Scout SuiteHow-to guide
Provision planning for Districts and Counties
A Group plans who moves where next month. A District or County (Area or Region in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) plans whether there is enough Scouting: where a new section is needed, where volunteers are needed, and whether Explorer and Network places keep up. Provision planning runs every affiliated Group and Unit's section forecast and adds up the numbers. You never see a young person's name.
Watch this on its own pageOpen Provision planning
In a District or County, choose Provision planning in the menu. Pick how far to look ahead: 12 months, 2 years or 3 years.
The cards show young people now and at the end of the period, how many will wait for a place, how many more volunteers are needed, and how many Scouts turn 14.
Explorer intake
Explorer intake counts the Scouts turning 14 each term (Spring, Summer and Autumn) across the District's Groups, against the places in Explorer sections.
A Group whose Scouts move up to an Explorer Unit already feeds that Unit's forecast. Groups with Scouts coming up and nowhere set to go are listed: ask them to set Moves up to in Reports → Section planning.
ExplorersPressure by section
Each section's size now, its capacity, whether it's full, its forecast peak and how many will wait. A summary line per section type reads like "Four Beaver colonies: two full, two with space". Several full sections of one type with young people waiting is the sign a new one is needed.
Groups at risk
Groups at risk lists the Groups and Units forecast to have fewer young people than a viable number, and when they'll fall below it. It's a prompt to offer support, help with recruiting, or talk about a merger before numbers get too low.
The number is 20 unless you change it. A County's setting applies to its Districts unless a District sets its own; Use the County's goes back to it.
DistrictsCountiesVolunteers needed
Forecast young people against the adults on each section: "2 more volunteers needed at 1st Llanfair Cubs by September 2027". It uses the section's own 1 adult per ratio where the Group has set one, otherwise POR ratios (for example Cubs: a leader plus one adult per 8).
For a County: by District, and Network intake
A County sees the same, rolled up By District: growth, waiting lists, young people the forecast can't place, and volunteers needed. Units run by the County directly show as County-run.
Network intake counts Explorers and Young Leaders turning 18 each term against the places in Network Units.
CountiesWhat it's built from
Everything comes from each Group and Unit's own section planning: ages, capacities, feeder links, waiting lists and the adults on each section. The better Groups keep those up to date, the better the District and County picture.
Provision planning needs the group aggregates permission: District and County admins, deputies, treasurers, trustees and viewers have it. It never shows names or other personal details from a Group.
People
More in this topic
Waiting lists, parents, moving on, and Explorer Units.