WHAT IS ALL THIS CHANGE ABOUT?

There are some exciting changes coming to Scouting which will improve the volunteer experience and make it easier to recruit and retain volunteers so that we can provide Skills for Life to as many young people in Belfast as possible. In October 2022, Belfast County joined five other Counties / Regions across the UK to participate in the early adopter’s cohort.

Key Contact for Transformation in Belfast:

• Scott Robinson, County Transformation Lead – Scott.Robinson@belfastscouts.org

SO, WHAT WILL CHANGE?

At this time, we are planning on three key changes:

1. Creating a warmer welcome for new volunteers This will mean using new digital tools to recruit volunteers and speed up the appointment process. The volunteer is likely to have a more relevant experience during the process and, they will be able to track their progress.

2. 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.

3. Simplifying volunteering to get things done easier and quicker The creation of a new approach to volunteering at all levels will improve the clarity of roles and simplicity of delivery to support our programme. A new digital system with a single sign-on gives access to membership information, learning, permits and awards available through Scouts.org.uk.

See our image below of the breakdown.

DIGITAL SKILLS

Our goal is to simplify the processes that are in place, in order to do so, we will be supporting the adoption of becoming a digital-first organisation. This will help 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 the link.

NEW DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP SYSTEM

We acknowledge that Compass is not able to fulfil its requirements nor in some areas is it accurate. Over the next number of months, we will all be assisting in ensuring that our data is accurate in the areas of personnel and also training. Belfast County welcomed the announcement that a key element of the Transformation project will be the introduction of the 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 

The system will be launched in late 2023, read about the latest on the system by clicking the link below:

SO WHAT IS OUR TIMELINE

Here’s the broad sequence, but the timeline could change.

• September / October 2022: County Team and DCs notified of the changes and where support will be required. 
• Autumn 2022: GSL meeting to discuss the big changes and how they will impact Scouts at a local area
• Late Autumn 2022: More details will be provided by Scouts UK about the Team Structures. 
• January – March 2023: Cleansing the data and kickstarting a number of new initiatives. 
• Mid-2023: 6 Regions/Counties adopt the changes, including Belfast.
• Late 2023 – Mid 2024: The rest of the areas in the UK and NI will begin their journey in joining us with the new processes.  
• Mid 2024 onwards: Review and Consult.