Attendance Expectations

Scouting is a values based organisation with an emphasis on ‘learning through doing’ and all the sections achieve these objectives through a structured program of evening meetings and weekend events. Often, skills are developed over several weeks or in preparation for a particular activity. It is important for all sections that members attend every week on a regular basis.

We recognise that as children grow up they develop a wide range of interests and pursuits, and school commitments start to require additional time. Scouting can usually fit with other commitments, but in some cases the young person may need to decide which activities they wish to follow. Unfortunately no one can be in two places at once.

There is a great demand for Scouting at the 19th Wimbledon and several of our sections are running at capacity. We hope that those who are lucky enough to have secured a place are making the most of the opportunity. Bearing this in mind, the leaders keep a close watch on attendance to ensure that members who do not attend regularly are not taking up places that others could use.

To help manage the attendance expectations that the 19th Wimbledon has of its members and their parents we provide the following guidelines:

1. We expect young people to attend meetings regularly and enthusiastically.
2. Members, or their parents, are expected to notify a leader if they are going to be absent from a section evening meeting.
3. Young people who miss four consecutive section evening meetings without a valid reason given in advance, or who fail to attend two-thirds of the meetings during one school term, will be considered to have relinquished their membership of the Group. Section leaders will attempt to contact the young person or their parents to warn of the consequences of non-attendance, but this may not always be possible.
4. Valid reasons for absence include, but are not limited to, illness, injury or other medical reasons, transport difficulties, particular short term school commitments or unusual domestic circumstances.
5. Cancelled meetings and Merton school holidays are not included in these calculations.
6. If a member may be absent from their section for a long-term period, this must be discussed with the Section Leader as early as possible so that the impact of non-attendance can be considered. They may need to relinquish their membership.
7. Scouting in all the sections requires a commitment beyond just the weekly section meetings. Members are encouraged to attend camps & activities, and there are some events for which attendance by all members is required and every effort should therefore be made to attend, these include, but are not limited to, St. George’s Day Parade, Group AGM & for Scouts, the Remembrance Day Parade.

These expectations are in place to ensure that places within the Group are maintained on a fair basis and that other young people are not denied the chance to take part in Scouting. Over 30,000 young people in the UK are currently unable to take up places in the movement.

Any appeals regarding membership decisions should be discussed with the Section Leader in the first instance and then the Group Scout Leader.