Skills for Life 1

Skills for Life

Our plan to prepare better futures
2018-2023
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Contents
Welcome 05
Our mission and values 06
Our vision for 2023 07
Our plan 08
Our impact 11
Our strategic objectives 13
Growth 14
Inclusivity 15
Youth Shaped 16
Community Impact 17
Our pillars of work 19
Programme 20
People 22
Perception 24
Our priorities 26
What now? 27

scouts.org.uk/ourplan
#SkillsForLife
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As Scouts, we believe in preparing

young people with skills for life.
We bring communities together
and contribute to society. Above all,
we aim to build better futures.

Each week almost half a million young people enjoy fun, friendship
and outdoor adventure. They develop a sense of optimism and
strong values as well as the leadership and teamwork skills that are
more valuable today than ever before.

Our plan for the next five years is simple. We need to build on our
recent success and focus on the challenges we face. Our volunteers
do not always get the support they need. The public do not always
understand what we do and we are not seen as relevant or
open enough.

Despite these challenges, Scouting achieves remarkable things.

Our previous plan, Scouting for All, inspired 834 new sections to
start in areas of deprivation since 2013. We now help over 462,000
young people aged 6-18 (including 102,000 girls) get the best
possible start in life. It inspired our community impact campaign,
A Million Hands, helping over 250,000 young people make a
positive contribution in their local communities.

Now we want to go further. You asked us to focus on Scouting on

the ground and this plan does just that. It supports and empowers
Section Leaders to deliver an amazing programme. It’s also a plan
to contribute to a better society. But most of all it’s a plan for young
people. They deserve the best skills, the best support and the best
possible futures.
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Our mission Our vision

for 2023
Scouting actively engages
and supports young people in By 2023 we will have prepared
their personal development, more young people with skills for
empowering them to make a life, supported by amazing leaders
positive contribution to society. delivering an inspiring programme.

Our values We will be growing, more inclusive,

shaped by young people and making
a bigger impact in our communities.
As Scouts we are guided by these values:

Care
We support others and take care of the world in which we live.

Respect
We have self-respect and respect for others.

Integrity
We act with integrity; we are honest, trustworthy and loyal.

Cooperation
We make a positive difference; we cooperate with others and make friends.

Belief
We explore our faiths, beliefs and attitudes.
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Our plan Skills for Life

Our plan to prepare better futures 2018-2023

Our plan for the next five years is simple. We will Our vision
support amazing leaders to deliver an inspiring By 2023 we will have prepared more young people We will be growing, more inclusive, shaped by
programme and prepare more young people with skills with skills for life, supported by amazing leaders young people and making a bigger impact in
for life. delivering an inspiring programme. our communities.

We will do this by building on the success of our last Our mission Our values
plan, Scouting for All. Scouting actively engages and supports young We act with care, respect, integrity, cooperation,
people in their personal development, empowering exploring our own and others’ beliefs.
them to make a positive contribution to society.
We want to continue to…
…grow Our goals
…become more inclusive By delivering this plan we will achieve the following goals against our four objectives:

…be shaped by young people

…have a bigger impact in our communities Growth Inclusivity Youth Shaped Community
Impact
• 50k more young people • Our volunteers reflect • 250k young people • 250k young people
This plan contains many exciting initiatives. However, the demographics of shape their Scouting making a positive
• 10k more Section Leaders
most do not require action from you now. Your • 5k more Young Leaders
our society each year impact in their local
priority is to keep doing great work towards the four • In 500 more areas of • 50% young people communities each year
key strategic objectives of Growth, Inclusivity, Youth deprivation achieve top awards • 50% young people
achieve top awards
Shaped and Community Impact.

Our three pillars of work

This plan can only be delivered if we work together. To support the Movement to achieve these objectives, we will focus on three pillars of work:
Collectively, we will make our movement bigger,
stronger and more impactful. Programme People Perception
A fun, enjoyable, high quality More, well trained, better supported Scouting is understood, more
programme consistently and motivated adult volunteers, visible, trusted, respected and
delivered and supported by and more young people from widely seen as playing a key role
simple (digital) tools. diverse backgrounds. in society today.

scouts.org.uk/ourplan
#SkillsForLife
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‘I believe that Scouting empowers

young people. It gives them skills
to achieve the remarkable, and
opportunities to develop a deeper
understanding of the rapidly
changing world.’

Our impact
I believe that Scouting empowers young people. about what we want and more about what young
It gives them skills to achieve the remarkable, and people want.
opportunities to develop a deeper understanding of
the rapidly changing world. Across the globe, we’re seeing young people
calling for more inclusive, kinder communities.
With recent shifts in local and global politics, in many Youth movements are campaigning for better, more
ways society has rarely felt more divided. When the affordable education, for more tolerant communities,
world feels more inward facing, Scouting has a more for a world that better reflects the diversity of who
powerful role to play, bringing communities together. we are. Millennials represent the most community-
oriented generation since the 1940s. There was
Our last plan, Scouting for All, recognised the power a 52% increase in the number of 16-24 year olds
and importance of working towards a more inclusive volunteering between 2011 and 2015. Our young
movement. Because of your hard work, there are people’s passion and commitment to A Million Hands
now over 102,000 girls in UK Scouting, the Muslim is testament to this.
Scout Fellowship is growing and we recently saw the
opening of the UK’s first Buddhist Scout Group. Our As is the heart-warming work being done by the
fantastic representation at Pride continues to impress. 1st Healing Scout Group in Grimsby. Initiated by local
We’ve seen extra commitment by volunteers to Scout Will Drakes and his mum Louise, the Group
support disabled young people to fully participate in makes gift bags for women and children fleeing
Scouting, and 834 new sections have started in areas domestic abuse at the Grimsby Women’s Refuge.
of deprivation since 2013. The entire community has gotten on board, donating
all sorts of supplies to support the Scouts. The young
At 1st Dings Scout Group in Bristol, a neighbourhood people are not only developing skills and a deeper
prone to social division, young people from various understanding of domestic abuse and bullying, but
backgrounds come together to develop skills. While also feel more confident and relaxed. In the process
the young people are laughing, learning and diving of creating kinder communities, Scouting develops
into activities, their parents are sharing stories and healthier, happier, more resilient individuals.
connecting too. Pilot projects like these show that
although these Groups aren’t necessarily easy to set We have always broken barriers – we’ve travelled into
up, they change lives and transform communities. space and broken Olympic records – now, let’s support
While breaking down barriers and creating positive our young people to break down social barriers.
spaces for integration, Scouting is giving skills to
young people from all walks of life, and with those By continuing to close the gaps between people and
skills, the chance of better futures. generations, we’re building stronger, happier, more
cohesive communities. And we’re doing it all together.
But our belief in becoming more inclusive is driven by
more than the fact that every young person deserves Tim Kidd
the chance at a better future. This commitment is less UK Chief Commissioner
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Our strategic
objectives
Our plan is to continue to build on the
incredible progress we’ve made over the
last four years.
We want to continue to focus on:
• Growth
• Inclusivity
• Youth Shaped
• Community Impact

To simplify things even further, we’ve put together a list of actions you
can take, starting now, to help us achieve our goals in these four areas.
Working together is a crucial part of meeting these goals.

Over the next five years, new actions will emerge and these will be
communicated when they become relevant for you.
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Growth Growth
Inclusivity Inclusivity
Youth Shaped Youth Shaped
Community Impact In order to build on our success and continue to grow Community Impact Reflecting the diversity of our communities and
as a movement, we need to attract and retain more continuing to reach young people who can benefit
young people and volunteers. The key is an inspiring the most from Scouts is crucial if we are to be seen
and engaging programme delivered by supported as relevant and important in society today. To do this
leaders. We also need to open new and missing we need to be welcoming and improve our internal
sections, and grow small sections. processes, breaking down any barriers that prevent
people from joining and staying.
Number of young people (6-18) in Scouting
Number of sections in areas of deprivation since 2013

2014 443,777

2018 461,598
166

Data source: Scouts Annual Census Survey 834

2014

Our Growth goals 67

By 2023: 2013
• we will have 50,000 more young people aged 6-18 in Scouting 612
• we will have 10,000 more Section Leaders (including Assistant
Section Leaders)
• we will have 5,000 more Young Leaders 2018

2016
Actions Data source: Better Prepared and grant funded projects
We’ve developed a series of role specific actions that members can take to
help reach our Growth goals. These include:
Our Inclusivity goals
• checking the quality of your programme Visit scouts.org.uk/ourplan
• completing programme planning training to find out more about what By 2023:
• ensuring all Groups have all sections actions you can take now • we will have started Scouts in 500 more areas of deprivation
• running practical skills events for Section Leaders and what support we have • our volunteers reflect the demographics of our society
• appointing a District/County lead for growth and development available to help you.
• developing a District/County Growth strategy
Actions
We’ve developed a series of role specific actions that members can take
to help reach our Inclusivity goals. These include:

• carrying out an Inclusivity Self-Assessment for your section, Group

or District
• starting sections in areas of deprivation and under-represented
communities
Visit scouts.org.uk/ourplan
to find out more about what
actions you can take now
and what support we have
available to help you.
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Growth Growth
Inclusivity Inclusivity
Youth Shaped Youth Shaped
Community Impact Young people should be taking on leadership Community Impact Running quality community impact projects is an
responsibilities and shaping their Scouting essential part of a great Scouting programme and
experiences. Building on our work in this area by we’re aware that these projects take planning and
giving young people opportunities to use their voice time. A Million Hands provides ‘off the shelf’ resources
is an important part of developing the leaders of the for leaders making it easier to deliver the Community
future. We believe that if young people are shaping Impact Staged Activity Badge. The more projects
their Scouting, they will improve Scouting and are undertaken with leaders who feel confident to facilitate
more likely to achieve their top awards. them, the more young people will be able to make a
difference to the lives of those in their communities,
and develop important skills along the way.
Percentage of sections running regular youth forums enabling young
people to shape their programme
Percentage of sections taking part in a community impact project

2015 25%

48% 54%
2016 33%

2017 56%

2015 2017
Data source: Your Programme Your Voice survey 2015/2017 Strategy survey 2016
Data source: Your Programme Your Voice annual volunteer survey

Our Community Impact goals

Our Youth Shaped goals
Visit scouts.org.uk/ourplan By 2023: By 2023:
to find out more about what • 250,000 young people will be shaping their Scouting experience • at least 250,000 young people will be making a positive impact in
actions you can take now each year their community each year
and what support we have • 50% of young people will be achieving the top awards • 50% of young people will be achieving the top awards
available to help you.

Actions Actions
We’ve developed a series of role specific actions that members can We’ve developed a series of role specific actions that members can take
take to help reach our Youth Shaped goals. These include: to help reach our Community Impact goals. These include:

• holding regular youth forums • ensuring all sections run an A Million Hands project or organise one at a
• delivering the Teamwork and Team Leader Challenge Awards Group or District level
• ensuring young people (18-24) are on Group, District and County • running a County Community Impact Support Day
executive committees
• appointing and supporting District and County Youth Commissioners
• implementing a Youth Shaped Scouting action plan Visit scouts.org.uk/ourplan
to find out more about what
actions you can take now
and what support we have
available to help you.
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Our pillars of work

Programme, people, perception

We know that in order to reach our goals, more

support is needed. UK Headquarters has a plan of
action to support local Scouting more and extend
our reach so that we impact the lives of more young
people across the UK. This plan of action takes the
form of three pillars of work: programme, people,
perception.

By focusing on a high quality programme, we will

attract and retain more young people. To deliver an
inspiring programme to young people in Scouting,
we also need to focus on the recruitment, retention
and training of volunteers.

To ensure that Scouting is inclusive and reflects the

diversity of our society, we need to reach people
from a range of backgrounds.

We know that those not already involved in Scouting

do not always understand what we do. We also
know that we are not seen as relevant or open
enough. By improving our perception, we will extend
our reach, recruit more young people and adult
volunteers, and gain more support.
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Programme
Our aim
A fun, enjoyable, high quality
programme consistently delivered and
supported by simple (digital) tools.

Support quality programmes Review the offer for 14-25 year olds
We will support the delivery of high quality We want young people to get the best possible
programmes that are challenging, relevant and chance in life and that through the skills they learn
rewarding for every young person with a focus on in Scouting they are prepared for jobs and further
supporting young people to achieve their top awards. study as well as living happy, fulfilling lives. We will
Amazing Section Leaders are the key to achieving undertake research into why young people drop out
our goals and will be supported through digital tools, of Scouting.
programme resources and practical training.
Review provision for 14-25 year olds
By 2023:
Develop amazing Section Leaders
• we will have evaluated the effectiveness of the
By 2023:
Network programme
• we will equip Section Leaders (particularly those
• we will review the Explorer Scout programme to
new to Scouting) with the practical skills and
increase retention
knowledge needed to deliver a challenging and
• we will ensure that Young Leaders are well
adventurous programme
supported, recognised and can articulate the
benefits of their experience
Digital programme planning
By 2023:
• we will reduce programme planning time Links to employability skills
• we will make it easier to find and share programme By 2023:
ideas and resources • we will work with employers and education
organisations to improve their understanding of
what Scouts achieve
‘Off the shelf’ programmes
• we will help young people to better understand
By 2023:
• adaptable, ready-made programmes, designed in
and talk about the skills they have developed [Awaiting high res still from film]
as Scouts
partnership with adult volunteers and young people,
will be available
Partnerships to enhance the programme
Digital tools to track progress By 2023:
By 2023: • we will work with partners such as the Duke of
• we will ensure volunteers can keep track of a young Edinburgh’s Award programme, Curriculum for
person’s achievements more easily Excellence (in Scotland) and the National Citizen
• we will be working closer with other organisations Service (in England) so that young people can
that have similar digital tools access these through Scouting and achieve the
highest awards
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People
Our aim
More, well trained, better supported
and motivated adult volunteers, and
more young people from diverse
backgrounds.

Improve the volunteer journey Extend our reach

We will improve recruitment processes and training to Scouting does not always reflect the diversity of our
ensure we can recruit and retain more adults from a local communities or reach all the young people who
more diverse range of backgrounds who see the value could benefit most. We also know we could have
of volunteering and gaining new skills. We will focus a greater impact on the lives of young people the
on supporting volunteers by making it easier to access earlier they take part in Scouting. Therefore, we will
the resources and information needed to explore ways to extend Scouting to people we are not
deliver Scouting. currently reaching including young people under 6 and
under-represented communities.
Transform adult recruitment
By 2023: Reach under-represented communities
• we will improve the recruitment and joining process By 2023:
for adults, including reviewing Appointments • we will continue to open new sections, ensuring
Advisory Committees that every Group offers provision across the full
6-14 age range, and Districts across the 14-25
age range
Simpler training
• we will grow Scouting in areas of deprivation with a
By 2023:
focus on communities that are under-represented in
• we will ensure our training is simpler, aided
the Movement
by digital tools, and focused on providing the
knowledge and skills a section team needs to deliver Scouting in schools
a challenging and adventurous programme By 2023:
• we will provide better training for trainers and • Scouting will be running in more schools, working
improve mentoring for new volunteers closely with existing local provision

Better online resources Explore early years provision

By 2023: By 2023:
• we will develop a better website based on user • we will research, pilot, and evaluate different models
experiences ensuring that volunteers can find the of reaching young people under 6.
right information quickly
Improve the joining process for young people
By 2023:
• we will make the joining process easier for parents/
carers and young people
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Perception
Our aim
Scouting is understood, more visible,
trusted, respected and widely seen as
playing a key role in society today.

Transforming our image

We will update our brand and support the promotion
of Scouting so that the public better understands the
benefits of Scouting, specifically skills for life. This will
lead to more young people joining, increased funding
and recruitment of volunteers. Our uniform was last
reviewed in 2001 and it’s time to review it again. We
will remain a uniformed youth organisation.

Brand roll out

By 2023:
• we will have an updated, consistent brand across all
Scout Groups, Districts and Counties

Resources to promote the benefits of Scouting

By 2023:
• we will ensure that volunteers have the tools and
resources needed to communicate the benefits and
diversity of Scouting in a consistent way

Uniform review
By 2023:
• we will have reviewed our uniform starting with the
Explorer Scout uniform
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Our priorities What now?

Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to the Movement.

Right now you should continue to focus on the four strategic objectives
Throughout the development of the plan, we have asked what
and the actions you can take to help us grow, become more inclusive,
members think we should prioritise. There was strong support for
more youth shaped and make a bigger impact in our communities.
us to focus on developing amazing Section Leaders.
For more details and resources to support you to take action,
Based on your feedback, we will focus on the initiatives that
visit scouts.org.uk/ourplan.
improve the volunteering experience by making recruitment and
retention of more leaders easier, and by giving Section Leaders
the tools and skills they need to deliver an inspiring programme.

But we can’t do it all at once. Here’s how we are planning to

prioritise these initiatives:

Programme People Perception

Priorities in 2018/2019

Develop amazing Section Leaders Simpler training (focus on Brand roll out
practical skills)
‘Off the shelf’ programmes

Digital programme planning

In planning

Digital tools to track progress of Transform adult recruitment Develop resources to promote
young people the benefit of Scouting
Improve the joining progress
Review provision for 14-25 for young people Uniform review
year olds
Better online resources

Dependent on external funding or partnerships

Partnerships to enhance Early years provision

the programme
Scouting in schools
Links to employability skills
Reach under-represented
communities
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