The Attractive Scout/Guide Group

1. The Attractive Scout/Guide Group The Danish Scout and Guide Association has received an extending report concerning what characterizes the Scouting-life of Attractive Scouting Groups. The report is made in 2005-06 by an analyzing bureau called Copenhagen Economics and has been financed byFriluftsrådet [The Outdoor Council] – Therefor we share the results of the research with other outdoor organizations.

2. Background anddefinition • The reportwas made because 40 % of the groups in The Danish Guide and Scout Association have increasedtheirmembershipduring the last 10 years. • We wanted to know what they did and we wanted to learn from it. • What is an Attractive Scout/ Guide Group? An Attractive Group is one that has a lot of member and is able to retain them, but this definition is relative to a great lot of exterior factors. Therefore Copenhagen Economics has created a fictive memberships number for each scouting group due to socioeconomic statistics such as income level, number of children in the area, population density, education level and the number of other scouting groups in the area – both from our own organization and from other organizations. The Attractive Scouting Group is therefore one that has a higher number of members than the fictive calculationimplies.

3. Datacollection • Database • number of members in1990-2005 • Identification of The Attractive Scout/ Guide groups • questionnaire survey • What are the common features and what are the differences between the ”middle group” and ”the Top50”? • Focus groups interviews • concrete historyon the activities of the individual groups Foto: Erik Gunst Lund

4. Take the scouts’ choice seriously ! • It’s an active choice to be a member of a Scout/ Guide unit • The Attractive Scout/ Guide unit refuses to compromise • A unit can be attractive in many ways Foto: Andreas Hørup Nilsson

5. 80% 20% 80% of being attractive depends on: • Every thing else 80% • Leaders’ attitudes • Daily Scouting/ • Guiding external conditions 20% • Numbers of children • Level of education • Level of income • Members of sport groups • BB-groups • Other DGA units • geography

6. team spirit leadership ambitions simplification common features : Three plus one The group of leaders acts like a team The Attractive Scout/ Guide group has a unifying and visionary leadership The Attractive Scout/ Guide group has highly visible ambitions The work as a leader is simple and clear

7. Team spirit • The leaders see themselves as a unitedgroup of leaders • The leaders’ meetings aregoal -oriented • The leaders share good experiences • The group of leaders get together professionally and socially • Problems are solved in the unit and not just by one single age group • The leaders experience concrete appreciation e.g. from Scout/ Guide parents

8. Ambitions • EXAMPLES: • Participate in and wintournaments/ challenges • Move the house to a place with good potential • Challenging Scouting/ Guiding • Accomplish big and visible projects • Arrange challenging scout tournaments • Go abroad for summer camps (every 4 or 5 years) • Have public arrangements

9. Simplification • Has well organised and well-cared-for scout gear • There is a well defined line in programme from Cub Scout to Senior Scout • There is a tradition for help from the parents • There is clarity as to who does what in The Attractive Scout/ Guide group • A lot of activities and traditions are routine, i.e. plan in place • NB Buys help, instead of doing every thing by themselves • The scouts and the parents get ”year-plans”

10. Leadership • Leaders with experience, a long time scale, pragmatic types • The Group Leader(s) take(s) care of administration, leader-nursing, the defined line from Cub to Senior Scout • Organised and visionary • Connection between team spirit, ambition and simplification

11. ? Questions and comments • What has made the biggestimpression? • Whichwouldyouconsidertrying at home?