Organisational Pillars for Working with the Award

Overview

Six organisational pillars ensure that the Award offers participants a quality experience.

1. Award work depends on support and monitoring by the Award Association. Therefore the organisation needs to actively integrate with the national information and communication system.

2. The Award works neither unadjusted “out of the cloud” nor on the quiet “from the underground”, but works best if it is securely based in the mission and vision of the organisation and closely integrated with its presentation and resources. The key result of this connection is the Award team, which forms head, heart and hand of the Award work.

3. Generally, the expedition cannot be taken on completely by a single institution, which would offer all required elements. Rather, the organisation must build up and maintain the necessary infrastructure for the Expeditions section using available partners and resources in the area.

4. The organisation’s staff and resources are not sufficient for a successful Award work. Close integration with the community will ensure a broad spectrum of activities, a strong reputation and a healthy financial foundation.

5. An Award ran as an ‘island’ will hardly flourish in the long run. Integration with the community is a first step towards encouraging other organisations in the area to offer it and to build a network with them.

6. To ensure sustainability of the Award and also to meet legal requirements, it is essential to maintain continuous and detailed Documentation on participants and overall Award work.

Implementation, maintenance and development of the “six pillars” together with good marketing of the ward form the most important support processes for working with participants. (See also section on “Processes”)

Integration with the Information System

The national information and communication system enables the necessary flow of information between the Award Association and the Operating Authority’s Award Units and staff members. It includes two related processes:

1. The support offered by the Award Association (see pages 28 ff)

2. The feedback given by the Operating Authority.

“Integration” in this context means that

1. The available support is utilized to the prescribed minimum and relevant information is passed on to its target audience

2. The information needed for feedback is collected in the Online Administration and local Documentation and is passed on as requested.

This integration is a central element for the Start-up Project. The shared information serves the planning and evaluating of the Operating Authority’s work (see also sections on Award Development); it also helps the Award Association develop and improve the Support System.

Dovetailing with the Mission and Vision

The Award is a means for organisations to more fully carry out their mission and purpose. Beyond the value it brings to its participants, it should serve to create a better school or other institution. The organisation should already have a basic affinity for the programme in order for this added value to pertain. A solid rooting in the mission of the organisation serves as foundation and “life insurance” for the Award.

The Award is rooted in the organisation through its Constitution, which is passed with the formal Implementation Decision. The Constitution places the Award in the context of the organisation’s mission, vision and portfolio and defines the Award’s purpose and its role in pursuing the mission. The Constitution refers to staffing and resourcing in general terms only. Details can be found in the Leader’s Manual.

All Nine Areas of Award Development (see section 2) must be dovetailed:

1. Leadership: The management of the organisation is actively included in the Award work, beyond the introduction of the Award, by supplying the necessary staff for the programme. New staff members are always approached directly and invited to become involved in the programme and attend training opportunities. (“The more you give, the more you gain!”)

2. Strategy: The Award plays an official part in the organisation’s strategic planning, which in turn informs the review and updating of the Award’s Development Plan.

3. People: All staff members of the organisation, not only those directly involved with the programme, are regularly informed and included in Award work. The thematic aspect of the expedition lends opportunity for staff members to get involved, who would otherwise not be attracted to an expedition. The professional development budget includes training opportunities for existing programme staff. Their work is recognized and appreciated in the organisation.

4. Partnerships & Resources: The organisation’s contacts and resources are utilized to develop and support the Award. Resources include finances, space, material and technology.

5. Processes: Existing processes within the organisation are utilized, for example PR, fundraising, publications and the website, as well as activities that can be used as Award components by participants. The entire Expeditions section can rarely be completed as part of the regular programme of study, however, most organisations offer activities that can support the expedition training, such as excursions, class trips, or first aid training. The Annual Plan, culminating in the Award Ceremony, is synchronized with the organisation’s calendar.

6. Results (four different areas): Tools used within the organisation for reflection, evaluation and presentation of results are also used for the Award.

Only through this kind of dovetailing can the Award fully take root within the organisation’s day-to-day reality. Still, even the best dovetailing is only one pillar and not sufficient to sustain the entire programme.

Infrastructure for the Expedition

The Expeditions section is the most work-intensive because

1. Participants cannot simply be referred to a pre-existing activity

2. The expedition process is time intensive

3. An expedition group has a maximum of seven participants.

If the time needed (see also instructions in the Leader’s Manual) is underestimated and the Award understaffed, then the individual staff members will be overloaded and/or the quality of the Award will suffer. The best approach is to establish an Expedition Team (see page 20).

Equipment

Which equipment is needed in which quality will depend on the target audience, the number of participants and the Award level. Usually sponsors can be found for the acquisition of equipment. The replacement of equipment is often covered by a participation fee, which some Operating Authorities combine with a fee for Record Book and other costs.

Expedition Areas

Most Operating Authorities have established set (and functionally separate!) areas for training, practice and expeditions at bronze level. These areas include campsites near farms which offer shelter in case of storms and which can be easily reached in case of emergency. With each expedition group these areas are extended and more knowledge is gained about possible thematic aims, geographical highlights, potential hazards and/or incongruencies on the map. With this knowledge, groups can be effectively advised and only parts of the planned route may need actual field preparation by staff members.

Embedding the Award into the Local Community

The Award experience significantly depends on involvement in the local community. Businesses, clubs, experts, fitness studios, groups, tradesmen, homes, charities, farms, community projects, kindergartens, churches, hospitals, shops, music schools, local newspapers, associations, adult/youth education centres, facilities for handicapped – all these can be accessed to form a network of partners, especially for the Service section.

Such partners may cooperate for a variety of reasons. Some may simply want to encourage active engagement in an activity, others may hope to gain new members for their association. Some partners may see their involvement as positive PR for their institution or may hope to gain new customers through word-of-mouth publicity.

The Award can also benefit from community partners in other ways. A local support network may increase the reputation of the Award in the community and thus encourage more young people to give their best. Partners may also contribute funds or other resources for Award work.

Networking with existing / Initiating of new Award units

Experience has shown that the Award struggles if it is run as an “island” within the organisation, within the community or within the area. Networking with already existing units and initiating new ones

1. Strengthens the reputation of the Award in organisation, community and area

2. Eases the development of infrastructure for the expedition, for activities and general support network

3. Facilitates a regular exchange of experience to advance quality Award work.

An Award that is firmly embedded in the community has already laid the foundation for its extension to new units. If the concern for the Award is shared in the community, rather than carried by a single organisation, then the step towards multiple Award Units has practically been taken.

Documentation

Written documentation gives a continuous, detailed and accessible account of the Award at work. This documentation contains materials and documents produced for working with the Award. Thus

1. All information is easily accessible (e.g. legally relevant documents such as permission statements and insurance policies)

2. New staff members can easily be introduced to their tasks

3. The materials needed for overviews, media and Award work evaluation are always at hand.

Documentation is organized into four domains:

1. Participants’ files: including copies of certificates, permission statements

2. Supervision and guidance: for example equipment list, information for parents

3. Award management: meeting records, annual reports, etc.

4. Archive: pictures, media, press, etc.

The majority of this documentation can be printed from the Online Administration. Please refer to the Leader’s Manual for more details.