Weekend report
19/01/200625/09/2006
Young people take centre stage at National Conference
The Scout Association’s Young Spokespersons took the 2006 National Conference by storm when they hosted the closing session on Sunday.
The seven young people received a standing ovation from the 600 participants, reflecting the buoyant mood of the Movement as we approach our Centenary.
One audience member commented: 'All spoke elegantly, confidently, maturely, with enthusiasm and having a sense of humour about taking The Association forward.' They were also able to say that ‘yes they need the skills and knowledge of the older generation, but please pass on that knowledge to the young people and work alongside them’.
The focus of the hugely successful two-day conference was on the recruitment and retention of adults, and in particular how we can use 2007 as a year to achieve real growth for Scouting.
During the opening plenary, it was noted that our Centenary year will undoubtedly create a surge in interest in Scouting, encouraging more adults and young people to join. However, with this comes a number of challenges and the conference was designed to address these and look at ways to meet the increased demand. Throughout the weekend, participants got involved in workshops and discussion groups about moving The Association into the next century.
There was also ample opportunity for networking and people were busy sharing ideas, best practice and their Centenary plans throughout the weekend.
The Scout Association’s AGM was held on the Saturday, during which a number of new appointments were announced.
At the end of the conference the Young Spokespeople laid down a challenge to all attending: ‘move forward, don’t come back to the conference in two years with the same problems’.
As people departed, the general mood was one of determination to take full advantage of the opportunities created by our Centenary, as well as anticipation of the year ahead.
The outcomes, key presentations and other resources from the conference will be uploaded over the next two weeks onto the National Conference site.
