A recent survey conducted by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) among its membership discovered that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the finances of more than 88% of National Scout Organizations (NSOs) around the world.
As part of an ongoing commitment to strengthen and scale up the capacity of NSOs, WOSM has published a new Financial Management Toolkit to assist Member Organizations to reach a standard of excellence in financial management practices, and to manage through the financial challenges caused by the pandemic.
The Toolkit is aligned with World Scouting’s Quality Standard principles and international best practices in financial management, and offers practical tools, templates and ‘how-to’ tips for improving financial systems and solutions within an NSO. Through its three volumes the resource provides insights into various aspects of financial management, including: financial roles, internal controls, bank account operations and management, payments, budgeting, procurement processes, and auditing.
Already, NSOs are using WOSM’s resources and services in the area of financial management to create strategies for long-term sustainability and growth. Since re-joining as a member of WOSM in 2012, the Myanmar Scout organisation now has about 17,000 members spread across the country. Mapping the organisation’s financial reality, and learning how to better leverage existing financial and physical resources, is part of the NSO’s plan to effectively support its membership and act as a responsible partner when implementing community development initiatives.
Last year a workshop held in Yangon, Myanmar brought together 33 participants from different provinces to exchange and learn about how to improve financial management within their NSO. With support from the Asia-Pacific Region and WOSM Service Consultants in preparing the workshop, participants learned how to put in place financial systems and controls that meet international best practices and financial criteria laid out in World Scouting’s Quality Standard.
NSOs looking for further guidance on how to enhance their organisation’s financial management systems and practices can access the Financial Management Toolkit, or request support through WOSM Services under the Good Governance Service area.
