{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"Wendy Human, UK Commissioner Programme ","standfirst":"","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/7281/zoom.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"altText":"","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EThe new year\u2019s often a time of optimism and hope, but I know this year\u2019s off to a tough start with the third lockdown. The challenges we\u2019re facing aren\u2019t new this time, but they\u2019re no less challenging as a result. I think we\u2019re starting to see light at the end of the tunnel, but it still feels far away.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s important to put taking care of yourself first, but where you can manage, delivering Scouts remotely is more important than ever. Scouts helps young people to stay connected with each other and gives us all the chance to tap into the values that have helped us get through tough times.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYoung people have spent a year of their lives living differently because of this pandemic. I know first-hand that, where local Scouts has continued (whether they\u2019ve been sending out postal packs or delivering a programme online), the connection and stability it brings has had a profound impact on young people.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ERemember, online delivery doesn\u2019t have to mean everyone sitting in front of a screen. Zoom can be your touchpoint to send young people off around the house (or even outside when it\u2019s safe to do so) to take part in hands on, practical activities. This new way of doing Scouts online at home is all about making the best of how Zoom can connect young people, while trying to avoid the fatigue being online all the time can cause.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003ENew ideas\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s important for us to find practical ways to deal with what\u2019s in front of us. Over the past few weeks, I\u2019ve asked the Programme team to remain focussed on supporting you with resources for online delivery.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019re very excited to announce the launch of our partnership with Dungeons and Dragons, who are sponsoring the Scouts Entertainer Activity Badge. It\u2019s great to partner with a global organisation that captures the imagination of people of all ages as they build confidence in storytelling. We hope this provides you with some activity ideas and offers you another way to engage with Scouts who\u2019ve been struggling to stay in contact and have fun online in lockdown. D\u0026amp;D are offering a free starter set to Scout groups, so get stuck in.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe had a great time on Scout Adventures\u2019 \u003Ca href=\u0022https://wintercamp.org.uk/\u0022\u003EWintercamp\u003C/a\u003E over the weekend. There\u2019s something important about keeping traditions going even if things aren\u2019t as we hoped they\u2019d be at the moment. The whole weekend programme showed us just what is still possible to do at home and how to keep the Scouts spirit going.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019re on week five of the Press-play-and-go videos. We\u2019ve heard that they\u2019ve supported you to keep Scouts going by taking some of the pressure off, so will be back next month with more videos to slot into your programme.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/10676/wellbeing-champs-for-cms.jpg","width":3840,"height":2160,"altText":"Wellbeing champions","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019re also keeping \u003Ca href=\u0022#\u0022 title=\u0022Wellbeing Champions\u0022\u003EWellbeing Champions\u003C/a\u003E going. We\u2019re even taking it further with a series of Wellbeing Champion challenges for young people to complete by themselves or with their group. The challenges give young people an opportunity to explore the five ways to wellbeing, help others, earn their Great Indoors Badge and work towards a number of other badges.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EThe next month\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe can\u2019t predict the future \u2013 but we know that Scouts probably won\u2019t be back to \u2018normal\u2019 anytime soon. With that in mind, we\u2019re busy working on more resources to support you to deliver Scouts online.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019re putting together support to help you with Investitures and for when it\u2019s time for young people to move on to new adventures in the next section. We know that these traditions are important to people, and that it\u2019s a bit trickier to welcome people (and say goodbye) at the moment, whichever section you\u2019re in.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/12517/zoomcall_16by9.gif","width":800,"height":450,"altText":"Zoom call - waving","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019re also creating more videos. We\u2019ve heard from plenty of you who\u2019ve found them helpful in your sessions. This time, we\u2019re making them a little more young-person focussed: it\u2019s up to you whether you press-play-and-go in your session, or whether you send the video out for young people to try themselves, bringing their finished creation to show and tell at your next meeting. That way, it\u2019s up to each person to engage when\u2019s right for them and your meetings can become an exciting time of sharing and reflection.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFinally, we\u2019re putting together activities into bundles to create some ready-made programmes. We know that some volunteers are familiar with online delivery and want to get back to working towards badges. Our team is chatting to members to find the best activities that count towards badges while helping young people develop skills for life.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EThank you for everything you do\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe know lots of you are passionate about Scouts and that you care for everyone involved, so we hope these resources provide some support. Of course, you\u2019ve already been supporting one another throughout this time. We\u2019ve seen countless Facebook posts and tweets of everything you\u2019re doing and local groups are creating resources too. Check out your local group pages, 1st Facebook Scout Group, 1st Virtual Scout Group, and OSM and continue to share your ideas with each other.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAs always, thank you for everything you\u2019re continuing to do for Scouts. It\u2019s amazing. \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EWendy Human, UK Commissioner Programme\u003C/em\u003E\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"18 January 2021","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[],"relatedLinks":[],"id":48623,"nodeName":"Scouts programme support during lockdown","title":"Scouts programme support during lockdown","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/12517/zoomcall_16by9.gif?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1d9becd14f34280","caption":"Zoomcall 16By9","type":"gif","size":546016,"width":800,"height":450,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Scouts programme support during lockdown","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"New activity ideas and what\u0027s to come to help volunteers deliver the programme online. 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