2022 is an important year for Mersey Weaver as we focus on development, growth and re-connecting with one another. As we start to emerge from the pandemic, this is also an opportunity to rethink how we organise and deliver Scouting in Mersey Weaver for the next 5 -10 years to better serve our local communities and young people.
The background info…
The Mersey Weaver leadership team have spent the past year researching, discussing and looking at how we can recover and develop Mersey Weaver in a post-Covid world. Young people need us more than ever and the demand for Scouts locally currently outstrips supply. Meanwhile we know many groups need our support to find their feet again. To address this challenge, we are investing in resources to support local groups to recruit more volunteers as well as open new provision where Scouting doesn’t already exist.
Due to the diverse nature of the District and the need to carefully consider local issues, the future development planning has been split into three regions representing the northern, central and southern areas of Mersey Weaver. It is clear each region has distinct challenges and opportunities, and looking at them separately ensures that all aspects and local needs are considered and nuances not masked by one another.
The Plan
What do we want to achieve?
Inclusion & Diversity
- A District that is inclusive of everyone & representative of it’s community
- That we are reaching the young people who need us most
- That we are led by a diverse group of adults of all ages
- Opening new provision in areas we don’t serve
Better supported leaders
- Stronger Executive Committees
- A Group Scout Leader Team for every Group
- Equal access to resources and facilities
- Team based approach & flexible volunteering
Growth
- More young people benefitting from #SkillsForLife
- More adult leaders a to share the load ensuring their roles remain enjoyable
- Opening new sections in existing Groups and new Groups where possible
- Opening Scouts to new age groups (Squirrels)
Objectives
To work with local volunteers to:
- Support effective recruitment of Managers (Group Scout Leaders & District Explorer Scout Commissioner)
- Support effective and targeted recruitment of Trustees with specific skill sets
- Provide adult recruitment support for a range of programme delivery roles, to ensure these roles can be recruited sustainably in the future
- Significantly strengthen existing smaller Sections
- Open new provision in existing locations where there is demand and expand provision into new communities either through opening new sections or groups
Some of the ideas and thoughts on the table
- Do we have Groups in the right locations?
- How can we grow sections who currently have less than 12 members?
- Are our facilities fully accessible for all?
- Are our section meetings distributed across different nights in the local area?
- Why do Groups struggle to use the recruitment resources already available?
- Can we benefit from sharing premises and equipment?
- Does Group numbering confuse potential recruits?
- How best can we manage a growing joining list?
Our Programme Steering Group
This team of local people will work with the District Team and Andrew to manage the different development projects, we are keen to hear project ideas from the Groups and other supporters so please do get in touch.
Andy Wheeler
Chair
Oliver Chambers
District Commissioner
Faye Royle
Regional Services Team Project Coordinator
Andrew Coe
Growth & Development Officer
Keith Marnell
Group Scout Leader
Michelle Pickstock
District Trustee representative
Vacancy
Programme delivery representative
Jack Woodward
18-25 representative
Vacancy
Group Trustee representative
Meet our Growth & Development Officer
In 2022 the District advertised for a Growth and Development Officer to work with ourselves, and the Scout Regional Services Team, to deliver our development goals. We had a good response and eventually over the course of an interview day we selected Andrew Coe to take on this exciting challenge.
Andrew has previous scouting experience, both as a youth member and as a leader, and has also worked in the education sector working directly with young people and leading teams of adults.
He is looking forward to meeting everyone as he moves across the District engaging Groups with their own development plans and helping to develop our ongoing recruitment and support projects.
Andrew will be available to support with recruitment events, training and the opening of new/restarting sections.
Submit a development project proposal
We are encouraging Managers, Trustees and Leaders to submit ideas for projects for our Growth & Development Officer, Andrew. Please use the form on the end of this link to get in touch with your great ideas.
Youth Forum
Hearing the views of our younger members is an important part of growing the District. Various Youth Forum events will be organised by Jake and his Team to gather those views so they can be passed onto the PSG
Development Weekend
At some point over the summer we are bringing members of the Team Mersey Weaver together to network and start thinking about the plan using information and ideas gathered at the briefing meetings and youth forum
Consultation Weekend
Over a future weekend we will be inviting a wider group of Section Leaders, Assistant Leaders and Young Leaders to input into the plan
Grants for Growth
To make growth happen it needs to be resourced. It often needs; people and time, knowledge and skills, venue and space, equipment, and of course money. Find out about funding available that could help your group grow.
