{"content":{"layouts":[{"type":"sidebar","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EStarting a New Scout Group\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen starting a new Scout Group there may be uncertainty as to how many young people will want to join, and in which age group they will fall.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EKeep your options open by allowing all young people within the three Sectional age ranges to meet together for a few weeks. This gives volunteers time to organise them into Sections and small groups.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere may be insufficient numbers for Sections to exist alone in the first instance but as word gets round the numbers will increase, so making conventional Sections more feasible.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EParents and carers, or other adults, who volunteer may be reluctant to commit themselves to a role if they\u0027re unsure of what\u0027s involved. By giving them time to understand what it means to be a Team Leader or Team Member and to experience the different Sectional age groups they will be more prepared to commit themselves to a role. They may even conclude it wasn\u0027t as difficult as they thought it would be!\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EThe District Team - and others supporting this new venture - also have an opportunity to see the natural leadership abilities emerge from those helping, as well as their individual skills, thus enabling the right person to have the role most suited to them.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn one development project, meetings were initially organised to cater for all young people, without distinct Sections. New volunteers worked across the Sectional age groups, until they decided which age group they wanted to work with and separate Sections were later established.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn some cases the flexibility of volunteers working across all Sectional age groups has been maintained while conventional Sections have become established.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EStarting a New Section\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAn existing Scout Group without the \u0027next\u0027 Section will likely find it harder to retain members. Transferring to another Group is one possibility, but it can be a daunting prospect for many. Transport, geographical and social considerations may also prevent transfer.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESome Groups consider starting their own \u0027next\u0027 Section when there\u0027s a small group of young people ready to move up. However, finding new Section volunteers\u00A0may be difficult and, at least initially, existing volunteers may be reluctant to transfer Sections.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn one development project a group of older Cub Scouts were ready to transfer to a Scout Troop, but no Troop existed within the Group. The solution was to form a Scout Patrol. They continued to meet with the Cub Scout Pack, working on their own Patrol activities. The Cub Scout Team Leader acted as Scout Team Leader. The Cub Team Members took on the running of the Pack, confident that the Cub Scout Team Leader was on hand, which was a practical and positive solution for all concerned.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EDeclining Sections and Groups\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA Group suffering from declining numbers of young people, or where there\u0027s a lack of volunteers, may need to combine Sections temporarily. This an only be an interim measure, before either expansion back into conventional Sections or ultimate closure. The causes of decline need to be investigated and resolved.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn areas where the young population has grown up and moved on, an existing Scout Group may well be in the wrong place. It could move to a new location or close. These are difficult decisions and forming an Integrated Section is unlikely to prevent the inevitable.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhere there are sufficient young people but a lack of volunteers, the existing volunteers may take on the running of two or more Sections. This is hard work for those involved and should only be a \u0027last resort\u0027 solution. Overlapping meeting times may help if all Section meetings need to take place on the same evening in the same building.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EProblems in recruiting sufficient volunteers need to be addressed. Integrated Sections is not an excuse for not having sufficient volunteers and the situation needs reviewing on more than an \u0022annual basis\u0022 if lack of volunteers is the reason for the Integrated Section.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EMembership\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMembers of Integrated Sections undertake the Balanced Programme, Awards and Badges. They make the Promise and wear the uniform appropriate to their Sectional age group.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]},{"items":[]}],"config":null}]},"prev":{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/programme-guidance/administration-and-management/adapting-scout-groups-for-rural-areas/integrated-sections/rural-areas/","title":"Rural Areas"},"next":{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/programme-guidance/administration-and-management/adapting-scout-groups-for-rural-areas/integrated-sections/leadership/","title":"Leadership"},"allParts":[{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/programme-guidance/administration-and-management/adapting-scout-groups-for-rural-areas/integrated-sections/rural-areas/","title":"Rural Areas"},{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/programme-guidance/administration-and-management/adapting-scout-groups-for-rural-areas/integrated-sections/starting-things-up/","title":"Starting things up"},{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/programme-guidance/administration-and-management/adapting-scout-groups-for-rural-areas/integrated-sections/leadership/","title":"Leadership"},{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/programme-guidance/administration-and-management/adapting-scout-groups-for-rural-areas/integrated-sections/section-organisation/","title":"Section Organisation"},{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/programme-guidance/administration-and-management/adapting-scout-groups-for-rural-areas/integrated-sections/meeting-structure-and-ceremonies/","title":"Meeting Structure and Ceremonies"},{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/programme-guidance/administration-and-management/adapting-scout-groups-for-rural-areas/integrated-sections/peer-groups/","title":"Peer Groups"},{"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/programme-guidance/administration-and-management/adapting-scout-groups-for-rural-areas/integrated-sections/safety-and-insurance/","title":"Safety and Insurance"}],"link":"/volunteers/running-your-section/programme-guidance/administration-and-management/adapting-scout-groups-for-rural-areas/integrated-sections/starting-things-up/","id":46865,"nodeName":"Starting things up","title":"Starting things up","type":"codexPart","image":null,"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Starting things up","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"searchDescription":"","subHeader":"","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC80Njg2NSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-your-section/programme-guidance/administration-and-management/adapting-scout-groups-for-rural-areas/integrated-sections/starting-things-up/"}