SSAGO Blog

Four months, nearly five!

Quick monthly catch up with the national exec...

Executive committee:

Joshua Smith - Chair

• On the 11th-13th of August we held a successful team building weekend in Oxford for the National Exec and Assistants where we had a number of productive discussions and had an Exec meeting staggered over the whole weekend.
• I've also been catching up with the Exec, Assistants and national event teams to see how everything is going.
• We've been working to implement the results of the last Reps vote.
• An update is now available on the website with the next steps for SSAGO to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and how you can get involved. You can read that here.
• Policy Fixers
  • The Policy Fixers have now reviewed 11 out of the 15 policy documents and we've been working together to update and improve SSAGO's policy.
  • A draft replacement to our 'Child Protection' has now been through the Policy Fixers twice and is currently being reviewed for us by the Scout Association.
  • A proposed updated version of SSAGO's election policy is now with Reps for scrutiny.
  • We are now reviewing the SSAGO Constitution.
  • Thank you to all the Policy Fixers for your continued hard work!
  • If you want to get involved sign up here.
• SSAGO Reunion
  • With the SSAGO Reunion only a month away I've taken an increasingly active role in its leadership to support the event and have been meeting with all the team leaders to get everything ready for the final booking stage.
  • Somehow I've now also volunteered to be in the stocks at SSAGO Reunion while people throw wet sponges at me...
  • You can sign up to SSAGO Reunion here.
• Scout Association
  • I've produced an updated draft if the Memorandum of Agreement which is a proposed new agreement with the Scout Association.
  • We will be meeting with the Scout Association in September.

Lauren Whittaker - Secretary

• Working with Larah to put old club reports and minutes on the website (on going)
• Writing more minutes...
• Enjoyed the team building weekend in Oxford as part of my grand tour of the UK!
• Completed my Gold DofE award!

Anona Mann - Members Officer

• Completed my Explorer belt by interailing round 4 countries
• Moved out of uni halls into a house after too long! Consisted of walking many boxes across Sheffield
• Set up Lincoln SSAGO and sent emails to the SU
• Was taken on a day trip to Eurika by Vicky and Robinson!
• Went to Poacher in Lincoln as SSAGO Support staff to man the Digger Challenge and keep evidence of Vicky's oddness throughout the week
• Had meetings with Josh to talk about various membership releated things and to complain about the lack of sleep
• Spent a weekend at Youlbury in Oxford on team building weekend and had a much deserved break with some awesome people!
• Painted a room and started building a bed out of scrap wood

James Frith - Publicity Officer

• Attended the 15th World Scout Moot in Iceland as a participant, promoting SSAGO to both fellow UK contingent Student Scouts and Guides, as well as Student Scouts from across the world… including the founder of Student Scouting in our host county, who may be bringing an Icelandic contingent to a SSAGO event in future!
• Also designed a Moot Orange SSAGO flag to take with us, along with Percival (manifesto point achieved!), and scheduled a few Social media posts for while I was out of the country
• Organised SSAGO Support for Wellies and Wristbands at both Foxlease and Waddow Hall
• Designed SSAGO Support clothing that should feature in photos soon from the above, just sign up to help at an event to be able to order yours!
• Designed prototype stickers and advert cards to debut at Wellies, also bought temporary tattoo paper and SSAGOfied a pair of bright pink Wellies for it!
• Made more SSAGO videos, including A-level general promo video which increased page reach to over 17k for this last week... spreading SSAGO awareness!
• Started “SSAGO Spotlight” on members to run throughout the freshers period; but only with your help… just use the facebook frame and drop me a message if you’d like to feature!
• Continued planning “Scouting for Students” workshop for Gilwell Reunion… 10am both days in the Fox Marquee!
• Continued planning future SSAGO Support events (Scarefest, Wintercamp), and new Publicity materials to be available shortly!
• Somehow continued to fit in a full time graduate job…

Executive Assistants:

Beatrice Phanjoo - International Officer

• Contacted three different Scouts association from Spain, one from Poland and Plast from Ukraine
• Reached out to the new person representing the Irish Rovers
• Contacted Trondheim Studentsgruppe, a group of university Scouts from Norway
• Followed up on the Swedish Rovers (no success yet :( )
• Went on holidays to gorgeous France and exciting Spain (luckily missing the attack)

Larah Korrison - Archivist

• Organised the scanned Secretary folder, added them to the drive and the most interesting parts e.g. 2010 club reports are now onto the website.
• Used the Wayback machine to find old exec, reps and AGM minutes (soon to be available on the website).
• Also found and added to the drive early SSAGO News publications (2000-2005ish)
• Successful and interesting visit to Gilwell - updated the records, we now know in more detail what there is and how much is still missing!
• Spent a fantastic weekend in Oxford
• Getting better at making coffee... Cappuccino anyone?

Laura Payne - SAGGA liason

• Went to Poacher Jamboree and worked on the Inflatables section, helping to man and run all sorts of giant inflatable activities, from obstacle runs to Hungry Hippos to gladiator battles!
• Attended Linconshire County A&E with a staff member who we thought had broken his toe falling off said inflatables (turns out it was a sprained foot!)
• Attended SAGGA camp in Belgium for a week, doing a lot of cutting down trees/digging up roots and setting fire to them :D and lots of sightseeing, beer and chocolate!
• Had a long discussion with lots of SAGGA members about their favourite SSAGO memories - these will be shared at reunion camp!
• Consequently persuaded a few more people to sign up for reunion camp

Oliver Bills - Webmaster

• Fixed the SSAGO email system when we ran out of emails(!)
• Continual shop and booking system improvements
• Preparing the website for Freshers
• Preparing the membership system for the new academic year
• Preparation of the next online booking stages for Reunion
• Went to the 15th World Scout Moot in Iceland as IST

Vicky Sanderson – Notifications

• Attended Poacher as SSAGO supports as staff on the diggers and Anona's minder.
• Took part in some policy fixing and to meet with the Chair about Accident and Incident policies
• Attended an amazing weekend in Oxford.
• Organised the shop and50th badges to assist the exec.
• Promoted Central Yorkshire at Child Friendly Leeds in Leeds.
• Writing a risk assessment template for SSAGO.
• Promoted SSAGO to Central Yorkshire Scouts.
• Dealt with A-level results day at work and feltincredibly proud of her Year 13 History group