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| Sat Jul 11 The Great Indoors Weekender (UK Virtual Camp) |
| Sun Jul 12 The Great Indoors Weekender (UK Virtual Camp) |
| Wed Jul 22 School Term ends |
| Tue Jul 28 @19:00 - Back to Basics: An introduction to virtual meetings |
| Tue Aug 11 @19:00 - All about Zoom - how to make the most of the tool |
| Wed Aug 12 @19:00 - All about Google Meet and how to use it |
| Mon Aug 31 August Bank Holiday |
| Tue Sep 01 School Term begins |
| Thu Sep 03 County Executive Meeting |
COVID-19 News Bulletin #12 - 7th Aug 2020
Readiness for return to face-to-face Scouting
Full details of the national plans can be found on The Scout Association website. Further details of our process and forms can be found on the Suffolk Scouts website
· From 7th August leaders in charge of a section or place (e.g. campsite) can submit their Covid19 risk assessment using Smartsheet plus any other documents if you’ve been instructed to by your District
· Make sure that your section Scouting plan and risk assessment have been agreed with the GSL and Group Chair before submitting to your District approver
· Prior to approval, you will need to confirm that all leaders within in your section and the Group Executive have their safety and safeguarding mandatory training completed which is normally covered by the Essential Information training under Module 1 (leaders) and Module 1EX (exec members) and has been validated on Compass.
· Confirm that Adult leaders meeting face-to-face have up-to-date DBS (or renewing within the allowed 90 days)
· Please submit your risk assessment in a timely fashion ahead of when you plan to start (we recommend 14 days to allow for any revisions which might be required)
· Your district teams are happy to help and advise
European Jamboree 2020/21
Suffolk Scouts are seeking new members to join our existing unit going to the European Scout Jamboree next summer (30th July - 15th August 2021). The opportunity is open to all active Scouts/Explorers/Young Leaders within Suffolk who are born between 03/08/2003 and 31/12/2007. The event would be happening right now but has been rearranged to next year.
As well as the main Jamboree event in Gdansk (see https://ej2020.org/ for more information), there is a package of pre and post jamboree activities that have been planned by our current unit members. Highlights include a pre-jamboree trip to Krakow where we will visit a salt mine, take a tour of Auschwitz and go to a theme park, and a post-jamboree visit to Warsaw.
There is also a programme of lead up UK based preparation events/camps between now and when we go.
To apply for a place, download the application form. Applications should be sent in by Friday 21st August. Applicants will then be invited to take part in a selection process.
COVID-19 News Bulletin #11 - 24th July 2020
Thank you for continuing to support scouting in Suffolk. Your ongoing support at this time is more important than ever as we enter the next phase in our return to scouting activities.
As you will now know, headquarters have created a blueprint to help support our planning for this event. You can follow our news and ideas at https://www.suffolkscouts.org.uk/coronovirus. All content we post will be based on UK Government and The Scout Association guidelines.
Keeping Everyone Safe
The primary aim of the framework is to keep all our leaders, supporters and young people safe. Whilst you might find the idea of creating new written risk assessments challenging, I’d like to reassure you that through a County/District working party which has been set up, there is support to help you. The Risk Assessment Framework is the key system that will create confidence for our young people and their parents and enable us all to enjoy the activities safely.
Framework Principles
· Guidance documents from The Scout Association will set out the operating procedures for activities. These may be amended from time to time particularly if government or National Youth Agency advice changes
· Normal insurance will be in force providing that leaders and groups follow the guidelines and meet all the required steps and safety requirements
· COVID safe risk assessments will need to be completed for activities. Maximum numbers will be determined by scouts.org.uk
· Completed risk assessments will have to be signed off at a district level
· Parental consultation and written consent to activities will be required
Timeline
Digital Skills - Webinars
To help you support your Group run digital sessions, we’re running a series of digital skills webinars delivered in collaboration with Barclays' Digital Eagles and Girlguiding. Tech tips will be provided along with guidance about how to make your meetings fun and engaging.
Register for this webinar at the following link - https://scouts-org-uk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gdxVXCLCS9yLKeUc6BYuyg
Other Digital Skills webinars for Zoom & Google Meet are available via https://www.scouts.org.uk/events/digital-skills/.
Microsoft Teams Training is available via the Microsoft Office Training pages under 'Teams' as part of the 365 suite.
#Adventure Continues: Challenge 9 - International 2
#AdventureContinues Challenge 9 returns to International as the theme. There are stages for Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers!
You can find out more details on the link - Challenges for the information sheet and other challenges. Have fun and remember to post or send in your pictures!
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#AdventureContinues - Challenge 8 - The Great Indoors
The next #AdventureContinues Challenge 8 is all about The Great Indoors! There are 3 stages to this and 9 activities in each stage • Practical skills • Outdoor skills • Physical activity • Community engagement • Social action • International activities • Creative skills • Spiritual activities • Nights away - that means you can do up to 27 activities if you're up for the challenge!
You can find out more details on the link - Challenges and also on the specific links on the menu bar for more details. Good Luck!
COVID-19 News Bulletin #10 – Suffolk Scouts 3-Jul-2020
You have probably noticed that across the UK and Europe, things are starting to change as Governments try to come out of lockdown. This is positive news for us in Scouting. Coming out of lockdown is more complex than lockdown itself.
The Scout Association has now started to release information on their website and through webinars (the first was on 2nd July) about the process we need to take to get us to any form of face to face Scouting safely. I’d like to reassure you that the County and District Teams are digesting the information and we will be working with groups for a planned and considered approach to returning to face to face Scouting. There are three things that spring to mind:
1. RACE: This is not a race to get back to face to face Scouting as soon as we can; we need to “Think, plan and then do”.
2. OVERLOAD: There is a lot of information and many more questions resulting. There is no need to take it all on your own shoulders. We will work as a County together across our 8 districts to ensure we all return to Scouting safely.
3. SHARE: The County and Districts will be sharing resources, ideas and approaches for our safe return to face to face Scouting.
The state of readiness has not changed this week and remains at RED. Last week I said that The Scout Association would continue to follow the guidance set by the National Youth Agency who in turn, take all their guidance from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. Please do not follow anything you see from the Department of Education, this is not of relevance to us in Scouting.
Regrettably, there have been a number of inappropriate Scouting gatherings cropping up across the country during the last few days and I would like to remind you, that whilst we remain at a readiness status of RED, no face to face Scouting can take place, even in a socially distanced way.
