| Rovering Towards 2020 Rover Review Update |
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| Written by David Twist | |||
| Monday, 09 August 2010 23:56 | |||
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Edition 1, July 2010 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Welcome to the first edition of Rovering Towards 2020! During 2010-11, Scouts Australia is conducting its regular review of the Rover Section. This Review will be called ‘Rovering Towards 2020’, and this newsletter will keep you up to date on the latest progress and developments arising from the work of the Rovering Towards 2020 team. What is the purpose of conducting a review of the Section? Scouts Australia conducts a national review of each Section every eight years or so in order to ensure that the youth program remains dynamic and relevant. The purpose of Rovering Towards 2020 is to conduct a professional and considered review of the Rover program and make recommendations to ensure that Rovering contributes to the education of young adults through a value system based on the Promise and Law, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society. Bla… sounds pretty dry, yes? It’s actually not! The Scouts Australia youth program aims to achieve this personal growth by providing young people with opportunities for new experiences and adventure using the Scout Method, and we all know that it’s FUN as well!!! Rovering Towards 2020 will ensure that the Rover program is consistent with this nationwide (and, indeed, worldwide) approach to Scouting. The Rovering Towards 2020 team is an independent committee appointed by the National Operations Committee (NOC). The Rovering Towards 2020 team is fully endorsed by the National Rover Council. Chair: Graeme Fordham, National Project Commissioner – Partnerships Executive Officer (non-voting): Shanna Bignell, National Marketing Communications Officer Chief Commissioner of Australia (ex-officio): Reg Williams National Commissioner Youth Program (convenor): John Clarke 2010-11 National Rover Council Chair: Daniel Smith Two Rovers (recommended by NRC): Matt Rigter, Rovers ACT Danielle Nelson, Rovers NSW A representative of the State/Branch Commissioners for Rovers (chosen by them): Craig Whan, BC Rovers Victoria A volunteer member from outside Scouts Australia with knowledge and experience in young adult issues: Sera Harris, Mission Australia In March 2010, the NOC commissioned a committee to develop the terms of reference for Rovering Towards 2020. The committee members were: John Clarke, National Commissioner Youth Program Sophie Feint, 2009-10 NRC Chair Daniel Smith, 2010-11 NRC Chair Jeff Rose, NSW BC Rovers Graeme Fordham, National Project Commissioner – Partnerships Reg Williams, the Chief Commissioner of Australia, was also consulted. The committee agreed that the Review will: 1. Identify the needs and desires of young adults in contemporary Australian society and over the next 10 years. 2. Identify the needs and desires of the current Rover population. 3. Investigate what other young-adult focused organisations are doing to attract and satisfy young adults, and the success of those strategies. 4. Identify the perceptions of the Rover Section that are held in contemporary Australian society and within the Scouting community. 5. Review research and good practice in Australian Scout Branches, other National Scout Organisations and WOSM for the age group 15 to 25 . 6. Consider the Scouts Australia National Strategic Plan and findings arising from other relevant Scouts Australia reviews over the past 10 years, including the 2004-2005 Review of Adults in Scouting in Australia and the recent Venturer Scout Review. 7. Conduct a critical review of the current program in relation to the operation of the program, and whether it meets the needs of young adults, and the needs and requirements of Scouts Australia. 8. Consult with, and obtain input from, the National Rover Council and the Branch Rover Councils. 9. Make specific recommendations regarding the future of the Rover Section in the form of a written report to the Scouts Australia NOC, and provide an implementation plan for approval of the National Executive Committee by Nov 2011. WHAT WILL THE TEAM BE LOOKING AT AS PART OF THE REVIEW? Meet the team... The team met in June to get to know each other and discuss how Rovering Towards 2020 will be conducted. Each member of the team volunteered to take responsibility for investigating one or two of the terms of reference items. The team has access to a huge body of research to inform their decision-making. There are the results of previous Scouts Australia Section Reviews, many years’ worth of Scouts Australia’s market research (including detailed research conducted by Dangar Research and the Nielsen Company in 2009), national and world publications on Rovering and – more widely – Scouting as a whole, and plenty of relevant research conducted by social demographers and other organisations which applies to society as a whole. But of course, that’s not enough! A lot of new research is needed as well. The team is aiming to gather the opinions of every current Rover in Australia, as well as other youth members, Leaders, other adults in Scouting, parents, people who chose to leave the Scout Movement prior to or during Rovers, and the wider community. The team is aiming to do this in a variety of ways: • An email address has been set up for ANYONE who wants to provide feedback or opinions. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it forwards directly to the Executive Officer, and every email received will be considered and addressed by the entire Rovering Towards 2020 team as a whole. • The team is in the process of setting up a dedicated Rovering Towards 2020 page on the Rovers website www.rovers.com.au. This will provide additional avenues of feedback. Once it’s up and running we’ll let you know. • News and updates will be posted on the Rovers Australia Facebook fan page, and the national Scouts Australia Facebook fan page. And here’s a seriously exciting bit of news… Rovering Towards 2020 will have a dedicated researcher from early August until late November 2010!! Jennifer Kilgariff is studying for her Masters degree in Social Work at the Australian Catholic University in Strathfield, Sydney, and will be conducting research for the Rovering Towards 2020 team as her first-year field placement. Jennifer is from London, and completed her Bachelor of Science in Business Management in the UK 10 years ago. She has worked in administration within the Family Court of London, and qualified as a primary school teacher 6 years ago. She has taught both full and part time, and has a great interest in the welfare and promotion of opportunities for all children and young people, believing in the need for positive role models and experiences and how these can influence a young person’s life. She has a brother who has Down Syndrome, so has always been interested in issues regarding physical and intellectual disabilities. She loves friends and family, chocolate and banana bread (although not together… yet), watching and playing most forms of sport, shopping, the sun, the beach and Underbelly. In fact, the only things she really dislikes are opera, beetroot, licorice and miserable people on public transport. “I really look forward to the challenge of learning from and contributing to the research aspect of Rovering Towards 2020,” said Jennifer. “I would also like to thank you for allowing me the opportunity, as a student, to feel welcome and be involved in Scouting Australia and such a valuable project.” Many of you will be hearing from Jennifer in the coming months, so please make her welcome! How will Rovering Towards 2020 be conducted? So... what do YOU think Rovering should look like in 2020? PLEASE… talk about this and tell us what you think! Pass this newsletter on to your friends who don’t have email! What do you think is great about Rovering? What could be improved? Drop us a line on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Our next meeting is over the weekend from 28-29 August, so if you want to get in early it would be great to hear from you by then. The Rovering Towards 2020 Team Graeme, Reg, John, Daniel, Matt, Danielle, Craig, Sera and Shanna
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