1. Confirmation of the Adult Member Definition by Scouts Australia (June 2023)
   
2. Increasing costs of running the Scouting Business
   
3. Reflecting the actual costs that Queensland Branch needs to pay Scouts Australia
   

The definition of an Adult Member is detailed in the table below:

Why did we do this?·   

1. We would like to recognise their service as members (Culture)
2.  This truly reflects their contribution as Members (Culture)
   
3. We will need to complete reference checks for these people (Child Safety)
   
4. They would still require a blue card and to complete mandatory training (no change - Child Safety and WHS)
   
5. If they then decided to take on an adult Leadership role, no new application is required, just a change of role
   
6. It simplifies our Membership Fee Structure to three categories only.
   

The following table outlines the renewal fees for the next Scouting year commencing on 1 April 2024.

You will note that Youth Program Supporters are not listed separately above and have been included within the Adult Member category. 

Who made this decision and were members consulted?

These decisions are informed by the National Fee Structure which is then reviewed and aligned with the budget requirements of the Branch. These fees were reviewed by Region Commissioners and recommended through the Branch Finance Committee to the Branch Executive Committee for approval.

Why do Groups charge Fees?

Group fees vary and cover the expenses of a specific group including but not exclusively:      

1. Unit Subs
   
2. Program resources
   
3. Equipment
   
4. Group running costs (Property and Public Liability Insurance, rent, rates, energy, maintenance etc)
   
5. Activity supplies
   
6. Badges 
   

What are the next steps?

We have provided our Membership fees to allow Groups to budget for the coming year, which starts on 1 April 2024.

Scouts Queensland invoices will still be issued 6 monthly covering the above fees – in April and October 2024.

We strongly encourage all Groups to spend time reviewing expenditure at a local level and we would hope that the small cost reductions we have made will contribute to better financial outcomes for Groups and their families.

Other important things to note

Scouts Queensland does not use membership fees to meet any of our ongoing financial obligations under the National Redress Scheme or Civil Litigation Claims. There is a separate review of Branch assets to ensure we can meet those obligations.

The Branch is actively pursuing alternative revenue sources to further see how we can reduce the cost of Scouting to families. Scouts Queensland are an approved activity provider for the Queensland Government FairPlay voucher program which allows eligible young people to apply for a voucher valued up to $150 per calendar year.

How do we compare?

From data we have been able to source (on the best like for like comparison)