clyde connections 11

www.clydescouts.org.uk

Clyde ConnectionsFebruary 2012

Clyde Regional Scout Council21 Elmbank StreetGlasgow G2 4PB


0845 094 4391

Auchengillan Outdoor Centre Blanefield Glasgow G63 9BA

www.auchengillan.com

01360 770256

The Glasgow Scout Shop21 Elmbank Street GlasgowG2 4PB www.glasgowscoutshop.com

0141 248 5941

Avondyke Training Centre100 Sidehead RoadStonehouseML9 3PD

www.clydescouts.org.uk/avondyke

Contact us:

Clyde Connections is the official newsletter of Clyde Regional Scout Council, Registered Scottish Charity SC010415

Yes – AJ2013 is next year! I hope you have the dates in your group calendar and that as many scouts and explorer scouts as possible will be joining us at Auchengillan, from 27th July to 3rd August 2013.

The management committee and their extended teams are already pretty far down the line with plans, which include a wide range of activities and entertainment for the young people and some more adventurous activities for the Explorer Scout age range. Details are available on the AJ2013 page on the Clyde website clydescouts.org.uk/aj13 and updates will be posted there every few months.

Members of the Scout and Guide Associations who are between the ages of 11 and 18 years on 3 August 2013 can attend the camp as youth participants. Groups are now invited to register on-line for AJ2013 and this can be done through the

AJ2013 menu on the Clyde website. Early indications are that the places for UK groups will fill up fast, so please register as soon as possible. Applications will be dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition, we hope to attract a substantial number of overseas groups, so if you have any international contacts, please let them know about our Jamboree.

We are also seeking the support of a large staff team, to take on a wide range of roles during the camp. Without the contributions from 300+ Jamboree staff, it will not be possible to maintain the high standards and outstanding programme that we have come to expect from Auchengillan Jamborees. We need a substantial complement of staff to run activities, but there are also jobs to fill on the campsite, in administration and in catering. If you will be over 18 years of age by the start of the Jamboree, then you are invited to apply to join the staff, by registering on-line, again though the AJ2013 section of the Clyde website. Even if you have already been asked to take on a specific role, please remember that you still need to apply!

I am really looking forward to seeing you all at AJ2013!

Gillian Caldwell Camp Chief

Keep up to date with latest news in Clyde region at www.facebook.com/clydescouts

Clyde Connections February 2012

Adult Training Opportunities...

2011 ended for the training team with a very successful sectional weekend at the Allander Chalet just before Christmas.

I am delighted that 29 leaders from the 4 youth sections gave up their time to take part in the weekend – despite it happening only 2 weeks before Santa arrives and also having to battle through bad weather to get to Auchengillan. Thanks to all the participants and a great staff team for a good weekend – let’s hope everyone is looking forward to the second part of the course in March.

If you haven’t made your new year’s resolutions yet, or have room for one more, why not make it your aim to complete your wood badge by the end of 2012, or at least to have started working towards it.

To help here are the dates of forthcoming learning opportunities:

•Module 23 - Saturday 25 February 2012, 10am – 1pm•Module 25 - Saturday 25 February 2012, 1.30pm – 4.00pm •Modules 5, 6, 19* - Saturday 24 March 2012, 10am – 4pm •Modules 11, 16, 17* - Sunday 29 April 2012, 10am – 4pm

* You do not need to complete all 3 modules you can pick and choose which ones you require

For anyone who would like to complete the next sectional training course over 2 weekends we have booked the Allander Chalet at Auchengillan for the 17th/18th of November 2012 and 9th/10th March 2013.

This year we are also running a series of workshops, with guest presenters, on subjects out with the standard adult training scheme. Watch out for more information on our e-news letters or check out the Clyde website.

As always if you have any questions about training please contact your local ADC(AT) or drop me an email at [email protected].

For more information on any of our training opportunities check the Clyde website – you can sign up to take part there too.

Here’s to another successful Scouting year.

Ann Gordon. ARC (Adult Training).

Flexible Volunteering...

The beginning of 2012 brought exciting news for UK Scouting with the announcement from Clarence House that the Duchess of Cambridge is to become a volunteer helper with Scouting in Wales. Naturally with her other duties she will not be able to

make a weekly commitment however she will volunteer on a flexible basis. This announcement has brought a very positive PR message for UK Scouting with the news being reported in the national & international media. It might also prompt others around the country to think of offering their help to local Scouting.

Whilst Scouting has been run by ‘community volunteers’ for over 103 years, the idea of volunteering has been further publicised by local and national government with community service initiatives and ‘the big society’.

Students are becoming more aware that they can bolster their CV by adding additional ‘soft skills’ such as volunteering to their personal statements, setting them apart from others in the highly competitive jobs market. However nowadays, as we all know, everyone has busy lives. Many potential volunteers will be put off any idea of involvement in Scouting when they are presented with a regular weekly commitment. For others working shifts or away from home, it just would not work. The

opportunity to offer flexible volunteering is not a new concept and has been actively encouraged in Scouting for the last few years. Our Chief Scout, Bear Grylls, who of course is himself a flexible volunteer, fitting in his Scouting commitment around his motivational speaking and busy filming schedule is quoted on scouts.org.uk as saying ‘Over the last few years it has been our mission to make it easier for adults who volunteer with us to give as much or as little as they are able – it is how we change our society: many people doing a little bit.’

Already there are good examples of flexible leadership working in Clyde Region. But how prepared are you to consider such an offer? Would an extra pair of hands, once or twice a month or at weekends not be some help? Yes, it might involve a bit of work at first to set things up but once working it is, after all, another adult. The other bonus is that once involved, some adults will increase their commitment once they see how much fun it can be.

So if you are approached by someone asking about volunteering, why not have the idea of flexible Scouting firmly in the back of your mind. If the “it’s only one evening a week” sales pitch produces an expression of panic or a flat refusal, be prepared to offer a flexible approach. I can’t promise you a Duchess or a ‘Bear’ but I am sure that all help is a bonus.

As always, thanks for all you do!


Happy New Year!

I hope you are all feeling refreshed and raring to go on another action packed Scouting year. We don’t have the snow this year (yet!), but we will certainly have plenty of firewood for campfires and cooking, with over 100 trees blown over!

Building and camping availability

We are taking bookings as far ahead as 2014, with the popular weekends disappearing fast. We already have very busy weekends in May this year, with activities heavily booked due to big events. There are still vacancies in buildings up to and during the summer and camping space is available at most times. Don’t leave it too late before you make your bookings.

Activity Instructor Training Courses

We have a number of training courses leading to national qualifications and full details are on our website if you want to enquire about places for yourself or other leaders in the group.

Auchengillan Active Support Unit

We are always looking for new members for our volunteer Service Team, to help with a vast array of jobs from site maintenance, grass cutting, serving in the shop, reception/admin duties, helping with badgework and instructing activities.

Don’t worry if you’ve no experience, we will give you free training and we’ll even feed you and give you free indoor accommodation, whilst on duty here!

There is no minimum or regular commitment and even if you can only spare a weekend or an odd day or two here and there, all offers are gratefully received. As you will be sharing accommodation with other team members and especially for activities, you must be over 18 years of age. (but there’s no upper limit!!)

Building improvements and new additions

The Allander Chalet has been re-painted outside, the climbing store and viewing area at the tower completed and the new Games/Day room is available for hire.

Discounts and freebies

Don’t forget to check out our website for details of Special Offers – by downloading vouchers, you can get anything from free nights camping to free activities, but better hurry, some are about to expire!

Badgework and Auchengillan

Have you seen the new programme support material on our website? Look in the ‘Documents’ section for ideas of how a visit to Auchengillan can lead to an array of badges. Thanks are due to Calvin, Amy and Fhionna who prepared the material during their time with us last year.

Don’t know how to get started or need help in booking?

Please get in touch by email at [email protected] or give us a call on 01360 770256

Even better, come out and see us and we will steer you in the right direction and design a programme to match your requirements exactly.

Don’t forget booking forms, self supervised activity sheets, risk assessments and all forms can be downloaded from our website at

www.auchengillan.com

If you’ve got any good photos or happy memories to share with others, there’s a customer comments section there for your use too.


A Happy New Year for 2012 to all members and supporters in the District and the Region. Our ‘scout year’ is a third over and the autumn term was very active for Kelvin Valley.

Two new beaver colonies started and within the first two weeks were full! We are very happy to

welcome the 2nd and 3rd Clyde to the Scouting family and anticipate that it will not be long before the beaver Colonies are joined by cub packs.

The 2nd Clyde’s Amanda Letarte and 3rd Clyde’s Marie Clare Dungavell are to be congratulated too on recruiting teams to support them.

Beavers and cubs from the district enthusiastically supported the sleepover weekend at The Allander Chalet, at which a very festive time was had by all. Much

creative work was undertaken by the young people and bodies were well nourished by an excellent cook team. Thanks to all who supported in any capacity and particularly to Callum Galloway, ADC Beavers & Cubs for his lead for this event. Let’s have even more groups represented this year.

The Peace Light was welcomed to Clyde Region, as you will have read on clydescouts.org.uk and our district was well represented at the service by those collecting a share of the light. A particular pleasure for me was the participation of Conner Meechan , a Scout from 231st Glasgow, to do one of the readings at the service. Conner’s cerebral palsy means he has very limited speech but with the aid of his hi-tech speaker box was able to play a full part. It is not many Scouts who find the Regional Commissioner on his knees for them (holding the microphone!).

Congratulations to those from the District who applied for contigent places for the Blair Atholl Jamborette. All were accepted and will be looking forward to training and to the international face of Scouting this Summer.

New Year’s resolutions are of course required. Let us resolve to make the most of the skills and resources of leaders new and old by ensuring training and validations are given major emphasis this year.

Marion Rankin.

For those of you who have previously undertaken a trip abroad, you will know that the paperwork involved is relatively simple but needs to be seen by your line manager, then by the regional international advisor before returning to you.

In an effort to make this process simpler, Gavin Holt, ARC communications and Kevin O’Gorman, regional international advisor have been working on a method to put the paperwork online. The system allows you to enter all the information for your proposed trip once and have it disseminated to the relevant managers and advisors in a single click. The benefit of this is that you do not need to wait on the postal system or to meet the individuals concerned face to face in order to progress your trip.

In order to fill in the form, you will need the following information:

» Your contact details

» The details of your permit holder (if not yourself) » The dates you intend to leave

and re-enter the UK » The countries you intend to

visit, where you will be staying in each country and the dates you will be there. » The number of young people

you intend to bring with you (sectional break down) » The methods of transport you

will be using throughout your trip » Your proposed Programme and

Insurance information.

Once you have all that information, you can fill in the form and have it sent to your DC and the international advisor in a single click, with all your documentation attached.

Kevin O’Gorman, regional international advisor said ‘This on-line system will speed up the process of applying to travel abroad with your young people, Often people perceive that doing an overseas trip is hugely difficult

to organise when in actual fact it can

be as easy as you choose to make it. We hope that having the initial paperwork available on-line will encourage more people to explore the options available to them.’

Gavin Holt commented ‘This system is a first for Clyde and from what I can tell, a first for Scouting in general, we will be looking to put more and more of our paperwork online to allow leaders to save time and focus of delivering the programme to their young people.’

The system will be live from Monday 13 February and if you have any questions about using it, you should contact [email protected] in the first instance.

Gavin added If you have any ideas about ways in which we could help you make a process more efficient or improve your communications either internally or externally, please get in touch.’ ’The system can be found at http://clyd.de/international

Form Travel Abroad (TA) Goes Online:


Avondyke Scout Campsite is located just 30 minutes from the centre of Glasgow with easy access from the M74. The centre boasts 2.5 acres of camping ground and can sleep up to 28 young people indoors.A perfect location for self programming camps.For more information visit www.clydescouts.org.uk/avondyke or call 0141 248 6022

Planningyour 2012Adventure?


Making adventureeasier!

0800 980 7988www.glasgowscoutshop.com

The Glasgow scout Shop is owned & operated by Clyde Regional Scout Council, a Registered Scottish Charity SC010415