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21st European Scout Conference Document 9a Partnership Fund the Future

21st European Scout Conference Document 9a

21st European Scout Conference Document 9a

Partnership Fund the future

Proposal: The European Scout Committee recognises the benefits that the Region (NSOs/NSAs) has derived from the Centenary Fund/Partnership Fund over the 14-year period of their operation. It is therefore of the opinion that this should continue in the next triennium, despite the financial constraints that the current world economic and financial crises have brought to the income of the European Scout Region. It is believed however that the Partnership Fund may develop to be more efficient and more effective and productive if: a. It represents a genuine partnership between the respective NSO/NSA and the Region. For this purpose the project applications should in the future specify how the Region will be involved in the execution of the project and/or dissemination of the results to other NSOs. Projects will continue to be closely monitored through the committee contact system. This procedure was enhanced during the last triennium and has proved to be very constructive and efficient. Applications from Kandersteg International Scout Centre Committee may be accepted on the same basis as for NSO and NSA applications, on the merit of the project submitted. The total overall amount allocated to each project not to exceed a total of 10,000. It is evident that projects that have been granted with smaller sums have been more efficient and effective rather than projects granted larger amounts of support. The European Scout Committee may be permitted to provide funding above the level of 10,000 for exceptional projects. Where possible, give priority to projects for which additional external funding is sought. For this purpose the Brussels Office can offer its expertise in identifying and matching potential external funding opportunities. Thus the objective will be to target on a multiplier rather than on an additive effect: From: To: Internal Funding + External Funding = Net Benefit Internal Funding X External Funding = Net Benefit.

b. c.

d.

Therefore, the European Scout Committee proposes the refinement of the Partnership Fund detailed above for the Triennium 2013-2016 and suggests a mid term review to ensure the Partnership continues with the positive support started under the Centenary Fund and continued to the present through the Partnership Fund.

21st European Scout Conference Document 9a

Background The Centenary Fund was in operation since the 16th European Scout Conference in Luxemburg (1998). It was replaced by the Partnerships Fund for Development and Growth in 2007 and is now termed the Partnership Fund, investing in projects conceived in partnership between the NSOs/NSAs and the Region to support the development and growth of Scouting. The initial proposal was presented at the 16th European Scout Conference for establishing the Centenary Fund. Conference Document 7a of the 19th European Scout Conference (Slovenia, 2007), as appears on the evaluation of the 19902007 Centenary Fund, states the following (points highlighted are considered to be most important for evaluation purposes): The initial proposal for the Centenary Fund, as presented in the European Scout Plan 1999-2007, at the 16th European Scout Conference, Luxembourg, 1998, was formulated as follows: With the support of the Fund for European Scouting (McIntosh Bequest) and the European Scout Foundation, a special fund of two million dollars will be created to support innovative projects relating to the implementation of the world strategy presented by national associations. This fund, aimed at stimulating the development of Scouting in Europe, will be called the European Scout Centenary Fund. Projects supported by this fund will be presented in the Global Development Village or the World Scout Centre of the 2007 World Scout Jamboree. The proposal was warmly welcomed by the 16th European Scout Conference and the first applications were invited in 1998 for projects beginning in 1999. Continuing proposal 2007 A similar Conference Document (7a, 19th European Scout Conference, Slovenia, 2007) stated that: During the last triennium (2004-2007), a task force was created to carry out an overall evaluation of the impact of the Centenary Fund on the development of the NSOs/NSAs. This task force, composed of one committee member, two representatives of NSAs and two staff members, met in May 2005 and made the following recommendation to the European Scout Committee: An adjustment to the time schedule for applying and reporting for each project supported by the Fund: the project applications should be received well in advance, by 15 September each year instead of 31 December. The final report would be required a month later than previously required, i.e. by 31 January of the following year instead of 31 December. By making these simple changes the project implementation time was extended to a full calendar year, giving the opportunity to NSOs/NSAs to run longer-term projects with the potential for a more significant impact in their development.

21st European Scout Conference Document 9a

The NSOs/NSAs, the ESC contact members and the office staff should work more closely when projects are being developed. The needs of the NSOs/NSAs should be better assessed in order to make sure the project meets the priorities of the NSOs/NSAs. The areas covered could be broadened but should remain within the framework of the strategic priorities. The Centenary of Scouting was noted and a recommendation that consideration should be given to centenary activities and Gifts for Peace projects. The output of the World Scout Conference in Tunisia regarding the strategy should be taken into consideration. The structure of the application form was reviewed and improved.

The recommendations were adopted by the European Scout Committee and implemented for the last two years in the operation of the Centenary Fund. The task force also recognised that, if all the projects did not contribute to a growth in membership they, at least, would enable some Central and Eastern European NSOs/NSAs to maintain a minimal support structure to facilitate their activities. These recommendations to the European Scout Committee resulted in a new proposal to the 19th European Scout Conference to create the new fund entitled the Partnership for Development and Growth Fund. The proposal was presented in Conference Document 7b. However before looking at the new proposal it is worth reading the conclusions of the then European Scout Committee as presented in Conference Document 7a, reading as follows: The evaluation of the Centenary Fund undertaken by the European Scout Committee ensured that the Fund remained relevant to the needs of the Region as well as the individual associations. It has to be acknowledged that without the financial resources made available through the Fund, supplemented by direct action with associations, some associations would have found the economic situation impossible to survive. Within the Region many associations do not have the benefit of government financial support, many receive little recognition for the role they are struggling to fulfil in society, and some associations suffer from the legacies of former political systems. To all those who made applications the European Scout Committee pays tribute to you for your commitment to Scouting and for the time taken to prepare the application. To those who were successful in your application the European Scout Committee thanks you, on behalf of the young people who benefited as a result of your actions today and in the future. To those who were unsuccessful the European Scout Committee remains committed to finding ways of working with you to find alternative solutions.

21st European Scout Conference Document 9a

One hundred and fifty one projects were funded from the Centenary Fund. All may not have achieved every predicted outcome, but all required vision to see the way ahead, all required effort to undertake the actions and programmes and all required dedication to stick at the task even when trying to report positively on a difficult situation. Many lessons have been learned on all sides and that learning experience has been incorporated in the proposal for Partnership for Development and Growth Fund, which the European Scout Committee has designed to replace the Centenary Fund. The European Scout Committee and the regional staff are committed to continue to develop the partnership approach to this important area of the work of the region. Partnership for Development and Growth Fund / Partnership Fund Conference Document 7b proposed to the 19th European Scout Conference the creation of the PDGF identifying some important considerations stated as: In the design of the Partnership for Development and Growth Fund the diversity of European Scouting and the diversity of the needs are recognized. Therefore, the proposal is to create a flexible new fund, adapted to the different needs that arise, especially due to the differences in the state of development of the NSOs/NSAs across the Region.

In addition to these important considerations in the proposal part of document 7b the following have been stated: It is proposed that the Partnership for Development and Growth Fund should integrate all the factors mentioned above and that it should reflect and respond to the diversity of needs and state of development of different NSOs/NSAs. Since the Partnership for Development and Growth Fund will be open to all NSOs/NSAs, they will be invited to apply for the support of projects according to their specific needs and priorities. In this respect, a prior consultation with the Committee Contact Member and/or the European Office Staff Contact Member, will be essential to agree the fundamental principles and the parameters on which the project will be based and the priorities that it will cover. All projects will be considered to be partnership projects between the NSOs/NSAs involved and the Region. The degree of Regional involvement will be decided by the Region, on the basis of the importance of the project and the assessment of the expected involvement and contribution from the Regions side to maximize the impact on the NSO/NSA involved. In this decision, a serious consideration should be given on the ability of the Region to provide the necessary support, given its human resources constraints.

The benefits of applying this approach will be that: The European Scout Committee contact system will be enhanced and further supported.

21st European Scout Conference Document 9a

A focused, tailor-made approach will be implemented. The NSOs/NSAs will be assisted to prioritise their needs and develop a more effective and efficient strategic plan. The Region will have a clearer overview of the use of the funds made available. Partnership agreements between the Region and the NSOs/NSAs will be put into practice, which may be further used as examples of good practice for developing similar or other types of partnership agreements with partners outside Scouting. The Region will have a better knowledge of the situation in NSOs/NSAs to enable more effective decision making. A better utilisation of the financial resources and support to NSOs/NSAs will be achieved.

With this as a historical overview, what became known as the Partnership Fund has been in the service of the European Scout Region to support the development and growth of Scouting for the last six years. What is the Amount Invested? Have we invested too much or too little? The total amount invested by the European Scout Region over the period 1999-2010 on a triennial basis is shown in table 1 below as follows: Table 1: Centenary Fund and Partnership Fund for Development and Growth European Scout Region Investment
Triennium 1999 2001 954,900 2002 2004 910100 2005 2007 664,000 354,300 341,215 2008 2010 2011 2013 Total CF Total PFDG

(USD) (EUR)

2,509,000 695,515

Obviously the natural question asked in a case like this is is this too much or too little? The European Scout Committee at its last meeting of the Triennium 2010-13 has discussed the issue and tried to evaluate the fund. The evaluation was done on the basis of a questionnaire that the ESC members were asked to fill on the basis of which an evaluation matrix was completed. The matrix was drawn on two parameters: a. b. The evaluation of the level of the amount invested, Investment Level (i.e. too much or too little?) The achievement of the goals set to fulfil through the life of the fund and the considerations raised at each level of its development over its 14year life of existence, Net Benefit. This was taken as the average of the answers to 30 questions raised in a questionnaire within the 1-5 range.

Thus the evaluation matrix takes the following form:

21st European Scout Conference Document 9a

Investment Level

High Investment Low Net Benefit

High Investment High Net Benefit

Totally Undesirable

Desirable

Evaluation position of Partnership Fund

Low Investment Totally Low Net Benefit Undesirable Undesirable

Low Investment High Net Benefit Most Desirable Net Benefit

The European Scout Committee has placed its evaluation in the most desirable box of the matrix (lower right box). This was the result of the average Net Benefit questionnaire analysis with an average score of 3.44 points in the 1-5 scale and a 2.3 points average score in the same scale evaluating the Investment Level, answering the question: Do you believe that the amount of investment in the Partnership Fund given the financial position and capacities of the Region and given the outcome of the investment was high or low? How Many Projects Were Funded through the Partnership Fund? The total amount of 695,515 was used for funding 46 projects. The type, nature and duration of each project varied based on the specific needs of each participating National Scout Organisation/Association. The full list of Partnership Fund projects is below and the reports on those projects undertaken in the current triennium are to be found in Conference Document 9b Partnership Fund - Projects 2008 February Czech Republic Finland Ireland Israel Italy - CNGEI New 2 new youth programme Action for Growth growth project Proposed new Youth Programme National Leadership Badge for youth ALTAIS diversity project 15,000 20,000 10,000 15,000 16,000

21st European Scout Conference Document 9a

Lithuania Portugal - AEP Portugal - CNE Slovakia Slovenia

One organisation-one image positioning e-AEP integrated management system Renewing the youth programme Development of Scout Regions Hiking on the new way programme 2008 October

15,000 10,000 25,000 15,000 15,000

Albania Romania Sweden

Development of Scouting Scouting Seeds growth and recruitment Action for Growth 2008 March

22,300 14,000 15,000

Belgium - SGP Estonia Spain - ASDE

Evolution and operations in SGP Documentary about Scouting 2nd stage Quality and renewal - development 2009 June

15,000 6,000 20,000

Czech Republic Greece Israel Ireland Portugal - CNE Spain - MSC

New Youth Programme Growth 100 National Leadership Badge for youth Proposed new Youth Programme Training System Renewal Scouting a new game where everything fits 2010 March

15,000 20,000 15,000 15,000 16,000 25,000

Israel Czech Republic

Empowering the Muslim association -training New programme next to last 2010 June

10,000 13,000

Iceland Romania

Strategy Implementation Scouts are walking on together-development

15,000 12,000

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21st European Scout Conference Document 9a

2011 March Israel Netherlands Empowering the Muslim association - training Recognition of Learning in Scouting 2011 June Albania Estonia Development of Scouting in Albania Documentary about Scouting in Estonia 2011 November Croatia Hungary Iceland Latvia Spain - ASDE Youth Programme Development Scout Troops to be found anywhere you want Strategy Implementation Educational Programme renewal 100 years more growth through quality 2012 March Albania Denmark - Faroes Czech Republic Development of Scouting in Albania Programme renewal support New programme last phase 2012 June France - EEUDF Greece Israel Slovenia Growth strategy R&R growth project Growth campaign Promotion for Growth 2013 March France - SGDF Mission adventure recruitment campaign 2013 June Albania Kandersteg Development of local Scouting Rover Week programme development 11,000 20,800 10,000 25,000 18,000 15,000 15,000 13,820 6,000 12,500 21,000 13,000 15,000 9,900 14,000 13,820 12,650 15,000 17,225

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21st European Scout Conference Document 9a

Spain - MSC

Pilot programme

12,500

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21st European Scout Conference Document 9a

World Scout Bureau - European Regional Office Inc. June 2013 World Scout Bureau European Regional Office P.O. Box 327, Rue Henri-Christine 5 CH-1211 Geneva 4 Switzerland Tel: Fax: +41 22 705 11 00 +41 22 705 11 09

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