ge the...• adult support • resources infrastructure • restructure • info centre • uniform...

SHAPINGTHE FUTURETOGETHER.Agreeing Scouting’s Vision Towards 2018

scouts.org.uk/2018

5376 Shaping the future together.indd 1 16/7/09 17:38:20

2 Agreeing Scouting’s Vision Towards 2018

CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Part 1 Overview and analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Part 2 Feedback from the consultations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Part 3 Questions to ask locally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

The County Commissioners’ Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25



Part 1 – Overview and analysisThis section provides an overview analysis of the summary of the reports from the consultations and sets those into a broader and more long-term context . It also offers some main high-level strategic conclusions, and proposes a working method for the forthcoming County Commissioners’ Conference .

1 . CONTExT(a) Scouting is successful. Compared with 2002, when we confirmed our Vision Towards 2012:

We are growing, both youth membership and adult volunteering• We have greater youth profile externally and greater youth engagement internally• We are highly focussed, with a clear brand and clearer planning processes • We are sound in our management of resources (money, people, property)• We are seen to be more relevant in our wider community • We have a more diverse membership •

(b) The Vision we set out in 2002 (Towards 2012) still has three years to run, with upcoming work-plans for projects and for core-work preparing to deliver even more success in each of these areas.

(c) There will always be more work to do, and we plan to be even better, but the trends are pointing in the right positive direction, and the mood of confidence and commitment is high.

(d) Taking growth as a quantitative measure of success, then over the period since our previous Vision-setting exercise, we have moved from being a declining Movement to a growing Movement, and incrementally so.

(e) The overall approach from 1997 to 2007 was overlapped with the 2002 to 2012 Vision, and we are now embarked on the next overlapping, namely looking forward to a Vision Towards 2018.

(f) A further important observation is that in 1997, the development of the broad Vision Towards 2007 belonged primarily to the Committee of the Council; in 2002 there was a widening of ownership through direct engagement with a Conference for County Commissioners, and now in 2008/2009 this stakeholder-engagement has been widened even further with a series of UK-wide consultations with District Commissioners.


5Agreeing Scouting’s Vision Towards 2018

(g) Before moving into an analysis of the specific feedback from the recent consultations, it is important to see the process in its broader context, and this is represented visually in the following two diagrams:

Since 2002, changes to youth programme, adult support, resources and uniform have been integrated into ongoing updates within core activity rather than needing to be addressed as independent major change processes.

More significantly, over the same period from 1997 to date, and associated with the strategic planning process, we have seen the transformational change from being a declining Movement to a growing Movement.

The graph below shows the percentage decline per year, then the percentage growth per year:

To be agreed

Vision 2012Growing recruitment and retention• Youth youth participation• Focussed brand• Sound resource management• Relevant social engagement• Diverse social inclusion•

CentenaryWorld Jamboree •UK Events and Activities •External •

CurriculumYouth Programme •Adult Support •Resources •

InfrastructureRestructure •Info Centre •Uniform •

1997 2000

2002

2007

2012

2018

4321

0-1-2-3-4-5-6

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009



2 . CONSUlTATION ANAlySIS(a) The paper collating the feedback from the UK-wide consultations confirms a very positive feeling

across the Movement:

Pride• Self-esteem• Self-confidence• Credibility •

These organisational characteristics need to be maintained, reinforced and built upon; they cannot be taken for granted. They are behavioural measures of culture, indicators of organisational well-being. This is work that must continue.

(b) In addition, there are key elements of the current Vision Towards 2012 that have an ongoing momentum and for which there is continuing need for work. For example, while we will be “more” diverse by 2012, there will still thereafter be targets to achieve for Scouting to more reflect the wider society mix for ethnicity, faith, gender, etc. Likewise, there is strong support of continuing with the organisation’s current brand-identity of Everyday Adventure for all.

(c) Many of the consultation groups stressed that while there is change still to be addressed, this should be incremental and developmental, not radical or destabilising.

(d) From the detail of the feedback, there is a clear set of issues to address regarding flexibility and differentiation:

a. Different people/generations have different needs and different expectations of Scouting, each requiring differentiated messages and different support. We need segmentation and targeting of communication, of training, of rewarding.

b. We need actual flexibility for organisational structures at every level, both real and perceived, with further appropriate flexibility in support mechanisms and a climate of empowering and supporting flexibility rather than simply ‘permitting flexibility’.

(e) Another strong area of frequent and consistent feedback was the issue of speed and responsiveness of decision-making. The Movement is often perceived as being too slow to embrace new ideas and concepts; this is seen as a failing at all levels of the Movement, with comments regarding prevailing cultures in Districts, Counties and nationally, a perception of unnecessary bureaucracy and control, and a need to engage with more modern attitudes and technologies.

(f) In both these areas – flexibility and decision-making – the same principle theme is emergent: the need and expectation for greater empowerment. This is not only a Generation Y characteristic; as a result of the generational analysis element of the consultation it is now increasing as a theme of need and expectation for a modern Scouting Movement going forward towards 2018.

(g) At the same time, there was another clear message requesting definition of parameters within which flexibility may be exercised; while frequent suggestions were made for local variations to suit local needs, this was often balanced even within in the same discussion group by a caveat that such flexibility should be within clearly-stated, consistent and unambiguous boundaries, with a focus on ‘what really matters’.

(h) As a final observation, it is suggested that we frame our approach to these issues and themes in a Mission-founded response to the question ‘how do we see Scouting fulfilling its aim in 2018’, or, more sharply: ‘What do we need to do to enable young people to take a constructive place in society in 2018 and beyond?’

3 . PrOPOSEd ACTION County Commissioners attending the October Conference are challenged to engage in clarifying and verifying this Vision, and suggest their proposals for actions that will help to achieve that Vision.



Generational Analysis(a) Characteristics of the four ‘generations’ as outlined by Graeme Codrington of TomorrowToday in the DVD

resource material used for the consultations

(b) Percentage of people currently in leadership positions in Scouting

Silent Generation Born 1925-1945 4% Scouting’s current leadership Characterised by: DedicationDutyRulesHard workLaw and orderConformity

CautiousSelf-sufficientDelayed rewardSacrificeRespect for positionModesty

PatienceReticent to express emotionWaste not, want not

Baby Boomers Born 1945-1965 42% Scouting’s current leadership Characterised by: IdealismImageOptimismTeam-orientationPersonal growth

ExcellenceBig-talkersYouthfulnessWorkInvolvement

Self-expressionHealth/wellnessNostalgiaGrouped together by similar belief

Generation x Born 1965-1985 45% Scouting’s current leadership Characterised by: Change orientedChoiceGlobally awareTechno-literateIndividualism

Lifelong learningImmediate gratificationDiversitySurvivorsInformality

Thrill seekersWhinersSelf-reliant PragmaticNot scared of failure

Generation y/Millennials Born 1985-2005 9% Scouting’s current leadershipCharacterised by: OptimismConfidenceHigh self-esteemStreet-smartDiverse

NetworkedScepticalCivic dutyGlobal citizensAchievement

ImpatientMoralityNaïveLifestyle-centredInformal



Possible strategic framework for Vision Towards 2018 The Committee of the Council considered the following feedback and suggests the following framework for discussion.

Committee of the Council June 2009

In 2018 Scouting will continue to grow, become more diverse and relevant. •

Members of Scouting will be feeling proud, valued and credible. •

Scouting will empower its members through flexibility of approach, •differentiation of communication and timeliness of decision-making, while remaining consistent in mission.

Scouting will be responsive to emerging trends and will embrace change, •while staying true to core values.



Part 2 – Feedback from the consultationsThe following is a summary of feedback and key findings from the strategic consultation surrounding The Scout Association’s Vision Towards 2018 that took place throughout the UK during 2008 .

The consultation was based on a DVD presentation from Graeme Codrington (Founding Partner, TomorrowToday) on generational theory which then provoked discussion on which Members were asked to discuss three questions:

(a) Consider what the generational analysis means to Scouting

(b) Review the SWOT analysis and the PESTLE analysis

(c) Identify major issues that The Scout Association needs to take into account when moving forward to 2018.

1 . OVErAll rEACTION TO ThE KEyNOTE PrESENTATION 1a The overall reaction to the keynote presentation included many different adjectives such as: ‘useful’,

‘interesting’, ‘excellent’, ‘entertaining’ and ‘ideal’. ‘Thought provoking’ was also mentioned on nearly all feedback reports.

1b Other feedback suggested that the information on the four slides in the DVD detailing the values of each generation is key data to understanding how and why people think and act the way that they do. This also highlights the differences in the generations which we need to be aware of and there needs to be an acceptance across the Association that although people are different, this doesn’t mean that they are wrong they just have different views. These differences in the generations within the Association can be seen as currently a cause of tension as we currently have a large proportion of Baby Boomers in our membership that maintain the ‘this is the way it has worked successfully for us’ mentality.

1c The Association needs to be aware of and use to its advantage the variety and levels of drive and motivations that different generations hold. This also backs up the statement that ‘one size doesn’t fit all’. We need to be able to target our communications and opportunities to the right people at the right time to maximise our recruitment efforts and retain these people, as we will know what drives them and can provide them with opportunities to keep them motivated.

1d The responses to the presentation also highlighted the benefits and need to have a balance of generations within the Movement at all levels from Groups to Headquarters. Again, conflicts may occur but people will be able to have a better understanding of the reasoning behind the other person’s argument and it encourages new ideas, rotation of activities and sharing of roles as the team will be able to identify different strengths in different people and everyone can then use this to overall advantage.

1e Another point to note on the generic feedback of the presentation was that it was a professional approach to thinking about the Vision as well as being very informative, and this quality aspect was much appreciated.

1f However, it was noted that a rigid interpretation of the DVD video could lead people to putting others into specific categories and ‘boxes’ which it will be hard for people to get out of.

1g It was also noted that the presentation did not include other communities and cultures; this was mentioned within the presentation itself, but we must not forget that we are a diverse Movement.

2 WhAT dId ThE AUdIENCES ThINK IT MEANS FOr SCOUTING?2a This question was specifically phrased to target the audience that the presentation was being given to, and was

reflected in some of the responses, but much of the feedback that was collected relates to Scouting as a whole rather than to the specific roles.



The overall feedback can be broken down into several headings:

2a i Recruitment• 2a ii Appointments• 2a iii Management• 2a iv Group Loyalty• 2a v Structure• 2a vi Decision-making and• 2a vii Communication•

Further explanation to these headings is noted below.

2a i recruitment2a i (1) The Scout Association needs to be even more proactive in recruiting new adults and young people into

the Movement. We currently have a want to join system in which we ask the public to complete an online form, and we then provide them with the details of their local contact so that they make contact.

From watching the presentation we know that the ‘me’ culture is increasing and the current want to join system will not aid the Association in the recruitment of Generation X. This is because we ask the public to complete the form and contact their local Scout volunteer without any instant benefit.

2a i (2) It is currently unclear as to what the incentive is to join The Scout Association. We need to define the benefits of membership along with the taking up of an appointment for adults, so that they can clearly see ‘what’s in it for me’.

2a I (3) It was suggested that a recruitment pack could be produced to ease the process of the recruitment of Members. This would also provide potential Members with something to take away and think about. We live in a society where people are used to receiving marketing approaches but we need to make sure that the activities are targeted at each specific audience, and that appropriate support is available for the individual. Again, we need greater differentiation in Scouting.

2a ii Appointments2a ii (1) The presentation has informed the Association that people are likely to only volunteer for shorter periods

of time than we have previously experienced: this period is suggested at about two years for Generation X.

The current Adult Training Scheme is not suitable for those people who only wish to provide a couple of years’ service as they may have to complete many modules to gain the Wood Badge, and the review is set to three years – although this is somewhat flexible it is currently not seen to be. Also, the first service award that can be gained is five years. Again, for those who have the ‘me’ mentality and lifestyle in which they have limited time available they are not going to see a benefit.

As a result of people needing to see a benefit immediately, the induction process is crucial in providing people with all of the information that they need, getting the support that they need, and also in holding their attention so they can see that they are involved and are valued.

2a ii (2) It has also been identified that we need to place people and resources where they are best suited, where their skills set are most advantageous rather than just where there is a gap. This not only applies to new Members but to ones already in the Movement, we need to move away from succession appointments where some is ‘moved up the chain’ because they have been involved for many years or are good friends with that line manager. In some cases this can have benefit but they may not have the necessary skills to fulfil the role, and this is also sometimes overlooked.

2a ii (3) It has been suggested that people have busy lifestyles and the competition for their time is great. The suggestion of role sharing was highly prominent, where people can still be involved but we need to be flexible enough to share roles and split tasks up between people so that they are allocated a task which plays on that person’s strength.

2a ii (4) Clear definitions of leading and managing also need to be sought. Leading is a much more appealing title to most people as you are seen to be moving things forward and at ‘the top of the ladder’ without offending, but we are asking many of our leaders to effectively be managers. For example the Group Scout



Leader role is more of manager as they manage the overall provision of the Balanced Programme and the placement and support of section leaders to run that programme. With the same focus on the Group Scout Leader role we have started to move away from needing someone that is an experienced adult volunteer to someone with managerial skills. The definition of what is needed and what is best is reported as often getting lost in translation and this needs to be more clearly defined so that the Association can make sure that it has the right people doing the right roles and the UK has a level of consistency.

2a iii Volunteer management2a iii (1) The feedback received from all consultations has identified a need for more training to be provided for

volunteer management appointments (where adults work with adults) including Group Scout Leaders and all Commissioners. The training has been identified as a need of having many people in positions where managerial experience and knowledge are required to be able to undertake the role effectively but people have been appointed for their past Scouting experience rather than appropriate skills to undertake the new role. This means that we have people who need more support and who need the right tools to be able to undertake the role.

2a iii (2) Another need that was identified was the ability for people in volunteer managerial appointments to be able to identify which generation people are in and the traits that they hold. This will enable managers to communicate with them effectively and offer them the opportunities that will most suit their needs and wants so that they benefit Scouting in the best way possible. At the current time we have a high majority of managerial roles filled with Baby Boomers who have a tendency to communicate in the way that is best for them and their peers rather than the individuals they are communicating with. This can lead to some conflict and unrest, with some people feeling alienated.

2a iii (3) As a result of having a high majority of Baby Boomers in managerial roles, Scouting needs to find a way to hold onto people’s knowledge and experiences so that these can be passed onto the next generation and used to minimise the amount of repetition of tasks or mistakes. It may also be likely that Baby Boomers move on from Scouting during retirement as they will look for a new challenge.

2a iv Group loyalty2a iv (1) The feedback received from the presentation also had a lot of information regarding Scout Groups

and the loyalty that people had with them. Baby Boomers can be seen as protectionists and ‘do things because that is the way they have always successfully been done’. The feedback identified that Scout Groups needed to be more aware of the ‘bigger picture’ and the effects that their actions have – both positive and negative. It was also identified that the Young Leaders’ Scheme is a great tool for engaging young people, providing them with new skills whilst allowing them some responsibility; however we need to remember that these Young Leaders are individuals from a new generation (either Generation X or Millennials/Generation Y) and we should not impose our views onto them but let them decide what it is they want to do and where they want to do it. The suggestion was made that we need to increase the amount of team work that occurs, and that the teams need to be a mix of generations, cultures and alike to get the most of the individuals and also from the team as a whole.

2a v Structure2a v (1) The word that occurred most frequently when discussing the structure of the Association was the need

for greater ‘flexibility’. It was highlighted that we currently use the word ‘flexibility’ frequently and there is already some room for movement, but the definition and how it is used differs across the UK, across Counties, and even more locally, which again brings inconsistencies and confusion. Our current structure was also described as being rigid, and it was suggested that in some places the removal of some layers of the structure would simplify the Association – new people to Scouting would be able to understand it and know who they needed to speak to and who these people are; decision-making time would be decreased and communications would be more direct, faster and keep their meaning as the Chinese whispers effect would be reduced.

2a v (2) Scouting also needs to be flexible with the structure to allow it to keep up to speed with technology; virtual Scouting needs to be embraced and understood. If we were keeping up with society and technological advances we would be able to foresee certain situations, have a plan to include them, support our Members and have some control at a national level as to where Scouting is evolving and



moving to. This is increasingly important as the rate at which technology is evolving is faster than ever, and the Association should not be left behind because of rigid, complicated and slow structures.

2a vi decision-making2a vi (1) As discussed above, decision-making is seen as needing to be quicker and the process simplified to allow

this to happen. The Association promotes the value of making friends which is sometimes to people’s detriment as decisions can be influenced by emotions rather than the facts. The Association needs to be able to provide better support for the volunteers in how to make an informed decision, efficiently and which will benefit the Association as a whole.

2a vi (2) The feedback highly stressed the need to ‘tweak’ rather than introduce sudden high impact changes. It was suggested that the Association would benefit from evolving and gradually changing/improving things rather than leaving them as they are and then introducing a dramatic new change.

2a vii Communication2a vii (1) The feedback included many different comments about ‘communications’, but most agreed on the need

to adapt and target all of our communications at certain age groups to make sure that the information reaches people in the way that is appropriate to them. This therefore means that we need to keep up to speed with new technologies and communicate with people using these methods if appropriate.

2a vii (2) Mobility is another factor that affects the way that we communicate with people; we know that people are very mobile at the moment whether that is the commute to work or jetting off on holiday. With the use of technology people can stay in touch wherever they are in the world at whatever time suits them: our communication and our messages need to take this into account.

2a vii (3) The feedback noted that the most productive communication occurs when it is between peers. This is especially relevant to the delivery of our programme. It was identified that all parties get the most out of it when they can communicate freely and with someone who will understand their needs. The feedback also suggested that the Association should promote the use of young people in the delivery of the programme to further develop their skills, and also to provide the young people they are delivering the experience to with a more relevant experience and using delivery methods that are most appropriate.

2a vii (4) A suggestion also arose that the Association needs to create a method by which we can keep and maintain the details of people who have been Members previously but have left or moved on for whatever reason. These people can then be contacted to attend a recruitment day/activity or to be involved in a specific project where it is known that they have particular skills. This also links into the need to have one central place to store the details of people who hold specific skills, whether that be for activities, first aid or alike which anyone in the Association can tap into.

3 rEVIEW OF ThE SWOT ANAlySIS3a Part 2 asked the participants to review the SWOT and PESTLE analyses, to identify the main issues and to

suggest any additions. Below are the issues that the groups most frequently highlighted as their priorities or additions to the SWOT.

3b Strengths1. The quality that we offer in all aspects of Scouting; programme, activities and adult support.

2. The growth that we have of our youth and adult membership.

3. The image that we have internally and externally is positive.

4. The informal manner of the current Chief Scout.

5. Our development and use of Young Spokespeople.

6. The majority of people in society have heard of or know about The Scout Association/Movement.

7. The attitudes that we have internally: we have Members who bring a tank of enthusiasm, passion and dedication to the Association; currently, there is a high level of self-esteem.



8. The values that we have retained as an organisation which are shared across all generations, the current skills that we have and share along with experience in a variety of areas.

9. Externally there is a trust and confidence in the Association, and people understand what we are striving to achieve.

10. The opportunities that we offer to all age groups, the flexibility in delivery of these opportunities along with the skills and experience that we can provide. This includes the peer-to-peer support by Explorer Scout Young Leaders and Scout Network members who also hold appointments.

3c Weaknesses1. The current want to join system – conversion rate from enquiry to membership.

2. We often have a ‘one size fits all’ mentality, which also extends to the way in which we involve youth Members in the Association; we have a tendency to fit them into what already exists instead of adapting some processes to allow them to fully express their needs, wants and views.

3. The Association also has a very variable quality of volunteer management: inductions vary depending on location, and there are many inconsistencies across the UK with our delivery methods.

4. In particular we are without a process for clear quality measurement and assurance. The quality of Scouting varies depending on local people.

5. Joining lists are increasing, and the attitude that ‘having a joining list means that a section/Group is therefore a success’ needs to be tackled.

6. Decision-making within the Association has a weakness in that it is a very lengthy process which delays actions and development. The complex and rigid structure is seen as a barrier to engagement with decision making.

7. We often have a tendency to prop up failures, and there is frequently competition between Groups/Districts/Counties. This also equates to very insular sections, Groups, Districts etc as they ‘look after their own’ and often cannot see the bigger picture of the Movement as a whole and so lateral communications are often muffled or non-existent.

8. We have identified that people are likely to only be involved for shorter periods of time and that the adult appointment process and Adult Training Scheme need to be able to reflect this. The image of the Wood Badge is also changing as people receive more self esteem and satisfaction from the impact of their actions than from receiving a trophy to put around their neck.

9. The Adult Training Scheme is seen as being very good at what it currently offers but it is missing some practical skills, especially ‘Scoutcraft’ skills which parents or adults that have not been involved with before, and now will not know or have an understanding of when they start as a leader.

3d Opportunities1. The quantity and involvement of young people – particularly mentioned were the Young Leaders’ Scheme

and Young Spokespeople.

2. Flexibility – we have the opportunity to communicate with a wide variety of people via various methods and further target our messages to certain people based on ages and areas of interest. This could include targeting the magazine to non-Scouts for example, distributing copies to local hair dressing salons or doctors’ surgeries, and providing some copies for parents which may prompt them to want to get involved.

3. We can also be more flexible in our delivery methods of Scouting for example; weekdays, evenings and weekend meetings.

4. Recruitment – we have the opportunity to recruit people for their skills set (nationally and locally) and maximise the benefit of these skills in specific projects or roles where they are most suitable. We also have the opportunity to promote role-sharing (to combat a threat on time pressures). The retention of our membership is also something that is an opportunity to improve on, as we often lose Members when transitioning between sections and we also lose adults who move location. The current national want to



join system is something that we have the opportunity to improve and grow our membership, and there also needs to be improvement in local arrangements.

5. We have an opportunity to work with/in partnership with other organisations to gain accreditation for our training scheme and awards to give something back to our Members.

6. There is also potential mileage in working with other organisations to learn new ways of working or sharing issues and for local Scouting to integrate into the community better by working with local organisations and services.

7. The economy is also an opportunity as we offer a value-for-money package which parents will find attractive and due to high rates of unemployment and redundancies adults are looking for ‘x factor’ to add to their CV/application forms.

8. There is an opportunity to employ more people locally as paid staff to do some of the necessary but mundane tasks such as administration, or as one off activity instructors which would combat the fear that leaders have of risks and of being responsible – it could act as a confidence booster to those leaders and also improve the quality of the activities that we offer to our young people.

9. We have a lot of Members all with varying experiences and methods of delivering Scouting and tackling certain situations. The Programmes Online resource is highly valued by many and we have the opportunity to not only share activity ideas but a whole range of methods that have been tried and tested. There may be scope to set up something similar for people to share good practice and real examples of problem-solving across the country.

3e Threats1. The process to join the Association is a threat as it is complicated, time-consuming and unproductive at

stage one (want to join system) and we then suffer from asking people to sign up to what they see as a complicated and lengthy training scheme. Along with this, our recruitment is very much reactive rather than proactive; we are usually asking for people to do something for us with no immediate return. A request to a parent to join a rota is off-putting and this coinciding with the ‘me’ culture is likely to mean that less people will want to join as they don’t see any immediate benefit for themselves.

2. The attitude in society towards young people needing to be protected from risk, and the fear factor that parents have in letting them participate in adventurous activities and with adults that are not necessarily known to them.

3. The competition on people’s time is ‘hotting-up’, and we need to make sure that people still choose to do Scouting in their spare time and make it as attractive as possible for people who only have very limited time available. This is also true of the young people at the older end of the youth programme spectrum as they no longer have parents taking them along to meetings or funding their leisure activities, and this coupled with increased choice of organisations and leisure activities may lead to a decrease in membership and could account for the lower numbers in the older sections in comparison to the younger sections. This could also translate to an opportunity, though, as these Members are involved because they have chosen to be and we can use these Members for other purposes such as promotion, the Young Leaders’ Scheme and adult appointments.

4. Loss of available property is also a threat, as many buildings owned or occupied by Scout Groups and Districts are in a very worn down state. Information provided by the Association on the issue of buildings is limited, and funds are not in endless supply as buildings come with high costs.

5. ‘HQ/National/County vs Local’ Scouting is sometimes mentioned as being a challenge in terms of understanding each other, having different priorities, etc.

6. Other external factors are threats which include schools and the education system as they are now starting to engage with a more diverse range of subjects and more ‘life skills’ that the Association has provided for many years. This may decrease the amount of young people that join the Association as we have nothing ‘new’ to offer them than any other after school activity or experience that the curriculum has to offer. The Association needs to engage in these discussions as we have relevant experience, and need to be able to tailor what we offer and make sure that we do not have conflicting messages which could be to our detriment.



4 rEVIEW OF PESTlE ANAlySIS4a Part 2 asked the participants to review the SWOT and PESTLE analyses and identify the main issues and

additions. Below are the issues that the consultation groups highlighted as their priorities or additions to the PESTLE.

4b Political1. The Association needs to further engage in political issues especially those which include engagement with

and by young people, or which will have a direct effect on the work of the Association and the young people it supports. This engagement needs to be both national and local; support should be given to Members locally to be able to effectively engage. The use of Young Spokespeople was also highlighted as an area that needs more support and which could be a tool for such engagement.

2. The increase in the school leaving age will have an effect as the culture for these young people will be different from previous years.

3. Executive committees and local Trustees need more support and training. The issues that are brought to the Trustees’ table may also alter as time moves forward and the Association needs to be aware of these issues and provide the appropriate support. The feedback also posed the question as to whether the Trustees should have a clearer and more respected and supported role in their own right so as not to over-burden leaders and others who have other primary roles. The length of service that is likely to be given by Generation X will also affect this, as the Trustees in future will keep changing and all paperwork etc will need to reflect this.

4. The increase in devolution across the UK and regionalisation in England may affect the work of the Association that is currently at UK national level. Scouting needs to be reflective of the area in which it is present to best support the Members and to become attractive for new Members.

5. The Association needs to keep up with changes in legislation that affect it. These changes or alterations need to be passed onto the volunteers effectively.

6. World Scouting – we are one Association belonging to a World Movement, and we need to keep up to date with what the other countries are doing, to either support them or to enhance the way in which The Scout Association operates in the UK.

4c Economic1. The increasing mobility of the workforce is a significant factor.

2. The increase in university fees means that debt for young adults will be increased and disposable income will be reduced in the long term. This will also have an effect on time as it is likely that more people will have to take up a part time job and therefore also have less disposable time.

3. The increased costs of events, residential experiences and uniform will also have an effect. We need to be able to continue to provide the activities that Members want while at the same time remaining value for money. Value for money is not always seen in the cost of uniform.

4. The current recession will have an impact. The impact could be positive or negative and as with the rest of the economy the waves will need to be ridden. Financially we could be worse off but our membership may grow – if we remain value for money. It was also noted that potential funders may be less willing to donate money and grant schemes will be highly sought, but if the Association asked for tangible resources rather than money this might be of benefit.

5. The suggestion that Trustees be paid for their activity is also relevant here.

4d Social1. The location of Scouting has been identified has an area for concern – in 2018 do we still want Scouting to

be delivered in a local hut? There are also external factors affecting the venues for Scouting to take place as more housing areas are being built but no provision for a community building is being included. The reduction in community buildings reduces the amount of interaction that occurs in local communities as there is not a central place to go to for meeting like-minded people.



2. Scouting in some cases can be the constant in people’s lives and can be valued as a replacement family. That value is increasing with the rise in single parent families.

3. The Association’s expression of its faith and beliefs policy is seen by some as a barrier to some people joining – should this be revisited/revised?

4. Young people are staying at home longer, again this can be caused by various factors such as the increase in university fees, the current situation of the housing market and the ‘me’ culture in which young people like staying at home as things are done for them and they have more disposable income for other luxuries.

5. A changing birth rate may affect the growth in the youth membership, though this assertion is to be tested.

6. The image that young people receive from the media is still quite negative; the Association should do more by way of getting the good things that young people do into the media.

7. We have an issue surrounding joining lists and the perception that they mean that we are therefore a success – this mentality needs to change as we are actually prohibiting young people from joining the Movement.

4e Technological1. The internet has affected how people communicate and the interaction that people have with each other.

Messages are now more direct, information is instant and the use of social networking sites for Scouting can be seen to be increasing substantially. This may benefit the Movement as it increases the audience, but it could result in people becoming quite lonely and isolated. Young people are staying indoors more than ever before to play computer games, surf the internet and the like; Scouting needs to act upon this and use the benefits, but also recognise that young people need to get outdoors and that this is what we are best at.

2. Communication via new technologies is direct and instant, but our structures for decision-making and communication often prohibit and restrict this. We need to make sure that we get the right messages to the right people at the right time and via the most appropriate method for those individuals.

4f legal1. The ‘culture of blame’ is still increasing.

2. Information could be given to our volunteers on the legal implications that they face and the guidelines they need to follow. Myths could also be bust to aid them in their decision-making.

4g Environmental1. Climate change

2. Issues concerning travelling, which include fuel costs and the use of public transport.

5 FUrThEr SUGGESTIONS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT5a The additional main issues that The Scout Association faces in the future which were identified by the

participants can again be broken down into key areas.

The key areas suggested were:

5a i People• 5a ii Training• 5a iii Trustees• 5a iv Communications• 5a v External Influences• 5a vi Other •

Further explanation to these headings is noted below.



5a i People5a i (1) The skill base of our membership is an issue: we need to know what skills we currently have, where these

are so that we can make sure that we keep these skills and knowledge to pass onto the next generations as well as making sure that we have the right skills in the right places to do the roles effectively.

5a i (2) Should a cap be imposed on the length of time for all appointments that are held to maintain the quality that is delivered and allow for the people who wish to only give shorter lengths of service to take up some of the more managerial roles which they wouldn’t necessarily be able to do currently? Is this relevant, especially if we focus on competence and appraisal?

5a i (3) If we identify the need to increase the skill base of the Association should we move towards having more paid people – locally and nationally. If we pay people to undertake certain tasks should these people therefore be able to have certain levels of authority to allow them to make decisions to move the Movement forward and keep up to speed with the fast pace of society.

5a i (4) We need to be aware of different cultures and the shifts that occur within these; ultimately we need to make sure that we meet people’s expectations.

5a i (5) Suggestions were made to develop the roles of Ambassadors and celebrities, both nationally and locally.

5a ii Training5a ii (1) The Adult Training Scheme needs to remain relevant; we are now aware that people are more likely to

give up shorter lengths of time and so the training that they receive needs to be quick, to the point and appropriate so as to provide them with all of the information and skills they need but not to over burden them with training so as they are unable to get involved in undertaking the role. The induction and review processes are key, again the induction needs to be quick, direct and informative and the review process needs to be undertaken more than once every three years, especially if they are only going to stay for two.

5a ii (2) The feedback suggested that the ‘me’ culture needs to see benefit straight away; a means for doing this is to provide them with skills and experience to put onto their CVs. We need to make sure that we honour our promises to people and that we support them in the correct way of putting their skills and experiences into their CVs. Research also needs to be undertaken to make sure that offering the boost to your CV is what the Members from Generation X really want and need.

5a iii Trustees5a iii (1) The venues for Scout meetings were a reoccurring topic in the feedback notes, and we need to be more

on top of the property that we own as an Association at every level. We have lots of property across the UK and we need a standardised method for reviewing the safety and state of the premises as this can affect the experience that our young people have. Guidance is needed for our Trustees to aid them in making sure that they meet with the law and keep up with changes in legislation along with making sure that they have the funds to be able to meet these requirements. We need to make these issues as easy for our Trustees as possible especially as they are more than likely to hold other appointments.

5a iv Communications5a iv (1) Again, a reoccurring issue was that we need to make sure that we target our communications properly

whether that is internally or externally. The Association needs to remain up to date with changes in the UK to technology and remain abreast of these to remain a relevant Movement. Headquarters and local Scouting need to communicate more effectively with each other remembering that they are all part of the same Movement and working towards the same goals.



5a v External influences5a v (1) The Association needs to watch the economy and make sure that it is aware of what is happening so

that it is able to reflect the current situation and support those that are in need. The media and the negative press that young people continue to receive needs to be tackled and we are in a prime place to be able to inform the public of all of the good work that our youth Members are doing. The Association also needs to make sure that it is aware of what the government is doing, get involved where possible and make sure that all of the membership are aware of anything that will affect them.

5a vi Other5a vi (1) It has been noted throughout the feedback that The Scout Association needs to be able to work in

partnership with other organisations and associations; we sometimes seem very protective of our brand especially locally, but if we worked with other people we could learn from their experiences and knowledge.

5a vi (2) The Association can also been seen by some to be more worried by the amount of growth and membership figures as a quantitative value rather than the quality that is provided by the Members that we have, but others argues that quantity is a measure of quality.

5a vi (3) To reach our goals and meet our targets everyone in The Scout Association needs to be working from the same hymn sheet, and so the final vision document needs to be able to be viewed by everyone; this includes adults, young people and members of the public who are not Members. The more widely this is available the more likely the Association is to be able to reach its goals – we need to link up and accept help rather than ‘go it alone’.

6 dIFFErENTIAlS6 The consultation was presented across the UK which included audiences of County Commissioners, District

Commissioners and 18 – 25 year olds, volunteers on national teams and professional staff. There are some points to note that each audience identified.

6a Geography6a i There was nothing of any difference across the geography of the consultations but in Wales, Scotland

and Northern Ireland there were additional dimensions referenced:

a. In Wales, in addition to all other points which were consistent across the rest of the consultations there was a view expressed that they felt that there was ‘an Englishness’ in approach, resources and decision-making; there was reference to the need for some material to be bilingual; additionally, they explicitly valued the contribution of the Welsh Scout Council as a means to address Wales-specific matters.

b. In Scotland, there was a suggestion that UK national level does not always recognise different variations on Scotland.

c. In Northern Ireland, reference was made to needing to maintain collaborative relationships with Scouting Ireland and to the informal provision by some Groups for young people pre-Beavers.

6b Age6b i It is interesting to note that each workshop mostly focussed their generational-analysis discussions on the

older or younger generation rather than discussing how their own generation has an impact. An example of this is where the overall District Commissioner discussions concentrated on young people, seeing them as ‘a different breed’ and suggesting that more adults are required, whereas the discussions at Insight developed the view that the older adults would not allow for the young people to take on responsibility and felt that the older generation opposed change and alienated some of the young people they claim to be supporting.

6b ii There were, however, many common trends that all age groups/generations identified and these were that we need to target our communications to maximise membership and input not just to the roles people hold but the age group that they belong to and their preferred method. This trend was also apparent as all groups identified the need to work in cross-generational teams to gather and use everyone’s strengths and to recognise that although the aim and objectives may be the same the preferred method of the different generations may be varied.



6c district Commissioners/National Teams6c i There are no distinct variations or contrasts between these two groups of people on the issues of substance.

6c ii In some District Commissioner discussions there was comment that ‘Headquarters do not understand the needs of Scouting out in the field’, but this was only in a minority of the discussions.

6d Staff/volunteer6d i Both of these categories of people engaged in the discussion about how professional the Association is/

should be. The overview from both categories was that the Association should place people into roles for their skills and experience not just in Scouting but in areas of expertise and competence. This view also extended into volunteer roles in the Association, in that we should appoint people into roles for their skills-set and abilities rather than just because we have a space and they are willing to give us some of their time.

7 KEy OBSErVATIONS7a Throughout the feedback from the presentation is the word ‘flexibility’: we need to be flexible in our approach,

and our Members need to be aware that flexibility exists. The Association needs to clearly define what flexibility means to our Members so that we can retain core consistency across the UK.

7b The other factor that has been discussed all the way through the consultation is communication: the majority of the discussions covered how we communicate (internally – local and national), the use of new technologies, and how best to target these to the relevant people/age groups.

7c Although not mentioned in all the feedback reports, the structure of the Association is something that people have many different views about which all conclude that it is complicated – especially for newcomers; and that it appears rigid which hinders decision-making and could be the reason as to why the Association cannot keep up with ‘the outside world’ as quickly as we will need to in the future.



Appendices:A Consultations held B Supporting hand out

APPENdIx A:

Consultations held

Group Location DateDistrict Commissioners’ Forum West Midlands Oct-08District Commissioners’ Forum West Midlands Oct-08District Commissioners’ Forum Durham Dec-08District Commissioners’ Forum North East Dec-08District Commissioners’ Forum North West Feb-09District Commissioners’ Forum Norfolk Feb-09District Commissioners’ Forum London Mar-09District Commissioners’ Forum Wales Mar-09District Commissioners’ Forum South West Mar-09District Commissioners’ Forum South East Mar-09District Commissioners’ Forum Hertfordshire Mar-09District Commissioners’ Forum East Midlands Mar-09District Commissioners’ Forum Cambridgeshire Mar-09District Commissioners’ Forum Bedfordshire Mar-09District Commissioners’ Forum Kent Apr-09District Commissioners’ Forum Essex Apr-09District Commissioners’ Forum Suffolk May-09District Commissioners’ Forum Northern Ireland May-09District Commissioners’ Forum Scotland May-09Insight Preston Nov-08National Programme Team Think Tank Nov-08Adult Support Conference Nov-08Regional Development Service Gilwell Park Oct-08Headquarters Staff Gilwell Park Nov-08Headquarters Staff Gilwell Park Dec-08Programme and Development (Heads of ..) Gilwell Park Dec-08



APPENdIx B:

Original workshop format and brief

The Scout Association

Strategic consultation with District Commissioners

2008

Scouting’s Vision Towards 2018The Scout Association’s strategic planning 1997-2007 helped to ensure a reverse from decline to growth, and helped to ensure the outstanding success of our 2007 Centenary.

Our Vision Towards 2012 was established in 2002 at the National Conference for County/Area Commissioners. It is the basis for our current strategic work, and it is underpinning our continuing successes with growth, development, relevance and being a sound Movement.

Following our Centenary, it is now the time to look further into the future, and to commence the work that will help UK Scouting have a clear Vision ten years ahead Towards 2018.

Objective:

To engage District Commissioners as key stakeholders in contributing to the process of setting the strategic vision for the Movement through to 2018.

Programme:

Introduction• Presentation: Graeme Codrington (Founding Partner, TomorrowToday)• Review analyses: •

- SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats for Scouting 2008)

- PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental trends towards 2018)

Discussion groups•



SWOT analysis: September 2008 (incorporating comments from the Council-in-Conference)

StrengthsGrowing youth membership• Growing adult leadership and volunteering • Quality of youth programme and local delivery• Quality of adult support• Quality of resources• Optimism and self-esteem throughout Movement• Financially independent• Funding available for development• Increasing impact of Young Spokespeople• Trust in Scouting• Positive external perception towards Scouting:•

- Socially - Politically - Commercially - Media

Increasing positive relationships with donors, • funders, partners and politiciansAbility and experience in offering adventure in a • risk-averse societyCore values shared across generations• Involvement of young people• Good record of events and “high points”•

OpportunitiesPotential membership in joining lists• Potential membership and volunteering in • want-to-join enquiriesInternal talent-bank as yet un-tapped• Further develop positive external perception• Further develop external relationships• Imminent changes to UK governance and • leadership positions – scope to include even wider pool of diversity, skills and talent; scope to extend elsewhereInterest throughout Scouting in use of new • technologies and communicationsBuilding on Young Leaders’ Scheme and on • Young SpokespersonsUse of local reserves for local development • at least for short-term and mid-termPotential to engage with political agenda • and wider community locally and nationallyBuild on Ambassadors for Scouting• Stress and use benefits of inter-generational • leadership and membership

WeaknessesGrowing joining lists• Low level of converting “want to join” enquires• Inconsistent growth around UK, even within • CountiesSpecific challenges for inner-city Scouting • Lack of UK-wide organisation-shared vision for • developmentLocal financial reserves not being used for local • developmentLocal cultures of “saving sinking ships”/ “propping • up failures”Variability of quality of volunteer middle-• management; frequently:

- Conservative culture - Private fiefdoms - Leadership teams “old and male” - Insularity of horizons - Low level of innovation - Resistance to change - Mis-placed loyalties

Frequent attitudes of inflexibility• Need for volunteers with people-management skills• Increasing demands on limited time for • volunteering at all levelsNeed to be “visionary”• Need to keep up with technological changes• Need to manage expectations•

ThreatsLack of coherence in national leadership• Potential impact of devolution and • regionalisation if not assessed and managed effectivelyNegative messages if joining lists and want-• to-join enquiries not managed effectivelyHigh-risk of adverse publicity if a serious • activity or CP incidentIncreasing competition for young people’s • timeSome perpetuation of outdated stereotypes• Appearance that Scouting is “not easy to • join”



Future trends over the next ten years PESTlE analysis: September 2008

PoliticalIncreasing devolution• Globalisation of news coverage• Rise of China, India and Pacific Rim• Changing funding environments• Increasing pace of political change•

EconomicGlobalisation of markets and economies• Issue of “greed” versus “enough”• Impact of environmental sustainability• Demand for land• Protectionsim • Increasing shortage of food• Cycle of recession and growth• Continuing increase in home-working, mobile-working and portfolio careers• Mobility of workforce (personally, nationally, internationally)•

Social Increasing “stakeholder engagement”• Increasing longevit, and demographic impact• People working longer• Globalisation of social networks• Changes to concept of “family”• Greater diversity of communities (ethnicity, faith)• Increase in people living alone• Lack of community provision in new housing developments• Increase in obesity and alcohol/drug abuse• Pressure on health service and care for elderly• Impact of 24/7 expectations• Increasing gaps of understanding between generation cultures• Extremist positions of secularisation v fundamentalism• Education debates•

- Vocational v academic - Specific v broad - More or less testing

Technological Globalisation of communications• Increasing pace of technological innovations• New ways of communication, relating and engaging•

legal Increasing regulatory environment• More complex and demanding requirements for Trusteeship• Demands for accountability leading to “culture of blame” and risk-aversion•

Environmental Impacts of climate-change• Concerns for planet sustainability•

The Scout Association September 2008



dCs’ Workshop discussions 2008: Scouting’s Vision Towards 2018

dISCUSSION ANd QUESTIONS1. (a) What is your reaction to the keynote presentation?

(b) And what do you think it means for Scouting?

2. Review of SWOT and PESTLE analyses for the main issues to underline, and check if anything to add

3. Addition of any major issues to be taken ntoi account in preparing Vision for 2018



Questions to consider ahead of the conference Please consider the following three questions and share your thoughts with those attending the conference in October .

1. For those who were able to take part in the consultation workshops, how well do you think the summary of responses includes your group’s responses?

2. What is your initial reaction to the overall analysis of the consultations?

3. What is your initial reaction to the suggested strategic framework for the future (please see page 8)?

help shape the future COUNTy COMMISSIONErS’ CONFErENCE

17/18 OCTOBEr 2009 Staverton Park hotel, Nr . daventry, Northamptonshire

• Discuss and agree the key themes for the next ten years.

• Obtain targeted support from HQ teams on a range of issues from programme to communications.

• The conference will be opened by athlete, presenter and motivational speaker, Steve Cram MBE.

• Chief Scout, Bear Grylls, will be the key note speaker at dinner on Saturday evening.

• Open to County, Area and Regional Commissioners. Additional places are now also available and young people are encouraged to attend.

• One subsidised place for each County is available at £100. Additional places are available at a cost of £175. The fee will cover all meals and accommodation from mid morning on Saturday through to (and including) lunch on Sunday.

Questions and/or a booking form, contact [email protected]

or call 020 8433 7112 .



Notes


Copyright 2009 The Scout Association Registered Charity numbers 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland)

Feedback compiled by Emma Saunders Printed by Burlington Press

Following our Centenary,

now is the time to look

further into the future and

to continue the work that

will help UK Scouting have

a clear vision towards 2018 .


ge the...• adult support • resources infrastructure • restructure • info centre • uniform...

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