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Focus on GLSW
Scouting in Greater London South West February 2008
County Commissioner’s Message
The final events of our centenary year have now taken place and we can look back on some tremendous success and enjoyment. Each of the Districts have had a full programme of activities in 2007 and combined with National events have raised our profile locally and given our young people plenty to talk about when they returned to school. The overwhelming rise in number of “want to join” enquiries is testament that the message that we are alive & well and very active has certainly got out there. Here’s the crunch though – we need to continue to deliver on the promises that 2007 has made to a new generation of young people & adults.
We are launching this post 2007 period with the “Back to the Future” conference for GSL’s and Group Chairs because we need to re focus on the future now that the party is over. Groups must start to look at their future needs and put that together in a development plan so that they have a direction in which they need to work in the coming months & years. I challenge any Group to tell me they have enough adult support or that they are full in all sections. The trouble is what are we going to do about it? What are you going to do about it?
“Back to the Future” is a start point for understanding what are roles are and how we can move Scouting on in each Group – if you are not there, does that mean you know where you are going? I hope so.
Development
As Focus goes to press we are hard at work preparing for the County Development Conference ‘Back to the Future’ on the 8th and 9th February at the Hilton in Croydon. Watch this space for a full report in the next issue.
Need more adults? GLSW ‘Challenge 24’ is adult recruitment initiative focusing on increasing parental support for your Group. The initiative encourages adults who are not currently involved in Scouting to give us 24 hours of their time and provides a variety of options/tasks from which they can pick and mix from to achieve the target 24 hours.
Because the commitment is a clearly defined length of time we know this takes away some of the concerns adults have about volunteering. And once you have them on the hook who knows! Its surprising what people will volunteer to do if they feel welcome, wanted and valued... Two types of resources are available on the County website to support this initiate. ‘PDF’ files which you can print off and use as they are, no additional work required, or ‘word’ documents which you can download and adapt to suit the requirements of our own Group.
Check out these resources and many others at www.glswscouts.org.uk/development
Regional Site
Regional Commissioner Dean Milton, has recently announced the launch of the brand new Greater London Scout Website, the first point of contact for members of the public enquiring about Scouting in the capital. His plan is to keep the site fresh and up to date with what’s a happening in Scouting across London.
Jack Petchey
We have successfully completed the first round of Awards in the County albeit with some difficulty in getting names out of people which is quite incredible as we are giving money away! The next round is now starting so please put forward your young people at any time to your District Administrator so that no one loses out.
As a point of clarification, if young leader gains an award it has to be used within that person’s section and cannot be used for Beavers or Cubs if they work with them. If it is for general Group use including the over 11s then that is OK but not specifically for under 11s.
Also, with regards to accessing further funding opportunities from the Foundation, as we have now been participating in the Award Scheme for six months GLSW Scouts can now apply for other funding from the Foundation. This includes Project Grants and Sponsorship. Application Forms are available online.
First Aid Dates
24th February – Hampton
9th March – Richmond
30th March – 2nd Hook
10th May – County
Awards
Chief Scout’s Long Service Decoration
James Penny (Croydon)
Doreen Ward (Royal Kingston)
Bar to the Long Service Decoration
Mark Jaffe (Croydon)
Timothy Grebot (Richmond Upon Thames)
Joan Jamerson (Richmond Upon Thames)
Janice Kershaw (Richmond Upon Thames)
Simon Sykes (Wimbledon and Wandle)
Long Service Decoration
Janet Hughes (Croydon)
Jeremy Peters (Croydon)
David Seaward (Croydon)
Christopher Whalley (Croydon)
Alastair Grant (Richmond Upon Thames)
Hazel Greasby (Richmond Upon Thames)
Keith Jaques (Richmond Upon Thames)
David Kershaw (Richmond Upon Thames)
Gill Smith (Richmond Upon Thames)
Sandra Newbery (Royal Kingston)
NSPCC: Keeping Children Safe
The progress of those leaders who have signed up to the NSPCC child protection training package is reported back to me on a regular basis.
Many of you have not either completed the course, or even started it!!! In order that we can keep the records up to date, will you please ensure that as a matter of urgency that you proceed to complete it.
Any problems, please contact me.
Focus on GLSW
Items for the next issue should be submitted by 20th March 2008 to the editor: focus@glswscouts.org.uk
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