The first GMW PLs Have Your Say Event was held on the 22nd Jan
2011 at Lilford District HQ. We had 4 scouts from Quest
Scouts (Stretford district), 3 scouts from 2nd
Brooklands (Sale district) and 3 scouts from
3rd/1st Eccles (Ellesmere district) plus
Chris Harris the Regional Commissioner attending.
The event was a mixture of team building and fun bases into were
dispersed elements where the PLs had their say. It also
included a base were the Bent and Bongs explorer unit explained
how good explorers were.
Here is an analysis of the answers and views from the
- Most of the scouts had some awareness of the scout law
and promise. The emphasis was on loyalty to scouts.
- It still not "cool" to be a scout with school
friends.
- A large percentage of the scouts were not or rarely asked
for input into scout programmes.
- They liked competitions.
- On the whole they thought they should run the meetings and
events but they were 100% in agreement leaders were needed.
- Their best experiences were at the big events (e.g,
Chamboree).
- They were not in complete agreement that the oldest
scouts should be the PLs.
- Most of them have used the scouting skills outside of
scouts.
- They want more of the same plus more scouting skills,
going to different countries, more fun stuff, more adventurous
activities, more games, more camps and sports. One wanted more
scout nights (they said 24/7 in the discussion).
- Most had friends go to scouts.
- They wanted more people at scouts.
- All the scouts at the PLs event had been to a district/county
event.
- They concentrated on the adverse weather when
describing the bad things about events plus the challenging nature.
Plus the use of a 15 year old map for the hiking competition!
- They thought that explorers was boring with no/little contact
with the explorers.
- When asked what they would do instead of scouts a number
came up with scouts (e.g. somewhere else).
- They preferred verbal communication talking to their
friends.
These replies will discussed at the next GMW ADC(Scouts)
meeting where we wiill be actions in to make things better for the
scouts in the county.
Of course if any other PLs or Scouts have opinions or views they
want to put forward please email them to me at acc.scouts@gmwscouts.org.uk.
Watch out for next years event where you be passing the parcel!
Andy Connellan ACC(Scouts)