Assessment for Staged Performances

Each performance needs to be assessed a minimum of every five years, or when their previous assessment expires.

Assessment is organised between the assessor and the performance organisers, and will take place once the relevant Commissioner has approved the performance,

If an assessment is successful the assessor will contact the relevant Commissioner to arrange the relevant celebration. If an assessment is unsuccessful the assessor will contact the relevant Commissioner and inform them. If the assessor has concerns over the safety of young people they must contact the relevant Commissioner immediately.

As with all activities within your District (or County), the Commissioner's approval is required before a performance can take place.

A person should be formally and specifically appointed by the Appointments sub-Committee to manage the overall performance (i.e. the production team, business management team and focus on the development of young people). They are referred to in the rest of this factsheet as the ‘Performance Chairperson’.

You can then work with the Performance Chairperson to ensure the following minimum assessment standards.

• Ensure that content and material is suitable for the young people involved and also the audience that will be attending.
• Ensure that young people participate as part of the balanced programme within Scouting, and that the time commitment for the show is not such that this is not possible for them.
• Ensure that the show is cast with young people.
• Agree on the key personnel (Producer, Director, Choreographer, trainers/instructors).
•  Ensure that key personnel are (or made) at least Associate Members of the Movement and encouraged to undertake Module 1 of the Adult Training Scheme.
• Ensure that all adults working with the young people at any stage of the show are aware of The Association’s Child Protection Policy and have completed the required checks.
• Ensure that all legal aspects of public performances are adhered to. (FS120162 ‘Performances: Legal Liscencing Requirements’ can help with this.)
• Ensure that a business plan is submitted and agreed as per the normal processes for events with such financial liability.
• Ensure that there is formal agreement from the relevant Commissioner in GirlGuiding, where their Members are involved.
• Conduct a review as seen fit.
• Agree the specific and relevant actions required to meet the Key Policies of the Scout Association as set out in POR.

The Staged Performance Assessor

The County will need to appoint one or possibly more, Staged Performance Assessors. This is a specific appointment of the County Appointments sub-Committee. As a minimum to become an Assessor a person must:

• Be at least an Associate Member of the Movement.
• Have completed a modified version of module 25 of the Adult Training Scheme, which can be validated through assessing two performances.
• A special word version of the module 25 workbook aimed specifically at Staged Performance Assessors (currently referred to as Scout Show Assessors) is available to download the training area of scouts.org.uk or from Scout Shops.
• An Assessor must not assess a performance they are currently involved in, and good practice would say that they shouldn’t assess a performance they have had recent involvement in.

Application for Assessment

To be assessed a staged performance should contact their local County Assessor using the assessment request form or similar, at least a month before the show, but ideally at the initial planning stages. This does not surpass the relevant Commissioner approval for the performance, which should also be sort. If the Commissioner is happy that all the minimum standards are reached then the performance can proceed and an assessment can be organised.

Assessment

An assessor will view the performance and will give feedback to the organisers. The assessor will point out the strengths of the show and offer points of improvement, no matter what the standard is.

Where a show completes a successful assessment the assessor will issue the relevant certificate and alert the Commissioner. Assessments are valid for up to 5 years, or as per POR rule 9.22. the show can then organise to be assessed again.

If a show is not successful the assessor will advise the performance on how to improve and support them to achieve this until a successful assessment is completed. A performance may continue while working towards assessment standard, unless the assessor has concerns about the safety of young people.

Celebration of Successful Assessment

The assessor, along with the relevant Commissioner and show organisers, will determine an appropriate way to celebrate a successful assessment.