Bitesized Takeaway
Hey, busy bees! 
Something new this month as we frontload the area update with golden nuggets. Short on time? No problem! Whilst i’d love for you to read the whole update here are the juiciest key takeaways, bite-sized and ready to devour!
- Magical news! Our brave young scouts and fearless volunteers are embarking on a thrilling journey to the World Scout Jamboree! We wish them the most enchanting and epic time!
- Hold onto your hats! Clwyd Area is leading the charge in the grand Transformation quest across Wales! We’re about to get our hands on brand-new tools that’ll make our magic sparkle even brighter!
- Read the new Volunteering Culture on the ScoutsHQ website!
- We need people to help us with the welcome conversations. If you think you can help with Welcome Conversations, please click on this link.
- Calling all adventurers, heroes, and magical beings! We’ve got lots of vacancies in our Area team, and we’d be enchanted to have your helping hands on board! Any assistance is warmly welcomed!
- Know someone that needs help with digital tools or do you need help yourself? Please click this link to let us know who they are so we can contact them.
- Behold, the #get2good progress update! Our enchanting Area plan is coming to life, and we’re on a journey towards greatness!
- And guess what? Clwyd Area is nailing it! Our marvellous volunteers are acing their mandatory training and learning targets! High-fives all around!
The full update is below for your enjoyment
Key dates for your busy schedules:
- Area drop-in surgery – Llangollen – Saturday 28th August @ 10:00
- Area awards evening – TBC – TBC (Mid November, more on this in the next few weeks)
- Modular online training – Ongoing, check out Eventbrite
Hey there, Clwyd Scouts Area Superstars!
Whoa, can you believe how busy it’s been in our Scouting world over the last month? Arguably the biggest news is that we’ve had lots of young people and volunteers heading out on a massive adventure to South Korea as part of the World Scout Jamboree 
. It will truly be once in a lifetime opportunity for many and we wish them all the very best of time and look forward to hearing all about it on their return!
You can keep up to date with the WSJ progress using this link.
25 World Scout Jamboree – UK Contingent | Scouts
On 6th August 2023, it’s Dream:LIVE time! Join the 25th World Scout Jamboree from your meeting place, camp, or home. Experience interactive sessions, activities, and connect with Scouts worldwide! No need to travel to Korea – dream big right where you are! 
Dream:Live
And lots of other stuff…
If you are like me I am sure you have been like a bunch of Cubs on a sugar rush as we try to plan and prepare for the upcoming transformation changes 
. And guess what? Clwyd Scouts Area is THE early adopter Area in all of Wales, taking our place as one of only 10% of early adopters County/Areas across the entire UK! We’re basically trendsetters, folks! read more below from the Transformation Team about what is coming next and action that we need you all to take.
We’ve also got some top-secret, super-duper events lined up just for you! 
But shhh, it’s all hush-hush for now. Stay tuned!
But wait, there’s more! We’re on the hunt for fresh faces to join our Area teams!
Yep, we need some new blood with a whole lotta passion and funky ideas to make our Scouting game even more epic. Whether you’re a seasoned Scouter or a rookie ready to rock, we want you!
Together, we’ll be the dream team, blazing a trail of awesomeness and spreading the Scouting magic like confetti. So, grab your gear, put on your quirkiest socks, and let’s show the world how Clwyd Scouts Area rocks.
Keep the Scout spirit alive and kicking everyone!
Going full Gilwell…
Last weekend, I embraced the spirit of scouting at Gilwell Park, ScoutsUK headquarters, as part of the County/Area induction process. Amidst lush greenery and awesome facilities, I met with many of the HQ teams to listen to the work they do to support Scouting and also the senior leadership team, including the CEO, Matt Hyde, and the UK Chief Commissioner, Carl Hankinson. I also managed to spill coffee on the new Chief Commissioner for Scotland, Barry Hewitt! If you haven’t already I would seriously recommend attending when you can in the future, it really felt like home. It’s truly an enchanting place.
#GilwellPark #ScoutingAdventure
P.S. Forgive the really bad photos, the train/bus journey was nearly 7 hours an I dont look great at the best of times
Where Are We Going?
AREA MISSION: Improve the Area to a minimum of GOOD standard across all of our internal benchmarking criteria.
Remember when we launched the master plan back in November 2022? Well, we’ve been doing some serious reviews and broadcasting our epic progress every three months like clockwork! Talk about commitment, right?
And guess what? The freshest update is just a click away! Check out the video below, where we spill the beans on the progress and what’s next.
If you haven’t already looked at the Clwyd Area strategy plan #get2good (I mean, it’s pure gold, folks), we’ve got you covered! Dive right into the awesomeness by using the link below. It’s like unlocking a secret treasure map to success! 
Clwyd Area Strategy Plan 22-25 – Clwyd Scouts
Didn’t catch the July Area update? No worries! Swing on over here and get in the loop! Discover the freshest info on all the happenings, so you won’t be stuck in the land of shadows!
| Transformation Update By David Morris, Area Tranformation Lead |
Well, it’s not going to be much of a summer break for your hard-working Transformation Team. Our Early Adopter status means it’s full steam ahead so that we’re ready for T-Day in late November.   Group BriefingsFor most of you, the majority of what you’ve heard about the upcoming changes will be via these updates and other emails and posts online. We make no apologies for that – we’ve been busy briefing the people who will be driving the changes, such as Area & District Teams, Group Scout Leaders and Trustees.In September comes the turn of those who volunteer directly with young people – the Section Teams. Each Group will be different on this, so instead of doing a big launch for everyone, we’ll be giving Group Scout Leaders the tools they need to talk to everyone in their Groups and work out how it affects volunteers locally.  For Groups that need a bit of help with this, we will, of course, be on hand to visit and support, or even run the session if needs be.We’ll be getting in touch with Group Scout Leaders and District Explorer Scout Commissioners soon to let them know the details.  We Need Your HelpThe transition will only be a success if we all pull together. There are huge benefits for all in getting this to work, so here’s what we need YOU to do…Welcome Conversations – We will be having a friendly chat with new volunteers at the place they volunteer. These will be carried out by the Group Scout Leader and someone else from the District in a similar role to the new volunteer. This other person will need to do some quick e-learning. If you think you can help with Welcome Conversations, please click on this link. Learning – Please encourage everyone to complete their Getting Started training, and get it validated and updated on Compass before November 1st. If you are currently working on your Wood Badge, you will need to complete this by November 1st if you wish for it to be recorded against your current role – but remember Wood Badge becomes optional from the date of Transition (T-day!) How We Volunteer – Please familiarise yourselves with Our Volunteering Culture.  Consider Joining a District/Area Team – We need many more people to share the tasks currently being done (or not done) by very few people. Joining a team will mean that their load is shared, and you won’t be responsible, you’ll just be helping out. You can do this alongside your current role if you volunteer with a Section. Click here to find out more. Digital Support – If you know someone who can’t – or won’t – use a computer, we need to know so we can properly support them. Please click this link to let us know who they are so we can contact them. For those with some digital skills who want to get even better, the new Digital Skills Tool is an amazing resource.  Compass Clean – Please ensure that your record on Compass is up to date. From T-day you can have two email addresses: your username to log on to the system (this needs to be a unique personal email address and should be recorded on Compass as ‘Volunteering’) and a correspondence email address where we’ll contact you (this can be a generic email such as beavers_1stanytown@gmail.com and should be recorded on Compass as ’Scouting Enquiries’). If you only have one email address on Compass, that’s fine, and it’ll be used for both. Group Scout Leaders – can you ensure you remove any non-active Occasional Helpers, and also update your Section contact details and meeting times via the View button under Options.  |
| Team Vacancies |
 Could you be the next team member that helps Clwyd Scouts #get2good? |
| Why would you help at Area? Simple answer, larger scale equals wider impact. Picture this: the Area Team, it may not be the colossal force of hundreds that you’ve conjured up in your mind!  Nope, not at all! We’re actually a really small team and we are on the hunt for some super-duper extra hands to make things happen on a grand scale. If we are going to lead the way and deliver big things for our young people then we need you. Can you believe it that even an hour a month from your fabulous self could make a splash bigger than a T-Rex in a puddle? So, what do you say? Ready to unleash your awesomeness upon the world with just an hour of your time? Let’s do this. P.S. Distance is no issue so don’t let that stop you from reaching out. Anything you can do to help is great! Current Area Vacancies |
Area Trustee Board:Area Treasurer – The mystical money maestro. Ensuring that our Area moolah is spent on awesomeness!  Area Secretary – The ultimate task-taming wizard! Leading the charge in getting things done with enchanting efficiency!  District Representatives – Champions of the people’s voices! Making sure that every District’s dreams reach the Trustee Board’s ears!  The Area Trustee Board | ScoutsMoving To Trustee Boards | ScoutsArea Programme Subteams:Events Squad – Brilliant minds behind delivering epic Area level events  Canvas Crusaders – Getting as many volunteers accredited for nights away and unleashing a cosmic storm of young people camping under the stars every single year!  Area Volunteering Development Subteams:Learning Legends – Masters of delivering virtual and face-to-face learning   Area Support Subteams:Awards and Applause – Spreading the love for our awesome volunteers and helping with award applications and advice  Inclusion Champions – Champions of equality, diversity, and inclusion and supporting our volunteers with EDI on the ground   Digital Dream Team – Leading the charge on supporting our volunteers with digital tools Communications Gurus – Intergalactic communicators, beaming out good vibes and showcasing the awesomeness in our Area!  Understanding more about the new team structureApply for one of the above teamsNot sure where you might fit in? Get in touch and we can talk it through! Drop me an email at acclwyd@scoutscymru.org.uk |
 Each Area (think County in England) has smaller teams that form the awesome whole. And guess what? We’ve got all the flexibility in the world to make it our own style.   If we’re up for an Area Bobsleigh team, heck yeah, we could go for it! But, let’s start with the practical stuff first! |
| Mandatory Learning Compliance |
Great news! The monthly Mandatory Ongoing Learning (MOGL) statistics have landed, and I couldn’t be prouder of our achievements. Kudos to each and every one of you for your dedication to scouting excellence. Thanks to our collective efforts, we’re soaring with (almost) 100% compliance in Safety and Safeguarding modules!  While there’s still work to be done on the first aid front, let’s celebrate the progress we’ve made. First aid may be a tougher nut to crack, but we’re all aware of the challenges involved in delivery and sign-off. Together, we’ll rise to the occasion and conquer it!   A big shoutout to Tim Kidd (ex-UK Chief Commissioner) for compiling these insightful stats based on Compass data. We’re fortunate to have such valuable data at our fingertips, guiding us towards continuous improvement.Safety Module Safeguarding Module First Aid Module Guidance Remember that everyone should also be in possession of the Safeguarding Yellow Card, purple Safe Scouting and Emergency card and green Scouting and Alcohol cards. District and Area Commissioners should also be in possession of the grey Safeguarding Procedures for County and District Commissioners card as well |
| Safety Compliance 99.3% (+0.9%)  Safeguarding Compliance99.3% (+0.10%) |
| First Aid Compliance 97.2% (+0.98%) DBS Compliance99.0% |
| Digital Skills Support |
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| Hey there, digital adventurers! Remember that quirky Digital Skills Tool I mentioned last month? Well, it’s alive and kicking now! Check it out below.Developing digital skills is a big deal for all of us citizens of the digital world and especially for us working with those tech-savvy ‘digital natives.’ We know our volunteers have different levels of digital know-how, so as we introduce these awesome new digital tools for Scouting, we’ve got your back! We’ll support all volunteers, and if you want to learn more, our tech-savvy volunteers are here to help.And fear not, while we’re going Digital First, we’re not leaving behind the old ways. These systems aren’t going digital only. Let’s blend the best of both worlds and embrace this digital evolution! Digital Skills Scouts |
| Recruiting Volunteers Support |
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Are you a struggling superhero in need of backup!   Check out these epic updates on the support and resources ScoutsUK has lined up for you! Get ready to level up with online volunteer recruitment workshops in 2023:Saturday 28th October, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm: Recruitment ReadySaturday 11th November, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm: Attracting New Volunteers & Registering InterestSaturday 25th November, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm: The Perfect Match? & Prepared for ActionSaturday 9th December, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm: Welcoming New Volunteers & Starting OutPsst… they have video recaps too, but trust us, the real fun happens in the interactive sessions! Don’t miss out on the action! For an extra boost, find updated support and guidance right here. Let’s rock this volunteer world together! Recruitment Toolkit |
