TEST - How to implement initiatives and challenges? - TEST

Follow this coming approach to examine, map, design, and plan which WOSM initiatives can enhance your National Youth Programme and how to incorporate them into the national curriculum.

Take it step by step and reflect at each stage to be able to move forward, we’ve got your back!

1. Start with:

• Exploring issues related to the 17 SDGs affecting your country.
• Zooming in on those issues affecting young people and their communities.
• Reviewing the link between your youth programme’s offering and these issues.

Key questions:

• What are the top issues arising in our local communities today?
• What issues related to SDGs are affecting our young people?
• What level of understanding of the SDGs and education for sustainable development exists in our NSO?
• On a scale from 1-10, to which extent our programme has a direct ling to the SDGs and contributes to fulfilling those goals?

2. Identify:

• The area of intervention and issues to address.
• And define your potential contribution.
• The scope of scouting education and your NSOs capacity to tackle those issues.
• What your current Youth Programme has in relation to the four themes of the initiatives.

Key questions:

• What kind of resources are already in place for challenges to be implemented?
• Which of the challenges can be implemented?
• What impact do you wish to see from your contribution? What are your indicators of success?

3. Map:

• Initiatives, challenges, programmes and recognition badges that could contribute to the chosen issues.
• National programmes and initiatives contributing to community development in your NSO.
• The gaps between the desired outcomes and existing results related to solving those issues.

Key questions:

• What existing resources and materials do we already have and can use to tackle the identified issues?
• Are there any local projects or actions already contributing to solving the same issues we are trying to solve? What are they? How can we collaborate?
• What is the impact of these issues on young people, the environment and communities?

4. Choose:

• Initiatives and challenges your NSO will adapt/integrate/match within your youth programme.
• Learning objectives your NSO will use to enhance and complement their existing programme.

Key questions:

• Which initiatives/challenges fit your need the most? Why?
• How will you integrate those initiatives/challenges in your programme?

5. Align and implement:

• Create an action plan to match WOSM initiatives and challenges to NSO needs.
• Request the support of consultants via WOSM services or reach out to WOSM regional team.
• Integrate/match/adapt initiatives and challenges to your youth programme.Make sure to involve young people in the process.
• Appoint one person in charge of the process.
• Recruit a multi-generational, gender-balanced team for implementation.
• Develop capacity in the team supported by WOSM Services.
• Engage local leaders, young people and local partners and communicate your plans with them. Celebrate different achievements.
• Monitor and evaluate the progress of young people, the process of implementation and the impact on the community.
• Integrate and onboard existing teams, networks, and resources.
• Organize training and promotional events for young people and adults.
• Share your stories and achievements on scoutsforsdgs.org

Key questions:

• How will young people be involved in the implementation process?
• Is there a local network in place?
• How will the institution monitor and evaluate the results and impact?
• How will you cascade your action plan to Adult leaders working directly with young people?

There is no standard way to incorporate WOSM initiatives in your NSO/NSA, it is up to you to choose the ones that best fit you, design its process and seek the support you need when it comes to implementation. 

Here are some tips that can help you along the journey:

• Look at the implementation of initiatives as a project:

1. Assign a person to oversee the process: Project owner
2. Create a project team: Including members of the National Team, Youth Programme developers, experts in the area of knowledge, partners, and young people and engage them in the different phases of the project.
3. Develop a project plan, adjust when needed and monitor its progress continuously with relevant stakeholders.

• For the coming project aspects you should: 

Content Material

Team

Production and Marketing

Project Management

• Regularly review reference materials.

• Consult relevant stakeholders during the review process.

• Adapt and translate reference materials related to initiatives and challenges as needed.

• Create monitoring and evaluation tools and resources.

• Ensure the tools and resources are in line with the requirements of WOSM and its partners.

• Provide capacity building for National Teams and Adult Leaders at grassroots level.

• Appoint a focal point to support continuous implementation of initiatives and challenges.

• Join a global network of volunteers coordinated by the World Scout Bureau.

• Celebrate team and participant achievements.

• Produce the reference materials, recognition elements, badges, and promotional materials.

• Create special events for launching, promoting, or advancing initiatives and challenges.

• Develop Communication resources and have a social media presence.

• Share stories and projects with internal and external audiences.

• Gather data and create comprehensive reports on results, outcomes, and impact.

• Utilize WOSM digital platforms for monitoring and reporting, such as the NSO data portal and Scouts for SDGs Hub.

• .Develop monitoring and evaluation tools aligned with WOSM and partner requirements.

• Create a budget and fundraising plan to support the plan's actions.

• Apply for grants from WOSM, partners, or external organizations

• Identify and collaborate with relevant partners at both WOSM and national levels.

idea: Genially quiz showing one point from each category and they need to choose it belongs under which aspect 

Implementation roles

Adults in Scouting play a crucial role in supporting and guiding young people, giving them exceptional learning experiences where they can explore and get involved in their communities and the world around them.

When adults join forces, young people can take charge, lead initiatives, and connect Scouting with their community. The magic happens when quality adults step in, turning our mission into real-life adventures and making a positive impact on society. 

Adult Leader Role

Adult Leader at grassroots level

Programme commissioner/ Director

NSO

Role into action

• Promote, activate, inspire young people and support them to complete the challenges.

• Encourage them to network with other, acquire new skills and develop new competencies.

Oversee the incorporation of the SDs, the ESD, and initiatives supporting the National Youth Programme.

Keep up to date with the initiative's or challenge's teams, develop information and promotion strategies with the teams, and reach out to grassroots leaders and young people with relevant information.

Work together with other areas of the SO to develop and support training processes for youth and adults.

• Develop implementation and integration strategy into the National Youth Programme based on local youth needs and identified issues.

• Create a phased approach for implementation from national to grassroots level, providing educational material for adults and young people.

• Coordinate with other areas of the NSO to expand local support networks and form alliances.

• Keep relevant structures updated and provide support methods to grassroots leaders for correct implementation of initiatives in support of the youth programme.

 idea: Genially with icons for each role as an interactive element when you click on each you see the points

Measuring the development of young people and the impact of the service projects implemented in the local communities is crucial for us to align with their purpose and be accountable to our partners. That’s why all WOSM initiatives and challenges set objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) at various levels (global, regional, and national) to effectively measure, monitor, and evaluate their success. 

By registering and monitoring the progress of our members and the reach of these initiatives, National Scout Organizations (NSOs) become agents that collect valuable data. We can then use this information to engage in meaningful conversations with new partners and donors.

Our set indicators of success measure:

• The awareness of NSOs of Scouting’s SDGs agenda.
• The awareness and development of competencies for sustainable development. 
• The number of service hours contributed towards Scouts for SDGs targets. 
• The change in the behavior of young people according to the set educational objectives (measuring knowledge, skills and attitudes).
• Number of NSOs and partners involved in each initiative and challenge.
• The impact on the community where implementation was done.

You can use similar indicators to measure your contribution to the SDGs and create your own indicators that are relevant and tailored to your projects. One project, activity or goal can have many indicators, this will help you identify progress and measure the change that happened. 

When you collect that data, use the NSO data portal to report your results.

Add case studies from Scouts for SDGs in the community manual pages 21-25, if there are any video testimonials would be more interesting