“Scouts Creating a Better Africa”

CONTEST RULES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. INTRODUCTION

The World Scout Bureau Africa Support Centre is pleased to invite entries for the inaugural Africa Scout Storytelling Contest. The contest is open to Scouts, Scout leaders and other Volunteers serving Scouting in different capacities in National Scout Organizations (NSO) within the Africa Scout Region. As much as the contest targets Africans, Scouts, Scout leaders and other Volunteers from around the world can also to submit their entries, on condition that the contents of their submission must depict African Scouts and must have either been created in Africa or at a world, regional or national Scout event.

2. DATES AND THEME

The Africa Scout Storytelling Contest 2018 will run for a 3 months, starting on the 16th of April and closing on the 22nd of June 2018.

The theme of the contest is “Scouts Creating a Better Africa” and seeks to highlight the many positive actions (programmes, projects, activities, events, campaigns etc.) Scouts in Africa are undertaking to contribute to their development and the improvement of their communities.

3. OBJECTIVES

The key objectives of the Africa Scout Storytelling Contest are to:

• Encourage and provide opportunity for Scouts, Scout leaders, volunteers and National Scout
  Associations/Organizations to share their Scout stories; 
• Collect, organize and disseminate materials to enhance brand awareness and support
  communications about the social impact of Scouting in Africa; 
• Inspire and galvanize Scout and non-Scout communities towards action on key issues of
  importance to Scouting and young people; 
• Inculcate and promote a culture of storytelling within Scouting and build a community of
  grassroots correspondents; 
• Recognize, as Brand Ambassadors, outstanding Scouts, Volunteers and NSOs that are playing a
  key role in telling Scout stories in Africa; 
• Contribute to the growth of Scouting by re-engage existing members and reaching out to new
  youth and adult audiences.

4. ELIGIBILITY

The contest is open to:

• Scouts and Scout Leaders registered with an NSA/NSO in the Africa Region
• Volunteers serving Scouting in the NSA/NSO or at regional level in Africa
• National Scout Associations/Organizations in the Africa Scout Region that are members of WOSM
• Scouts, Scout Leaders and other Volunteers from NSA/NSO outside the Africa Region that are members of WOSM; provided that their submissions depict African Scouts and must have either been created in Africa or at a world, regional or national Scout event.

5. CATEGORIES

Entries can be submitted in any of the following categories:

a) Feature Writing:
Stories should be of factual and verifiable activities of Scouts, Scout groups or National Scout Organizations in the Africa region. They should seek to not only inform the audience of the impactful work of the Scouts but also seek to inspire others into action. Provide evidence, share photos and make your stories really interesting. The stories should be not more than 800 words.

b) Photography:
Photographs submitted must be high resolution (300ppi and above) and in digital format only. No printed and low quality photographs will be considered as the winning entries will be used in regional and global publications. A maximum of eight (8) photos can be submitted for each category.

The photographs must also include the following information:
• A caption (not more than 50 words) describing the activity taking place in the photo
• Name of the exact location, the city/town, the country where the photograph was taken
• Name of the photographer or the copyright owner of the image (if you are not the one who took the photo)
• Indicate whether the photograph is in its original form or has been digitally manipulated.

c) Videography & Motion Graphics:
Real life action videos, motion graphics and visual animations of Scouts taking part in community projects, Scout and non Scout events or other activities that help to promote the cause of Scouting. The videos must address any or several of the thematic areas of the contest and should not be more than three minutes (180 seconds).

d) Creative Arts:
Comics, drawing and sketches of Scout-like characters engaging in activities related to any or several of the thematic areas of the contest. Entries in this category must be submitted in not less than A4 size paper and not greater than A2 size paper and not more than eight (8) pages.

e) Poetry and Spoken Word:
The poems and spoken word can be in written form, audio narrations or video recorded and should relate to any or several of the thematic areas of the contest. The written poems should not be longer than one A4 size page, while the audio or video narrations must not exceed 5 minutes (300 seconds).

Guidelines:
The submissions in the categories above must be developed based on the following guidelines:

• Have a catchy headline that tells what the story is about. Avoid initials so that everyone can
  easily understand what you are talking about.
• What happened? Name the project, event or activity and provide more information about it. Is
  it the first time it is happening or not?
• Where did the project, event or activity taking place? Describe the location and any special
  significance it has?
• When did the project, event or activity take place? Is it several years, months, weeks, days or
  hours? Does the timing have any special significance?
• Why is it important? Give reasons/justification as to why the project, event or activity is
  important and why people should be concerned about it.
• Who were involved in this project, event or activity? Are they Scouts or non-Scouts? How many
  are they? Did the community members also take part, and what role did they play?
• Who did this project, event or activity target to benefit and why? Give a brief profile of who they
  are.
• What are the 3 to 5 most important lessons learnt from this project, event or activity? How will
  they be useful for the future?
• How did this project, event or activity benefit the following groups of people?
  • Scouts organizing/implementing the project, event or activity:
  • Individual beneficiaries of project, event or activity:
  • Community in which the project, event or activity was implemented:
•  How does this project, event or activity contribute toward achieving the vision and mission of the movement?
• How do you intend to sustain and/or replicate this project, event or activity?
• Provide online links to other relevant publications, photographs or videos about the story.
• Avoid acronyms and Scout jargon. Imagine you’re telling your non-Scout neighbor, friend or family member the story.

6. THEMATIC AREAS

In line with the theme of “Scouts Creating a Better World in Africa” all entries should be submitted under one or more of the following thematic areas:

• Scouts and Sustainable Development Goals (select a specific goal or goals)
• Social Impact of Scouting (on individuals, communities, country and the world)
• Environmental Conservation (tree planting, conservation of plants and animals etc.)
• Peace and Dialogue (scouts promoting peace, dialogue and coexistence among peers, schools and communities etc.)
• Food Security (e.g. food for life project, agribusiness etc.)
• Community Service (Scouts involvement in community activities and campaigns etc.)
• Diversity and Inclusion (e.g. social inclusion, youth and children living with disabilities or in difficult circumstances, marginalized groups and communities, women in Scouting and leadership, promoting human rights and equality etc.)
• Creativity and Innovation (innovative ideas, products or solutions developed by Scouts to respond to personal or community needs etc.)
• Humanitarian Action (Scouts preventing, responding to or taking part in rehabilitation from man-made or natural disasters etc.)
• Values and Life skills (important lessons and skills learnt through the Scout youth programme etc.)

7. GENERAL RULES AND CONDITIONS

The following general rules shall apply to all the entries submitted in this Contest:

• Content of the entries can be on any or several of the listed themes of the contest
• Entries must show diversity in terms of gender, age, religion, race etc.
• Entries must depict Scouts in action. Static/posed entries will not be considered
• Content should depict Scouts from Africa taking part in activities within Africa or African Scouts at a world, regional or national Scout event.
• Entries must include the names of the person/NSO submitting the entry, their country, phone number and email address and the date of submission.
• By submitting the entries, participants give the World Organization of the Scout Movement and the World Scout Bureau the copyright to use their entries for the promotion of Scouting. Credit for the participants shall however to acknowledged. 
• All entries in all categories shall not be returned.

8. ACTIVITIES AND TIMELINES

The different activities of the contest will take place with the timelines as set out below:

• 16 April 2018: Opening of the contest for submission of entries
• 22 June 2018: Closing the submission of entries
• 13 July 2018: Shortlisting of top 10 entries in each category
• 27 July 2018: Round 2 selection of the top 5 entries in each category
• 1 August 2018: Announcement of winners, 1st and 2nd runners up in each category

9. SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES

NOTE: Winning entries will be required to submit the raw files after the announcement of winners.

10. SELECTION PROCESS

In determining the winners in each category, the judging panel will consider among other things the
following:

• Entries are submitted within the specified time frame, using the specified medium with the
  correct titles.
• Entries are in line with the theme of the contest and address one or more of the identified
  thematic areas
• Entries conform to the requirements stated for each category 
• Entries are relevant and of good quality

11. JUDGING PANEL

An international panel of judges has been identified for each of the categories. They comprise of staff and volunteers within World Scouting and from Selected NSOs who have extensive knowledge and experience in the different areas. In making their decisions, judges will be guided by rules of the competition and the Scout Law and Promise. The identities of the judges will not be revealed any time within the duration of the contest.

12. RECOGNITION AND AWARDS

In line with the principle of recognition and motivation, the top participants and winners in the different
categories will be recognize and awarded as follows:

• Top 10 entries in each category: Certificate of Participation and appointment as Regional
  Scout Correspondents
• Top 5 entries in each category: Certificate of Recognition
• 1st & 2nd Runner-up entries in each category: Certificate of Achievement and World Scouting
  Purple Polo T-Shirt.
• Winners in each category: Certificate of Achievement, World Scouting purple polo T-Shirt, a
  plaque and appointment as Regional Scout Brand Ambassador.

NOTE: All the entries of good quality regardless of whether or not they made to the top 10 selection list
may be featured by the World Scout Bureau in its regional or global print and digital publications such
as website, social media, newsletters, magazines, reports, calendars, exhibitions and other promotional
material.

13. HASHTAGS

The hashtags for promoting the Africa Scout Storytelling Contest are:
• #MyScoutStory
• #ScoutsInAction

14. SUPPORT

In case you have any queries or need assistance with your entries, contact Nelson Opany, Communications & Public Relations Officer at the World Scout Bureau Africa Support Centre on nopany@scout.org

Print version : Africa Scout Storytelling Contest 2018 – Guidelines v3 20180413 EN