Natter with Nathan

International Summer Events 2023

World Scout Jamboree

Kander100

BSO Development Weekend

The Scouts #SkillsForLife National Strategy was launched in 2018. To align with the national strategy, we created our Area Strategy 2019-23 and had plans to publicise and push this across the whole Area. We then hit the Covid-19 pandemic which scuppered our plans to promote the strategy. Since then, The Scouts have updated the National Strategy and extended the strategy another two years to 2025. This meant our strategy was no longer in alignment and we need to create a refreshed strategy. To ensure maximum buy-in across the Area, we have engaged with front-line volunteers to understand the effectiveness of our Area and District support teams. This was done via an all-member questionnaire aimed at front-line volunteers who were given a chance to win a £30 (congrats to Olivia Prince of 1^st Jeradong on winning!). The questionnaire has help us understand your view/understanding of strategies, satisfaction, support, recognition, programme, adventure/permits, inclusivity, youth shaped, community impact and growth. I want to reassure everyone that took the time to complete the questionnaire, that we have read and studied every comment and submission and this will be used to help form our 2-year strategy to 2025. 

Two weekends ago, nearly all of the Area team along with District Commissioners came together at Paccar Scout Camp (between Heathrow and London) to discuss and shape our future strategy. The weekend allowed us to create a huge prioritised list of 170 weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the delivery of Scouting across BSO. These are being divided up amongst the Area teams and Districts so that team and District strategies can be created so that the highest priority items can be tackled over the next two years. Here are the top 10 issues for the Area team to concentrate on:

1. DBS checks local/national along with compliance/non-compliance
2. Access to adventurous activity permits and gaining night’s away permits
3. Getting started in BSO (induction and training support)
4. Safe Scouting and processes not always being followed
5. Training is seen by some as optional
6. Help with recruiting new volunteers and retaining existing volunteers
7. How to ensure we are delivering Youth Shaped Scouting
8. Tackling resistance to change by some leaders
9. Accessing adult training
10. Issues with distances in BSO: Problems with communication, safety, sense of belonging

There are many more issues that might be quick wins, but the above are seen as the most pressing issues to be tackled. Area and District teams will be working on these. Districts will also soon be running similar strategy workshops where Group/section members will be invited to discuss and contribute to District 2-year strategies. My thanks go to the Area team and DCs for attending what was a great team-building event, full of energy and a lot of humour. We achieved a great deal which will now allow us to create an achievable and understandable Area Strategy and will give a framework for our Districts to create their own strategy.

These will ensure we are able to deliver on the national Youth Shaped strategy and ensure that we achieve BSO’s strategy that:

by 2025 BSO will have prepared more young people with skills for life, supported by amazing leaders delivering an inspiring programme. We'll be growing, more inclusive, shaped by young people and making a bigger impact in our international communities.