{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"","standfirst":"Scouts is at Red readiness level in the majority of the UK, so most of us can\u2019t do any face-to-face activity at the moment.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EWe know that delivering the programme online and keeping young people engaged can be hard work, so we asked volunteers for their innovative hints and tips. We\u2019ve picked some of our favourites and hope these top eight will inspire you to stick at it.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E1. Get special online guests \u2013 like vets (or even a Roman soldier!)\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We Zoom for an hour with our Beavers once a fortnight and set a video challenge in between. We deliver activity packs every two or three months and they unwrap the contents when we tell them to. The meetings include physical games, crafts, puzzles, challenges, badge work, and much the same Scouts content as before, but online. We\u2019ve done raft and den building, cooking, magic, Lego building and much more \u2013 plus we\u2019ve had visits from vets and a Roman soldier! We\u2019ve even had \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6j5rkuTU9o\u0026amp;list=PLZZOxzlr2SWAUqktwknGePnvS2DTW0Ffm\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 data-anchor=\u0022?v=z6j5rkuTU9o\u0026amp;list=PLZZOxzlr2SWAUqktwknGePnvS2DTW0Ffm\u0022\u003Ecelebrities set us video challenges\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"value":"https://www.youtube.com/embed/z6j5rkuTU9o?list=PLZZOxzlr2SWAUqktwknGePnvS2DTW0Ffm","gridType":"embed","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass"},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Our Young Leaders have been great at running games and leading activities online. It keeps them involved and counts for their DofE work. Leaders enjoy it \u2013 and there\u2019s no clearing up! The Beavers love it all too (we\u2019ve had 95% attendance and even increased membership).\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The resources on 1st Virtual Scout Group on Facebook and the Scout website have been invaluable.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EDave, Assistant Beaver Scout Leader from Windsor\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2. Make time to listen and bring all ages together\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018At Merseyside Scouts, we have many sections who have been delivering Scouts online (often weekly) since March. They\u2019re realising the benefits of including regular Log Chews and listening times in their programmes, maybe incorporating a snack time too, so that leaders and youth members can exchange comments and thoughts about how they\u2019re coping with the lockdowns. It may be a Merseyside thing, but finishing with silly jokes and games is a must \u2013 and we have an army of badge fairies safely delivering badges to keep the enthusiasm going.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/12518/zoom-call.jpg","width":1378,"height":959,"altText":"","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Merseyside Scouts have made resources for Scouts at home and online: \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.liverpoolnorthdistrict.org.uk/Links/News?NewsId=914\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Merseyside Scouts CRE8 Challenge\u0022 data-anchor=\u0022?NewsId=914\u0022\u003ECRE8\u003C/a\u003E and #TY2TT plus over 60 Beaver Scouts \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.pinterest.co.uk/MerseysideBeaverScouts2021/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Merseyside Beaver Scouts Pinterest\u0022\u003EPinterest boards\u003C/a\u003E including mental health and wellbeing and online help. Gathering all ages together is also important at this time and \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.merseysidescouts.com/were-busy-planning-events-for-2021-22-and-we-cant-wait-to-see-you-there/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Merseyside Scouts events\u0022\u003EA Night At The Museum Online\u003C/a\u003E #NATMOnline weekend event takes place this month to bring the Scouts family together safely.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJane, Assistant County Commissioner from Merseyside\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E3. Let young people take the lead\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018It\u2019s incredible to see both Young Leaders and Scouts come forward with their ideas and run programmes by themselves, with only a little help and preparation from adult volunteers.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Things like scavenger hunts have been turned into riddle quests, and with access to technology at home, Scouts no longer depend on leaders creating quizzes each week, instead choosing to go to space or a trip to the city via online maps. Young Leaders have benefitted from attending programme planning sessions too, so that they have complete control over the meetings they host, which is perfect for their development and keeping their commitment and motivation levels up.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EJames, Scout Leader from Romford\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E4. Explore digital support from your District\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2019City of Newcastle District launched a virtual platform offering online sessions and workshops by external speakers, instructors, and leaders that are available for everyone.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Parents log in, browse, and book various digital sessions that their child can take part in while meeting others, having fun, learning new things and earning badges.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018So far there have been over 60 sessions (with 1,200 bookings) including pantomimes, beatboxing, illustration, drama, dancing, science, yoga, poetry, astronomy, forensics, murder mystery, and more.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETony, District Commissioner from Newcastle\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E5. Things that work best are what you can\u2019t do in your meeting place\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Often, the things that work best on Zoom are things we couldn\u2019t or wouldn\u2019t have done in our meeting place, such as a linking up with a group in New Zealand and a virtual visit to an astronomy centre on the other side of the world. Our Troop of Scouts would never have gone around the US Air Force museum with a guide, but the internet allows that to happen.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We can keep to a standard format as we do in regular meetings: welcome, game, chat, activity, game, game, closing. This keeps continuity and makes planning easy. Just go to \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.facebook.com/groups/1stvirtualscoutgroup\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E1st Virtual Scout Group\u003C/a\u003E to fill in the blanks. By keeping some of the regular parts of meetings going, even if it\u2019s using a PowerPoint for the flag break, we\u2019ve helped bring some continuity to those who find themselves cast adrift in these strange times.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe 1st Virtual Scout Group admins: Andy S, Andy B, Carolyn, Stuart, Dave W, Dave J and Tony\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E6. Offer virtual events to help maintain enthusiasm\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018As we become aware of how long the road to \u2018post-coronavirus Scouts\u2019 may be, the Somerset Team have re-launched our \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.somersetscouts.org.uk/scouting-at-home\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EScouting at Home website page\u003C/a\u003E. During the first lockdown, we added weekly activities for each section to support our volunteers with ideas for virtual delivery.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We\u2019ve now started adding new activity content, along with links to other sources of inspiration for our remarkable volunteers \u2013 who didn\u2019t sign up to do Scouts like this! We\u2019ll also continue offering virtual events to help maintain enthusiasm and a feeling of belonging for young people, volunteers and families.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EElizabeth, County Commissioner from Somerset\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E7. Encourage young people to keep learning new skills\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Across Hampshire, our young people and adults have risen to the challenge of working towards their top awards virtually.\u003Cbr\u003E\u2018With constant sharing of ideas, our young people have exercised at home, mapped disaster zones through missing maps, and learned new skills for the DofE, Chief Scout\u2019s and Queen\u2019s Scouts Awards.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Our Young Leaders haven\u2019t been left out either with over 300 taking part in online Young Leader training covering every module, facilitated by our top awards ambassadors and engaging them over a series of weeks. With young people tuning in from across the country, it\u2019s been very powerful to see.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMike, ACC Top Awards from Hampshire\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E8. Finally, always remember the difference you\u2019re making\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018It\u2019s been inspirational to see so many volunteers helping young people stay connected with their friends, communities, and the outdoors throughout this crisis.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Scouts have taken teamwork and Patrol challenges into the new world of computer gaming, shared videos with local care homes to lift the spirits of residents, and organised mini orienteering nights for Scouts and their families in their local areas.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018While everything else has changed around us, Scout volunteers have been bringing us together in new ways, helping young people achieve and making a difference to others.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENiall, Volunteer Head of Curriculum\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThank you to all of our volunteers who\u2019ve shared their comments. We hope their ideas give you some inspiration for different things you could try to keep things interesting in your online meetings.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you\u2019d like more support about how to run a session on Zoom, take a look at our \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://digitalskills.scouts.org.uk/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Scouts Digital Skills\u0022\u003EDigital Skills\u003C/a\u003E.\u00A0For activity ideas, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/\u0022\u003Eour activities database\u003C/a\u003E or \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.facebook.com/groups/1stvirtualscoutgroup\u0022\u003E1st Virtual Facebook group\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ERelated reading: \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2021/january/scouts-programme-support-during-lockdown/\u0022\u003EScouts programme support during lockdown\u003C/a\u003E by Wendy Human, UK Commissioner Programme\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"callToAction","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","buttonText":"Check out our other news this month","buttonLink":{"name":"January","id":null,"url":"/news/2021/january/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":{"value":"490499","label":"490499"},"alignment":"left"}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"18 January 2021","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[],"relatedLinks":[],"id":48624,"nodeName":"How volunteers are keeping Scouts going online","title":"How volunteers are keeping Scouts going online","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/12518/zoom-call.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1d9becd14fe6610","caption":"Zoom Call","type":"jpg","size":362613,"width":1378,"height":959,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"How volunteers are keeping Scouts going online","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"We know that delivering the programme online can be hard work, so we asked volunteers for their innovative hints and tips","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC80ODYyNCJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2021/january/how-volunteers-are-keeping-scouts-going-online/"}