There are some exciting changes coming to Scouting which will improve the volunteer experience and make it easier to recruit and retain volunteers so that we can provide Skills for Life to as many young people in South East Scotland as possible. Below you can find out more about the changes and hear from two South East Scotland members about why they are excited about the upcoming changes.
I was asked by our Regional Commissioner Martin Elliot to take on the role of Transformation Lead for South East Scotland Scouts. There are some exciting changes coming in the next 6 months which, I believe, will drastically improve the experience for our existing and future volunteers. This will in turn allow us all to offer skills for life for more young people.
I’ve volunteered in the Region for nearly 30 years. I’ve genuinely not felt as excited about taking on a new role as I do now. This is because I know the changes ahead are going to have such a positive impact on our volunteers. Our Region has been asked to take the lead on the changes in Scotland which means we will be introducing them a few months earlier than other parts of the country.
I’m looking forward to working alongside Martin and his team and indeed all members to help make these changes happen in South East Scotland. I’m mindful that most of us are not all that keen on change (at first!). I remember vividly 20 years ago being given the thankless task of explaining to a room full of Edinburgh Scout Leaders that we were going to reduce the age range for Scouts down to 10-14 and create a new section called Explorer Scouts. People were up in arms at the time! Although a challenge at first, 2 decades on we have certainly reaped the rewards of those changes.
I promise to keep you updated regularly in the months ahead. Please feel free to contact me direct on my email below.
Scott Goddard
Transformation Lead – South East Scotland Scouts
E-mail: scott.goddard@sesscouts.org.uk
The graphic below gives you more details on the changes ahead, the rationale behind them, and the benefits they will create. Click on it to expand, read the content and click on further links embedded in it.
The South East Scotland Scouts Region has been asked to be one of just 10 regions in the UK to adopt the changes earlier so our time line is different from other parts of the UK.
February 2023 – October 2023: Some of the softer changes and changes in culture that are not reliant on the new digital system will be introduced.
November 2023: The new digital system will go live.
Read more on the changes from Deputy UK Chief Commissioner and member in Borders District Craig Turpie in his blog.
Volunteers told us they need more volunteers and we listened. Together, we’ve come up with a plan. To give more young people skills for life, we need more volunteers. In 2018, we agreed our Skills for Life strategy. Now we want to make volunteering with Scouts easier and more fun, so we can attract and retain more volunteers to help more young people gain skills for life.
South East Scotland Scouts
71 Bonaly Road
Edinburgh
EH13 0PB
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