Transformation
CREATING A WARMER WELCOME FOR NEW VOLUNTEERS
This will mean using new digital tools to recruit volunteers and speed up the appointments process. The volunteer is likely to have a more relevant experience during the process and they wil be able to track their process.
MAKING LEARNING MORE VALUABLE AND CONVENIENT
Greater use of digital tools for learning which will mean volunteers have greater control of what and when they complete their learning. There will be more optional learning and a change in the composition of the Wood Badge so that it is more relevant to their needs. A reduction in the need for validation will speed up the process from completion to recognition.
SIMPLIFYING VOLUNTEERING TO GET THINGS DONE EASIER AND QUICKER
The creation of a new approach to volunteering at all levels which will improve clarity of roles and simplicity of delivery to support our programme. A new digital system with a single sign-on giving access to membership information, learning, permits and awards all available through www.scouts.org.uk
Other pillars of the Strategy cover Programme, Perception, Equity, Diversity & includion, and greater use of digital skills
DIGITAL SKILLS
One of the primary pillars of Transformation is to increase the use of Digital Tools so that, for many elements it is “Digital First”. Our digital strategy supports our members, grows our movement, and puts our people at the heart of what we do.
Becoming a digital first organisation allows us to transform the Scouts experience. It helps us produce tools and services for our volunteers, staff and young people which are easy, enjoyable, engaging and efficient. Being digital first isn’t about being digital only, and it’s not about being digital for the sake of it.
To help our volunteers learn about, understand and use Digital Tools, the Scouts Website has a dedicated area which provides useful information – see below for link.
NEW DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP SYSTEM
A key element of Transformation will be the introduction of a new Membership System. This will be accessible to all adult volunteers through a single sign on from within the Scouts.org.uk Web pages. The new system will incorporate three areas covering
- New member joining
- Membership Records
- Learning
We urgently need all members to update the status of their email address in compass and ensure they have a personal email address which will become part of their log in details.
The use of a shared email will complicate the data transfer and issues of log in details to the new system leaving volunteers without access to their data and all the benefits that the new system will offer you in everyday volunteering and your learning experience. The new system utilises the email address as the volunteers username to logon to the new system. This will also be used by the new system as the volunteers communication email address.
This log-in email address must be:
- Personal to you e.g.: not gsl@anytown.org.uk or cubteam@anytown.org.uk since you may change roles over time but keep your membership.
- Unique to you, since it will be used to direct you to your own membership record, e.g.: not Thesmiths@hotmail.com if multiple Smiths are Scouting volunteers. Also, the new membership system won't set up the log-in if the suggested email address is already in use. This is also good GDPR.
- A working email in regular use. No non-deliveries please!
To set this log-in email address, put your chosen email address into Compass (If it is not there already) and classify it as Volunteering (Using the grey button to the left of the email addres field). Please ensure that only one email address is classified as Volunteering.
b) The new membership system will also hold an address for communicating to you. If you want to use a different address for these communications, put it into Compass (if not there already) and classify it as 'Scouting enquiries'. Please ensure only one email address is classified as Scouting enquiries.
If you want to use your log-in email address as your communications email address, please delete all emails other than the Volunteering email address and tag the Volunteering email as your Primary email address. The 'Primary' selected will then be the one used for communications from Scouting all the way through until your move to the new membership system.
3. Please check the phone numbers held on your Compass record.
a) The new membership system can hold your preferred phone number and an alternate phone number.
b) Put your preferred phone number into compass (if it is not there already) and classify it as Scouting enquiries. Please ensure that only one phone number is classified as Scouting Enquiries.
c) Put your alternate phone number into Compass (if it is not there already) and classify it as Volunteering. Please ensure that only one phone number is classified as Volunteering.
4. For people who don't update their compass membership record the new membership system will use some default rules to allocate the log-in and the communications email addresses and the one or two phone numbers. But to enable you to control how you are contacted it's best to do these updates yourself.
While you are in this part of Compass, please check that your postal address is up to date.
A guidance sheet that will help you set up a new email address if this is needed is available on request.
The system will go live in February 2024, read about the latest on the system by clicking the link below.
TESTING HUB
This is an area within Scouts.org.uk website which displays the current thoughts and ideas being worked on across several elements. In addition to an updated overview, there are sections covering; Making Scouts more Inclusive, More Support for Adult Volunteers, A Warmer Welcome to our volunteers, Changes to how we Learn. Each includes some short video presentations, informative text and, an opportunity to provide feedback to HQ. To date, there have been over 10,000 visits to the Testing Hub.
Please remember however, this is a “testing hub,” it is not the definitive model or what will be happening. The idea is to get feedback from a wide population as well as drip slowly the ideas around change in line with the Vision 2025. To access the Testing Hub, click below.
CHANGE
Change can bring uncertainty, discussion, debate, and some resentment, which is inevitable of many changes in which we are engaged. There will also be work to undertake, sometimes against some stretching deadlines so it may not all be “plain sailing.” Change does, however, also bring reward, refreshed interest, improvements and reflect the current expectations and environment.
If you want to know a bit more about change, click on the link below for more information from Scouts.
https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/learning-development-and-awards/training/learners/support-resources-for-learners/personal-development-guides/managing-change/
If you have an interest in the theory of change, there are many models around that seek to explain and help through the process. If you search “Change Curve” it will yield a number of articles, videos etc. If you are not sure where to start, take a look at this simple model (Scott & Jaffe Change Model) to get you started. Click on the link below to access the webpage.
https://expertprogrammanagement.com/2018/05/scott-and-jaffe-change-model/
SOME PROPOSED CHANGES TO LEARNING (TRAINING)
We will see, over the coming months, a shift from “training” to “learning.” The difference is not just in the words but the approach that stands behind the words. Widespread engagement has seen a response from volunteers that suggests that current training is too much and not always relevant so the changes will break up the content into smaller pieces of learning, with better delivery and more focussed to the individual’s role within Scouting. Greater use of digital tools will allow individuals to select, start, pause, return, and finish their course content which will be self-validating and automatically update their learning record.
'Growing Roots' learning will replace the current Getting Started suite of training. Growing roots will become the new mandatory learning for our volunteers; Volunteers will have 6 months to complete their Growing Roots learning.
Growing Roots will comprise of two parts;
1) The learning a volunteer needs to get started.
2) The learning a volunteer needs for thier team and role.
Following the mandatory learning there will be optional 'Branching out' learning which will lead towards the wood badge by accruing credits against different learning options which will be specific to your needs in Scouting. This learning will evolve over the next 18 to 24 months. Some of the current modules will continue until updated moving forward.
This should not cause individuals to stop any current or planned learning under the present scheme. The present modules will continue to be delivered during the remainder of 2023 and into 2024. If you are completing the Getting Started modules currently you should endeavour to complete these before February 2024 in order to obtain the Growing Roots by default.
WHEN WILL ALL THIS HAPPEN? [NEW August 2023]
The “Understand Phase” of the work will now run until the end of the year and Planning for the changes will run through 2023. This may seem a long time, but Transformation is not just about the switch from Compass to a new Membership System, it is much more than that.
Transformation is designed to change aspects of our culture in volunteering ( https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/volunteer-experience/our-volunteering-culture/ ) with the introduction of new tools and approach. This will include a change in the appointment process, moving away from the current Appointment Committee in favour of a more relevant Welcome Conversation with the line manager and a nominated member of the District Team.
Changes too in the structures of our Sections, Groups, Districts and County to simplify and “spread the load.” This includes some rationalisation of roles to increase and improve transparency including, the introduction of “Lead Volunteer” replacing the “Commissioner” which is a term better understood by people both within and outside Scouting. There will be new Teams at Group, District and County but this will NOT change the way we work with the Young People in the sections.
We will start to form the new teams from now so we are ready in February for the 'Go Live'
NEXT STEPS [UPDATED August 2023]
Continue to update Compass - this is for all of us to carry out.
Start to think about what team/s you will be part of moving forward. For the vast majority of members your team will be the Beaver Section Team or the Scout section team etc. Others will become members of one of the District or County Teams. Talk to your Distrcit/County Lead Volunteer (DC/CC)
Do keep aware of the changes and progress in Tranformation through memberhsip emails, all member HQ calls and local cascades within East Sussex by email and web page updates.
In Autumn we will be carrying out District Road Shows so that you can see/hear more about the changes. If you want to chat face to face you can pop along to the County drop in sessions happening around the county on the last Saturday of the month (Keep an eye on the Facebook group EAST SUSSEX SCOUTERS).
In the meantime, do look at the items on the Testing Hub (https://www.scouts.org.uk/about-us/testing-hub/) and please, feel free to send your feedback to Headquarters using the tools provided.
If you have any thoughts, comments, or questions, please do get in touch by mailing the following address dccashjones@eastsussexscouts.org.uk
I look forward to your support in the weeks and months ahead.
Ash Jones
Transformation Lead
UPDATED August 2023
