As Scouts across Wales head back to their halls for a new year of adventure and building skills for life, Chief Volunteer Rhian Moore asks us to continue to ensure Scouting is safe for all and to find ways to reach new communities so that the movement keeps on growing.
You can watch Rhian’s message here.
Hello. Shw’mae. Welcome back to a new Scouting term.
I hope you’ve all had good summers. I’ve tried to join as many different events as possible and see as many of you as I could while I was out and about.
Thank you to those who have shown me around, for sharing your thoughts, for chatting to me and for organising so many amazing different camps and activities for young people throughout Wales this summer.
Now we are back in our halls and it’s eyes back on providing an exciting programme for young people to gain skills for life, gather those badges and work towards those top awards, all with the view of learning new things, gaining confidence and experience, and making amazing memories.
We started the Scout year with a bang with a new Chief Scout. I am so excited that it’s Dwayne Fields. I have met him a few times and he has a very special Scouting story to share. He’s amazing.
With our focus this year, can I ask you to keep making sure you comply with all the policy and organisational rules that keep us safe, updating those risk assessments, keeping on top of our training and making sure we’ve got our details on Compass up to date as we get ready to cross to using the new digital system? Yes, it is coming this time, I promise you.
If you are a lead volunteer in a group, area or district please can I ask you to make sure you’ve got an eye to the future and have a plan on how you can keep growing Scouting?
Whether that is filling volunteer vacancies, making strong foundations, opening a Squirrel Dreys, or adding another colony or troop, or going into your wider community and introducing Scouting to people who might not have thought about joining us – taking over existing groups into Scouts one night a week – those faith groups, youth groups, after school clubs – there’s all sorts of opportunities out there. The Scouting Support Team are on hand to help you.
I’ve mentioned it before, but next year the ScoutsCymru Council turns 100, and we’re about to ask for some views on a brand that we’ve put together recently for the celebration. Please can you take part?
Also, as you start planning for next year please can you leave room in your programme to be part of the party and join the celebrations? We’ll share more on this as we get closer to Christmas.
Finally, well done and thank you for getting back into your halls, huts and Scout spaces. I hope you are ready for another term and have had an opportunity to recharge. If you haven’t, please make sure you take time to look after yourselves.
It is okay to sit back and gather the energy you need for yourself before you give it to others.
Volunteering takes amazing effort and energy, and if it was easy everyone would do it. You are special. You are doing brilliant things. Please look after yourselves. Thank you and BRAVO.
