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Happy New Year and welcome to the 7th edition of eNews.

Welcome to Nicola Ashby, a new member of the 6to25 Programme Team based at Gilwell Park who is currently supporting the Cub Scout Team whilst Steve Moysey is on a secondment.

Thanks to the hard work of a member of the UK Adviser's team we have been able to put a template on to Scoutbase for the Chief Scouts Silver award certificate. The template is available with two different fonts: Cub Scout Revue font and Ariel. This means that you can now fill in the fields on the template, pop the certificate into your printer and produce a smart printed certificate to present to your Cubs!

Use the link below:

www.scoutbase.org.uk/6to25/cub/resources/certs.htm

The new DC support resource is being completed and should be ready for issue very soon. The resource includes case studies and ideas of different ways to "grow and develop" Cub Scouting for DCs and their teams. The challenge as we have been saying for several months now is not to just grow the section but to make that growth sustainable. Recognising that District Commissioners are key to maintaining this, the new resource will offer guidance and support. However, ACCs/ARCs have a critical role to play in helping DCs and ADCs fulfil that goal.

Copies will be made available for all ACCs/ARCs to ensure that you have the same level of understanding and information when you pop along to support the development of the Cub Scout section.

We were heartened to discover at the recent Programme Development, Advice and Support events how well the Scouting Magazine Supplement is being received. In the future we are hoping to engage more people to contribute to each issue including ACCs/ARCs. Watch out in the February/March issue for some of these changes.

As a 'heads-up' to ACC's/ARCs; a National Challenge is to be launched through the Supplement later in 2009. At your meetings and visits please discuss with leaders and young people what the section could do for a national challenge and then send your suggestions in to the Cub Scout office. We are keen for the section to feel enthused and joined-up through 2009 into 2010.

A questionnaire has been prepared and trialled at the Beaver and Cub Scout Fundays on the 20th-21st June 2008. Initial feedback has been good, although we still recognise that there are many Packs out there that do not get the opportunities to go to the bigger events, and we are working on making sure that their voices are also heard.

We have now secured funding to produce a second Programmes Plus book and are working on the content along with the International, and Faiths and Beliefs teams. This resource will focus on the Global and Beliefs and Attitudes zones only, providing leaders with 40 programme ideas for the two most Challenging zones.

A group from each of the Sections are currently putting together a Section Supporters Toolkit. The Toolkit will be a CD based resource that will contain information for any one who is taking on a Section Supporters role. The CD will have everything from support structures to event management and from example role descriptions to ideas to support section leaders.

If you have any good practice or information that you would like to add into this process please get in touch with Nicola Ashby at cub.scout@scout.org.uk

Another Your Programme, Your Voice questionnaire was sent out at the end of November following the success of the previous three.

This time, the Beaver and Scout Sections were included, with questionnaires of their own, similar to the first Cub questionnaire.

Information from the four questionnaires are being analysed and some interesting trends are emerging which will inform the work of the Cub Scout Team over coming years.

The team have been out during the back end of last year attending the first batch of workshops. It has been great fun meeting many of you and in particular, getting feedback on what is happening in your Region. We are looking forward to meeting the rest of you at your own workshops in the next couple of months.

The Development, Advice and Support days have been held in a number of Regions across England since October '08. Feedback received so far has been extremely positive. If you are an adult supporting sections you will be contacted directly with further details of the forthcoming days.

The dates for the next days are:

North West of England - 08/02/09

Scotland - 13-15/02/09

Wales - 28/03/09

East of England - 29/03/09

Northern Ireland - To be confirmed

For more information on the workshops see:

www.scoutbase.org.uk/6to25/cub/news/rdaas.htm

If you have attended one of the Programme Development, Advice and Support Days and would like any more support please don't hesitate to contact us on programme@scout.org.uk

Please also remember that the presentations are available online for you to use to support Scouting locally.

Do you know Section Leaders or Assistant Section Leaders who need to complete their training for their Wood Badge? If so, the next Section Leaders' Training course may be of interest to them.

When is it? 18th - 24th April 2009

What does it cover? This course gives practical information, advice and support for running your Colony, Pack, Troop or Unit.

You will operate in cross-sectional or sectional groups depending on the nature of the subject. You will be able to try out new ideas and theories and you will return home with a host of new skills that you will be able to directly apply to your role.

The following 14 modules of the Adult Training Scheme are covered: 5-9, 11-19.

How much does it cost? £399 Residential, £255 Camping including all meals

For more information and/or an application form please email adult.support@scout.org.uk, go to www.scouts.org.uk/gilwelltraining or phone 0845 300 1818

The British Red Cross are developing a new strategy for first aid learning for young people and would like to hear the thoughts, ideas and experiences of leaders and young people in Scouting. Your responses will help them to develop their strategy, and may influence the way we work with the British Red Cross to provide first aid learning to young people in Scouting in the future.

There are two questionnaires. Both can be completed online or downloaded to email back to:

adult.support@scout.org.uk

Questionnaire for leaders (aimed at leaders in all Sections)

Complete online by visiting http://q.scouts.org.uk/s/E2jXJ12tV-oFJdf or download

Questionnaire for young people (aimed primarily at Scout, Explorer and Network members)

Complete online by visiting http://q.scouts.org.uk/s/4ZuoQkHmCC8Ln7H or download

The closing date for completion of questionnaires is 13th February 2009

In September 2008 the Association's rules for under 8s at Cub Scout meetings were changed following clarification of how the Children Act 1989 applies to Scouting. Young people can now join the Cub Scout section between the ages of 7.5 and 8.5, at a time suitable to the young person, leaders and parents/carers. The core age for Cub Scouts remains 8 to 10 and half, and for Beaver Scouts remains 6 to 8 years old. Please make sure that all involved in Cub Scouting in your County/Area/Region are aware of these changes.

To see the briefing document and a list of FAQs please go to:

www.scoutbase.org.uk/6to25/

In March, our youth sites will be retired in their current form. In the meantime, consultation and review with volunteers, parents and of course young people is taking place to determine the best sort of provision for our youth members online. If you have thoughts and ideas on this subject, we would be grateful to hear them at web.team@scout.org.uk Basic badge requirements and programme descriptions will still be available at this link:

www.scouts.org.uk/cubs

For the latest information from the Activities and Global team at UKHQ, please visit:

www.scoutbase.org.uk/6to25/enews/activitiesjan09.htm

www.scoutbase.org.uk/6to25/enews/globaljan09.htm

We are starting to get requests to attend different meetings, workshops and events from Counties/Areas and Districts around the UK. To remind you, the topics we can cover include:

Programmes Online

Programme Planning

International ideas in the Programme

Nights Away

Young Leaders

HQ updates

And more, we can also come and build a 'bespoke' Programme session on whatever you need. So if you think we can help, do get in touch.

Just contact Nicola Ashby at:cub.scout@scout.org.uk

If you have any ideas that you feel would make future issues even more helpful, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Andrew Wellbeloved

UK Commissioner for Programme

Graeme Hamilton

UK Adviser for Cub Scouts

Nicola Ashby

Programme and Development Adviser