Dual roles - District and Group

[SteveF]

I think that Simon and shiftypete have both made a very good point. There is a way to do these things in Scouting and as Simon says it is up to the DC to make the first move.

[Rob_82]

As someone who took over the role of GSL from someone with a similar history with the Group (50+ years service as SL and laterly GSL) as far as I can tell the DC as part of the GSL's review meeting basically asked him to look at sucession planning and who would take over from him and to have a time table to hand over to a successor. I think he actually saw it as a bit of a relief and was happy that it felt like his decision and he was pretty much able to nominate his successor. Once I agreed to take on the GSL role he was actually keen to hand over sooner than I wanted lol.

I think he saw me as someone he was happy to hand over to as I was one of his Scouts, and have been involved in the Group my whole life so he saw me as someone who would be a safe custodian for the Group not someone that would trash his legacy and change to Group so it was unrecognisable. I asked him to stay on as my AGSL a role that he fufils very well and does his best not to step on my toes (not always successful but not enought to bother me) and it would be hard for me to do all the things he still does for the Group in the background.

*edit* just to add I was 36 when I became GSL and was and still am the youngest GSL in our District

I thought being 38 was young for GSL but being proven wrong there with other peoples exeriences!

I think the points you make sums up my scenario exactly. I've been with the group since I was 9 years old (Cubs, Scout, Venture), then into a leadership role at 18. The current Acting GSL has been with the group since it's inception and has always been there. I know he has discussed succession planning with the DC but I think she feels (as does the ADC) that if he leaves it to his plans then there won't be a viable group to take over, especially with the low numbers in younger sections. Therefore, she is after making the changes sooner rather than later. I think, and i'm sure our incumbent would also think that it should be someone that knows the group, wants to preserve it's history whilst plannign for the future. I definitely would like to avoid a scenario where the DC forces our hands and puts someone new in. I think an AGSL supporting role might be a good thing to consider - whether he is as able as yours to loosen the reins is another matter!