Recognition

As I have been pondering several topics the last few weeks, in particular the new uniform, this thought just hit me. I understand one of the big topics at the Leadership Summit in Toronto was recognition. I don't need medals, etc., that is not why I am a leader. What recognition I would like is to be seen as a valued member of the organization, who can be trusted to provide honest feedback on ALL the Ideas that come up on changes to the organization. Right now I do not feel that, and if i don't feel that, how many others out there do not as well?

I'll second that. I don't give of my time to earn baubles and trinkets. I give of my time to make a difference. Given the way the uniforms have been handled and a few other things in our Council and Area, I'm definitely not feeling valued by anyone above the Group level.

I think this is a very negative way to look at recognition. I highly doubt there are many Volunteers in this organizations that are giving up their time to get a medal. I'm not, and clearly the two of you aren't. However, that doesn't mean that recognizing volunteers for their hard work is a negative thing.

Personally I nominate between 5 and 7 volunteers for an outstanding service award yearly, people that do a great job that I want to say thank you to! Before you say "Why not just say thank you?"- I do. Also- I send personal e-mails and I use the thank you certificate available on the national page. But that doesn't mean that recognizing them in another way is a bad thing.

It's usually 5 to 7 because that's what I find I have time for, but I know if I had the time I could do many more. I also encourage Scouting friends to do the same. Why? No, the volunteers are not in it for recognition, and that's just another reason for them to be recognized. In the years since I started doing this I have never have a volunteer refuse the award or be upset about it, they are all proud to be recognized.

This system is a way to give members another opportunity to show volunteers that they are appreciated, I only wish more people used it.

I think you're missing BCBagheera's point Kaylee. Recognition is all well and good, but fairly meaningless when you don't feel that your opinion and input is valued at the higher levels.

Thanks 1stBayridgeMang, not only did you take the words out of my mouth, but you probably phrased it better than I would have!

And I'm saying I disagree... I think the two can live as separate entities. You feel that being thanked for the work you've done with your youth by someone who took the time to nominate you is meaningless because you feel the volunteers at national don't ask your opinion enough? That seems mixed up to me.

I do disagree about the consultation, all members are being invited to be on task forces and take surveys and participate and are welcome to e-mail any national volunteer about any concern, as well as post them on here which many many volunteers read, even if they do not post. It's only getting larger and more extensive, SC is getting better and better at this.

I suppose maybe my attitude is different because I feel all member input is very much valued.

Recognition of a job well done, and recognition of being a valued member who's opinions matter are separate, yet similar topics.

I believe bcbagheera and 1stBayridgeMang are both looking for more of the latter. To those two members, are there specific issues or changes you'd like addressed? I'll go ahead for you and put the uniform consultation on the list; anything else? If we don't throw down onto the table topics to discuss, they can't be fixed.

To Kaylee, while I, and I suspect others as well, agree that SC is getting much better at collecting opinions (the methods you listed for example), I believe they are missing out on the other half of the conversation. A conversation is two ways, and that is lacking. Scouts Canada asks for our opinions, goes away and comes back with a final product. That isn't the engaging adult conversation our members are looking for, nor deserve.

I'd recommend reading the Cluetrain Manifesto if you want to better understand conversations in this digital world of ours. About a 15 minute read that will change how you see the world. I know Susie Mackie knows it well.

I at no time said Scouts Canada's traditional recognition was a bad thing. I never said it was meaningless. I personally get embarrassed when i am singled out. But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate it. I just think it should go further and make us feel like a valued source of positive AND negative feedback. If all member input is valued, then why did we get no input on the design considerations put forward by Joe Fresh? Scouts Canada's BC/Yukon office DOES have my current email, I get blasters all the time! Where was the request for input on renaming our sections? When did I get a vote on our National Commissioner? or Board of Governors? I mean a direct vote, not a proxy through council? Heck, I don't even get to vote for our Area Commissioner. Bylaw 2 changed that, and I didn't get to vote on that either!! The gist of what I get from the Pro side of most of these issues is "Suck it up and and tow the line, your opinion doesn't matter". You expect us to provide a safe, inspiring, educational program, which would suggest we do have the intelligence to formulate our own ideas on changes you put forth, yet I get more of a feeling of trust from the parents, youth and members of my group, than I get from most people above that level. Sorry for the rant, but I keep getting the feeling you do not truly understand what I am trying to say. Honours and Awards are great! I personally have not done near as much work on writing up people as you have ( great job by the way), and maybe I should! But greater recognition is provided by making someone feel like their opinions matter. And all that takes is a request for feedback before the decision is final.

Meaningless was my word and I shouldn't have used it. Different. Recognition comes from the Group, and possibly Area, level. The people that I know very well value my input and ideas. What comes from Council and National? Lip service and decrees.

I get email regularly from Council and often from National. I know I wasn't consulted on the idea of removing the outdoor skills requirement form WB1. I think it was an inane thing to do, but who am I? I'm just one of the volunteers delivering the program from week to week.

Something that needs to be "recognised", is that different people profit from different types of rewards. Some people thrive on the trinkets, others on the kids smiles, and others on a simple thank you. Around here, awards and WBII beads are handed out like candy, so they have no real meaning; but some people still appreciate receiving them. Similar problems happen in businesses, so the issues encountered here are not specific to Scouts Canada. I do agree that being listened to, or at least the appearance thereof, can be good recognition for many people.

I just received the UKScout "Roll of Honour" St.George's Day Award Recipients 2011 (it is pblished once a year for the St. George's Day Honours List. I will quote you a few of their recognition rules so that you can see just how badly our volunteers are being treated (NOT).

1)Chief Scouts Commendation for Good Service: "is given in respect of not less than five (5) years good service. It is the Chief Scout's recgnition of very real contributions made to the Association by the invidual concerned;"

2)Award for Merit: "is given for 'outstanding service' of not less than 12 years, but exceptionally after 10 years;"

3)Silver Acorn: "is not normally awarded until after at least the Award of Merit has been gained and a further 5 years' service has been completed. It is therefore seldom awarded for less than 20 years' service;"

4)Bar to the Silver Acorn: "can only be awarded after a Silver Acorn has been gained and a further 5 years of similarly distinguished service has been completed;"

5)Silver Wolf: "is only awarded 'for service of an exceptional nature'. It is not normally awarded until at least a Silver Acorn has been gained. This means that it is seldom awarded for less than 30 years service, although this is not always the case."

So as you can see their system is rather stricter than ours. And even the "common Leader" can gain the Silver Wolf there.

QUESTIONS??? Ask me.

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To carry on with my comments on RECOGNITION and what we do in 1st G.K.; here are some details.
We take every oppertunity possible to recognize our Leaders.
Under Regcognition we use the Warrants of Appointment as the first step; then the Service Recognition Pins and Certificates. These are Awarded and Recognized once a year at B.-P. Dinner in February.
Wood Badge Woggles are Awarded within the Section as they are earned; no waiting period.
Wood Badge Beads are awarded to successful Candidates immediately at the end of the Course, of course they have to wait for the Parchments which are then Awarded in B.-P. Weekend.
There is no Scouter in our Group who does not receive something at least once a year; even if it's only the Service recognition.
We can usually find a good reason to award a Certificate of Commendation in a Scouter's second term.
The Certifictae of Commendation and the GSM are approved and granted on the Group Commissioner's recommendation.
The Medal of Merit is recommended by the GC and approved and granted by me.
The Silver Acorn (of which we have one) is recommended by me in consultation with the GC and submitted to National for final approval.
Never had a SIlver Wolf; don't know how that would work. We'll cross that bridge when it appears on our trail.

It is MY SINCERE belief that all Awards, up to and includeding the GSM should be within the authority of the GC; if you don't agree perhaps you should consider what your GC is doing and his qualifications to do it