Scout Forum for Wales

The Scout Forum for Wales is a group of Scouts from across Wales who meet every 6 months. During our meetings, we talk about a wide range of issues facing us in our troops. By chatting with people from all over the principality, we are able to solve a lot of problems amongst ourselves and pick out some of the best bits of what’s happening.

Other committees and groups of the Welsh Scout Council ask for our opinions on matters that affect Scouts, and this is where the Forum acts as the voice of all Scouts in Wales. Very often, decisions are altered because of the opinions expressed by members of the Forum – an example of the oldies in scouts paying attention!

During our chats, important points often get raised that can be pursued further. To do this, the Forum writes down what’s known as a ‘recommendation’, which the chairman then discusses with the important people in the Welsh Scout Council. These recommendations are almost always accepted, and many activities and schemes have been created on the recommendation of the Forum.

As well as the Scouts ourselves meeting to talk about this sort of stuff, the Assistant Area Commissioners (Scouts) from across Wales turn up at the same time and talk amongst themselves about these sort of things too. Towards the end of both of our meetings, we get together to run through what’s been said in each meeting. From this big discussion, we very often see that a lot of points raised in each meeting are common between the Scouts and the adults. This is a good sign that the adults are thinking like us on most things, and the Forum then works with the Scout Team for Wales to get stuff sorted out to make things better.

Who goes to it?

The Scout Forum for Wales has been allowed 24 places for Scouts to attend. This has been divided up equally so that each Area in Wales is able to send two Scouts to represent them. Unfortunately, not all Areas send two Scouts to every meeting, which means that we rarely have 24 people there!

The process through which each Area chooses its representatives is up to each Area to decide. However, a growing trend is for each Area to hold an Area Scout Forum at least a couple of times a year, often around the same time as the Scout Forum for Wales meets.

At their Area Scout Forum, Scouts from all across the Area would decide on the two Scouts who they want to represent them on the Scout Forum for Wales. The most practical way for Scouts to be chosen is through an open vote, where those interested stand up and explain why they’d be good at the job for about 30 seconds. All Scouts present are then able to vote for the Scouts they would most like to be represented by.

How does it affect me?

To most people, they may not have heard of the Scout Forum for Wales. The Forum and its business could well seem quite distant to most people, as if the discussions and decisions don’t really make a difference or affect everyday scouting. This is quite a large way away from the truth.

As mentioned above, the Forum discusses issues that are raised by its members, normal scouts. Before coming to the meeting, they have talked with members of the Area about what the main strengths and weaknesses are.

After the meeting, the Area representatives would then go back to their Area Scout Forums to report back on what happened in Wales, and how things can be moved forward in that Area.

In the Forum’s previous form, the All-Wales Patrol Leader’s Team, we worked closely with the AAC(Scouts) Team to pursue a number of practical projects. Firstly, the Dragon Award scheme was suggested by the AACs and then later developed jointly with the AWPLT. Recently, the Scout Forum for Wales and the Scout Team for Wales have worked together to update the Dragon Award scheme to make it easier to understand and more relevant to the updated programme system.

As more and more demand is placed on scout leaders to take troops away to camps, the Forum and Team addressed this jointly with a direct request from members of the Forum to have a greater number of activities provided to them. From these discussions, the Forum and Team now run the All-Wales Scout Camp every two years which is open to every scout in Wales. Three of these camps have been run now, with activities ranging from abseiling, air rifle shooting, archery and discos to go kart racing and canoeing.

Every two years, the Scout Forum for Wales holds one of its 6-monthly meetings in Blackwell Court, near Birmingham. The aims of this weekend are to build teamwork within the Forum, to give Scouts a greater experience of outdoor activities in groups and also to create productive discussions in a more relaxed atmosphere.

What do they talk about?

The Forum discusses a wide range of issues, all of which affect normal, everyday scout stuff. The Forum has systems in place to massively reduce the amount of bureaucracy that must be dealt with, otherwise we might be in danger of being flooded by boring stuff!

As an example, in the recent past, the Forum has talked a lot about fundraising for international trips, the marketing, publicity and advertising of the scout movement, the changes to uniform, programme and age groups, the new Dragon Award system, effective integration of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, links with Explorer Scouts, Cub Scouts, large-scale Wales activities, international exchanges and using the Internet for internal purposes.

Is it all boring talking stuff?

No! Although a lot of talking is done within the Forum, there is more to it than that. Many people who have met through meeting in the Forum have forged lasting friendships and gone on to gain wider experiences in their scouting lives.

As mentioned above, the Forum organises the All-Wales Scout Camp and Blackwell Court weekends which provide a chance for scouts from all around Wales to get together and have fun – the fundamental principle of scouting.

How can I suggest something for them to talk about?

The Forum is always open to new ideas of which issues concern Scouts in Wales most, and so would be grateful to hear from you. If you are a Scout, you have the right for your voice to be heard at a national level – you could make a real difference.

Hopefully you should be able to find out who your Area representatives are.

Feel free to send an email to the Chairman of the Scout Forum for Wales via scoutforum@scoutswales.org.uk and they will then be able to add it as a point for the next meeting.

Where can I find out more information?

The Chairman of the Scout Forum for Wales is always more than happy to answer any questions or queries that you may have and can be contacted on email at scoutforum@scoutswales.org.uk

Alternatively, you can contact your Area representatives on the Scout Forum for Wales. We cannot give out details of these representatives for saffety reasons, but if you contact your Assistant Area Commissioner (Scouts), they should be able to tell you who to contact for more information and also to get your voice heard.

How can I get involved?

Attendance at the Scout Forum for Wales meetings is entirely up to each individual Area to decide how and who should attend on their behalf. The Scout Forum for Wales strongly believe that the most effective method of choosing representatives is by holding a voting system in the Area Scout Forum.

For more information on how you can get involved in the Forum, contact your Assistant Area Commissioner (Scouts). If you’re not sure who this person is, ask your Scout Leader if they can find a phone number for you to contact this person. If you are unable to make contact, email the Scout Forum for Wales Chairman (scoutforum@scoutswales.org.uk) who will be able to find out for you.