Effective Group Management

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Effective Group Management

• Graham Coates

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Effective Group Management

• Effective Group management inspires the
  confidence of everyone in the Group.

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Effective Group Management

• Building the Family of the Group
• Youth Retention
• Recruiting and Managing Adults
• Worthwhile Tips

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Building the Family of the Group

• Scout Groups are started by the community,
  franchised by the Scout Association and entrusted
  to a management structure.

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The Group Leaders Customers are...

• Families of the Group
• Leaders
• The Community

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The Committees Customers are...

• The Group Leader
• Families of the Group
• Leaders
• The Community

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Building the Family of the Group

• A Scout Group exists because the community wants
  it - not because you want it or other leaders
  want it, but because the community wants it.

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Building the Family of the Group

• The community must never forget that
• The Group exists because THEY want it for THEIR
  children.

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Group Information Brochure
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Member Enrolment
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Family Details
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Individual Member Details
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Subscriptions Management
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Prompt Subscriptions Invoice
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People go where they are invited and stay where
they feel welcome
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Letter of Welcome
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New Member Welcome
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Group Events
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Group Events

• 2 or 3 per year
• Plan to NOT be running the event yourself
• Use the opportunity to meet and talk to families
  of the Group

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Group Magazine
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Group Magazine

• Four Issues per Year
• MUST be interesting reading
• Reinforces the GROUP rather than the section
• Builds anticipation of next section
• Records history of the Group
• Not good for event messages

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Never miss an opportunity

• Be on the lookout for ways of adding value to
  Membership.
• Free National Publications
• ScoutNet
• Membership Cards
• Insurance Booklet

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Customer Perception

• The Group is well run
• The family has joined the Group
• They feel welcome
• Belief that they have done something good for
  their child.
• Good decision (to join) has been reinforced

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Youth Retention

• Recruiting members is easy - it is keeping them
  that is the challenge!

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Youth Retention

• A Scout Group is like a business
• Customers you attract keep you going
• Customers you keep make you strong

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Members that you KEEP...

• Become Advocates (tell others)
• Become Supporters
• Develop a sense of ownership...
• ...which leads to commitment

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Members that you KEEP...

• Attract new members
• Help YOU to attract new members - directly and
  indirectly

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Youth Member Advancement
The Group Leader is the person most interested
and most responsible for the advancement of Youth
through successive sections.
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Youth Member Advancement

• The Advancement process is most assisted by
  Supportive Parents
• The Advancement process succeeds through
  effective and sensitive Section Leaders

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Expectation of Advancement

• The continuous message to Parents is that their
  child has joined a learning and development
  program called Scouting.
• Scouting is a program that operates in a series
  of age groups, increasingly self-governing with
  each age group.

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Planning at Group Council
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Planning at Group Council
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Planning at Group Council
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Planning at Group Council
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Making it Special

• An advancement is an event of significance in the
  Youth members life.
• It must always be an formal ceremonial occasion.
• The ceremony should highlight a journey completed
  and a new one begun.

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Parent Info Evening
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Parent Information Evening

• Immediately following each Advancement Ceremony.
• For parents of kids changing sections and parents
  of new kids in sections.
• Run by Group Leader and Section Leader(s)
• Cubs takes 1 hour. Scouts and Venturers takes 1½
  hours.

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Parent Info Evenings - objectives

• To ensure parental understanding and support of
  program objectives.
• To provide reassurance.
• A forum for Section Leaders (and GL) to properly
  meet parents.
• To reinforce the Groups interest in THEIR child.

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Cub Parent Info Evening content overview

• Purpose of the Cub Section
• Cub Scout Award Scheme
• Cub Scout Jungle Theme
• Organisational Structure
• Camps and Excursions

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Scout Parent Info Evening content overview

• The purpose of the Scout Section
• The Scout Award Scheme
• The Role of the Scout Leader
• The Patrol System
• Safety Standards in Scouting
• Personal Gear and Equipment
• Jamborees

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Venturer Parent Info Evening content overview

• The Purpose of the Venturer Section
• Unit Organisation Structure
• Roles of Leaders, Unit Exec Venturers
• Queens Scout Award
• Activity Planning Safety Standards
• Personal Gear and Equipment
• National Ventures

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Making it REALLY special
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Youth Member Reaction

• Thrill of receiving a letter from the postman
• Renewed determination to do well and not let the
  GL down

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Customer (Parent) Reaction

• Pleasure at seeing the joy on their childs face
  at the letter.
• The Group and Group Leader really DOES care about
  THEIR child - well disposed toward GL.
• Reinforcement of progressive sections.
• Understanding of program objectives and
  commitment to encourage their child.

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Customer (Parent) Reaction

• Group is well run.
• Reinforcement of good decision to encourage child
  to join.

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Recruiting and Managing Adults

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Recruiting and Managing Adults

• Parent Committee

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Annual General Meetings

• The AGM is a critical event in the Group
  Calendar. Its success will determine the Groups
  growth in the coming year.

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Annual General Meetings

• Make it an EVENT
• EXPECT whole Group participation
• Must be well planned and organised
• Seek prior committee candidates and expect
  support

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Making it an Event
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Making it an Event

• A social occasion
• An occasion to celebrate success, e.g. Queens
  Scouts, Leader awards etc.
• The occasion to recognise and appreciate the
  efforts of leaders
• Cater for kids
• Keep formalities short

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Expect WHOLE Group participation

• Most often, people will live up to expectation.
• Send invitations by Post
• Reinforce in magazine or in a separate letter

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Expect WHOLE Group participation

• Let it be known that the AGM is the occasion
  for ALL families to show their appreciation and
  support of the leaders that do so much for THEIR
  kids.
• The underlying message is that families that
  dont appreciate and support the leaders efforts
  are not really welcome as a part of the Group.

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Expect WHOLE Group participation

• Remember, the Group exists because the community
  created it for their children.The community must
  sustain it.
• Use phrases like see you at the AGM.
• EXPECT apologies from absent families.

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Planning and organisation

• Make a tight time-table and stick to it.
• Plan for kids
• Plan a meal if appropriate
• Prepare name tags for all guests
• Dig out the visitors book, have pens ready.
• Plan seating

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Planning and organisation

• The hall must be sparkling and all ready before
  the first family arrives.
• Have someone welcoming every arrival
• Plan to not be personally involved in preliminary
  activities - mingle.

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Planning and organisation

• Prepare speeches.
• Properly brief (and later thank) the guest
  speaker.

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Guest Speakers

• Use them to inspire and remind people of the
  benefits of Scouting.
• A good speaker will inspire people to want to
  help and be involved.
• A purely interesting guest speaker wont help
  you form a committee.

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Seek Prior Nominations
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Seek Prior Nominations
A Scout Group is a community organisation. It
exists because people like you want to make the
individual training and development that Scouting
is famous for available to your children. It is
expected that every family that joins the group
will contribute in some way to the smooth and
continued operation of the Scout Group.
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Seek Prior Nominations
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Seek Prior Nominations
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Seek Prior Nominations
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Seek Prior Nominations
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Managing the Group Committee

• People value their time. Once committed to serve
  on the committee they want to get into it and
  be productive.

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Orientation and Induction of the New Committee

• The most important committee meeting for the
  Group Leaderevery year.

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Orientation and Induction of the New Committee

• Scout Organisation Structure
• Typical Agenda
• Role and Responsibilities of Committee
• Projects Outstanding
• Cash Flow and Budget
• Allocation of Standing Tasks
• Resources available
• Normal committee business

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Write to each Committee Member

• Follow orientation quickly with a letter to every
  committee member.
• Thank them for their contribution.
• Restate and clarify the role they have accepted
  and your expectations.
• Let them know where and how to get help.

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Committee Operations Management

• Insist upon detailed record keeping of all
  events, fund raising etc., for future reference

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Recruiting and Managing Adults

• Uniformed Leaders

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Recruiting and Managing Adults

• Anticipating Leader Requirements
• Recruiting Adult Leaders
• Prospective Leader Interview
• Leader Induction
• Investing New Leaders

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Anticipating Leader Requirements

• Try to predict Leader use by dates by
  understanding their motivation.
• Watch out for friendship groups that may leave
  together.
• Inject new blood into expert teams - even when
  not needed.
• Aim for four leaders per section.
• Anticipate growth requirements

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Recruiting Adult Leaders

• A well-managed Group should rarely, if ever, have
  a leader crisis.

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Sources of Adult Leaders

• Always recruit ASSISTANTS - not Leaders
• Group Database - Parents
• Almost 18 y.o. Venturers
• Rovers
• Refer Recruiting Adults Workshop offered by HQ.

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Sources of Adult Leaders
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Sources of Adult Leaders
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Prospective Leader Interview

• ALWAYS interview Prospective Leaders.
• Properly prepare for the interview - papers,
  checklist etc.
• Interview in THEIR home.
• Meet the spouse.
• Never construe the interview as appointment -
  merely the start of the process.

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Follow up in writing
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Knocking Leaders Back

• Dont expect every candidate to be right.
• Use the trial period to get to know each other
  better.
• Provide a formal opportunity for prospective
  leaders to bow out before proceeding to uniform
  and investiture.
• Be prepared to say no thanks to leaders that
  dont feel right during the trial period.

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Investing New Leaders

• ALWAYS formally invest new leaders.
• Becoming a leader is an important decision and a
  milestone in the Leaders life.
• Invest (or reaffirm) as a Scout and then charge
  with Leader responsibility.

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Feed Resources to new Leaders

• New leaders feel uncertain and vulnerable.
• They thirst for information and knowledge that
  will help them to master their new challenge.
• The thirst fades rapidly after three months.

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Leader Admin Induction

• New Leaders and newly promoted Section Leaders
  need a formal induction of the administrative
  requirements of the job and Group.
• Prepare a check list and arrange and conduct a
  formal session.

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Group Council

• The Group Council must be well-run but still a
  social event that Leaders enjoy attending.
• The Group Council is the most important forum for
  focusing all leaders as a Group-Wide team.
• Leaders that choose not to attend usually end up
  on the outer.

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Leader Events

• Mainly social but some developmental events.
• Include Spouses.
• Leaders that gain friendship and camaraderie from
  the Group will usually outlast their children in
  the Group.

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Leader Events
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Effective Group Management

• Worthwhile Tips

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Worthwhile Tips

• Youth Recruitment
• Historical Record Keeping
• Q Stores Management
• Saying thank you to community
• Communication Budget
• Leader and Event Nametags

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Worthwhile Tips

• Always do what you say you are going to do -
  nothing kills a Group faster than Group Leader
  who is a gonna.

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