What can I help?
A Scout Group is a community of volunteers. We do not offer a service-for-a-fee. It’s not a drop-and-run program. It is a community group. By joining the Moggill Scout Group you enter into a reciprocal relationship.
If you have kids in the Moggill Scout Group, you are getting something and you must give something in return. Merely paying the fees is not enough. Why not? Because fees are set as low as they possibly can be, to cover the bare minimum of operating expenses. If we were to set fees to cover our true operating costs you couldn’t afford it. No one could. And, because it’s not just about money.
The secret power of Scouting is the nurturing of human relationships. Scouting is a minted method (100+ years of proof) for forming friendships – kids, Leaders, committee, families, in every combination.
#1: Meet People
Get out of the car and come into the Den for a few minutes
at the beginning and end of your child’s meeting. We know the Pandemic has kept
people away but it’s time to come back. You can still keep a 1.5m distance.
Come in and say hello to fellow parents. Get to know the leaders. Watch the
opening and closing parades. Knowing you a little helps the Leaders to help
your kids better. Coming in and watching helps parents understand their kids’
experiences at Scouts.
#2: Help the Leaders
Say “yes” whenever you possibly can if Leaders ask for
assistance. We would appreciate if a parent from each member can assist once
per term.
It might be helping to run or supervise a game, driving kids
to an off-site activity, packing or unpacking the trailer for camps, cleaning
up the hall after a busy night.
The parent can also volunteer to help the leaders or help
the committee with fundraising or marketing.
#3: Help in fundraising
Fundraising is done to keep fees low, and to generate extra
money for projects that could never be paid for otherwise (especially building
repairs and maintenance). Fundraising usually consists of asking you to buy
something or sell something, or to provide your time to the Group for free so
that it can use your labour to earn a fee. If possible, please always buy or
sell the thing, whatever it is, to yourself or others (chocolate frogs, socks,
bulbs, seed raising kits, tea towels, labels, lamingtons … you know the deal).
We appreciate most parents are busy with work and household
chores. Most of the leaders and Moggill Scout committee also have a full-time
job and juggling children with household chores.
# 4: Share your skills and hobbies
There’s a niche for everyone in a Scout Group. Have a look
at your child’s history on Terrain (that’s the on-line record of activities and
badges you should be a part of). Your kids can get a badge for just about
anything. Speak to your child’s Leader. They can use your specialised interest
to design a meeting in which every kid gets that badge.
We could have parents help with a huge range of things:
visiting a construction site; using power tools to build timber boats and billycarts;
ham radio; guided tours of the interesting workplaces or sites (e.g., police
station); first aid lessons; indigenous awareness; electronics; astronomy;
lifesaving lessons (swimming); and many more. The only limit is our creativity.
Parents have used their trade skills to maintain and repair equipment and
buildings for us.
#5: Become an official “Adult Helper”
The Scout Association is bound by its own policies and
procedures, and by the law of the land. Taken in combination this means that if
you are helping regularly, the Scout Association of Australia (Queensland
Branch) requires you to make it official, by acknowledging its rules and
mission. A simple application form, endorsed by the Group Leader and approved
by the Branch Appointments Committee, and a Blue Card, is all that is required.
Adult Helpers are the first port of call for Leaders in times of need because
they have passed basic security background checks, and by virtue of their
application, have indicated a certain level of kinship and commitment to
Scouting.
#6: Join the committee
The Parent Committee is the administrative and financial controller of the Scout Group. The Committee is responsible for setting and collecting fees, fundraising, den maintenance, PR, and providing general guidance and support to the uniformed Leaders. There are roles available for anyone, covering a range of time-commitments from the executive positions of Chair, Treasurer and Secretary, through to Fundraising Coordinator, Den Maintenance, PR Coordinator, Equipment Coordinator, and general committee members. The committee is essential to the success of the Group. Moggill Scout Group Committee meetings are friendly, well-run, productive, and held once per month.
#7: Become a uniformed Leader
The life of a uniformed Leader is immensely satisfying, and there is a niche for Leaders of many different styles and skills. An enthusiasm for the outdoors (especially camping and hiking) is an advantage when leading the older age groups (Scouts and Venturers), but there are Leaders who bring other skills, and they add great depth and variety to Scouting. Leaders in the younger sections (Joeys and Cubs) should like playing, improvising games, and crafting for example.
All sections are based on a sequence of badge work that gives kids lots of skills in a fun way. Leaders must complete a range of on-line and classroom learning within the first 6-12 months of their appointment, upon which they become “qualified”. There is a huge variety of advanced and specialised training available, all nationally accredited and recognised.
Moggill Scout Group pays for all training and membership expenses of its Leaders, and Moggill Scout Group fees are discounted for children of Leaders.
How do you get on board?
- Talk to your child’s Leader/s about how you can help. And keep talking regularly.
- Contact us: gl@moggill.scoutsqld.com.au
- Stay in touch and up to date with the Group: like our Facebook Page, and keep up-to-date with emails.
- Respond to emails that ask for help. They come along regularly.