Focus

ACCESS ALL AREAS ACCESS ALL AREAS

Breaking down barriers in Scouting

scouts.org.uk/focus

The magazine for volunteer managers in Scouting

October/November 2010Focus

Any plans for 2011?Join-in-Jamboree is here

Shop window recruitment

Scouts take over a town

FOCUS FINAL.indd 1 13/09/2010 16:11

IFC_Focus_Supp_OctNov.indd 6 09/09/2010 11:19

Welcome

3scouts.org.uk/focus

Scouting’s vision emphasises the importance of making the Movement more diverse.

Paulina Sekrecka says now is the time to start planning to make this a reality

This issue of Focus provides you with practical support on how to help Scouting

become more accessible to people of different ethnic backgrounds, beliefs,

mental or physical abilities, gender and age. Quite a challenge – but an

achievable one.

We kick off with a look at what ‘accessible language’ means and how

it can help create a more inclusive environment. We also hear from Claire Devine

about the Disability Discrimination Act and how it impacts on Scouting.

Meanwhile, Sheridan Allman, the UK Adviser for Diversity, explains some

changes that are coming up in the 2011 census.

Young voices Paul Fix from the Youth Involvement Group looks at how best to engage young

people in the decision-making process (page 12).

On page 6 Jean Marshall reveals the secrets behind a successful local

recruitment event. We also introduce Chance UK – an organisation successfully

recruiting male volunteers as positive role models for young people. Meanwhile,

Patrick Rooke introduces Join-in-Jamboree as a great way to promote cross-

sectional activities in your area. Tim Kidd, Chief Commissioner for England

rounds things off with his thoughts on what it means to be truly inclusive.

Tell us what you thinkSend your management comments and article suggestions to [email protected]

Thinking differently

4 Flexible, inclusive and accessible

Why a wider mix of people is good news for Scouting

6 Recruitment through adventure

Top tips for running a successful event

8 A different perspective How Chance UK is recruiting male volunteers

9 Join-in-Jamboree How you can use the new resource to promote cross sectional activities

10 Do we know who we are?There are some changes to the 2011 census. Sheridan Allman explains all

12 Do young people really get a say?

Paul Fix introduces some stories of youth involvement

13 Class actWhat does the Disability Discrimination Act mean for Scouting?

14 Facing up to the diversity challenge

Tim Kidd, Chief Commissioner for England shares his thoughts

ALL CHANGE From 31 December 2010 all current Scout Fellowship roles (ACC Scout Fellowship, AAC Scout Fellowship, ADC Scout Fellowship, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and member) will be closed on www.scouts.org.uk. Members who wish to continue to support Scouting must be registered as Scout Active Support members. The process put in place to change Scout Fellowship members to Scout Active Support members is up the District, County/Area/Regional Secretary and the District or County/Area/Regional Commissioner when they have decided on the most appropriate approach. For assistance please email [email protected]

Download all section supplements at www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

In Focus

Your Adult Support TeamMark Flexman, UK Adviser for Adults in Scouting, Paulina Sekrecka, Programme and Development Adviser (Diversity)Contact them at:[email protected] [email protected]

Adult Support TeamThe Scout Association, Gilwell Park, Chingford;London E4 7QW; Tel: 0845 300 1818 email [email protected]

ADVERTISINGRichard Ellacott [email protected] Tel: 020 8962 1258

County: Although in some parts of the British Isles Scout Counties are known as Areas or Islands - and in one case Bailiwick - for ease of reading this publication simply refers to County/Counties. In Scotland there is no direct equivalent to County or Area. In Scotland, Scouting is organised into Districts and Regions, each with distinct responsibilities. Some ‘County’ functions are the responsibility of Scottish Regions, whilst others lie with Scottish Districts. The focus of responsibility is outlined in Scottish variations from POR.


Welcome


Scouting’s vision emphasises the importance of making the movement more diverse.

Paulina Sekrecka says now is the time to start planning to make this a reality

This issue of Focus provides you with practical support on how to help Scouting

become more accessible to people of different ethnic backgrounds, beliefs,

mental or physical abilities, gender and age. Quite a challenge – but an

achievable one.

We kick off with a look at what ‘accessible language’ means and how

it can help create a more inclusive environment. We also hear from Claire Devine

about the Disability Discrimination Act and how it impacts on Scouting.

Meanwhile, Sheridan Allman, the UK Adviser for Diversity, explains some

changes that are coming up in the 2011 census.

Young voices Paul Fix from the Youth Involvement Group looks at how best to engage young

people in the decision-making process (page 12).

On page 6 Jean Marshall reveals the secrets behind a successful local

recruitment event. We also introduce Chance UK – an organisation successfully

recruiting male volunteers as positive role models for young people. Meanwhile,

Patrick Rooke introduces Join-in-Jamboree as a great way to promote cross-

sectional activities in your area. Tim Kidd, Chief Commissioner for England

rounds things off with his thoughts on what it means to be truly inclusive.

Tell us what you thinkSend your management comments and article suggestions to [email protected]

Thinking differently

4 Flexible, inclusive and accessible

Why a wider mix of people is good news for Scouting

6 Recruitment through adventure

Top tips for running a successful event

8 A different perspective How Chance UK is recruiting male volunteers

9 Join-in-Jamboree How you can use the new resource to promote cross sectional activities

10 Do we know who we are?There are some changes to the 2011 census. Sheridan Allman explains all

12 Do young people really get a say?

Paul Fix introduces some stories of youth involvement

13 Class actWhat does the Disability Discrimination Act mean for Scouting?

14 Facing up to the diversity challenge

Tim Kidd, Chief Commissioner for England shares his thoughts

ALL CHANGE From 31 December 2010 all current Scout Fellowship roles (ACC Scout Fellowship, AAC Scout Fellowship, ADC Scout Fellowship, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and member) will be closed on www.scouts.org.uk. Members who wish to continue to support Scouting must be registered as Scout Active Support members. The process put in place to change Scout Fellowship members to Scout Active Support members is up the District, County/Area/Regional Secretary and the District or County/Area/Regional Commissioner when they have decided on the most appropriate approach. For assistance please email [email protected]

Download all section supplements at www.scouts.org.uk/magazine

In Focus

Your Adult Support TeamMark Flexman, UK Adviser for Adults in Scouting, Paulina Sekrecka, Programme and Development Adviser (Diversity)Contact them at:[email protected] [email protected]

Adult Support TeamThe Scout Association, Gilwell Park, Chingford;London E4 7QW; Tel: 0845 300 1818 email [email protected]

ADVERTISINGRichard Ellacott [email protected] Tel: 020 8962 1258

County: Although in some parts of the British Isles Scout Counties are known as Areas or Islands - and in one case Bailiwick - for ease of reading this publication simply refers to County/Counties. In Scotland there is no direct equivalent to County or Area. In Scotland, Scouting is organised into Districts and Regions, each with distinct responsibilities. Some ‘County’ functions are the responsibility of Scottish Regions, whilst others lie with Scottish Districts. The focus of responsibility is outlined in Scottish variations from POR.

focus_101110.indd 3 10/09/2010 10:43

4 Focus October/November 2010

O ne of the key roles as managers is to create a

comfortable environment for everyone. This

doesn’t mean we need to turn into interior

designers. Rather it’s about making everyone

welcome regardless of age, mental or physical ability,

ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender.

We need to ensure that individuals from all sections of

society are welcomed and their needs are met.

Suitable venues Think, for example, about where you hold events and how

they are conducted; whether it’s an AGM, a social event,

planning or training sessions. The local pub may seem like

an excellent venue but it’s not accessible to all. Some

adults don’t drink alcohol or cannot be in places where

alcohol is available for religious, cultural or health reasons,

so they are immediately excluded. Similarly choosing

venues where leaders can bring along their own children if

they need to, saves them the hassle of finding babysitters

and demonstrates flexible thinking. How many events, for

example, that explicitly exclude children may also be

excluding parents?

Even if your leaders are all OK with being in the pub,

thinking ‘inclusion’ and making changes now sends out a

powerful message that new joiners are welcome. Similarly

making sure that your venue choices are accessible to

people with mobility challenges or disabilities, such as hard

of hearing, goes a long way to ensuring accessibility for all.

Clear, simple language Both printed and online material are other areas where

more inclusive thinking can pay off. When advertising new

roles, for example, try and avoid using too much Scouting

jargon such as ‘provide a balanced programme’ or

acronyms like ‘DESC’. Many people won’t understand

them and they can end up creating unnecessary barriers

to potential volunteers.

Use simple language and explain what they will be

doing in their role ie leading craft activities or going hiking.

Breaking the role down into individual tasks and defining

how long each task should take gives a much clearer

picture to a potential volunteer than asking them to

become a leader. Words like ‘flexibility’ and phrases like

‘job sharing’ can also give out strong messages about our

inclusive approach to recruitment.

Make yourselves known Being open and accessible in recruitment is also about

knowing your target audience and how you are likely to

attract their attention. To target a wide range of people

from different kinds of backgrounds, you may need to

move to both online sites and print media that appeal to

different sets of people – The Big Issue, Emel magazine,

local radio stations aimed at Black and Asian populations

or Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender press – rather than

just sticking to the traditional Scouting routes.

Contact your local media to see if they have someone

responsible for diversity and inclusion on their staff who

could help you with local contacts. To ensure resources are

accessible to all members of your local community ask

parents or leaders to translate recruitment materials

and distribute them at local community centres or places

of worship.

A diverse leadership team The more diverse your leadership team, whether in age,

gender, faith or ethnicity, the better your Scouting will be.

It encourages a creative approach to planning and

delivering programmes, as well as a more comprehensive

offer for young people. When promoting diversity try

focusing on the idea of inclusion and accessibility; these

terms are more easily understood and most people

can understand and relate to them.

Flexible, inclusive and accessible

focus_101110.indd 4 10/09/2010 10:43


Diversity

FIVE STEPS TO IMPROVE INCLUSIVITY • Consider using a neutral venue for

meetings or a place which is safe and open

to everyone.• Be aware of generational differences

- while younger people commonly use

trendy language, older people might have

a problem with it – we should be inclusive

to all. • Check out the RNIB site for guidance on

creating accessible websites.

• Consider advertising in different kinds of

places and media. • Think FLEXIBLE, INCLUSIVE AND

ACCESSIBLE.

Scouting is attracting people from a wider range of backgrounds, with varied life experiences and expectations, says James Newton. We need therefore to promote equal opportunities and respect for diversity

focus_101110.indd 5 10/09/2010 10:43


Help with adult recruitment is still the

number one support

request, says Jean Marshall, Regional Development Officer for

the South West. She looks

at what makes a successful

local recruitment event…

Help with adult

Recruitment, through adventure

focus_101110.indd 6 10/09/2010 10:43


Recruitment

I am not really a betting person, however, I’d wager

that if you’re reading this article you’d like more

adult support in your teams. Am I right?

One of the most popular and effective ways to

recruit adults is to organise a recruitment stand, which is

exactly what West Devon District did last summer. They

decided to take a collective approach and hold it in

Tavistock town square.

On displayThe theme was camping: the young people set up camp

in the windows of a wide range of local shops, supported

by Scout Active Support members who put up a display

at the local supermarket.

Adult volunteers talked to shoppers about why they

were there, gave them a Scout postcard and encouraged

them to go to the town square where they could

exchange the postcard for a free Scouting goodie bag.

Each goodie bag was filled with leaflets and information

about Scouting. Freebies included i.Scout pens, Scout

cotton shopping-bags and Beaver and Cub mugs.

Activities and adventure There were also activities that people could have a go at,

such as the climbing wall, face painting and competitions

like pitching a hike tent (donated by the County Kit Store)

in the shortest time. The trusty Scout Mobile Display Unit

was in the main town square as a focal point. Volunteers

there engaged the public and took details of anyone

interested in finding out more.

The baker’s gave 40 vouchers for free lunches for the

volunteers and Somerfield donated £50 for food for a

cooking competition and food giveaway. Some £200 was

raised for the give-away material from writing to local

businesses and organisations. The District Commissioner

also applied to the Development Grants Board at

Headquarters and received £1,250. The local press visited

the event, which resulted in a two-page spread.

Great results At the final count, 74 people had given their details, which

was just 26 short of the District’s target of 100. This included

people wanting to be leaders, occasional helpers, activity

instructors, Scout Active Support members and young

people. The proof is in the statistics, with West Devon

appearing in the top 25 Districts across the country for

growth in the 2010 census (21.5% increase in young people

and a 21 per cent increase in adults).

The District Commissioner praised everyone for coming

together and sending a powerful message to the community

that Scouting is relevant, growing and adventurous.

CHECKLIST FOR SUCCESS 1. Aim. What is the aim of your activity or

event? The recruitment of young people, adults or both? Recruitment or fundraising? Be clear and focus on the primary aim of the event.

2. Resources. How will you cover the financial costs? How many people and what skills are needed? Activity instructors, recruiters, put up and take down teams? People to follow up interested adults and young people?

3. Location, location, location… Where would be the best place to have a recruitment stand; at an existing fete, fair, show, community festival or at a standalone recruitment event?

4. Attraction. What will attract people to your stand? Activities, competitions, freebies?

5. Promotion. If you are doing a standalone event, how will you promote the stand before the day? If you attend an existing event, how will you promote your presence?

6. Registration. How will you record the details of people who show an interest?

7. Follow up. Who will follow up the people after the day, where will you place them and what welcome and induction will they receive?

Find out more For more information contact the Regional Development Service in your area and see factsheet Design and Deliver an Effective Recruitment Event (FS500017).

cooking competition and food giveaway. Some £200 was

was just 26 short of the District’s target of 100. This included

people wanting to be leaders, occasional helpers, activity

what welcome and induction will they receive?


A different perspectiveWe know adult recruitment is vitally important, so how do other organisations do it? Matt Collins from Chance UK shares his experience of recruiting male adult volunteers

Chance UK aims to reduce youth crime

and anti-social behaviour across the

UK. We run an early intervention

mentoring programme that works with

children aged 5-11 who are showing the

warning signs of developing this behaviour

later in life.

Just like in Scouting, volunteers are crucial

to our success. We recruit volunteer mentors

to form an inspiring bond with a child, raise

their self esteem (focusing on the child’s

strengths rather than their negative

behaviours), broadening their horizons through

sports, visiting museums, in fact anything that

enthuses and engages them.

The need for volunteers The vast majority of children with behavioural

difficulties referred to us are boys who lack a

positive male role model. Chance UK strives to match

children with a male mentor where possible.

Recent research revealed that 35 per cent of men felt

that having a male primary teacher challenged them to

work harder at school. The recent recruitment drives for

male primary school teachers however shows there may

be some reluctance among men to volunteer their time

with this age group.

Effective ways to recruit male volunteers Our volunteer recruitment activity focuses on the positive

impact male volunteers can have on young people. We

encourage word-of-mouth recruitment of male mentors

via social media like Twitter and Facebook. We target

gyms and five-a-side football pitches to find active and

dedicated men.

www.chanceuk.commore info

All profi ts go back into Scouting. The Scout Association Registered Charity number 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland).

01903 766 921

fo

This lightweight, zipped i.Scout microfl eece top with i.Scout embroidered on the front is a must for camp.

The i.Scout Full Zip Hoodie with i.Scout printed on the front and sleeve and i.Rock on the back.


i.Scout Microfl eece TopRef 1028008R

£22.50

i.Scout Zipped Hoodie PurpleRef 1027978R

£24

i.Scout Zipped Hoodie BlackRef 1027973R

£24

Made from heavy knitted cotton, this shirt is comfortable and ideal to wear when the temperature starts to drop.Unisex

Adult Harlequin Rugby style shirt Ref 1025489R

£19

Activity TrousersRef 1006953R

£27

The new Scout Activity Trousers have been redesigned to meet the modern day requirements of Scouting. Available in men’s, women’s and youth sizes.Changes include: Soft handle water resistant fi nish, redesign of the pockets, new tunnel waistband with adjustable internal elastic to give a better fi t and a repositioned mobile phone pocket.

Sizes: Men’s 32”-60”, Women’s 8-36

NEWrestyled

focus_101110.indd 8 10/09/2010 10:45


Join-in-Jamboree

Join-in-Jamboree

Join-in-Jamboree goes out to all section leaders with this issue of Scouting magazine. How can you help members in your area make the most

of the new resources?

O kay – so not everyone will be able to get to

Sweden for the 22nd World Scout Jamboree.

But Join-in-Jamboree is very much the next

best thing. It uses next year’s Jamboree as a

focal point to provide global and internationally themed

programme ideas for all sections to use as part of regular

meetings.

Available to all There are five separate resources – one for each section

– and these have been sent along with the regular

sectional supplements. All resources will also be available

to view online at www.scouts.org.uk/wsj2011, meaning

managers will have easy access to all the programme and

activity ideas for each section.

Joined up thinking Join-in-Jamboree can be used by managers to promote

cross-sectional activities and meetings in their areas. Each

resource is split into 12 monthly themes, running from

October 2010 – September 2011. These themes range

from ‘Past Jamborees’, to ‘Make a change! Make

a difference’, to ‘Working together’. Although allocated

to a particular month of the year for planning purposes,

the ideas can be used at any time of the year.

‘Make a change, Make a difference’ and ‘Working

together’ are themes specifically designed to bring Scouts

of all ages together, to make a difference to each other

and their local, national and international communities.

Global issues The ideas in the monthly themes range from raising

awareness on global issues such as water usage, recycling

and homelessness, to working externally with other

charities. ShelterBox, Save the Children and SOS Children’s

Villages all feature in the resources providing both

programme ideas and opportunities to fundraise and get

involved with the work these charities do.

Visit www.scouts.org.uk/wsj2011 to access opportunities to bring Scouts of all ages together as part of the global programme in the Jamboree year – don’t miss out!

more info

All profi ts go back into Scouting. The Scout Association Registered Charity number 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland).

01903 766 921

fo

This lightweight, zipped i.Scout microfl eece top with i.Scout embroidered on the front is a must for camp.



i.Scout Microfl eece TopRef 1028008R

£22.50

i.Scout Zipped Hoodie PurpleRef 1027978R

£24

i.Scout Zipped Hoodie BlackRef 1027973R

£24

Made from heavy knitted cotton, this shirt is comfortable and ideal to wear when the temperature starts to drop.Unisex

Adult Harlequin Rugby style shirt Ref 1025489R

£19

Activity TrousersRef 1006953R

£27

The new Scout Activity Trousers have been redesigned to meet the modern day requirements of Scouting. Available in men’s, women’s and youth sizes.Changes include: Soft handle water resistant fi nish, redesign of the pockets, new tunnel waistband with adjustable internal elastic to give a better fi t and a repositioned mobile phone pocket.

Sizes: Men’s 32”-60”, Women’s 8-36

NEWrestyled



You’ll notice some changes in the 2011 census, says Sheridan Allman, UK Adviser for Diversity. The extra data gathered will mean we can provide better support to our increasingly diverse membership

Y ou may have read in this year’s census pack

about some changes to data collection coming

up in 2011. You need to be thinking now

about how these will affect your record keeping

systems for both young people and adult volunteers.

What sort of changes?In the 2011 census the questions on ethnicity will be

enhanced using the full ethnic group classifications from

the UK Census. The ethnic origin classification will now

look like this:

Ethnic originHow would you describe your ethnic origin?

A White

English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British

Irish

Gypsy or Irish Traveller

Any other White background

B Mixed/multiple ethnic groups

White and Black Caribbean

White and Black African

White and Asian

Any other mixed/multiple ethinic background

C Asian/Asian British

Indian

Pakistani

Bangladeshi

Chinese

Any other Asian background

D Black/African/Caribbean/Black British

African

Caribbean

Any other Black/African/Caribbean background

E Other ethnic group

Arab

Any other ethnic group

Do we know who we are?

focus_101110.indd 10 10/09/2010 10:45


Census

Why are these changes necessary?The new sections will help us match our data more closely

with the UK National Census. This in turn means that we

can get a much more accurate picture of whether

Scouting truly reflects our local areas.

For example by looking at the Government Census data

for our large cities in England, Wales and Scotland, we can

see that there is a very diverse ethnic mix. Therefore we

would expect all our Scout membership in these cities to

reflect that same mix. But how will we know unless we

collect more accurate data? It may be that we are missing

out on a large population of young people and adult

volunteers from different kinds of backgrounds and we

therefore need to do more work to develop Scouting

in these populations.

We also need to be more effective in planning our

projects, programmes and events, so we can meet the

needs of both the adult volunteers and the young people.

One way to address this challenge is to gather more data

around special needs. So by widening our question

around disability, as shown below, we will get more

accurate data to help us improve our support.

It will also give us the opportunity to consult with

outside agencies to make sure that we are following the

best practice guidelines with respect to our provisions for

people with visible and hidden disabilities. The questions

around disability are likely to be as follows:

DisabilityThe Disability Discrimination Act 1995 defines a disabled

person as anyone who has or has had a physical or mental

impairment which has a substantial and long-term affect

on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities

What do you need to do?Over the course of 2010 Groups, Districts and Counties

may wish to think about the mechanisms for collecting

this information for both adults and young people.

For example, your section leaders could distribute and

collect the new forms then add the data to the census.

Parents and volunteers may question you as to why

the Association is asking these more detailed questions

around ethnicity and disability. Hopefully this article will

help you answer and address these concerns.

We are committed to building our profile in more

diverse communities and in traditionally disadvantaged

communities so a good starting point is to know where

we are and to be able to focus our development efforts

in a more informed way.

Download the new forms To help collect this data in your Groups, we have provided

two forms (one for adults, one for young people) that you

may ask members to complete anonymously. These can

be downloaded from www.scouts.org.uk/census

How many adults/young people are Registered Disabled or consider themselves to have a disability? Please provide a number for each category.

Dyslexia

Autistic spectrum

Blind/partially sighted

Deaf/hard of hearing

Wheelchair user/mobility difficulties

Personal care supportWhat’s your view? Contact us at [email protected]

Mental health difficulties

Multiple disabilities

Unseen disability eg diabetes, epilepsy, etc

A disability not covered above (please state below)

FOCUS FINAL.indd 11 13/09/2010 16:17


Do young people really get a say?It is vital that young people have a strong input into what we do locally and nationally. But how widespread is this involvement and what does it look like in practice? Paul Fix of the Youth Involvement Group investigates

O kay – so first comes the theory. The Youth

Involvement Group is working towards The

Scout Association’s vision that:

Scouting will be a movement that is truly youth focused, led by young people in partnership with adults. It will be a movement where all young people are able to contribute to the running and shaping of all aspects of their Scouting journey and experiences.

One of the biggest challenges for line

managers is how to effectively engage young

people in the decision-making process

without making the young people feel

tokenised. Fortunately, there are many

examples across the UK where youth

involvement is working well:

Taking time Dean Jefferys is County Commissioner

for Greater London North East: ‘I

meet our 18-25 members on

the County Executive

Committee before the

start of every meeting,’

he says. ‘Together we

run through the

agenda items and

provide the

opportunity for

young people

to ask any

questions

they might have. Taking time to discuss these matters

makes them feel a more integral part of the committee.

Their input is also more valued. This results in a more

productive and effective working relationship for

everyone.’

In Manchester a District Explorer Scout Commissioner

has handed over parts of her role to the District Explorer

Scout Committee to perform. This includes taking on the

responsibility to actively encourage the moving on

process from the Explorer Scout Section to the

Scout Network. The end result is that there is

youth member representation at Unit level and

youth members have the opportunity to

contribute to the programme and

management of Explorer Scouting in the

District.

Don’t be afraid to be different Engaging young people in creative

and innovative ways helps them

become more involved in

decision making and allows line

managers to delegate some

of their duties whilst retaining

overall management

responsibility. Establishing

such a mutually

beneficially partnership

can only strengthen

Scouting further.

focus_101110.indd 12 10/09/2010 10:45


Accessibility

Class actSo you’ve got your team sorted, been to all the meetings and completed the training says Claire Devine, Accessibility Project Team Leader. But how are you coping with the Disability Discrimination Act?

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) gives

disabled people important rights not to be

discriminated against in certain areas. These

include accessing everyday goods and services

like shops, cafés, banks, cinemas and places of worship

and becoming a member of a larger private club.

Everyday services can include voluntary groups as well

as playgroups and non-educational school services so it is

easy to see how the DDA also applies to The Scout Association.

Our obligations Providers of services have an obligation to make

reasonable adjustments to premises or to the way they

provide a service. But access to services is not all about

ramps and lifts, it’s about making the adjustments to

make the service easier for everyone to use. Put simply, it’s

about making sure that the opportunities that Scouting

offers: the camps, the meetings, the training, are available

to all.

Practical steps So while we can widen doorways, build ramps and obtain

grants for toilets, how do we make the rest of what we do

in the name of Scouting accessible and compliant with the

law? Well here are a few tips:

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions... we can only make

adjustments when we are aware of the need.

• Ask other people for ideas... visit other people to see

how they do things.

• Ask for help when you need it... there is expertise in

every corner of The Scout Association and plenty of

organisations with specialist knowledge.

• Don’t ignore the issues and hope they’ll go away!

FOCUS FINAL.indd 13 13/09/2010 16:17


Facing up to the diversity challengeTim Kidd, Chief Commissioner for England, reflects on why being inclusive is as much about a state of mind as it is about following a policy. Let’s make everyone welcome, he writes

I believe that Scouting is important for young

people and helps make the world a better place.

I also believe that it is important to provide

Scouting for as many young people as possible.

Whilst it is simple to write this, making it a reality takes

a lot of effort – and sometimes we have to challenge

ourselves to do it. It is often more comfortable to focus on

the lack of adult volunteers rather than on the difficulty of

attracting people from a variety of backgrounds into

Scouting.

All I am saying is that Scouting should be inclusive.

Everyone should feel that Scouting welcomes and values

them. This is the key issue. We can be so comfortable with

ourselves that often we don’t notice when we are acting

in a way that excludes others. Think about the language

you use that others might not understand or may take

to mean that Scouting is not for them.

What do we mean by inclusive? When you think about being inclusive, think as widely

as you can. It’s about a wide range of areas including:

age, class, ethnic origin or nationality, gender, marital

status or sexual orientation, mental or physical ability and

political or religious belief.

If we make Scouting truly inclusive then we will make

Scouting stronger. We will find people with new talents,

views and opinions. Scouting will become more attractive

and relevant to young people from a broader range of

society. In turn, our youth membership will increase which

should also encourage more adult volunteers from

different kinds of backgrounds.

It strikes me that taking the first step in becoming more

inclusive is very important – I hope the articles in this

edition of Focus have provided some inspiration.

Good luck!

GET IN TOUCH Contact Tim at [email protected]

Opinion

focus_101110.indd 14 10/09/2010 10:46

16-Activity Centre .indd 16 09/09/2010 11:13

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: CANOEING • CLIMBING • COASTEERING

GORGE WALKING • KAYAKING • SURFING • CAVING • WHITE WATER RAFTING

TEAM BUILDING • ASSAULT COURSE/ LOW ROPES • FIELD SKILLS

Nant Y Pobty Farm Coed Y Bryn, Llandysul Ceradigion, SA44 5LQ

Phone: 07787123761 [email protected]

Adventure Beyond is a family run centre

based in West Wales. We have venues and camping or bunk house accommodation

in St Davids, Cardigan Bay, Brecon Beacons.

Jethro MooreAdventure Beyond

OBC_Focus_Supp_OctNov.indd 6 09/09/2010 11:21

Focus

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