Top tips for running an effective section rota

When organising a rota or asking people to pledge a certain amount of time to scouting, have a good think about the tasks that need to be done, and particularly give them a real job to do – making the squash is fine, but it doesn’t warrant them giving up an entire evening!

Planning your programme in advance lets you know how many helpers you need. Why ask for two helpers every week when one week you might need four and the next you won’t need any.

Make sure people know what you want them to do in advance – either the week before when they pick their child up or give them a ring. It can be daunting for people who don’t know what to expect.

Try to find someone to coordinate your rota for you…

If a parent tells you they can’t ever come because of younger brothers or sisters, this is a great job to offer them as it can be done from home (or even more likely, in the school playground!)

Have an up-to-date section rota and distribute it to everyone involved. This keeps everyone up-to-date with when they need to come along and the programme for the evening. It also allows people to know who to swap weeks with if they need to.

Display a copy of your rota somewhere prominent in your meeting place. This will act as a constant reminder that you operate a rota and who has signed up to help on which evenings.

Try not to make the rota a chore. Let parents know that when they agree to take part in a rota, they will be able to have a taste of what scouting is really about. Get them involved in activities and games and make them feel as though they are contributing to the success of a meeting.

Find out if the parents who are helping have any particular skills or interests. Try to incorporate these into your meetings. If parents feel that they can contribute to young people gaining an award, you may find that they become more motivated to find out other ways in which they can help.

Don’t be afraid to ask people or their relatives for help. Research shows that most people will say ‘yes’ if asked to help with a specific task. By giving people the opportunity to have taste of what volunteering for the scouts is like, you may find yourself with some potential leaders for the future.

Organise a trip or adventurous activity and take more helpers along than you need. The helpers will have fun, enjoy the activity and it may increase their interest to get more involved.

Expand the rota to a family rota, where it doesn’t matter who helps out on that particular week, as long as someone is there. For example, it could be an aunt, uncle, grandparent, brother, sister or neighbour. This takes the pressure of one person and adds diversity in age range, experience and skills.

REMEMBER – it’s a slow process – it is unlikely you will get people making the leap from no involvement to full involvement. Most people will start off on a rota and gradually take on more commitment if they are interested. This process can take over a year.

Flexibility, flexibility, flexibility!
Be prepared to accept what people have to give. Make their experience an enjoyable one and hopefully they will come back for more. But if they don't, accept this and move on. Don't push a commitment so far that you scare that person off for good. Whilst your long-term objective may be to get parents to become leaders you need to accept that some may never want to do this and that what they can offer as a helper is just as valuable.

Talk to parents about what their child has gained from scouting
With nine in ten parents saying scouting is a worthwhile activity for their children to take part in, few would be happy to be told that groups are closing down every week due to lack of adult support. Talking about the benefits of scouting, and the need to ensure it continues to be successful, may make parents think about the situation and how they could play a part in solving it.

Show parents what they can gain from helping out
People are busy and need to prioritise how they spend their free time. When pulled in so many directions, some people will ask what’s in it for me? By showing them how fun and rewarding scouting can be you are much more likely to get them to help out.

Learn more about your parents
Who are they? What do they do for a job? Do they work part time and therefore have more time on their hands? What are their hobbies? Also, don't forget the parents of those on your waiting list if you have one.

Communicate, communicate, communicate!
Nothing is better than asking them face-to-face. Why not have a social event just for parents and showcase some of the projects their children have been involved with and highlight forthcoming activities? Put people in a better frame of mind with some refreshments.

Think differently
Why not hold your investitures in an unusual or memorable place; invite all parents on a parent and child weekend camp or organise a parent and child event where parents can join in with the activities and witness the fun at first hand?

Allay their fears
Make sure your groups parents' welcome pack dispels most of the myths attributed to scouting but it will be down to you to ensure a parent feels confident and happy from the outset.

Make parents feel part of the 'family'
Many people often use scouting jargon that others would not understand. Try and put yourself in the perspective of someone who is new to scouting and explain the terminology as you go along. Avoid using terms such as CSL or GSL use the full title instead.

Don't be afraid to ask for help
But don't look desperate either!