Mission and Vision Statement

1st Theydon Scout Group Mission & Vision Statement 2024 

Scout Association Existing Mission Statement:

Contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the Scout Promise and Law, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society.

Vision:

1. Mandatory use of OSM for communication by our Warranted Leaders (https://www.onlinescoutmanager.co.uk/). This is necessary because this complies with GDPR and formalizes communication so there is only one place to look for information from the Group, including from leaders.

Training on how to use OSM for all Warranted Leaders as and when required and requested by them.

Parents, leaders, Group Manager and Group Exec are to use the following emails, no other email addresses are to be used:

To contact the Beaver leader - beaverleader@theydongarnonscoutgroup.org.uk

            To contact the Cub leader - cubleader@theydongarnonscoutgroup.org.uk

To contact the Scout leader - scoutleader@theydongarnonscoutgroup.org.uk

To contact the Group Manager - gsl@theydongarnonscoutgroup.org.uk

To contact the Group Exec - info@theydongarnonscoutgroup.org.uk

WhatsApp groups are for use by parents only (except the Scouts WhatsApp group which is for use by the Scouts only) and are only to be used to contact the leader in an urgent situation. Parents may use it to arrange car share etc. between themselves.

Parents must notify the leader at least 1 hour before the start of a meeting (by email) if their child is to be collected by someone other than themselves (unless it’s an unavoidable last minute change).

2. Section meetings should be planned a minimum 6 weeks in advance. This is necessary to enable another Leader to run a Section’s meeting if the usual Leader is unavailable. All programmes will be visible to Parents/Guardians on OSM.

3. We would like to start a new Squirrels section (aged 4–6) to complement our Beavers (aged 6–8), Cubs (aged 8-10.5) & Scouts (aged 10.5–14)

4. The Scout Association, having recognised the difficulty in recruiting leaders, have made becoming a leader a lot easier and quicker, with only 6 modules to complete, virtually all online.

In line with this, we are looking to have some parents trained as leaders. This way, running the sections will include parents running the occasional meeting, such as when the main leader is unavailable to run the meeting or if there isn’t a leader for a section – the programme and resources will be supplied to them. Before parents run any meetings, they would attend some to understand the format of meetings. We envisage at least 2 parent leaders running a meeting with other parents helping as parent volunteers.

5. We would like to provide an opportunity for a week-long camp for Cubs and Scouts in the Summer (UK or INTL).

6. We would like to enhance the Group Scout headquarters in the following ways: We want to become much more transparent with how we would like to continue to improve all aspects of our land and buildings and encourage parents, guardians and supporters to help support through time or financially - a planned job list will be reviewed and updated at the monthly Group Executive meeting

7. Notification of meetings away from the hut to be submitted by leaders to the Group Manager at least 2 weeks in advance of the proposed meeting.

8. Sourcing of capital expenditure quotations:

• 2 or more quotations will be required for all capital expenditure decisions > £500. Until we are in receipt of these quotations the investment decision will be put on hold.

• Parents/guardians of the Group, as well as Warranted Leaders, may offer their services for free if they choose, however, a time frame as decided by the Group must be adhered to.

• Where a capital expenditure is forecasted to be less than £500 then we are able to proceed with a single quote.

• All Capital Investment opportunities will be advertised on Everything Epping Forest News to ensure 1) transparency 2) maximise opportunity 3) help local employment

• All communication (irrespective of £ value) should be conducted through emails addressed through the Chair.

9. The Mission and Vision document will be reviewed annually and changes communicated in the Annual General Meeting