Scouts Queensland Membership Fees 2024

Scouts Queensland Membership Fees 2024

Why have our membership fees changed?

There have been some changes to Fees that are driven by several reasons:

  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:

National Categories 

Approved 

Queensland Categories 

Previous

Queensland Categories 

New
Youth Member
Youth Member
Youth Member
Young people under the age of 18
Youth Members
Young people under the age of 18

Young Adult Members (Rover Scouts)




Adult Member
Adult Member
Adult Member
Venturer Scout 18 or over

Venturer Scout 18 or over 
Rover Scout

Rover Scout
Adult Leaders (including Commissioners/Advisers)
Adult Leaders/Commissioners
Adult Leaders (including Commissioners/Advisers)
Adult Supporters

Adult Helpers, Office Bearers/Advisers
Adult Supporters

Scout Fellowship
Scout Fellowship
Scout Fellowship
Life/Honorary Members
Life Members/Honorary Members
Life/Honorary Members
Staff






Non-Members
Non-Members

Youth Program Supporters


Business Supporter of Scouting 
Business Supporter of Scouting

Youth Program Supporters

We have taken this opportunity to move our Youth Program Supporters and formally welcome them as full members of Scouts Queensland. As such they will sit within the Adult Member category as an Adult Supporter.

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.
Reference Checking for new Adults

I am pleased to announce that I have provisioned budget for Reference Checking to be undertaken by an independent organisation, thus removing that function from Group Leaders/District Commissioners/Region Commissioners, etc.

The changes proposed above will be effective from 1 April 2024.

How much are the membership fees for 2024/25 and when do they start?

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

Membership Category
2023
2024
Increase / Decrease $

Increase / Decrease %

Youth Member
$172
$185
+$13
+7.5%
Rover Scouts (Adult Members participating in the youth program)
$172 + Rover levy of $13.50
$185 + Rover levy of $13.00
+$12.50
+7.2%
Adult Leader (including Commissioners/Advisers 
$102
$80
-$22
-21.5%
Adult Member (includes Chair/Sec etc + YPS)
$70
$50
-$20
-28.5%

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

Joining Fees 2024/25

The Joining Fees are listed in the table below and simply reflect a Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase.

Renewal Fees 2024/2025


Youth
Leaders
Adult Members

Rover Scouts

(Adult members participating in the youth program)

Full Year
$185
$80
$50
$185*
Half Year
$ 92.50
$40
$25
$92.50*
*The Rover Scout Levy is annual fee of $13 which will be invoiced in April for renewing members or on commencement of membership.

Joining Fees 2024/2025

Month
Youth
Leaders
Adult Members

Rover Scouts

(Adult members participating in the youth program - Includes the Rover Scouts levy)

April
183
40
25
196
May
168
38
20
181
June
152
35
16
165
July
137
33
12
150
August
121
30
8
134
September
106
28
4
119
October
183
40
25
196
November
168
38
20
181
December
152
35
16
165
January
137
33
12
150
February
121
30
8
134
March
106
28
4
119

Where does my Membership fee go?
  1. E-Learning Module access
  2. Scouts Terrain Levy
  3. Scouts Australia Levy
  4. Operoo
  5. World Organisation of Scout Movement Levy
  6. Compliance and Regulatory requirements (financial and operational recording and reporting, Asset recording)
  7. Volunteer Personal Accident Insurance
  8. Branch Support Office Operations
  9. Scouting Experience support (grants, property management, events, accounting, communications and volunteer support)

A breakdown of our expenses can be viewed in the Annual Report 2022/23 as an indication of cost allocations.

Why is there a different fee for Youth and Adult Members?

Our adult volunteers put in many hours to support the delivery of the Scouting Program to generate the best experience for our Youth Members. They attend trainings, meetings and are required to keep across program changes that may be driven by compliance or legislation. Accordingly, their membership fees are lower in acknowledgement of their personal contribution. This year we are fortunate to be able to offer a reduction in the Adult Leaders (including Commissioners/Advisers) and Adult Member fee, due to changes in the National Fee allocation.

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 $200 per calendar year.

How do we compare?

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

Organisation

Annual Fee
(reflecting 24 weeks per season) 
Per week +

Total (based on a season 24 weeks)

Soccer
$320
$15
$680
Aussie Rules
$200
$11
$464 
Rugby League
$235
$11
$498
Netball
$274
$15
$634
Hockey
$315
$15
$675 
Rugby Union 
$275 
$14
$611
Average based on 24-week participation - $593



Source (“Australian Sports Commission Aus Play report – 2018)

Scouting
(based on 24 weeks)

$111 (60% of annual fee $185 - 24 weeks)
$11 (includes Subs and $100 Group fee per Qtr)
$383
Source (2024/25 fee notification)


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