Beat the deadline and make the switch to our new brand

We were with a Scout group the other day and happened to overhear a volunteer say to a parent – ‘It’s all about skills for life, you know. That’s what they’re learning.’ It was a fleeting moment, but made us think how far we’ve come since we launched our Skills for Life strategy and brand back in May 2018.

We know that if we all talk about the benefits of Scouts - those practical, employability and character skills - then we’ll be better understood and attract more volunteers. By the same token, if we show that we’re a single joined up family by using the same brand and identity, we’ll be more visible and more easily recognised in our communities. 

We’ve come a long way

Time flies – especially in Scouts, it seems. In May 2020 we’ll be celebrating two years since the launch of our skills for life strategy, and 31 May is also the deadline to switch over to our new brand.

There’s plenty to be proud of, including the delivery of our programme tools, continued growth and expansion into areas of deprivation. In that time so many of you have also taken the opportunity to update your brand – talking about skills for life to parents, in social media, on our meeting places and minibuses that criss-cross the country.

You won’t hear us, but we let out a small cheer every time we see ‘skills for life’ on the side of a building or minibus, before we start to wonder where you’re heading – a canoeing trip, a camp, a gang show? When the public sees the same brand from town to town, city to city they really start to grasp the size of our movement and the amazing impact we make in our communities.

And so, thank you to all those who have made the switch ahead to the brand of the deadline of 31 May 2020. At both local and national events we’re seeing more and more trailers and vans featuring the new brand. Just a quick tour of Scout websites tells me that a huge number of you have embraced the brand and getting our skills for life message out there. So let’s keep that momentum going as the deadline approaches.

Nationally, we’re working to update our digital and print resources too. You’ll have noticed many books, webpages and factsheets have already been updated, but we know there’s still work to do. In some cases, where there is more substantial work to do to review the content, we are aware there is a risk that we may go slightly beyond the 31 May deadline. However all teams are focussed on making the changes with a minimum of disruption to members, while keeping cost and wastage to a minimum.

Award winning stuff

We’ve won several accolades for the new brand, including both Gold and Bronze at the Transform Europe Awards 2019 as well as a Special Commendation in the Third Sector Awards 2019 for Best Charity Rebrand. Public recognition for the quality of the work isn’t the most important thing – but it does show that it’s making people sit up and pay attention. It’s a brand that works locally, nationally, online and in print – so well worth making the switch.

For all those who haven’t taken action yet, there’s still time and it’s not as difficult as it first appears.

Three key actions

When it comes down to it, you need to take three key actions:

1. Download your local logo from the Scouts Brand Centre and update your website and social media.
2. Make sure you're talking about Skills for Life (not 'everyday adventure') on your website and social (and in those chats with parents).
3. Order your new sign (there's currently a 20% discount available on all signs from the Scouts Brand Centre).

The good news is that after changing over to the new brand you should find it easier to attract volunteers, be seen and talked about in your local community. In research, parents said they were 44% more likely to volunteer based on seeing recruitment materials in our new brand; 14-18 year olds were a third more likely to get involved.

Read this interview with Alan Gueldner, the Group Scout Leader at Selkirk Scouts, who shares his experience about the positive impact they've seen since switching to the new brand.

More help

For all things brand, your first port of call should be the Scouts Brand Centre. As well as the place to download your personalised logo, you’ll find templates for posters, banners, certificates, flyers, social media assets. Most importantly, you’ll find a wide range of materials to help you attract more volunteers. 

A sincere thank you for all the work you are doing to support these changes.

Any questions or if you need some help, let us know at communications@scouts.org.uk

By UK Chief Commissioner, Tim Kidd, and Deputy UK Chief Commissioners, Kester Sharpe and Graeme Hamilton