HowTo: Use this site for your Section

The intention of this site is twofold: To present and market the Group to the wider community and to make it easier for Sections to operate.

Note: You will not be able to access all links in this document unless you have an account and are signed in on it. See HowTo: Get an Account for details on how to accomplish that.

Things you can do

This site allows section leaders and committee members to:

• create pages of information for youth members and parents, for example:
  • Resources pages such as this which gives scouts links to useful external pages for knotting, navigation, etc.
  • I've taken the liberty of adding a resources page to each section with a link to the uniform and badge locations for that section ... never again struggle to remember where that badge goes, just point the parent to the website.
• make announcements and upload A1 forms, maps, calendars.
  • for example the scout section announcement page contains pages for each event
  • each event page is free form, you can use it to describe the event, give people necessary references and information by linking, attach A1 forms and other material they may need to print out and bring.
  • events can contain a Map so parents can (with one click) get driving directions to events
  • events can refer to calendar entries, so people can download the programme and store it in their phones or PDAs or calendars ... or even print it out and stick it on a wall.
• store complex documents on google docs and link to them from the site.
  • example: the Joining 1st Roselea page is linked to a form and spreadsheet on google docs.
  • the Hiking Guide is linked to a complex word-like document on google docs.
  • the directory of contacts for members can be linked to a google doc spreadsheet.

Additionally:

• Each page can (optionally) have comments and allow attachments.
• You (or someone) can upload photos directly as attachments or (better) to a Picasaweb album owned by the group, and you can then include slideshows or selected images into your pages.

You can undoubtedly also do things I haven't thought of, and I invite you to explore and play, to find new things.

Currently each section page (Scout Troop, Cub Pack and Joey Mob) has at least four pages:

• Main Section Page - I've added a few picasa web albums, you can edit this to suit
• Announcement Page - awaiting your use
• Resources Page - one link to 'uniforms'
• Calendar Page - one link to the per-section calendar (which you may edit.)

The Scout Troop page is most developed, and you might like to lift some ideas from it.

Advanced things you can do

We can create new sub-websites for special purposes, such as one site per Patrol which the scouts can operate for themselves.

You can do quite amazing things, such as surveys:

and other data collection forms, which send their data to a google doc spreadsheet, which can be shared, and notifications posted to you, etc.

Here are the spreadsheet results (you won't be able to see them unless you're signed in on an account which has been given permission):

You can do presentations, like this one (which isn't really done yet, but which will be part of the About Us page.)