chapter 7 of POR)

Ongoing Learning

Definition - Ongoing learning, or ongoing training, is essentially any training, learning or development completed by an adult that is subsequently used by them in their Scouting role. It can take place both inside and outside Scouting, but must ultimately benefit the young people, and adults, in Scouting.

Requirements - Following the completion of the Wood Badge, leaders must undertake some ongoing learning in order to maintain their Appointment as current. Over the period of an appointment, an adult must complete an average of five hours ongoing learning each year. Ongoing learning can come from a variety of sources and could be in the form of:

• additional modules from the Adult Training Scheme, for example a DC attending Module 28 (presenting skills)

• training within The Scout Association but outside of the Adult Training Scheme, for example, a Training Adviser’s course

• training completed outside of Scouting, for example, an evening classes that provides you with new talents that can be of use to you in your Scouting role, an IT class for example

• an external qualification in a practical skill such as archery, for example.

Assessment - The appropriate Group Scout Leader or Commissioner should consider the plans for, and completion of, ongoing learning as part of the normal review process. The appropriate Appointments sub-Committee and Commissioner formally assess the completion of this requirement at a Review. Completion of ongoing learning is a requirement for renewal of appointments.

Further examples of ongoing learning - Providing the learning can be shown to have been of benefit to The Scout Association it can be absolutely anything. The following few examples are given to help you think widely.

• A Cub Scout Leader taking a basic car maintenance evening class and subsequently incorporating the skills learnt into the Sectional programme

• A Beaver Scout Leader gaining a basic food hygiene certificate prior to catering for a Beaver Scout Sleepover

• An Explorer Scout Leader attending a National Governing Body Award course in order to obtain a Scout Association Adventurous Activity Authorisation

• A Scout Leader learning to make rope at the local craft museum and teaching the Scouts

• A Group Scout Leader completing a word processing course and subsequently producing a Group newsletter

• A District Commissioner attending a County recruitment workshop

• A County Commissioner going on a management seminar at work

• The Chief Scout being taught by a Cub Scout how to plait a woggle and then teaching others.

ANNUAL CENSUS

It is with pleasure that we can report an increase yet again in the South East Region in terms of numbers engaged in Scouting. The figures are now fully complete with growth in Pentland, Borders, Morningside, East Lothian Midlothian and Portobello.

There are now 1495 Beaver Scouts, 1936 Cub Scouts, 1541 Scouts, 479 Explorer Scouts and 25 Network members across the region supported by 922 leaders and 243 members of district committees and scout active support units (134 members in total in this category)

Overall there is a rise in young people of 159 across the Region and a fall of 10 in all adult involvement although leader figures are slightly up

149 is the growth across the Region of 2.3 %.