Perhaps you are an experienced event organizer or it’s your first go at planning an event, no matter your experience the starting point is about the same. Start by submitting Part 1.  Take a look at the Event Management Playbook. This webpage will help you determine the scale of your event. Note – the Event Management Standard and Playbook were originally written and intended for large scale high-risk events like a National Canadian Jamboree, Pacific Jamboree or International Jamboree. Most events that Councils and Groups participate in fall under the “low-Risk” category and should be planned using the “Council ('Low-Risk') Event Planning and Approval Template” and associated guidance. This template will walk you through all the event planning steps. If your event is a bit bigger or riskier it will fall under the “medium” or “high” risk category. These higher-risk categories require more complex planning processes. Please consult the Event Management Playbook and talk to your CK3 if you are looking to organize an event in the higher-risk categories.  Higher Risk Events are supported by the National Event Support Team.  

Council Key 3s are responsible to approve and support Event Leads through the low risk event process. They may delegate that responsibity to a Council Event Support Scouter. 

National Event Support Scouters are dedicated Scouters that work with medium and high risk event organizers to ensure the successful planning of events. They report to the National Events Commissioner and may be supporting events inside and out of their home Council. While they do not report to CK3s they will certainly work closely with them to ensure events meet CK3 approval. The CK3 may also choose an Council Event Support Scouter to act as the event approval delegate. A complete role description can be found here.  If you have Scouters interested in becoming Event Support Scouters forward them this form.

To ensure all events across the country are conducted in the same safe, fun, Scouting manner it is important we all use a consistent approach and associated resources. Part 1 of the process is an online form. Part 2, 3 and 4 are short PDFs and the financial workbook are all supplied as you work through the process either with an event support scouter or your CK3. 

You can start today. The event standard and associated mandatory requirements have been in place since January 1, 2021, all other support and guidance elements of the updated event planning process are ready for use as of August 30^th 2021: https://www.scouts.ca/resources/event-management-playbook/home.html

During Part 1 all events are risk assessed automatically. The Smart sheet then sends an email to the CK3 if the event is low risk and they will then take the process from there. All medium and high risk events are managed by the National Event Team. 

All Events that have a revenue of less that $10K even if they are overnight can still use their own bank accounts. For events that have an overnight and have a revenue over $10K willl have to run all their finances through the OneScouts banking system and their finances will be managed by the Finance Team. These events will also need to collect sales tax. 

Take this as an opportunity to educate them on the event planning standard and process. Then invite them to take the needed steps to ensure event compliance. If they are still unwilling to follow the event planning process inform them their event cannot proceed.

There are three broad categories of risk: High, Medium and Low. Classification is based on Location, Frequency, Experience of the event planning team, Attendance, Duration, Program elements, and Incident management. A complete breakdown can be found here Event Assessment & Approval Procedure (scouts.ca)