A Million Hands Social Action Partnership September 2019 to July 2022
As Scouts, we believe in preparing young people with skills for life. While building better futures, we contribute to society and bring communities together. A Million Hands, our social action programme, gives half a million young people the support they need to tackle the issues they care about, and to make a positive impact in their communities. Because of the breadth and depth of our membership, combined with our members energy and enthusiasm, we tackle big issues through thousands of small actions. Can you help us support even more young people to take action on some of the big social issues of the day? We are looking for partners who can help us take more action in even more communities. 94% agree that their charities involvement in A Million Hands has been a good thing
How would you use the skills, time and enthusiasm of half a million young people, aged between 6 and 25, across the UK, to make a positive, measurable and sustainable difference to the issues your organisation cares about? Since its inception, Scouting has developed and supported our members to be active citizens. Young people, who take their promise to help other people seriously, are more likely to volunteer, get involved in civic life, and respect other people regardless of their background. We have achieved remarkable growth year on year but we want to support even more young people to help other people by taking action on the social issues they choose. 2015 25% 2016 33% 2017 56% Percentage of sections taking part in a community impact project Data source: Your Programme, Your Voice Annual Survey A Million Hands mobilises half a million Scouts, reaching into every community across the UK, to make a real and lasting impact on some of the big social issues of our time. The project has been a huge success for all our previous partners. It not only provides additional capacity, creates high quality resources and youth engagement strategies, but also positively influences an organisation s profile and public affairs engagement. On top of that, it creates long term supporters with first-hand experience of the good work your organisations do.
30,000 young people took part in a Walk for Water, raising funds and awareness for WaterAid 20,000 Scouts were trained and are now making their communities dementia-friendly 800 Dementia Friends workshops were delivered 450 Scout Groups and 350 other youth organisations took part in a WaterAid Walk for Water (over just two months!) Since the launch of the campaign in 2015, over 250,000 young people have had the opportunity to take part in high quality social action on four national issues. The campaign won Cross-Sector partnership of the Year at the Charity Times Awards. It achieved over 1,000 pieces of media coverage, reaching 115 million people. Further information about the impact of the project can be found at amillionhands.org.uk. The partnership has achieved remarkable things due to our matrix working approach with organisations committed to working pro-actively and collaboratively. Our approach connects the chosen partners to subject matter experts across our organisation, including specialists in programme, communications, supporter networks, digital, fundraising, external media and public affairs. Data source: Figures provided by WaterAid and Alzheimer s Society
Can you help us? To build on this positive foundation, we re seeking new partners with expertise in social action, to work in partnership with us over three years, to support even more young people to develop a positive habit for life and contribute to their local communities. Working with you, we will co-design off-the shelf programme resources, digital tools and offer local partnership opportunities for our members to take action and achieve a long term positive impact on the issues your organisation cares about. The resources would be suitable for delivery through volunteers in a non-formal educational context. We have a five-step process to help our members deliver high quality social action projects: 1 Understand the need helping young people to build empathy and a deep understanding of the issue. 2 Plan action thinking through which actions would create real change. 3 Take action rolling up our sleeves and taking practical action in the service of others. 4 Reflect, learn and do more reflecting on what skills and knowledge we have learned, and encouraging others to join us to do more. 5 Tell the world celebrate what we ve achieved and asking others to help amplify the message. Actions are primarily practical, hands on projects relevant to the communities we re trying to help, genuinely life changing for others while substantially developing our young people who take part. Principles of youth social action Genuinely change the lives of others. Substantially develop the young people taking part. Take action on issues that are relevant to the community we are trying to help. Are embedded within our youth programme and are progressive. Our young people want to change the world. We hope you can work with us to make that happen.
Can you help us? Scouting actively engages and supports young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society. In late September 2018 we ll ask a group of our young people to decide on the four national organisations we will partner with through to 2022 to help us make a positive impact in our communities. To help our young people make a decision about which organisation they would like to partner with, please fill in this online expression of interest form at scouts.org.uk/partnerwithus before 31 August 2018. The online expression of interest form will give us an idea of who you are and how you could be involved. You ll need to provide: 1. The name of your organisation. 2. Purpose: Describe the purpose of your organisation. (200 words) 3. Issue: What issue would you like The Scouts to take action on to improve? (300 words) 4. Strategy: How does this work align with your current or emerging strategic objectives? (200 words) 5. Impact and action: What type of action could young people take to achieve impacts that are suitable for our 6-25 age range? (300 words) 6. Measurement and evaluation: How will you measure the impact of these actions? (200 words) 7. UK reach: Do you operate in all parts of the UK? Do you have local networks? How would we build local connections between our two organisations? (200 words) 8. Matrix working: What staff time would you commit, what roles and at what level? (200 words) 9. CEO sign off: Does your Chief Executive support this expression of interest? 10. Your job role and contact details.
Interested? July August We work with you to develop your proposition. 31 August Expression of interest closing date. 7 September Applications shortlisted. Eight organisations invited to selection event. 29 September Selection event. One-hour face to face pitch to our young people. 2 November Confirmation of new A Million Hands partners. December June 2019 We will work with the successful organisations to develop strategies, resources and training in delivering social action on their issue. September 2019 Launch of the new A Million Hands partnership. If you think there is potential to partner with us to support young people to take action on your issue please contact Alan Hands, our Strategy and Change Manager, at alan.hands@scouts.org.uk or call 020 8433 7233 to explore further. scouts.org.uk Copyright 2018 The Scout Association Registered Charity numbers 306101/SC038437