1. [Presenters names and roles]
[Location] DC Search
[Presenters names and roles]
Welcome and Introductions
Any logistics

2. Purpose of the meeting is to find out:
what you would like from your district,
what you feel are the priorities for your district and
what volunteer structure/team/roles are needed to achieve these priorities to enable more and more young people to experience the fun, challenge and adventures of Scouting.
To start we would like to share with you the Scout Associations vision towards show the video. Or
to download and save to your machine if internet is not available at your venue/your machine is not running with the most up to date software.

3. District Functions District Executive Function Appointments Process
GSL Support
Sectional Support
Training Support
Internal Communication
Recruitment
Adventurous Activity Permit Scheme
Development
External Communication
ACTIVITY
Flipchart Paper- working in groups, identify the different district functions that are needed to support Scouting in the District.
Compare participants responses to those on the slide
Explorer Scouting
Networking and Promoting Scouting
Network Section
Nights Away

4. SWOT analysis of [District name]
So, now lets look at the District as a whole and consider its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
ACTIVITY
Break into small groups and give each group a number of post-it notes
Each group should note down on individual post-its the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threat facing the District. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Opportunities and threats are external factors that can all influence the future of your District.
Strengths = things that you are good at now, and need to be maintained and built on
Weaknesses = things that are not good right now, that need to be remedied, changed or stopped altogether
Opportunities = things that are good for the future that need prioritising. They need to identified, built on and optimised
Threats = things that are not good for the future, that need to be planned for and countered.
Stick the Post-its on 4 separate walls/areas and discuss them as a whole group.

5. Priorities ACTIVITY cont…
Looking through the items on the post-it notes are any of them clear priorities? Consider the importance/urgency levels of the things on the post-its. How would the group prioritise them?

6. Myth Buster Hold a Scout appointment for 5 years
Its a ‘Full Time’ role
Its a minimum of 5 years commitment
Someone has to nominate you
Lose touch with ‘REAL’ Scouting & young people
‘VOTES’ Count
Follow in the previous DC footsteps
If I leave my role no one will replace me
Need to be a ‘professional’ manager
Now lets look a bit more specifically about the role of District Commissioner. There are a number of common myths or misconceptions about the role of DC, many of which are completely untrue.
‘FORE-GONE’ CONCLUSION
You have to be a Scout
Need to be able to ‘AFFORD’ to do it
GSL & ADC first...

7. Managing your time and personal skills
The DC Role
Using resources
Managing your time and personal skills
Enabling Change
Achieving results
Working with people
Providing direction
It is vital to define the role, so that all parties are clear about what the DC does and does not do.
The Scout Association has identified six key leadership and management skills that volunteers in management roles should demonstrate. These skills will help a manager to motivate volunteers, lead by example, and encourage excellence in all aspects of local Scouting.
Providing direction - As an effective manager in Scouting you will create a vision for Scouting in your area and provide clear leadership to implement that vision.
Working with people - As an effective manager in Scouting you will create a team spirit and work effectively with people in your area based on trust and the fundamentals of Scouting.
Achieving results - As an effective manager in Scouting you will ensure that goals are achieved, plans are seen through to completion and that good relationships are maintained with parents of young people in Scouting and the local community.
Enabling change - As an effective manager in Scouting you will encourage people to think of creative ways to improve Scouting in your area and then implement the appropriate improvements.
Using resources - As an effective manager in Scouting you will ensure that sufficient resources and information are available to help people in your area to provide excellent Scouting.
Managing your time and personal skills - As an effective manager in Scouting you will use your time effectively and continue to learn and improve the skills that you bring to your role.
(Each of these areas is then further defined for each of the main management roles in Scouting in their role description.)

8. The person(s) Ability to manage adults
Good communication and interpersonal skills
Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, inspire and build relationships with others
Be able to devise and implement plans
Understand the needs of adult volunteers
Be resourceful energetic, and enthusiastic
To be a member of the Scout Movement
So, in basic terms, we are looking for people with these skills. If you have these skills then it is likely that you will enjoy being a DC or part of the DC Team.

9. Team DC
The role of DC is vast, but there are many ways that a District can approach it. One way that is proving to be quite successful is the appointment of a ‘Team DC’.
Show video

10. If I were.... ACTIVITY Give out the If I were... Sheets
Explain that this is a name generating activity to identify potential teams of people that you feel could work well together. It in no way commits anyone to anything, and is just the opportunity for you to consider the people you know, and whether they could do various aspects of the role. It is purely hypothetical, so there is no reason to consider people’s time restraints, or whether you feel that they would be interested in the role etc.
Complete the following 4 tasks
If you were... DC who would be your 2 Deputies
If you were.... Deputy DC who would be the DC and the other Deputy
If you were… part of a Team DC, who would be the others in your team
If it was....completely up to you.

11. Support… DC Induction – RDS - & DDC Induction CC 1:1 Support
DC Support Days at Gilwell
Managers Web Pages & Facebook group
GSL Support Days
For anyone wishing to take on the role there is lots of support available, both locally and nationally.

12. Following what you have heard this evening, we would really like you to think about people that you know, both inside and outside of Scouting whom you would be good at the role of DC or as part of a team.
Nominating people doesn’t commit them to anything – they will likely be contacted by a member of the Search Group to discuss the fact that their name has been put forward, talk about the role in more detail, and explore some of the flexible options available if they are interested in taking on the role. If they are interested, they will be asked to complete an application form.
People have until [date] to apply, at which point the Search Group will start the shortlisting process. Shortlisting should be based solely on the information provided by each candidate on their application form. The final shortlist, along with any recommendations for role sharing etc. will be passed to [CC’s name]. It is the responsibility of the Search Group to ensure that the people named on the final shortlist are happy for their names to go forward.
The CC will then either interview or meet with the candidates informally, and then make a decision of who they wish to appoint, based on the approval of the Appointments Advisory Committee.
Nomination and application forms can be found [website/ /etc], and need to be submitted by [closing date].