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Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

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Readiness checklist

A handy list of tasks to help get ready for using our new digital systems and processes

Quick links

What is the readiness checklist

The readiness checklist is designed to help Counties*, Districts & Groups to prepare for their migration to the new digital system in 2024. 

The checklist covers all the tasks that need completing before we go-live with the new digital system and will help you to measure local readiness, so that everyone in your patch is ready to get started with the new digital system and processes. On this page, you will find downloadable versions of the Readiness Checklists and supporting information for each of the tasks, which will be regularly updated as new resources and information become available. 

*In the checklists, and supporting materials, please read 'County' to mean Area/Bailiwick/Branch/County/Island/Region(Scotland) as appropriate. 

How to start using the readiness checklist

  • Download the appropriate readiness checklist.
  • View and track progress of your local readiness by working through the tasks on the checklist.
  • Supporting information, resources and links are also available on this webpage for all the tasks.
Download the Group readiness checklist
Download the District readiness checklist
Download the County readiness checklist

Each County, District and Group will have tasks to complete to prepare for the migration to the new digital systems.  

It's important to understand that the go-live of the new digital system, structures and processes are not dependant on these tasks being complete locally. However, when the digital system does go-live, Counties, Districts & Groups who have completed more of the checklist will find their migration much smoother, have fewer local queries and generally have less work to do post-migration.  

We’ll provide lots of support for volunteers during and after migration from HQ, however, many queries will only be able to be answered locally as each area will have their own structures and processes. This is why it's important to be able to track your local readiness as it will help to ensure a smooth transition in your County/District/Group.  

The checklist covers all the tasks that need completing before we go-live with the new digital system. This includes tasks which you might not yet be able to complete as the information (for example how you’ll complete a permit application in the new system) is not yet available. This webpage will be updated with this information once available.

The checklist is written as a series of statements which you can then track the answer to. However, it is also completely adaptable to how you want to use this as a County and how you want to distribute this to your Districts and Groups. You might want to:

  • Change the language to be a series of simple statements
  • Share only the currently completable tasks and share the other tasks once the supporting resources are available
  • Share only the ‘important’ tasks and follow up with the ‘useful’ tasks later
  • Include additional tasks relevant to your County

On the checklist, each task will be marked with a reference made up of one of the following letters and a number, so they are easy to find: 

  • M = Tasks to prepare to migrate data from Compass to the new digital system
  • P = Tasks to prepare to operate updated scouting processes 
  • G = Tasks to make sure the right governance will be in place post-migration.  

The referencing (M1, P3, G5 etc.) are consistent across each of the three checklists, for example M1 is always measuring Email Addresses. 

The supporting material for the task will be marked with the same reference. 

There's more detail on how to use the checklist available on the ‘How to use guide’ tab on the checklist. 

Any questions? Please talk to your local Transformation Lead and delivery team.

  

Readiness checklist supporting materials

Once you’ve downloaded the checklist and viewed the relevant tasks for your local area, you can use the relevant accordions below (which provide additional information, resources and links) to help you complete each of the tasks. 

Data Migration Readiness 

Important tasks to complete between now and 4 weeks before migration:  

It’s important that Compass is updated with personal and unique email addresses, for all members, as these will be used to login to the new digital system. 

Members without email addresses should be supported to create these locally or using the Digital Skills Tool. Where this is not possible, there will be a proxy system available, the details of this will be shared when available. 

All Compass updates must be complete and recorded on Compass four weeks before migration.  

Useful links

Any roles not showing as ‘full’ at the point of data migration will be moved to the new system at their current stage in the current appointment process. It is important that all steps in the current appointment process which have been completed are updated on Compass. 

A list of roles that are not yet at full status can be obtained using the Compass Appointments report, which should then be run through the Compliance Assistant.  

All Compass updates, including completed steps in the current appointment process, must be complete and recorded on Compass by four weeks before transition. 

Useful links   

Any modules not shown as validated in Compass will not be migrated to the new digital system. For ‘Getting Started’ modules, this will mean the member will be required to complete the relevant Growing Roots learning. 

All Compass updates must be complete and recorded on Compass four weeks before migration. 

Useful links  

  • Compass Update Guide - Part E
  • Relevant links to the new Learning pages will be added once available later in 2023 

  

Useful tasks to complete between now and 4 weeks before migration:  

Having accurate roles in Compass will make sure that members are accurately migrated to the new digital system. Each member role, including Occasional Helper & PVG-only roles, should be up to date on Compass – this includes the closure of any roles that are no longer required.  

For Occasional Helper/PVG-only roles that are still required, it would be useful to add an end-date to the role record that is no more than 54 months (4.5 years) after the role start date. 

All Compass updates must be complete and recorded on Compass four weeks before migration.  

Useful links

Personal details for a member will be migrated to the new digital system. Making sure these are up to date will mean members’ records will be accurate on the new system. This includes Occasional Helpers and PVG-only roles.  

Any duplicate records held for volunteers should be merged into a single record to prevent any duplication in the new system.  

All Compass updates must be complete and recorded on Compass four weeks before migration.  

Useful links  

Section organisation records on Compass can be updated by Group Scout Leaders and District Commissioners. These should accurately reflect the current section details for Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers and Network. Please note: organisation records for Scout Active Support Units will not be migrated to the new system. 

All Compass updates must be complete and recorded on Compass four weeks before migration.  

Useful links  

Any modules not shown as validated in Compass will not be migrated to the new digital system.  

All Compass updates must be complete and recorded on Compass four weeks before migration. 

Useful links 

  • The relevant learning webpages are being developed at the moment and will be added here once available 

 

Scouts Processes Readiness

Important tasks to complete between now and shortly before migration:  

The records for all volunteers will move from Compass to our new digital system. During the migration process, around 85% of volunteers in roles will automatically become part of a new team. Around 15% of current roles can’t automatically transfer to a new team, because we’ll need to make individual decisions based on how those roles work locally. 

For roles that won’t automatically be changed, it’s especially important that Lead Volunteers have conversations with the volunteers to understand their skills, interests and availability, and agree on how they can best give their time in their new teams. 

Useful links  

A core part of the changes to our volunteer experience is centered on the building of new teams. Consider how you’ll put our new structure in place in your local area and who might be leading the new teams created.  

Think about how to embed our task-based approach, and new ways of volunteering together. Look at how people could join your team in a way that works with their skills, interests, and availability, and that meets the needs of your local area and young people. 

You can then agree what your new team structure will look like and start working towards the team descriptions for each team. 

It’s important to note when doing this work:  

  • Which roles will and won’t automatically migrate in the new system
  • SASUs may become sub-teams in the new structure or may fold into a 'main' team but will not automatically migrate across as sub-teams.
  • Sub-team creation requires the prior approval of the relevant Leadership Team 

Useful links  

Accreditations can benefit by allowing the sharing of tasks (and so, workload) with other adults in a team. 

When the new digital system goes live, some volunteers will automatically have accreditations added to their profile due to their current roles. Other accreditations will need to be added manually to volunteers who will be carrying out particular tasks. It’s important that Counties, Districts and Groups are ready to do this immediately after the new system goes live.  

Useful links  

  • Accreditations (information about what accreditations are, and which are available)

Note: You might not be able to fully complete this task just yet 

Several current local Scouts processes will be impacted by the changes to our volunteer experience. This includes processes such as: 

  • Local mailing lists
  • Permit applications and approval
  • Good service awards
  • Appointment processes
  • Dashboards and reporting
  • Nights Away Notifications and authorisations  

This means several local processes set up with Counties, Districts and Groups to manage these may need to change. It’s important to review which local processes will change and make sure these are communicated to volunteers so that when the new digital system goes live, all volunteers can continue to deliver Scouts locally. 

Useful links 

  • Guides and detailed information on how these processes will work in the new digital system are being developed now and will be linked here once available.  

Changes to our volunteer experience will prompt questions from local volunteers. We’ll provide support through the Support Centre but many questions around local team structure and processes will only be able to be answered locally, as these may differ between areas. It would be good to have local support in place.  

What a good local support structure looks like will vary from County to County, so build this to best support the volunteers in your patch. We’ve provided a description of how this support structure might work and the types of support and queries it will likely need to deal with, below. This might be built into your business-as-usual support processes or might be something that you have in place just for a couple months as you migration locally to the new way of volunteering.    

Useful links  

  • A description of what queries your local support structures will likely be handling and ideas for how you might build this structure is in development and will be linked here once available.
  • Digital Skills Tool  

Note: You might not be able to fully complete this task just yet 

When the new digital system goes live, you may need to add information about your new team structures and make sure everyone is listed in the right teams.  

This is particularly important for: 

  • Roles that have no corresponding team on the new system.
  • Volunteers whose roles will change when moving to the new system, for example  if a Group Scout Leader becomes a District Support Team Member
  • All Team Leaders and Sub-Team Leaders 

Useful links 

  • Information for how this can be done, and who will be able to do this will be shared once available, to enable you to agree how this will be done locally.  

  

Useful tasks to complete between now and shortly before migration:  

While it’s important that any volunteers who don’t migrate directly to the new system have a conversation about their future team, it will be very useful locally to make sure that all volunteers have had a discussion around what the change will be to their title and team, along with relevant information on the wider changes to our volunteer experience. This will help to reduce any local uncertainty. 

Useful links 

Note: You might not be able to fully complete this task just yet 

Several processes will change with the introduction of the new digital system. It’s important that this has been well communicated locally, to make sure after migration, as many volunteers as possible understand and are ready to use the new processes which will improve their volunteering experience.  

This is particularly important for those who have an approver role in the processes. 

Useful links  

  • Guides and detailed information on how these processes will work in the new digital system are being developed now and will be linked here once available.  

Note: You might not be able to fully complete this task just yet 

Several processes will change with the introduction of the new digital system. It’s important that this has been well communicated locally to make sure after migration, as many volunteers as possible understand and are ready to use the new processes.  

This is particularly important for those who have an approver role in the processes. 

While strongly recommended, using the new digital system for Nights Away approvals, it is currently not mandatory. It’s important for Counties and Districts to communicate which processes are going to be used, locally. 

Useful links  

  • Guides and detailed information on how these processes will work in the new digital system are being developed now and will be linked here once available.  

Note: You might not be able to fully complete this task just yet 

Several processes will change with the introduction of the new digital system. It’s important that this has been well communicated locally to make sure after migration, as many volunteers as possible understand and are ready to use the new processes.  

This is particularly important for those who have an approver role in the processes. 

Useful links  

  • Guides and detailed information on how these processes will work in the new digital system are being developed now and will be linked here once available.  

Note: You might not be able to fully complete this task just yet 

As part of the new digital system, Lead Volunteers and Team Leaders will have access to new and updated dashboard and reporting to support volunteers. Make sure they have a good understanding of how these will work will help to allow a smooth migration. 

Useful links  

  • Guides and detailed information on how these processes will work in the new digital system are being developed now and will be linked here once available.  

Note: You might not be able to fully complete this task just yet 

From the point of migration, the ‘October 2023’ edition of POR will apply. Making sure this is well communicated in your area will help to make sure the up-to-date policies and rules are being followed. Until then, the July 2023 edition of POR applies. 

Useful links  

  • POR: October 2023 edition (Link TBC)  

Once your new team structure has been agreed it’s important the team is aware of what tasks need to be carried out, if these will differ from those they carry out currently and how they will achieve this locally ready for the migration.  

Teams can begin operating using their new structures informally from before migration too if this is agreed locally.  

Useful links  

Once your new team structure has been agreed it’s important the team is aware of what tasks need to be carried out, if these will differ from those they carry out currently and how they will achieve this locally ready for the migration.  

Teams can begin operating using their new structures informally from before migration too if this is agreed locally.  

Useful links 

Once your new team structure has been agreed it’s important the team is aware of what tasks need to be carried out, if these will differ from those they carry out currently and how they will achieve this locally ready for the migration. 

This includes supporting the joining process and any exceptions, having welcome conversation volunteers in place and continuing to deliver and validate learning along with the other tasks set out in the team description. 

Teams can begin operating using their new structures informally from before migration too if this is agreed locally.  

Useful links  

Once your new team structure has been agreed it’s important the team is aware of what tasks need to be carried out, if these will differ from those they carry out currently and how they will achieve this locally ready for the migration.  

Teams can begin operating using their new structures informally from before migration too if this is agreed locally.  

Useful links  

Once your new team structure has been agreed, it’s important the team is aware of what tasks need to be carried out, if these will differ from those they carry out currently. It’s also important to consider how they will achieve this locally, ready for the migration.  

Teams can begin operating using their new structures informally from before migration too if this is agreed locally.  

Useful links  

Once your new team structure has been agreed it’s important each of the County teams are aware of what tasks need to be carried out, if these will differ from those they carry out currently and how they will achieve this locally ready for the migration.  

Teams can begin operating using their new structures informally from before migration too if this is agreed locally.  

Useful links:  

 

Governance Readiness 

Important tasks to complete between now and 4 weeks before migration:  

Trustee Boards are responsible for effective risk management. The people, culture and digital changes, particularly around the migration to the new system will lead to a number of local changes. These changes will come with some local risks to delivering Scouts – this might be through confusion over local processes, or in some cases volunteers choosing to step down from their current role.  

It's important that Trustee Boards have recognised these risks and identified the appropriate mitigations for these, as necessary. For instance, the use of this checklist to prepare for a smooth migration. It’s important to note that while Trustee Boards should be aware that activity is taking place to mitigate against risk, they don’t have to be carrying out all of the activity themselves.  

Useful links  

  • POR Chapter 5 (Details on the purpose and responsibilities of a Trustee Board) 

Lead Volunteers will be responsible for making sure their area is ready for the changes. As the new digital system, team structures and processes go live, lead volunteers will guide their area in how best to use them, locally.   

It’s important that Lead Volunteers feel they have the information and support needed to perform this role in their local area. 

  

Important tasks to complete between now and shortly before migration:

It is important that Trustee Boards work to their new purpose. This will make sure that they are in line with charity regulation best practice (across all nations) and with the team-based volunteering changes. Trustee boards and their new purpose, came into effect with the April 2023 edition of POR.  

Useful links  

Every charity must have a governing document; in Scouts we call this a constitution. The constitution is formally adopted through the charity’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and it's good practice for it to be re-adopted at every AGM. 

Useful links  

Note: You might not be able to fully complete this task just yet 

To continue to align with charity regulation best practice (across all nations) changes on Trustee Board membership will come into effect after the first AGM after you’ve migrated to the new digital system. It’s important that Trustee Boards are aware of what these changes and how they will be adopted locally.  

Useful links  

  • Moving to Trustee Boards Slide Deck (this is being updated now and will be linked here once this is available)
  • Chairs briefing recording (Briefing sessions are being planned at the moment, the recording of this call will be linked here once this is available)
  • Additional resources such as webpages and annual planners are in development and will be linked here once available 

The readiness checklist

A handy list of tasks to help get ready for using our new digital systems and processes.

Other useful links

This list of resources and webpages may help you with some of the tasks in the readiness checklist. 

Any questions? Talk to your local Transformation Lead and delivery team.