In this issue

Big Boost
www.thebigboost.org.uk
Are you 11 to 25? Do you have an idea
that will benefit your community? The
Big Boost gives awards to young people
of between £250 and £1000 (11-16) and
£500 and £5000 (16-25), to help them
get their ideas off the ground.
Help Yourselves! Award Scheme
www.helpyourselves.org.uk
Want £1000 to change something in
your community? Help Yourselves
aims to support adults and young
people working together. Created by
Save the Children and British Gas, we
want to get young people involved in
dynamic and lasting community
projects. With over 300 awards to give
away in England, Scotland and Wales,
the website will show you how to get
motivated and take action.
Wavemakers
www.wavemakers.org.uk
Wavemakers works to highlight and
celebrate the wonderful things that
children and young people throughout
the UK have achieved. We want to hear
about children and young people who
have developed a new idea or started
up a project or developed a scheme
that has improved their own or other
people’s lives. We also want to hear
about organisations that have
developed initiatives, schemes or
projects, led or inspired by children
and/or young people that have
significantly improved their lives.
Young Roots
www.hlf.org.uk
Young Roots offers grants of between
£5,000 and £25,000. The scheme aims
to involve 13-20 year-olds (up to 25 for
those with special needs) in finding
out about their heritage, developing
skills, building confidence and
promoting community involvement.
Young Roots projects stem directly
from young people’s interests and
ideas, harnessing their creativity and
energy and helping them work with
others in their local community.
Constitutional
Review
THE BRIGADE EXECUTIVE
authorised a review of our
constitution in spring 2005 and a
working group was commissioned with
the following remit:
• To review the Brigade Constitution
and associated regulations and the
Memorandum and Articles of The
Boys’ Brigade (Incorporated)
• To make recommendations to the
Brigade Executive
• To prepare appropriate resolutions
for Brigade Council and the
members of The Boys’ Brigade
(Incorporated)
Currently there are a number of
elements that make up The Brigade’s
constitutional position:
• The Boys’ Brigade as a charitable
movement
• Constitution of Brigade Council as
periodically amended
• Memorandum and Articles of
Association of The Boys’ Brigade
(Incorporated) – incorporated on 19
October 1916 and amended by
special resolution on 24 March
1950. This is the registered charity.
• Individual Companies that are
constituted as part of the church,
together with Battalions and
Districts.
The intention of the Group was to
simplify much of this and the group
proposes that the new constitution of
The Boys’ Brigade should be the
Memorandum & Articles of
Association of the Incorporated
Company and that the documentation
required to achieve this would be:
• Revised Memorandum & Articles of
Association
• Updated and consolidated Brigade
Regulations
It has been important to consult with
the Brigade as part of the Review and
twelve consultations were held and
over two hundred and sixty people
took part and written observations
were received. Issues discussed were:
• the terms of office for Regional
Committee & Executive members
• obtaining the required skills mix on
the Executive
• the role of Regional Committees
• the roles, remits & responsibilities
of Battalions & Districts
• the role of Brigade Council
• youth participation at all levels of
decision making
• terminology and titles of sections
Girls as members of The Boys’ Brigade
was also discussed, but falls outside
the current remit of the CRG.
The observations made at the
consultation were incorporated into
the draft documentation. It is believed
that the proposed documentation will
deliver:
• The Boys’ Brigade as a registered
charity and registered company for
national purposes
• Clear linkages between the
Company being an integral part of
the church
• Provide for stronger regions
• Facilitate regional differences with
regards to Battalions & Districts
• Build strong foundations for the
future of the movement taking into
account good governance
The proposed method of operation
provides the following benefits:
• Clear constitutional documentation
• Clarity for the operation of the
movement at all levels
• Embraces young leaders having a
role in leading the movement
• Facilitates regional development
and caters for geographical
differences in area groupings
• Consolidates the operation of the
national charity, irons out a number
of anomalies and recognises
current practices
• Consolidates Brigade Regulations
into a single document, which is
user friendly and will assist
Companies in carrying out their
work.
Draft proposals were presented to the
Brigade Executive at its November
meeting. A draft copy of the
Memorandum and Articles of
Association will be sent to all Battalion
Secretaries and is available on the
website. If further copies are required
please contact Brigade Headquarters.
If Battalions or Districts would like to
have further consultation then this is
possible and inquiries should be
directed to the Brigade Secretary.
page 10 • VOLUME 115 No. 1 • January 2007