2020 – The Year of the Group Leader/ Rover Unit Leader

The role of the GL/LIC is to lead and promote the Scout Group in the local community and ensure that it operates in accordance with our policies, rules and the administrative practises of the Association. This means that a Group Leader will help to give the Group direction, manage the Support Committee and ensure that the Section Leaders are delivering the Scout Program. They will also focus on recruiting and retaining youth, recruiting and management of leaders, ensuring that Sections have the resources they need while at the same time building the ‘family of the Group’. The Group leader (GL), Crew Leader (CL) and Leader in Charge (LIC) are crucial positions in the Scouting organisation, and alongside having a fantastic program to deliver to youth members, are the key to success of Scouts.

The role of the CL is to be the first amongst equals within a crew working collaboratively with the Crew Executive to deliver a more complex and challenging program for young adults. You will find that some Rovers also hold leadership positions within Groups or on Branch, National or International teams.

Being a GL/CL/LIC requires people with specific skills, knowledge and experience who can network, communicate, mediate, manage change, make decisions, and understand complex legal and financial matters, while at the same time making sure that Scouts is fun and safe for everyone.

As you can see, being a GL/CL/LIC is not an easy job. To support our GLs, CLs and LICs in their important task of managing a Group or Crew, we have designated 2020 as the Year of the Group Leader/Crew Leader. This means that during this year there will be a number of events and activities aimed solely at providing GLs/CLs and LICs with professional development, recognition and reward of the important role they perform in Scouts.

So when you next see the person with the white tabs on their shoulders, or the Rover wearing a Crew chair badge, please go up introduce yourself and consider the job they are doing to support Scouts in the ACT.

Brent Juratowitch
Assistant Chief Commissioner
Group Support