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Derbyshire Scout County Newsletter— March 2013
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County Com
t Council Tom’syshTirue rCn ounty Scou
missioner,
Hello and straight away an apology for this edition of K. being a little late out of the way. Nick has been chasing me and I keep saying lets get this week end out of the way because I would like to say a bit about whatever has been happening at the week end and that has been the case for the last 3-4 weeks you have all just been so busy.I 3 weeks ago it was the District Commissioners meeting where several people were introduced , in no particular order, Paul Gant as the new DC Derby East or Derby Easy as his new name badge came back with. Many of you know Paul as the leader and inspiration behind the I.Bike team. Sue Harris ex DC of Derby Easy has taken over as County training manager . She will be building on the excellent work Sally has done for close on 7 years. The county owe a huge thanks to Sally for the work she has done in getting training in the County to the position it is in now. Gemma Veitch who gets married in a couple of weeks so will have a new name she is the new Ma n ag er of t he r eg i o na l development service and is really looking to help make a difference to Scouting in the region. There was I am pleased to say a very posative comment on the meeting
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from several Dc’s who thought it was aday well spent for Scouting This was followed by the Duathlon at Gradbach a brilliant event organised by I.Bike and will be repeated next year but you may need to book in early to be sure of a place. The Youth Council just gets stronger and stronger Kiron and now his team doing a brilliant job of of getting District representatives together to listen to their voice. A telling comment from some when asked (not by me ) the majority said that they thought the county listened better to young people than their district. Well one DC there on the day is already putting a voice for young people on his agenda. I have just received an E mail from one of the facilitaors asking if I can have a word with a Dc as there is a YP who would like to be more involved in their district. Last weekend was the first Youth United joint project at Creswell Police cadets,,Army cadets,,Fire Cadets and Scouts working in the community painting and litter picking with the Scouts holding what is the first part of a recruitment campaign over the two days. This is just showing what Scouting can offer and taking names and contact details
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for both Adults and Young people who will be contacted about the second night in April, This together with posters leaflet drops shows a real commitment by the DC and team to grow Scouting in East Scarsdale. New Houghton also East Scarsdeale just registered . Another district with a new Group is Peak April 22nd sees the launch of Bradwell another long term aim of the DC and district. Thanks to all of you for Completing the Census well in time making Ann’s job so much easier (though still difficult) I will write more about the Census highs and lows later as we want to make an announcement in April in line with the National announcement but I can tell you we have increased. The Big picture is being worked on by Stuart and the organising team. More elsewhere.
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Peak 2015 Angela and Adey are putting an amazing amount of hours in already more opportunities are being advertised elsewhere K.+ for example. I will ask Angela to put something in the next K. Scout Speak up courses Rob,Matt &Abbie have all recently attended a SSU corse either at Gilwell or Manchester all had a brilliant time come back full of ideas and enthusiasm for promoting and developing Scouting. That is the finish I believe of the nationally arranged courses, is there support form District for me to approach Simon Carter to see if he can run one specifically for Derbyshire ? Let me know. Once again thanks for all you are doing weather it is the Four inns in a couple of weeks, helping in the role out of the MMS system later in the year (DC’s will be asking for volunteers in the district to make it happen shortly) Attending to your personal training, Sailing with the new Cty Sailing asu, etc etc etc Tom
K.Scout is the Newsletter of the Derbyshire County Scout Council. All contributions and photos gratefully received and should be sent to news@derbyshirescouts.org for inclusion. Deadline for next issue: 25th April 2013!
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The Big picture is currently being worked on by Stuart and the organising team I hope it is having some discussion in district about the future shape of Scouting in YOUR county. More activity, less activity? What does Shaped by youth look like in your district? More practical training? ,How your district intends working towards the national towards Scouting's Vision towards 2018 (reproduced elsewhere in K.) How would your members react to capitation being increased by say £1 if it was spent directly on young people? How about £2 if it was spent on young people and helping districts grow? How can we make you as a leader feel more valued? What does make a positive impact in your community mean to your district? We look forward to some open and honest but positive discussion coming out of the week end from your district representatives so make your voice heard to them in the next 3 weeks DC’s will give you details of your district rep’s
Young Leaders’ Update On Sunday 3rd February I had the privilege of not only attending the CSA Gold Presentation but I was invited to present SEVEN Young Leader Belts to members from Derby East District. The YL Belt is presented when all 11 modules of the Young Leaders’ Scheme training programme have been completed along with the four Missions set for Young Leader’s. This is a tremendous achievement for all of them and I wish them well as they continue to support their sections. I am sure you will join me in congratulating them on their proven leadership skills as they continue to support our younger sections in the movement, providing our members with youthful inspiration and encouragement. Over the last two months numerous modular training has started to take place in Ilkeston; and Derby South and Long Eaton Districts have plans for their first meeting for Young Leaders. What a great start to the New Year! This summers YL weekend for 2013 is on 5th 7th July at Drum Hill. It will cover a number of modules and have various activities to participate in. If you wish to attend the weekend please visit the link or scan the QR code below to register to take part. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ viewform? fromEmail=true&formkey=dEszN01ITGNaZTNnSDJNaGhRck1LWWc6M
And if not why not? What is stopping you? The training is very flexible and Ilearn Derbyshire is here to help. This month is all about the Wood Badge so if you haven’t got a Wood Badge why not make your achievement for 2013 getting those wooden beads around your neck.
Adult volunteers are at the heart of Scouting, and we hope that you are getting every bit as much out of it as you put in. Scouting is not only about young people, but also about the development of our adult volunteers who are just as important. To support adults in Scouting, the Association provides a comprehensive programme of training to build on existing skills and knowledge and develop new competencies. Here in Derbyshire we have an experienced team who deliver that training locally. Some elements of training can count towards externally-recognised qualifications, and within the movement there are also awards to recognise dedication to training and outstanding service. So have you completed the training you need to do to enable you to provide quality Scouting? Do you hold a Wood Badge appropriate to the role you do? Have you completed the ongoing learning you require before your appointment review?
The first step on the journey towards a Wood Badge and becoming a member of the 1st Gilwell Park Scout Group is to have a plan. You can download the template for your plan from the county website You then need a friendly training advisor to guide you through the process of helping you choose what you need to do. If you don’t know who your training advisor is please ask your Group Scout Leader, District Commissioner or Local Training Manager . Find out who is responsible for allocating training advisors in your District and then contact them. If you are still struggling you can contact the County Training Manager, she will put you in touch with the right person. Then all you need is the county training diary and if you want to attend courses or the scouts website if you prefer to complete some of your training online. There are 19 modules that make up the Wood Badge training but depending on your previous experience you may not have to complete them all.
That’s not just your Scouting experience but your life and work experiences too.
18th Chesterfield Chilly Challenge
Once you have completed your learning it’s back to your training advisor to validate your learning and once all 19 modules are validated you will receive your Wood Badge. How long will it take I hear you asking. If you choose to do all the courses you will be looking at 3 weekends and a day for your first aid course. But you can spread that over 2 to 3 years or if you have the time it is possible to do it in a year. But remember you might not have to do all the modules and there are online and evening courses as well as the weekend courses. The training courses are run on a regular basis, there are lots of practical skills included and we guarantee you will meet some like-minded people. If you are worried about attending the training please talk it through with your training advisor, if necessary we can make special arrangements. We look forward to seeing you on the training courses in the coming months and seeing you receive your Wood Badge.
On Friday the 25th of January, a group of Scouts and Leaders from 18th Chesterfield Scouts took part in the Derbyshire County ‘Chilly Challenge’ which is to camp one night in January. They met up at our local campsite and once they arrived, it started to snow once again adding to the covering on the ground. No matter though, they got the snow cleared away and pitched the tents and got settled in. When the tents were up the leaders lit a campfire and after a while, had a massive snowball fight. Some of the other Scouts thought it would be a good idea to build an igloo, whilst the leaders got supper on the go and shook the snow off the tents, again! After supper the igloo building continued and eventually they finished it 6 foot high, at 1.30 in the morning! Saturday morning saw them wake up to the most glorious sunshine as if the snowfall from the night before had never happened, so after breakfast, it was a perfect opportunity to get a group photograph of the team round the igloo. So, well done to Sarah, Shannon, Katherine, Hannah, Damien, James, Maddison, Ashton, Leyton, Paul, Paddy and not forgetting Andy, Matt, Alan, Paul & Steve.
1st Sawley Scouts Chief Scout Presentation Written By Katie Breakwell
mayor was so impressed with the spork that she immediately purchased one herself and so did her assistants. There are still some available and they are excellent for use on camps, so if you would like to purchase any and help raise funds please contact Nigel Redfern 1st Sawley Leader. After the presentation the Mayor went on to explain what the role of the Mayor is and showed her chain of office and robes to everyone. Nigel quickly volunteered to demonstrate how to wear the robes and hat and he certainly looked the part. A good evening was had by all.
Three scouts from 1st Sawley troop have achieved their Gold Chief Scout Award,. To mark this achievement Phil Jackson assistant leader at 1st Sawley scouts, arranged for Josh Beers age 14, Katie Breakwell age 14 and Harry Atkinson age 13, along with their families and scout leaders to attend an awards evening at the Long Eaton Town Hall to have their awards presented to them by Jennifer Hulls the Mayor of Erewash on 25th January 2013. The Mayor presented each scout with their badge and a certificate, she asked each of them what had been the toughest elements in achieving this badge, and without exception they all said it had been the expedition that had been the hardest to complete and that the memory of the two days of walking would stay with them for many years. Harry Atkinson was also awarded his entrepreneurs badge, this badge is rarely achieved within scouts and he was the first to be awarded it within the Sawley area. Harry raised over ÂŁ200 for his troop in the last year by selling sporks, which is a fork, spoon and knife all in one, The
Josh, Katie and Harry would like to thank all the leaders that helped them complete all the badges in order to achieve the Gold Chief Scout award. We would also like to thank the Mayor for taking time to present these awards.
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Young people in Creswell were involved in a clean-up as well as some exciting activities as part of a weekend of action planned for the village. The clean-up and activity weekend took place on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 March 2013. Young people were involved in the clean-up which included litter picking, repainting local buildings and general tidying up of the village. As a reward for their efforts, young people then took part in free activities provided by Xtreme Wheels including BMX racing and laser quest. In addition Derbyshire Police ran OzBox fitness sessions. The event is a joint initiative being run by Youth United and supported by Bolsover Community Safety Partnership. Youth United brings together volunteers from a number of independent uniformed organisations who work with young people. Organisations involved in the Creswell Clean Up include The Scouts Association, Girlguiding UK, Army Cadets, RAF Air Cadets,
Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service and D e r b y s h i r e Constabulary Cadets. The Police Community Safety Partnerships Chief Inspector Brian McKeown said: “This is all about bringing the community together, restoring a sense of pride to the area and most of all having fun.
Gift aid - online & small change From 22 April 2013, gift aid reclaims by charities in the UK can be completed online . Please note this is available nationwide and was previously communicated as being available in England only. The Small Change Collection Scheme goes live nationwide in April 2013. Guidance will be published by HMRC in mid March.
Recruit more parents this year Nearly half of new volunteers in Scouting are parents of those young p e o pl e e nj o y i n g t h e e v e r y d a y adventure. Asking parents to help out with camp has a proven success rate for showing the fun and reward gained from volunteering, and encouraging parents to help more. Encourage your teams to invite parents to assist with running any camps in 2013. More advice can be found online on how to use camps to recruit parents.
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Media and communications workshops UKHQ are hosting a series of one-day media and communications workshops for adults in Scouting. They'll help you to spot opportunities, create and pitch stories, write engaging content for members, package media content, use Scouting events to promote key messages and get great material to publicise Scouting. Website support From tips for creating great content, to web domain names and safeguarding advice, visit the website support pages on scouts.org.uk if you want help creating a website or re-energising your existing website. You can now also make use of free Scouting web templates to get you started, or download Scouting web banners to keep your site on brand. Videos: Think differently about volunteering Use these videos at recruitment evenings, AGMs and on your websites to show prospective members and existing members how volunteering for Scouting can work around their already busy lives. These videos are a fun and friendly way of promoting the message that volunteering can work around your time and your skills, encouraging new members to get involved and reminding existing members that their volunteering can change with them if their life changes. Think differently about volunteering – video 1 Think differently about volunteering – video 2 Think differently about volunteering –
video 3 Think differently about volunteering – video 4
Grants to develop your Scouting Spring is the ideal time for camp and activity planning, which could be supported by a grant from UKHQ. Grants are available to set up new youth sections or to offset the cost of events, activities or uniform. They can also help support members with additional needs, volunteer training or the purchase of Sea and Air Scout equipment.
Scouting for talent Within the next month UKHQ will be launching the Bright Sparks Project for Scouts, a UK-wide search for talented Scouts to take part in a music album where they’ll collaborate with UK artists and music professionals. Scouts from across the UK will be invited to submit an entry for an opportunity to record vocals with well known UK artists and music producers. Resources will be made available on the Bright Sparks website on 8 April 2013, along with help and advice on creating and promoting your entry with your Group. For further information please contact Natasha Giraudel or follow The Bright Sparks Project on Facebook and Twitter.
Get equipped for adventure As the weather warms up it's the ideal time to check your climbing equipment is in working order. If your Group has a new interest in climbing, get involved in the new bulk purchase scheme for climbing equipment available for a short period, on a pre-order basis, until Monday 8 April.
Explorer Belt update
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Scout Activity Centres open days Many national Scout Activity Centres have upcoming open days, giving you the chance to check out the facilities and try out activities. Have a look at the open day dates and road test new venues for your Group or section camps and trips away. Shelter Box Scavenger Hunt 2013 The London Scavenger Hunt for Scouts, Explorers and Cubs takes place on 8 June 2013. Teams will navigate around the capital's most famous landmarks and solve cryptic clues. Look out for the resource to run your own local Scavenger Hunt.
Plans are well under way for an exciting Explorer Belt trip in 2014 for Explorers and Network. In February, a few of the organising team undertook a study visit to the proposed expedition area, to establish its suitability for the trip. This was a resounding success, so we're excited to announce that the 2014 Explorer Belt will be taking place in Denmark. With the help of some excellent Danish scouting contacts, we've been able to identify potential accommodation for the start/end of the trip and gather lots of information to help us plan the expedition. We don't want to give too much away at this stage, but we're all very excited about how the plans are shaping up. Next step, we're pricing things up and will be getting ready to release further details so that we can start taking deposits. We've had substantial interest already, but please do help us to spread the word amongst members of the Explorer and Network sections. Leaders and potential participants can register their interest by emailing explorerbelt@derbyshirescouts.org or visiting https://www.facebook.com/groups/ DerbyshireExplorerBelt2014
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A bigger hall for next year?
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The Scout Section held its first Ready Steady Cook competition at Matlock on 9th March. We had ten Districts entered, with each holding its own competition to put forward their team to represent the District. Having thus competed at District level, the standard at the County competition was very high – and competitive. Winning District was Derby North, represented by 173rd Derby, Runners Up were Chapel)
High Peak (1st
Third Place Ilkeston (21st Ilkeston) The four judges worked hard and all appreciated the team work put in by all the teams. The quality and imagination of the dishes was something to be really proud of – well done to all.
Peak 2015 - Recruitment for 2013 The Peak 2015 Organisers and Management Team are pleased to announce the advertisements/re-advertisements of 22 roles. This is the first of 3 recruitment phases for 2013 with the second being in May and the third in October. The list of roles and the application form can be found at www.peakcamp.org.uk/vacancies - there is also a list of roles that will be advertised later in the year. If you have any reservations or questions about applying for any of these roles please email either the Team Managers concerned or one of the Organisers for further information or an informal chat. We very much welcome applications from enthusiastic Guiders and Scouters. There are a number of roles that are 'pre-camp' if you are intending to bring your unit and are not available to work during the week and we are also happy to consider ‘role shares’ where this could be appropriate - again you should email the Team Manager or Organisers about this. Best regards Angela and Adey
Calling all Groups Have you registered to take part in the Scout Community Week? It’s a great way to raise money for your Group and to raise the profile of Scouting in your local community. Once again it is being supported by B&Q and your local store may be able to help you with a project. For more information log onto www.scouts.org.uk/communityweek Or contact Stephen Parker at dcc-support@derbyshirescouts.org
2013 County Training Calendar