Global Support Assessment in Liechtenstein: Learnings for a Bright Future

A sunny sky, amazing alpine surroundings, a local music festival (Beiza Festival) and most importantly very committed Scouts: an ideal setting for another Global Support Assessment (GSAT). And a proof that GSAT works not only for big NSOs in Europe but also for one of the smallest Scout associations in the European Scout Region.

The Pfadfinderinnen und Pfadfinder Liechtensteins (PPL, the Guides and Scouts of Liechtenstein) have some 800 members which presents about 13% market share among children and youth of the principality. This makes it a relatively small association but a highly recognised one, receiving a lot of attention by the public, including the Princely Family.

„The Global Support Assessment of the World Organization of the Scout Movement gives us an external perspective and helps us to raise awareness for our strengths and weaknesses“, says Nicole Bauer-Greber, President of PPL, adding that „we are ready to improve wherever we can. We are grateful for the support provided by the European Scout Region in this endeavour.“

The assessment covers ten different dimensions of the management of a National Scout Organisation, and within that 91 different criteria which are scored from 0 to 3. At the end of the assessment, the association receives a detailed report with all the results and some recommendations for improvements.

The recent Global Support Assessment of PPL is the 21st of its kind in the European Scout Region, which means that more than half of the associations in this WOSM-Region have undergone this assessment.

"Our GSAT Team is ready to join other NSOs or NSAs in the European Region as well." adds Matthias Gerth, coordinator of the Organisational Developemnet Core Group (ODCG) of the European Scout Region, "The Global Support Assessment is a great experience which makes your organisation stronger and fit for the challenges of the future".

Image and text: Matthias Gerth, ODCG European Scout Region