Graham Haddock reports from the recent Annual General Meeting of The Scottish Council The Scout Association and shares an interesting reply in answer to the question "What if B.P had Facebook?" 

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to report that I have just survived my first Annual General Meeting and Council in Conference as Chief Commissioner. I even managed to get Scottish Scouting jumping to my tune! (You will need to ask someone who attended what I mean.) 

What if B.P had Facebook? 

This year, our AGM was run alongside a workshop for our Group Scout Leaders...a key role in Scouting in Scotland. I was most impressed by the level of engagement of all attendees during the Council in Conference. 

After a light-hearted review of the past year of Scouting in Scotland, in answer to the question “What if B.P had Facebook?” (see video above, and many thanks to Barry Hewitt for putting this together for us), two topics of considerable importance were discussed and debated.

Safe Scouting is Good Scouting

Alex Minajew, UK Commissioner for Programme and Chair of the Safety in Scouting Working Group led an important session on establishing a ‘Culture of Safety’ in all that we do in Scouting.

Alex presented some sobering facts and figures, the most surprising of which was that the the increase in the number of safety issues that HQ gets to know about is exceeding the rate at which our Movement is growing. This has to be a concern for us all.

As Alex stated on several occasions "Safe Scouting is good Scouting and good Scouting is safe Scouting". This has to be a message that we must all take to heart.

Recognising achievement  

The second session was led by Ross Donald, our Education Links Officer at SHQ. Ross made us focus on what we do as an organisation to recognise achievement, both for our young members and for our adults.

We need to get better at recognising such achievement using the awards that our young members work for and by looking carefully at our adult friends and colleagues and recommeding them for Good Service awards.

I am particulalry keen to see more leaders who work in Sections and Groups recognised for the superb work that they do, week in, week out.

Group Scout Leaders as a key role in Scouting

And what of the GSL’s workshop? Over 65 GSL’s from around the country started working on the Friday night though to the Sunday at lunchtime.

They explored key issues which challenge them in their roles and identified some possible solutions to these problems.

They also explored the six areas of Leadership and Managment that have been identified as critical to success in that role. I hope they had some fun doing this work.

Can I put on record my personal thanks for the hard work that all attending put into the workshop and to the staff and volunteer group that delivered such a quality experience. It is just a pity that only 60% of our Groups currently have a GSL in post. This is something that we have to work on. 

A spring in our step

Our Honorary President, Sir Garth Morrison spoke to me at the end of the AGM. In his view, Scottish Scouting has a ‘spring in its step’ at the moment. I agree. He feels that we are in good heart as a Movement in Scotland....and I agree.

It is up to us all to make sure that we keep that ‘spring’ and treasure our ‘good heart’ and spread the word of the good work that we all do for our young members.

Best wishes,

Graham Haddock,

Chief Commissioner of Scotland