The Scout Association UK Youth Commissioner Candidate Pack

READY FOR THE ADVENTURE?
UK YOUTHCOMMISSIONER
CANDIDATE PACK

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ABOUT US
Overview of Scouting
We are the UK’s biggest mixed youth organisation. We change lives by offering 6 to 25 year olds fun and challenging activities, unique experiences, everyday adventure and the chance to help others so that we make a positive impact in communities.
Scouting helps children and young adults reach their full potential. Scouting develop skills including teamwork, time management, leadership, initiative, planning, communication, self-motivation, cultural awareness and commitment. We help young people to get jobs, save lives and even change the world.
What do Scouts do?
Scouts take part in activities as diverse as kayaking, abseiling, expeditions overseas, photography, climbing and zorbing. As a Scout you can learn survival skills, first aid, computer programming or even how to fly a plane. There’s something for every young person. It’s a great way to have fun, make friends, get outdoors, express your creativity and experience the wider world.
What do volunteers do?
This everyday adventure is possible thanks to our adult volunteers, who support Scouting in a wide range of roles from working directly with young people, to helping manage a Group, to being a charity trustee. We help volunteers get the most out of their experiences in Scouting by providing opportunities for adventure, training fun and friendship.
Our award winning training scheme for volunteers means that adults get as much from Scouting as young people. Our approach focuses on what you want to get out of volunteering with Scouting, while respecting how much time you can offer. Over 90% of Scout volunteers say that their skills and experiences have been useful in their work or personal life.
Key facts and figures
The Scout Association is a national charity and exists by authority of a Royal Charter granted in 1912 and supplemented by further charters granted by King George V and Queen Elizabeth II. It was founded in 1907.With a membership of nearly 620,000 young people and adult leaders (2016/17 was our twelfth consecutive year of youth membership growth), it is the largest mixed youth movement in the UK. Scouting activity is delivered through 7,000-plus community based Scout Groups nationwide (all independent charities in their own right).
The Association is widely recognised and is one of the most trusted charities in the UK, giving it a significant level of influence and responsibility. Scouting’s greatest strength lies in its grass roots. It is locally that The Scout Association is best able to identify and work directly with young people most in need.
One of the reasons Robert Baden-Powell started Scouting was to give inner city children a second chance. By taking then out of the city slums and into the country, he gave them a new set of experiences, a new sense of themselves and consequently a new view of the world. This commitment remains central to Scouting. Today Scouting is seeing record growth, regionally, nationally and internationally.
We believe that through the everyday adventure of Scouting, young people and adult volunteers regularly experience new challenges that enrich and change their lives.
Our Strategy
A new strategic plan for Scouting across the UK is currently nearing completion to secure a strategic direction through to 2023 and to grow on the success of the current plan. Team UK, of which the UK Youth Commissioner is a member, will play a key part in leading the delivery of this strategy across the UK. More details on the work towards our new plan are available at
By 2023 we will have prepared more young people with skills for life, supported by amazingleaders delivering an inspiring programme.We will be growing, more inclusive, shaped by young people and making a bigger impact in ourcommunities.
Further information on our strategic objectives are provided on our website at
Scouting’s Fundamentals
Our Mission
Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.
Our Values
As Scouts, these values guide us: integrity, respect, care, belief and co-operation.
Further information on our fundamentals, including details of our values, are provided on our website at
Scouting’s Key Policies
In common with all members of The Scout Association, the UK Youth Commissioner is required to promote and follow our key policies. The policies cover:

child protection;
equal opportunities;
religion; and
safety.

These policies are fully explained on our website at
The RoleofUK Youth Commissioner
Overview
This an exciting opportunity for a volunteer to lead, promote and support Scouting’s youth shaped strategy across the UK.
TheUK Youth Commissioner plays an active part in Team UK, led by the UK Chief Commissioner, to debate and inform important aspects of the Association’s work alongside Chief Commissioners, UK Commissioners and the International Commissioner.
TheUK Youth Commissioneris a member of the UK Board of Trustees, a member of the headquarters Operations Committee (a committee of the Board of Trustees) and will be expected to work in partnership with staff across the headquarters team.
The UK Youth Commissioner meets with the UK Chief Commissioner, the Chief Executive and the Chair of the Board of Trustees to ensure that ensure that young people are involved and engaged in every decision that shapes their Scouting experience both nationally and locally.
Role Description
Purpose: / The purpose of this role is to:

ensure that young people in Scouting across the UK are involved and engaged in decisions that shape their Scouting experience;
provide a youth voice as a member of Team UK and the Board of Trustees.

Appointed by: / UK Chief Commissioner (via the headquartersNominations and Governance Committee)
Responsible to: / UK Chief Commissioner
Responsible for: / Appointed volunteers in the UK Youth Commissioner team.
Internal contacts: / UK Chief Commissioner,Deputy UK Chief Commissioners, members of the Board of Trustees, Chief Executive, members of Team UK, Senior Leadership Team and other Headquarters staff.
External contacts: / Girlguiding UK, equivalent Youth Commissioners from other National Scout Organisations across the world, other relevant UK based organisations.
Key tasks: /

Champion the involvement of young people, empowering young people in the Movement to share their ideas and have a meaningful voice in decision making within Scouting at all levels
Influence the strategy and operational plan to 2023, with a particular focus on, but not limited to, youth shaped Scouting aspects
Provide direction in all aspects of youth shaped scouting across the organisation
Provide support to HQ teams to ensure their projects and programmes of work are influenced and shaped by the contributions and ideas of young people in the movement
Support local youth commissioners with the implementation of the youth shaped Scouting strategy across the UK
Take an active role in decision making made at the Board of Trustees, Team UK meetings and other national meetings as appropriate
Motivate, lead and manage an effective team of volunteers to support the role
Contribute to national policy developments across the range of The Scout Association’s activities
Ensure the implementation of policies agreed by the Board of Trustees and its committees
Represent The Scout Association at public and Scouting events
Meet with the relevant staff support on a regular basis to review operational matters

Time
commitment: / On average, 15 weekends (or part weekends) per year, half of which are likely to be in London. Approximately six to eighthours per week to manage administration (email and telephone calls primarily). Further details are given below.
Terms of appointment: / The appointment is for an initial term of3 years as agreed on appointment and subject to review with the UK Chief Commissioner, with the potential for re-appointment for a further period.
The role holder must be aged between 18-25 (theymust take up the appointment before reaching their 25th birthday).
This is a voluntary leadership role and is unremunerated, however, reasonable expenses in line with the Association’s Expenses Policy will be paid.
Person Specification
Skills and abilities: /

Lead and manage volunteers at a distance to achieve results
Contribute to strategy development and identify practical actions to achieve strategic objectives
Inspire and motivate individuals
Communicate effectively, orally and in writing
Speak and present publicly in a clear, articulate and motivating way
Work and engage with young people aged 6 – 25 and with adult volunteers
Effectively chair and contribute to meetings
Use technology, especially mobile email, to carry out a range of tasks (confident in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint)
Quickly assimilate a broad overall knowledge of Scouting’s policies and structures

Knowledge and experience: /

Some experience of managing adults(whether in a voluntary or professional capacity) is desirable
Experience of youth involvement/participation (for example, being a local Youth Commissioner) is desirable

Personal
qualities: /

Eager to learn and develop new skills
Approachable at reasonable times
Commitment to The Scout Association’s Fundamentals, rules and policies
Sufficient time available for the role, including weekend engagements, sometimes including extensive travel.
No envisaged barriers to obtaining an enhanced disclosure

Benefits to you: /

A mentor assigned to support you throughout the role
Employability skills
Management experience
Strategic thinking
National volunteer for a UK-wide not-for-profit organisation
Build confidence
Training available if required

In common with all national appointments, the successful candidate will be assigned a Training Adviser and will undertake a Manager Woodbadge.
The applicant must become a member of The Scout Association including successful conclusion of our vetting process and making the Promise.
How to Apply
Key dates
The closing date for nominations is Thursday 8 March 2018at 17.00.If the search group requires some further information from some candidates before the shortlist is drawn-up, then those candidates will be invited for a short meeting on Sunday 25 March in the London area. Once the shortlist is drawn up, the interviews are expected to take place in April / May. Shortlisted candidates will be notified of the dates and given an outline of the selection process.
Please note that the preliminary meetings on 25 March take place at the same time and location as other roles for national volunteer and Team UK appointments that are being advertised separately. This is to reduce the time commitment and travel for people who wish to apply for more than one post.
The successful candidate will have a period for induction and familiarisation once the appointment process is complete and before formally taking the role at Reunion (7-9 September 2018).
Process
The process of supporting the UK Chief Commissioner making an appointment to the role is undertaken by a search group. The search group is keen to receive applications for the role from a wide range of individuals.When completing the application form please provide as much relevant information as possible as this will assist the search group in considering who may be best suited for the role. Please refer to the role description and person specification to help the search group understand how you meet the requirements of the role. It may be helpful to include experiences outside of Scouting that are relevant to the role such as in professional or other volunteer capacities.
Further information
If you require any further information about the role, or indeed would like an informal discussion about it, please contact Tim Kidd (UK Chief Commissioner) by email at
Current Youth Commissioner Structure
The UK Youth Commissioner once appointed will need to ensure that a structure is in place that she or he needs to undertake the role. This section describes the current volunteer structure. Please note that we are making changes to the structure of Team UK to better ensure that we are able to deliver and support the new strategy to 2023 and the new appointee will need to take that into account to ensure that the Youth Commissioner team is best positioned also.

UK Youth Commissioner (line manager of the other positions below)

Deputy UK Youth Commissioner
Assistant UK Youth Commissioner for Governance
Assistant UK Youth Commissioner for Leadership
Assistant UK Youth Commissioner for Programme
Assistant UK Youth Commissioner for Management

Details about the current structure are available at
Time Commitment
There is a minimum of 15 weekends (or part weekends) per year as follows:

Four board meetings per year (most of which take one weekend day)
Four weekends with Operations Committee on Saturday and Team UK meeting Saturday evening and Sunday
Four meetings of the UKYC team
One Sunday attending the national day of celebration at Windsor
One weekend for Gilwell Reunion together with the AGM
One Saturday attending the national service of thanksgiving at Westminster

Further time will be required for visiting local events including speaking at local conferences.
The UK Youth Commissioner becomes a Trustee for The Scout Association and sits on the following committees:

Nominations and Governance Committee (a board committee dealing with governance matters and the appointment of certain positions such as Scout Ambassadors)
Chairs’ Consultative Group (a board committee dealing with co-ordinating the work of the board and its committees)
Programme Management Group (a committee that manages the total workload across The Scout Association)
Operations Committee (a board committee dealing with operational matters for Scouting including rules, programme, line management issues and so on)

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STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

UK Youth CommissionerApplication Form

Name:
Address:
Daytime / Evening
Telephone:
Email:
Membership number:
Please explain why you are suitable for this role, including relevant professional and voluntary experience from inside or outside of Scouting:
Please describe the relevant skills and experience that you have for the role (please refer to the role description and person specification and address the items listed there):
Please outline why you felt motivated to apply:

This form should be returned to Leah Cross (by email at )

no later than Thursday 8 March 2018 at 17.00.