DIFFERENCEIt’s all about making a

in South Yorkshire

Scouting activities take place every week, across every neighbourhood of South Yorkshire.Not all of our 7000 young people and 1600 volunteers have skydived, gone ice climbing or visited the South Pole. But everyone of them has experienced something different, or had the opportunity to challenge themselves as a result of being involved in Scouting.Through adventure, we challenge individuals so they learn and experience new things that enrich their lives.Scouting is all about making life better – our members are healthier, happier and more confident.Our work is transforming lives, communities, families and individuals.This impact report shows you a few of the highlights of our successes across South Yorkshire.

EVERYDAY ADVENTURE – it’s what we do…

Wow! What a year for Scouting in South Yorkshire. Our 75th year enviably had a series of firsts but I could not have imagined that 2013 / 2014 would be so remarkable at the start of the year.

The year saw continued reflection and celebration of our 75th year and provided some great opportunities for the young and not so young to enjoy activities and reflect on the contribution Scouting has made to the lives of so many over the years. The County Ball in November was attended by over 200 leaders and their partners and a thoroughly good night was had by all. Light Fantastic was enjoyed by over 1,000 Beavers & Cubs despite the rain and mud; it was fabulous to see an event supported by so many different districts who provided so many superb activities.

January, as always, is census month, and this year we certainly had something to shout about. Scouting numbers have increased in South Yorkshire with more girls, boys and adults seeking out everyday adventure. The total number of young people and adults who have joined Scouting has risen 10 percent in the past year and membership figures have now reached 8,582.

In April we celebrated the achievements of so many young people and adults in Scouting at the Annual County Awards Dinner. This was a fabulous event full of inspiring stories, hosted by our young people and made all the better as awardees were able to share it with their families.

ScoutTastic has been and gone; a fantastic event enjoyed by everyone and built on the back of feedback from the event in May 2013. From the

very start young people were at the heart of the event organising team and throughout the weekend providing activity, media, help and support to groups and ensuring everyone had a great time. It was promising that our youth members drove the content and programme for ScoutTastic and the great news is that the event will be back in 2016. We will learn from the feedback and responses you have made to improve again.

As a user of social media it has been uplifting to see so many groups out and about camping and taking part in some fantastic activities. Also this summer we have seen lots of groups venturing further afield with Switzerland, Belgium and Guernsey being just some of the places you have Scouted.

I am encouraged by the number of younger adults that are now taking on leadership roles and the continued establishment of Young Leader Units in districts and groups which I hope will provide the movement with leaders in future years.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the contribution you have made to the county. Special thanks must go to the County Team and the Executive for their support to myself and for all their hard work. As always it is the adults who turn up week after week and spend hours planning activities who make South Yorkshire Scout County so special and who contribute so much to their communities.

I wish you and your families all the very best for the coming year and look forward to 2015 being another fantastic year for the county.

COUNTY COMMISSIONER’S WELCOME

Dear colleagues and friends,

AndyAndy Moore, County Commissioner.

OUR GROWTH

CELEBRATING NEW OPPORTUNITIES…Earlier this year the 76th Sheffield (St Peter’s Ellesmere)

Scout Group officially invested the first Beavers and

Cubs in the group for over 8 years! This happy and

hectic celebration was well attended by the Sheffield

Don Scout District Team, eager parents and leaders of

other nearby Scout groups.

Will Hopkins, Beaver Scout Leader said “Children in

Burngreave and Pitsmoor have recently had to fight

hard for the Pitsmoor Adventure Playground, and as a

local parent I wanted more for our kids to do. Beavers

and Cubs are perfect for my kids – they get to meet

friends, play loads of different games, learn about the

world around them and get outside! So I decided to

join up as a leader, so I can make a difference in my

kids’ community.

“One of the most important parts of Beavers and Cubs

is the promise children make to try their best, help other

people and to respect all religious faiths – this means

that everything we do will help the children to develop

and grow. As they learn new skills they will be rewarded

with badges that show their achievements!” LOCAL DEMAND CREATES ADVENTURE FOR ALLA new Scout group has opened during the last year in Stradbroke, Sheffield after a ‘huge’ demand from young people in the area.The new group is called ‘219th Sheffield (Stradbroke) Scout Group’ and includes a Beaver and Cub section. A new Scout section will also open as part of the group when they have managed to recruit some volunteers. The group meets at Stradbroke Primary School, Richmond Road every Wednesday

The group is one of several success stories amongst a year of fantastic growth for South Yorkshire Scouts which has seen another 728 people join Scouting in the past year, a rise of nearly 10% overall. There are now approximately 8,581 scouts in South Yorkshire enjoying fun, challenge and adventure on a weekly basis. Pete Hobson, District Commissioner of the Norfolk District of Sheffield Scouts, said “It’s fantastic that so many young people want to get involved in scouting. We hope to get the Scout section up and running shortly after Easter but it all hinges on getting adults to volunteer to lead the sections.”

“There are plenty of young people who are interested and it’s very positive that a lot of young people want to get involved with getting outdoors and taking part in adventurous activities.”

OUR IMPACT ON OUR GOALS

The county team has been working toward key goals over the last year, which link to the county’s needs and the national strategy towards the 2018 vision.

These were derived from the November 2012 GSL day, the county team development planning day, ensuring that a balanced focussed view was sought before consolidating all opinions into our South Yorkshire Vision.

SOUTH YORKSHIRE’S VISION 2018

DIVERSITY & GROWTH - Every Child has a right to ADVENTUREEnsure every child has the opportunity to join Scouting in their local area and within their community; remove waiting lists, open new groups and sections and make Scouting available to ALL and as diverse as the communities in which they live.

COMMUNICATION – Better informed SCOUTING communityConnect more effectively with our members, ensuring they are better informed and have access to information which is relevant and “on brand”.

SCOUTING shaped by Young People in PARTNERSHIP with adultsEnabling and preparing our young people to be active citizens who will embrace and contribute to social change.

We have recorded another year of growth and now have over 8,000 members signifying a growth of 10%

Our Youth involvement team have continued to provide opportunities for our young people to develop, steer and change Scouting in South Yorkshire.

Members receive timely updates via email using iSYNC our county newsletter, we have social media channels and our website is kept up to date. Our media team are producing “on brand” communications in line with headquarters recommendations

2383 combined followers on our twitter accounts (@syscouts @Hesley_Wood @LeopardLenny @Scouttastic)

1424 combined page likes on Facebook and 12000+ post likes on Facebook

OUR IMPACT ON OUR GOALS

You said…All groups and districts to have fully engaged, effective & trained executive committees

You said…Support from County and Districts to deliver flexible training and evaluation

You said…Hold a large scale County event or camp annually

You said…Promote ourselves in the wider community using a key identity and ensuring on brand in line HQ with initiatives

PUBLICITY & MEDIA – Read, listen, watch and discover SCOUTINGCreating and making a positive impact in our communities; building an upbeat, modern and assured image of Scouting.

Our media team are busy and have been successful by having several articles published in newspapers and interviews and discussions on radio. The profile of Scouting in South Yorkshire is higher than ever before.

PROGRAMME – delivering everyday ADVENTUREGuarantee Scouting is enjoyed by more young people and more adult volunteers with the opportunity to attend and experience exciting, challenging and FUN activities provided by a trained and supported leadership.

The programme team are committed to providing modern, exciting, challenging, fun adventure for all. Large scale events for everybody such as ScoutTastic will be followed by support at grass roots level at group and district events and activities.

MANAGEMENT – SOUND and FOCUSED organisation with a clear idea of who we areProvide the tools for our leadership to carry out their roles effectively and make certain our members feel empowered, valued and proud.

Adult support and training are at the heart of what we do, our members are better trained and supported now more than ever before. We are providing flexible modular training in locations and at times to suit our members

OUR IMPACT ON OUR GOALS

…We didTraining is being provided in districts, working with executive committees to guarantee they are supporting, operating and ensuring their district is run safely, effectively and complying with Scouting and charity policies.

…We didTraining courses are being run throughout the county in district and county premises at weekends, during evenings and in one to one settings. Getting started training now is more accessible through more local supported delivery.

…We didScoutTastic will become a permanent feature in the South Yorkshire scouting calendar as will bi-annual and annual events such as Beaver Sleepover, Cubs Taster Weekend and Yorkshire Rose and APEX Challenges.

…We didWe have made huge strides to become more media aware and savvy during the past 12 months and are now regularly seen in local newspapers and discussed on local radio. Over the next 12 months the media and communications team will strengthen its presence and produce more local stories and work with districts to build and develop their own communication links.

OUR MEMBERSHIP

Scouting membership in South Yorkshire continues to grow, with 728 new members in the past year

• Scouting remains ever popular across the UK with nine years of sustained growth

• Teenage membership grows from 2,556 to 2,910 between 2013 and 2014

• Female membership grows from 1,852 to 2,077 between 2013 and 2014

Scouting numbers have increased in South Yorkshire with more girls, boys and adults seeking out everyday adventure. The total number of young people and adults who have joined Scouting has risen 10 percent

in the past year and membership figures have now reached 8,581. Scouting continues to grow across the UK where there have been nine years of sustained growth.

Scouting provides an attractive adventure based programme for young people and adults, which changes their lives and their local communities for the better.

The number of adults volunteering to change young people’s lives has grown by 40 in the past year to a total of 1,305.

1500

1200

900

600

300

02004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

GROWTH IN FEMALE YOUTH MEMBERSHIP

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20141500

2000

2500

3000

GROWTH IN TEENAGE MEMBERSHIP

AN INCREDIBLE SUCCESS

OUR MEMBERSHIP

BEAVER SCOUTS2014: 17678.7% growth on 201318.8% growth on 2004

CUB SCOUTS2014: 22989.6% growth on 201312.8% growth on 2004

SCOUTS2014: 210312.3% growth on 201336.4% growth on 2004

EXPLORER SCOUTS2014: 80112.3% growth on 2013223.7% growth on 2004

ADULTS2014: 15843.5% growth on 201316.7% growth on 2004

BEAVER SCOUTS1767 young people13.5% of the County.

CUB SCOUTS2298 young people 26.7% of the County.SCOUTS

2103 young people24.5% of the County.

EXPLORER SCOUTS801 young people9.3% of the County.

ADULTS1584

18.4% of the County.

SCOUT NETWORK29 young people0.3% of the County.

Total Membership in 2014 of South Yorkshire Scout County

8582

Barnsley District 1165

Doncaster Danum District 1923

Rotherham District 1130

Sheffield Don District 921

Sheffield Hallam District 2131

Sheffield Norfolk District 460

Sheffield Sheaf District 808

13.5%

22.4%

13.1%10.7%

24.8%

9.4%5.3%

We think South Yorkshire Scouting is developing one of the best Young Leader schemes in the country.

Young Leaders are encouraged to attend events as a leader, opting to help and support other sections and groups working alongside adults leaders.

We recruit new members into Scouting solely to become Young leaders, validating the Young Leader section and endorsing its growing reputation.

600OVER

of our Explorer Scouts are also Young Leaders at some point.

SOUND BITES FROM SOUTH YORKSHIRE SCOUTS

“So here I am, 5 years later, on parade at Windsor where the atmosphere is fantastic but it’s the people that make it worthwhile. I think the best thing I took away from the service was the quote “it is an ignorance not to share your talents with others” so that’s my plan now, to carry on learning and sharing and giving.”

Caroline Bryce, Queen’s Scout 2014

“My son is Beaver age and a member which has brought me closer to Scouting. I volunteered to be an “EVENTMaker” with the ScoutTastic team. I’m part of the Stage Crew and in the rare moments where things are running as we want them I’m one of the people tweeting and adding stuff to the Facebook page and website. To some this might sound like a lot, but compared to many of the other volunteers, it’s simply a raindrop in an ocean of outstanding effort and contribution.”

Rob – Penistone Scout Group

“A night of hundreds of over excited children has left me believing I may belong in bedlam. I said never again; absolutely lying to myself. I would do it all over again; Scouting is wonderful, I have found my vocation I really do belong in bedlam”

Diane – 76th Sheffield

“I’ve worked at orphanages in Russia, climbed German mountains, ate handmade Swiss cheese at a mountain top cheese farm, jumped off waterfalls in Austria. I’ve become closer to my family through volunteering together and met the amazing woman who became my wife. Forget what impression you’ve got of shorts, long socks and funny hats; SCOUTING IS AWESOME!”

Dan – Leader Handsworth Explorers

“We really enjoy Cubs because we all go to the same school and we can make new friends

and have fun doing different activities”Cubs 36th Doncaster

YOUTH FOCUSSED

The Youth Involvement Team has recently undergone a few changes in 2014, with Haley Toseland stepping up as the National Youth Representative and Thomas Yems, our long serving member of the County Youth Forum, stepping up to undertake the County Youth representative role.

Since the Youth Involvement Project was launched in 2012 under the lead of Dominic Moore and Haley Toseland, as a county we have been working hard towards enabling young people to shape their Scouting experiences. We have made steady progress but are aware that we still have a long journey ahead of us to turn potential into reality.

Since 2012 we have:

• Established a County Youth Forum with representation from most districts within the county

• Enabled young people to take an active part in organising teams for the various county events

• Enabled young people to be part of the selection panel for the 75 year badge design for the county

• Listened to the voices of young people gaining opinions on what activities they would like to see at the various county events

• Young people have been guest bloggers featuring on ‘Bruce’s blog’

• Young people were provided with the opportunity to assist at various major sporting events in Sheffield

• Young people have been young staff members at various county events

• Established a link with Hays recruitment enabling young people to discover useful hints and tips on CV writing for further educational and employment establishments

• The main organising team for the Yorkshire Rose Challenge consists of people under the age of 25 with young people under the age of 18 taking a major lead in the technical aspects of the event.

• Youth Involvement Project are at various county events to gain feedback on the event and gain opinions from all sections on various topics / events

• Assisted with the search and interviews for District Commissioners

• Young person is responsible for the Youth Involvement social media outlets

The Sparkle Awards are a small part of our approach in enabling young people to get their voice heard by allowing them to nominate adults in Scouting to receive a Sparkle Award. The Sparkle Awards celebrate leaders who make a difference to Scouting, inspiring young people, demonstrating innovation, radiating commitment and providing opportunity for young people to develop and enjoy Scouting.

Every young person in South Yorkshire is critical to our adventure and by 2018, it is our intention that 80% of young people in the county will state that they feel listened to and are taken seriously. We need to encourage, inspire, motivate and work closer with the young people in South Yorkshire to gather their ideas and feedback, to include young people in decision making, and to ensure their voices are not only heard but acted upon.

Vision 2018 states that Scouting in 2018 will be shaped by young people in partnership with adults, enjoyed by more young people and adult volunteers, as diverse as the communities in which we live. The Youth Involvement Team are very much excited by the journey ahead of us to assist South Yorkshire in achieving this vision.

LEADING LIGHTS…

Seven years ago, the 231st Sheffield (Shiregreen) Scout Group was on the brink of closure. The group consisted of 4 beavers, 3 Cubs and 6 Scouts – most of whom were leaders’ children. The group headquarters was a constant target for local vandals who would regularly attempt to burn down the building.

Fast forward to May 2014, and the group is now the biggest community group in the area. It is thriving and has a strong and committed leader team who engage with their community at all levels.

The group has dug deep over the past 7 years to improve the programme and the key to that has been listening to its young people

“We involve the youth in everything we do – we have Young Leaders running the Patrol Leader Council, we have a youth rep who sits on the Group Council. The group has actively recruited at local schools and it’s no coincidence that our numbers are now; 24+ in Beavers, 20+ in Cubs and 35+ in Scouts. In 2010 Don District also opened a new part of their Explorer Unit to meet in the group HQ. In total we have over 100 young people a week pass through our doors.” - Danny Levick, Scout Leader

For all the success, there was something missing; a building and garden that lived up to the quality of the young people who use it. Over the last 5 years,

the leaders, parents and other volunteers have slowly chipped away at refurbishing the building and the land; only for it to be repeatedly destroyed by vandals.

On Friday 16th May 2014 this all changed – assisted by their local community and local businesses, 200 volunteers transformed the 231st Headquarters, painting, building, refurbishing, planting, cleaning, replacing and constructing. Local schools allowed pupils who are Scouts the day off to lend a hand, but mainly to watch in awe as everything unfolded.

VIPs attended. Mike Catt OBE (Rugby World Cup winner 2003) and Steve Judge (World Champion Para-triathlete) visited and were interviewed by the young people. David Blunkett MP popped along, as did the Lord Mayor of Sheffield.

Danny said “The leaders of the 231st see this as a fantastic base for us to go on and continue to improve what we can offer to the young people of Shiregreen, who need Scouting so very much. As a group we have come so far in 7 years. The group would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the last 7 years; the leaders and parents – especially Caroline and the rest of the fundraising team, the businesses involved in the day and Michelle Dickinson for project managing Give and Gain Day. It’s been hard work, but good things come to those who wait get off their backsides and work for it. Here’s to the next 7 years.”

LOCAL IMPACT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES

BUILDING A FUTURE IN OUR COMMUNITY

DEVELOPING PEOPLE

Richard Wade, our Deputy County Commissioner, is full of praise for his training team. Thanks to their enthusiasm and hard work, over 200 participants have completed modules 5-9 and 11-26 from across the county and elsewhere.

The courses are regularly reviewed to identify where improvements can be made, to ensure they are up to date with any changes from Headquarters and to take into account suggestions from the participants.

From comments made on the courses and from feedback received afterwards it is clear that so much is gained in the way of practical skills and tips that our leaders leave bursting with programme ideas for their sections.

The training team have also delivered First Response, Safeguarding and Safety Training to around 350 people at many locations across the county to make sure people can access these essential courses with minimal travel.

The training team have also delivered specialist workshops for Group Scout Leaders and with District and Group Executive Committees to help them to

support the delivery of quality Scouting for our young people. Lesley, one participant on a recent course said “It is the first training I've done in Scouting and I found it very informative and it has really helped me understand my role as an Executive Committee Member/Trustee much better.”

Well over 180 Woodbadges were awarded this year, so congratulations to the leaders and managers concerned, and to the Training Advisors and managers for their part in making this happen.

The training team is made up of people from across the county who often have other roles and so if you fancy getting involved in the team just get in touch we are always open to new team members and don’t worry if you have not had much previous experience we have lots of people who can give you the support you need.

PASSING ON THE SKILLS TO A NEW GENERATION

VALUING ADVENTURE

South Yorkshire is a great place to Scout and the county plays a key part in making sure the day-to-day Scouting runs smoothly. We provide administration, support, training, resources, development, workshops, conferences and even ceremonies to celebrate our young people’s and adults’ achievements.

All of this costs money, and the County Executive oversees the running and expenditure to ensure every member who pays a subscription gets value for money.

Your subscription pays for a huge range of services.

• Administration of 1500+ adults including CRB/DBS, training & validation and the appointments process

• Organised county and regional conferences, Award Dinners & awards

• Managed, the county assets, insurances, policies and subscriptions

• Provided, events such as ScoutTastic and support for activities in Districts

• Ensured, regional and national visions and projects are carried out and all areas

• Provided thousands of hours of training and development to leaders and assistants at group and district levels

South Yorkshire Scouts shares a vision to be one of the UK’s most vibrant Scouting communities, where an outstanding quality of Scouting is enjoyed by everyone.

The last 12 months has seen some incredible progress across the county and we hope you will spend time reading about the good stuff that couldn’t happen without your help, through your subscriptions.

COUNTY BUDGET How we spend your subscription – £76,000

Operations

Unplanned expense & Hesley Liabilities

Fees, Insurances, Subscriptions, Interest & Depreciation

QSA, Regional Days & Conferences

Administration, Salaries, County Office, Utilities & Equipment

Activities / Advisers

County Team

Adult Support

Programme

Development / Youth / Media

OPERATIONS How we break it down

SOUTH YORKSHIRE SCOUTING IN NUMBERS

YOUNG PEOPLE VOLUNTEERS COMMUNITY

88% of our young people said that Scouting helps them improve

their key skills, including social skills, teamwork ability, leadership

ability and confidence.

92% of our young people said that

Scouting helped them build good relationships and long-lasting

friendships.

88% of our young people said that

Scouting helped them at school and in employment.

95% of our volunteers said that

Scouting helped them improve their physical skills, including the

improved ability to cope with outdoor conditions.

97% of our volunteers said that being

involved helped them with relationship building.

41% of wider community organisations

said that if Scouting was on a job applicant’s CV it would be a positive influence on their

appointment.

82% of young people and

90% of adult volunteers take part in community service

or a volunteering activity at least once a year.

41% of Scouts volunteer for other charitable organisations.

80% of community organisations and local businesses

surveyed believe that Scouting benefits their organisation,

and 69% said Scouting involvement benefited their

clients or service users.

72% of our members spend

4 – 20 hours a week Scouting.

98% of our members

enjoy their Scouting volunteering.

of our members would recommend

volunteering to friends and family.

93%

AS A COUNTY:

100% 77% 68% Proud Empowered Valued

Feel Feel Feel

South Yorkshire County Scout CouncilCounty registration number: 00165 Registered Charity Number: 523546County Commissioner: Andrew Moore County Headquarters: Hesley Wood Scout Activity Centre, White Lane, Chapeltown, Sheffield, S35 2YH 0114 246 8551 • admin@syscouts.org.uk • syscouts.org.ukPatron: HM The Queen Founder: Robert Baden-Powell OM Chief Scout: Lt Cdr (Hon) Bear Grylls RN

© South Yorkshire Scout County 2014 • Graphic Design: Stu Nimmo Photography: Andy Chubb, Andy McAteer, Dan Hood, Stu Nimmo and TSA Stock Images.