Development plan

[derekchambers]

I am in the middle of trying to put together a 3 year development plan for the group and was wondering if anyone had any examples I could look at

Del

[big chris]

Originally Posted by derekchambers

I am in the middle of trying to put together a 3 year development plan for the group and was wondering if anyone had any examples I could look at

Del

i'm working on something like this but i am thinking it needs to be far longer term.

example:

financial

every year: basic expenses (AMS, utilities etc)
replacements: tents, other kit... based on a reasonable life span
BIG replacements: Minibus, Floor, roof, trailer etc

New plans: New stores

Personnel

potential leadership retirements
new sections
skills training

events

fundraisers
anniversaries
group events and speciality camps
standard camps

all of this can go into a long term plan that should be reviewed regularly by the GSL, treasurer, chairman and anybody else who is relevant

still a work in progress

[derekchambers]

Thanks I was thinking along the libnes of

So here are some headings - think where you are now and where you want
to be at some point in the future (and how you get there).

GSL Proactive, committed
GEC Positions filled
Finance Accounts up to date, funds in hand
Gift Aid Used and managed effectively
Fundraising If needed (GEC responsibility)
Meeting place Well kept and managed
Equipment Adequate, well-maintained
Training All leaders have TAs, PLPs or Wood Badges.
Ongoing learning planned

NA Permits At least one per section
Nights Away Sufficient opportunities per Section
Section Links Link activities, happy to move up
Group Awards Run these
Young Leaders Support, make use, sufficient
Promoting Group Public are aware and supportive, know how to
contact the Group
Parents Willing to help
Section Leaders Two or more per Section, with extra help

[big chris]

Originally Posted by derekchambers

Thanks I was thinking along the libnes of

So here are some headings - think where you are now and where you want
to be at some point in the future (and how you get there).

GSL Proactive, committed
GEC Positions filled
Finance Accounts up to date, funds in hand
Gift Aid Used and managed effectively
Fundraising If needed (GEC responsibility)
Meeting place Well kept and managed
Equipment Adequate, well-maintained
Training All leaders have TAs, PLPs or Wood Badges.
Ongoing learning planned

NA Permits At least one per section
Nights Away Sufficient opportunities per Section
Section Links Link activities, happy to move up
Group Awards Run these
Young Leaders Support, make use, sufficient
Promoting Group Public are aware and supportive, know how to
contact the Group
Parents Willing to help
Section Leaders Two or more per Section, with extra help

i went to a GSL's training course on development plans and that is exactly what they taught us. I cannot see now (as i could not see then) what it has to do with development planning!

it was a traffic light system... we had a couple on amber... everything else was green!

that said (pretty much) that we did not need a plan. Crap. Utter Crap...

To my mind, a development plan is what is put in place after one has analysed the situation. All we were given was a tool to analyse.

We all left the seminar very dissapointed.

[PeterSheppard]

I've got a rolling 1-year and 5-year plan for my county's network. Its based on the NAOMIE model, with the "needs" being the 6 strategic priorities from towards 2012 (Growing, Focussed, Sound, Relevant, Youth, Diverse Movement).

I can email on request by PM, but can't publish it because of some of the specific details.

[weefatbob]

I'd agree with Chris' post.

All the 'templates' i've seen on ScoutBase or emailed around at GSL conferences are based on a model for a Scout Group which I've never encountered. The fact is a development plan should be in every possible way specific to the Group - so you do need to start from scratch, sit down and look at what you are doing not as well as you would like.

The problem I have with the traffic light one is that great I could sit down and see that I have amber for a few things and green for everything else. I can take a holiday then, right?

Wrong! My Group is great at some things, and terrible at other things - the point of a development plan is not to sing the praises for what you do well but to note the things you want to improve and the route to that improvement.

Bob

[Bushfella]

I am in the middle of trying to put together a 3 year development plan for the group and was wondering if anyone had any examples I could look at

I've never actually had the development plan written down. Like almost all business plans they rarely materialise as expected.

You need to look at where you are now, and where you want to be in one, two, three, five years time. Oh, and if Govrnments cannot plan more than five years ahead, then there is little chance that we can either

It happens that I'm going to have to produce a Dev Plan for Whitley Beaumont. In my mind it is quite simple. Stop the Rot, Rebuild the Site, Job Done... But obviously it needs a little work....

[GSLLee]

Feel free to have a look at our Group Development Plan

www.1st-hainault.org.uk/development

[petewill222]

A development plan is awesome in practice but first you need to attain as to what you have and what you need NOW... that way you can act short term to benefit long term...

i.e. There is no point spending 3 months searching for a completely new exec, if you only have 3 kids in each section... Grow your numbers of kids first, and get parents involved, once parents get involved they can slowly be 'utilised' into your group...

This is exactly what I have done with my explorer section, and we are now currently standing at 30 explorers, and sorting out our own committee and also our long term development plan.

[Mark W]

Originally Posted by petewill222

A development plan is awesome in practice but first you need to attain as to what you have and what you need NOW...

Uh...isn't that a Development Plan? Surely the whole point of having a plan is to prioritise what you need to do in the short, medium and long term and focus on the important stuff?

[petewill222]

Originally Posted by Mark W

Uh...isn't that a Development Plan? Surely the whole point of having a plan is to prioritise what you need to do in the short, medium and long term and focus on the important stuff?

Agreed... He He... But its difficult to plan to make a plan...