During 2023-24, the County, District and Groups underwent a transformation
It didn’t affect the delivery of Scouting adventure to our young members, but affected the way that we think about our organisation, the description of roles and changed the structure – and name – of District and Group Executives into Trustee Boards.
Overview
In 2018, ‘Skills For Life’, our strategy for Scouts was launched which focuses on preparing more young people with skills for life, supported by our amazing adult volunteers delivering inspiring programmes. The strategy lasted until 2025 and focused on growing Scouts, making it more inclusive, shaped by young people and having a greater impact on our communities.
As part of the ‘Skills For Life’ strategy, Scouts developed a new volunteering culture to make volunteering easier and more fun so attracting more volunteers and so that our current volunteers were more likely to stay.
The transformation process was not just about changing processes but about building a new volunteering culture that’s inclusive, supportive, digitally enabled, has clear roles, focuses on relevant learning and welcoming to new volunteers.
What’s changed?
There were four key areas as part of the transformation of the volunteering experience
- A warmer welcome for all – focused on creating a new digital tool to help recruit volunteers as well as redesigning the current appointments process into a welcome conversation.
- More engaging learning – focused on replacing the current Adult Training Scheme with new content and digital learning tools that reduce and remove heavy administration work of recording and validating learning. Making Wood Badges optional and structured on a personalised learning experience for the individual.
- Positive volunteering everyday – moving to a teams-based approach with all volunteers in teams with a clear purpose and shared tasks. Replacing Role Descriptions with Team Descriptions to allow teams to decide between themselves how tasks get allocated through the support of Team Leaders. Updating role titles to reflect how we volunteer to make them more understandable and appealing. Some named roles were retained where they serve a clear purpose while other roles were replaced.
- Digital support – focused on launching new digital tools for welcoming, learning and adult membership system all to be accessed through a single sign-on through scouts.org.uk.
Trustee Boards
Scout Group Executives converted to Board of Trustees. This was more than just a change of name. The Trustee Board now focus on:
- making sure the charity is well managed, particularly financial management;
- risks are assessed and mitigated;
- buildings and equipment are in good working order; and,
- everyone is following –
- Charity legal requirements and
- Policy, Organisation and Rules.
Trustee Boards no longer have responsibility for the operational matters previously undertaken in Executive Committees
You can find a check list of Trustee board activities – on-going, annually and 3-yearly here (PDF): Check list
District and Group Structure
A set of slides were presented by the District team in mid-June 2023, presenting how the transformation changed the structure of the District and of Groups. It also identified how the changes affects the titles and, to some extent roles, of leaders through to occasional helpers.
You can find the slides here (PDF format): New District and Group Structures
Trustee Boards – Resources
There are lots of resources for Trustee boards, as follows:
Moving to Trustee Boards : How Trustee Boards are set up to focus on governance – what it means for the Scout Group
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/volunteer-experience/volunteering-together/what-this-means-for-you/moving-to-trustee-boards/
Trustee Boards : Understand how Trustee Boards support a Scout Group
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/volunteer-experience/teams/trustee-boards/
Trustee Boards : Discover resources to support Trustees, keep Trustee Boards on track and recruit new Trustees
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/trustee-boards/
Trustee Information Pack : Trustee Information Pack to help new trustees to understand their role.
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/trustee-boards/recruiting-new-trustees/trustee-information-pack/
How to be a great Trustee Board : Understand and work towards your Trustee Board’s purpose – hear from our team about the support on offer to you. Register to join the Webinar on Wednesday 18th September 7-8pm. Can’t make it? Watch the recording of the Webinar held on 28 May.
https://www.scouts.org.uk/events/2024/how-to-be-a-great-trustee-board/
Creating our Constitution : Guidance on our charity’s governing document
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/trustee-boards/your-constitution/
You can find the model constitution, retaining the numbering in POR (PDF): Constitution
Planning your AGM : Resources to help prepare and run AGMs
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/trustee-boards/annual-general-meetings/
Trustee Introduction learning : The E-learnng module for new Trustees
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/learning-development-and-awards/training/learners/modules/getting-started-training/trustee-introduction/
Can’t access the on-line learning about being a Trustee? No problem. There is a workbook which you can use in its place which you can find here:
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/learning-development-and-awards/training/learners/support-resources-for-learners/independent-learning-workbooks/trustee-introduction-workbook/
Accounting and reporting : The responsibilities of Trustees for making sure finances are well managed and resources are used in the best interests of Scouts
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/finances-and-insurance/accounting-and-reporting/
Trusteeship, property and equipment : Find out Scouts’ policy and rules for trusteeship, property and equipment.
https://www.scouts.org.uk/por/13-trusteeship-property-and-equipment/
Managing Risk : Identifying, monitoring, and managing risk is a key part of good charity governance and Trustees must develop and maintain a risk register.
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/trustee-boards/risk-register/
Finances and Insurance : Resources to assist in matters related to finance, banking, accounting and insurance
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/finances-and-insurance/
Further policies : Information on matters which as safeguarding, complaint handling, bulling and harassment policies, data protection and retention.
https://www.scouts.org.uk/about-us/policy/
A Guide to Supporting Young People on Trustee Boards : This guidance is designed to help young people starting their role on Trustee Boards
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/trustee-boards/a-guide-to-supporting-young-people-on-trustee-boards/
Trustee Board Meeting Agenda Prompts : Topics to discuss at your regular Trustee Board meetings.
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/trustee-boards/trustee-board-meeting-agenda-prompts/
A Guide to Trustee Boards for Young People : This guidance is designed to help young people starting their role on Trustee Boards.
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/trustee-boards/a-guide-to-trustee-boards-for-young-people/
