St. George s Celebration Week

Transcription

1 East Somerset Scout District St. George s Celebration Week Date: Saturday 16 th April to Sunday 24 th April 2016 INFORMATION PACK (ALL SECTIONS)

2 Background (why the change?) After the birth of the East Somerset District the District Executive adopted our first District strategy and action plan in February The document was aligned with the Scout Association national vision document called Vision 2018 that provided a new direction for Scouting UK to ensure that Scouting is available, exciting and accessible to the next generation of young people. We, as a District, are committed to making this new vision a reality, supporting our adult volunteers and bringing real change to the lives of young people. Our key aims both locally and nationally are: Youth Shaped Inclusivity Growth Community impact In 2015 East Somerset District held separate St. George s Day events in the North and South of the District One at Yeovil Town Football Ground and one at Frome Football Ground. At the events, the District team announced a new approach to celebrating Dt. George s Day moving to a combined One District programme event. This approach would meet the aspirations of the District and National Vision by: making it more integrated and therefor Inclusive providing the ability to make it shaped by our members, especially our youth members and therefore Youth shaped provide a new creative approach that allows local ownership as well as Scouting promotion that will appeal directly to potential new youth members, and therefore encourage growth ensuring activities still have vitally important community involvement and profile within the neighbourhoods in which we live, and therefore have Community impact We have been consulting across the District since 2015 and received a wide range of comments and feedback from both adult volunteers and youth members about what a St. George s Day programme should be. Here is just a sample of the wide ranging feedback we have received. We would like to see our traditional parade & service stay (Various Group / Section Leaders) Anything but a parade, it s so embarrassing, hate it, why can t we do something fun, a party, like the other national celebration day i.e. St. Patricks Day (Various Explorer & Scouts) I love seeing my child dressed up looking so smart, I get some proud (Parent Beaver/ cubs) The St. George s day parade is an important community profile event, we need to make sure that we still keep that community involvement (Leaders various comments) We need the change, we need a fun day event something to draw our youth members into the event and work towards a more celebration event, something has to change as numbers are declining (Group Scout Leaders comments) As you can see, views have been broad, passionate and conflicting. It would be impossible to devise any new idea that met the expectations of everyone with such a wide range of views. We therefore went back to basic principles and agreed that any new event/ programme would need the following characteristics: As one District (collective celebration event for all sections and adult volunteers) An opportunity for all youth and adult members to re-new their promise

3 Flexible to meet the needs of our youth and adult members and also provide an opportunity to run an event that each group / section feel is important to them traditional or new approach It needs to be youth shaped (see the You-Shaped information section included in this pack) Has the ability to promote and to increase the profile and impact of Scouting within the community that we live (sharing event with parents, association members and other residents within our community). Our new approach: With this in mind and as a result of the broad comments and feedback we as a District have decided to be very creative with how we provide this year s event. There will be some activities, challenges and resources available but we want to allow local creativity and empower our youth and group volunteers to shape what you feel is the way to celebrate our national day. This could be: A traditional parade and service in your local church walking through your local village (as a group) A tea party or coffee morning involving a group and the local community It could be the renewal of your promise as an Explorer unit at the top of Glastonbury Tor or as a Scout troop taking their promise again standing up in kayaks on a lake during a morning session. Perhaps a Cubs fun day on the recreation ground or a Beaver St. George s day fancy dress party with parents Maybe a parents versus Scouts football match and BBQ celebration or a St. George s quiz run for local elderly or sheltered housing scheme. Active support unit St. George s day social meal or a winter tarps and hammocks overnight event at Tedbury camp site Whatever it maybe, it provides you, the Leader with the flexibility to work and consult with your youth members to shape what they would like to do to celebrate our St. George s Day (or week, in our case). How can the District help? It is not all about passing the programme back to the groups. We have a few initiatives and programmes that we will provide for use throughout the week that we would like you all to get involved in (the One District approach). As a District we want to capture through a collage of news stories, photos and video clips what everyone is doing to celebrate St. George s day. In addition to this collection of group and section events news stories, images and video clips, the District team will be providing some additional programme ideas that you may wish to get involved in, all helping to build a variety of local and collective District wide celebration events and activities. We would like our sections or groups to: Who? Programme / event / activity: For all groups / sections / adult volunteers Group / youth led local event: Coming up with a local youth shaped event or activity to celebrate St. Georges day (week day or weekend) Provide and send photo s, news stories, youth comments, video clips to the District via so that we can have a collective collage of events promoted on our web site, social media and newsletters (some news items during this week could be sent prior to the week, steamed live during the week or promoted after the event has happened) Youth and adult members re-new their promise (Could be a traditional approach or why not join the District challenge of doing it in the most extreme place you can think off (in cave, abseiling, on top of a mountain or on a lake!) Fly the group / section flag and a St. Georges flag during their proposed event! This is a great way not only to promote Scouting across the District but also your own groups and sections in your community.

4 Additional to group activity / challenges, we as a District are offering other ways to engage with the celebration events, these include: Beavers Only Open to all Beaver (County) 30 Sleep over event: Saturday 16 th April 2016 The Beavers are completing a County wide sleepover as part of their 30-year anniversary celebration. We would like to encourage Beaver colonies to not only take part in this fun and exciting event but to start off our week of celebrations by: Take part in a St. George themed activity Re-new their promise at the event Take photos / video (with consent) and send to district team. For more information, contact: adcbeavers@eastsomersetscouts.org.uk Extreme promise: A challenge for the whole District. Which group or unit can renew their promise in the most adventurous or interesting way? Perhaps on water, underground, in the air or hanging off of something? Perhaps a public place a zoo, National Trust location, theme park or country park where ever it is, we want to hear your story and to have some photos (and of course, we will provide a little prize for the winning section or group)! East Somerset Monopoly run event (St.George s day themed): 14-25s only Open to all Awards to our adult volunteers A fun activity for our young people (and of course their leaders). Like the national monopoly run competition our young people will meet up in a set location and be handed their board that will include a number of destinations, symbols and challenges that they will have to travel to take part in). The challenge will involve the whole of our District so use of a car or mini bus, is probably a must, unless you are feeling brave and would like to take on the challenge by bike, walking or public transport?. Themed around Scouting and St. George, the Explorers and Network members will have a great day discovering our great District (Prize for the winning team). For more information please contact: james@eastsomersetscouts.org.uk #You Shaped approach to planning your St. George s day event: You-Shape is a platform to empower young people to shape their Scouting at local level. We are encouraging all sections to engage and take part in activities that enable members to shape their programme and decide how they as a section or group would like to best celebrate their St. Georges Day event this year. The initiative will provide the opportunity for every young person from Beavers through to Network to get involved (see below for more information) Rewarding our volunteers: Regular recognising the good work of our leaders is an important part of our plans for the future in the District. Alongside national long service and good service awards, East Somerset District would like to introduce some new THANK YOU awards. These new awards will celebrate those who have made a difference to adult members and are for supporters who have made a substantial difference locally within Scouting and our communities. This will be an on-going award programme (so please don t worry if you don t receive one in year one!) and we aim to present these awards during the St. George s week celebrations. Open to all The Queens 90 th Birthday celebration (Thursday 21 st April 2016) Why not have a birthday party on your section night, light a beacon or take part in an activity to celebrate the Queen s birthday! Another way to celebrate our week long celebration.

5 East Somerset s You shaped St. Georges day Celebrations You-shape is a platform to empower young people to shape their Scouting at local level. We are encouraging all section to engage and take part in activities that enable members to shape their programme and especially to decide how they as a section or group would like to best celebrate their St. Georges day event this year. The initiative will provide the opportunity for every young person from Beavers through to Network to get involved either online, outside together as a group or in their meeting place. We as a District in East Somerset truly support this approach and would like to take it one step further. Not only will we help and encourage our groups and District units to take part in this February You-shape initiative (1st and 7th February 2016) but we would like to encourage this approach within our District St. Georges week celebrations this year. We are committed to providing a One District St. Georges programme but this year it will involve a collage of individuals, section, group, unit or community images that represent our youth members You-shaped approach to how they would like to celebrate St. Georges day and the unique way they would like to re-new their Scout Promise. Activities such as youth forums can be a great way of empowering youth people, improving the Scouting experience, learning new skills and ensuring that we are all working in partnership. It s up to you on how both adult and youth members get involved? Why not plan ahead to complete the you-shaped badge challenge during the St. Georges week celebrations (You-shaped badges are available at East Somerset Scout Shop). Why not get fully involved in both weeks, complete the challenge and wear the badge with pride! To Complete the you-shaped challenge badge all you need to do is: Take a selfie or group photo and post it on the District Facebook page Take a short video & share with others (send to James Divall) so that it can be added to the District U-tube page or District Facebook page. Submit feedback on how you think your chosen You-shaped St. George s day event went and how you could better it next year? (collect certificate) Make sure everyone has their say and has an input Think of an original way or place to re-new your promise as a section Set up a group or section Thought / comment box within the meeting place to allow young people to submit their ideas on future programmes. Have one or more Scouts write a blog or about your chosen event and what they did. Send to James Divall to include in the local newsletter. Order You-shaped Badge from District Scout shop and wear with pride! Youth Shaped Resources: To start you off the Scout Association HQ team have compiled some great ideas around what to discuss and how to deliver fun and effective activities as well as youth forums for each section. These are for you (the leader) to use during the You-shaped week and as a tool for planning the East Somerset District St. Georges week celebration activity. The packs contain information on how to get involved in the national conversation, where to get You-shaped week certificates. Download your section support pack at: If you have any questions about the District local events please contact: james@eastsomersetscouts.org.uk Don t forget to engage through social media both locally on the East Somerset District Scout Facebook.

6 St. George s Celebration week Week night programme ideas. (Colony / pack / troop and unit ideas for the programme content of your week night meeting). I am sure all the leaders out there have lots of your own ideas of what could be covered for programme content for your potential St. George s week section meeting activities. Here are just a few more that could help you develop and increase the excitement had by all during the week. Games: There a great big dragon at the bottom of the hill (Active) Taken from the great big whale game, all the young people like up on one side of the hall or outdoor space. A young person to chosen to be a dragon and stand in the middle of the space between the two end of the hall / outdoor space. The dragon (in the middle) must shout I am a great big Dragon at the bottom of the hill, in response the young people shout back Your can t catch knights just like me, at this point the group of young people start running with the intension to get to the other end of the hall / outdoor space without getting tagged. If the Dragon in the middle tags a knight, that young person then becomes a dragon and joins the chase for knights. When all have got the safe zone, the dragons return to the middle and repeat the process. This continues until all the young people have been caught and turned into dragons. The winner (last one to be caught) is normally the starting dragon for the next game! Joisting competition (outside) o Prep work: 2 x hobby horses / 2 x buckets filled with water / 6 x sponges / rope / 2 x shields Needs a bit of prep work but, you set up the activity by laying a large rope down the middle of an outdoor space. Place a bucket filled with water and a sponge at both ends of the joist arena. Place a hobby horse and a shield next to each bucket and prep the young people to GET WET! Pick two young people at a time and line them up on opposite side of the rope at either end (so that they face each other and can run down one side of the rope opposite each other like in joisting). When the leader says GO! The two knights get on their hobby horse; pick up a wet sponge in one hand and the shield in the other (while still holding on to their hobby horse) and advance down the line ready to face the other knight. The knights need to throw the sponge trying to hit either the Chest (2 points) or the head (1 point). Of course the knights to be both defend and attack, once they passed each other, they carry on to the end of the joisting arena, pick up a new sponge and go again. The Knights have two goes each and any points go towards the patrol / six / group points. A fun event but it can get wet and cold!!!! Team activities: Scouting & St. George Quiz Simple, but an effective way to get a group working together as well as an opportunity to find out what they know about both Scouting history and St. George. You might want to mix it up a bit and theme it ENGLAND by having a variety of rounds or perhaps even a picture round. Bake off A Great British theme but can be transferred to England. It could involve a leaders bake off, kids baking or non-baked cooking on a section night and may help towards any celebration event you may hold within the group or community (cakes for the local residents/ a coffee morning or party in the park).

7 More information will follow this information pack about additional resources that will be available during the week-long celebration, but in the meantime, please get talking as groups or with the young people in your section about what you may want to do to celebrate St. George s day this year! Once you have decided, send a short to your ADC and to James Divall (DC programme) to let them know your plans. There might be a local media contact (for both our own news, and external media) who could come along. More information will be available on our web site: and of course you can follow up to date information on our district Facebook page search for East Somerset Scout District. Ok, so what do we do next? 1. DISCUSS ideas with your young people and make sure whatever you do is YOUTH SHAPED 2. PLAN What you want to do 3. TELL US WHAT YOU ARE DOING by James Divall: james@eastsomersetscouts.org.uk And your section s ADC 4. DO IT! 5. SHARE IT through pictures and videos in social media and local media. 6. CELEBRATE the patron Saint of Scouting and our Queen s Birthday! We hope that you like the positive new approach this year, your feedback both positive and negative would be welcome and will help us shape future events and activities. Many thanks James Divall District Commissioner (Team DC) Programme & strategy East Somerset Scout District james@eastsomersetscouts.org.uk