Meet the New Members of Team Pink!

The National SSAGO Exec

Wednesday 9th of November 2022

As I’m sure you’re aware by now, back in April the new Team Pink decided it was time to share the workload, and bring some new Assistant roles to the team. Applications were opened, plenty were received and reviewed, and then summer happened… confirming and setting up each role took longer than we’d have liked. But now that all three positions are in place, we’re able to announce them!

SAGGA Liaison
The SAGGA Liaison is a role that has been dormant for a long time- too long. This role sits on the committees of both SSAGO and SAGGA (the Scout And Guide Graduate Association). They therefore provide a crucial link in both directions, by helping SSAGO members progress to SAGGA, and helping SAGGA provide valuable advice to us! And the candidate selected for the role is…

Ellie Meakin

Hey, I'm Ellie!

I graduated from Newcastle University this year, and am now working out how to be an actual proper civil engineer person in York, while getting to wear orange and play with railway bridges!

I was in Guiding from Rainbows all the way through until I went to university, when I defected to Scouts. I've been a NUSSAGG member for many a year, and was the Treasurer of Viking Rally. 

The best thing about SSAGO has been meeting people and going off and doing mad stuff, whether that's iScout or doing the entire Manchester Metrolink system in one day.

I'm really looking forward to working with both SSAGO and SAGGA (and hopefully getting the Gs and S's the right way around)!

Charities Assistant
SSAGO has long been trying to become a charity, with many Execs thwarted by long timescales and complicated bureaucracy. This Assistant will therefore provide the continuity needed, and undertake the legwork of the conversion process, enabling the core Exec to focus on their manifestos and the day-to-day running of SSAGO. Unlike many Assistant roles, the Charities Assistant role is a temporary position, which will only need to exist until all charity transition tasks are complete. The candidate selected for the role is…

Alex Banwell

Hi, I’m Alex!

I’m a fourth-year Electronic Engineering student at the University of Southampton! I’ve been in Scouting since Beavers, and I am still involved today! Since joining university, I've become involved in all things SSAGO! I've been Southampton SSAGO Treasurer twice, I was the National SSAGO Treasurer for 2021-22, the Treasurer of Rally of Games, and I've been involved with organising or helping to organise a number of other smaller events!

Throughout my time in these roles, I noticed that SSAGO could save a lot of money, and develop as an organisation, if it had registered charity status, and I am therefore very passionate about making this (finally) happen!

Active Support Officer

Last but by no means least, the Active Support Officer. As part of our relationship with The Scout Association, SSAGO partly functions as a Scout Active Support Unit, or SASU. This provides us with a Compass database, which allows our members to be registered with The Scouts, and perform and record DBS checks where necessary. As the number of members using this facility is ever-increasing, we have brought on a member to oversee this particular task, and maintain the knowledge of the various systems required. That member is…

Ben Dickinson

Hi, I'm Ben!

I'm currently in my third-year studying Mathematics at Durham University! I've been in Scouting since Beavers, and never left. I have been in SSAGO for just over 2 years, and have been on DUSAGG's committee for both of those! I was also Publicity Officer for Viking Rally, and if you haven't heard about it, I'm sure Bjørn will tell you! Outside of SSAGO, I am a member of SAGGA, an Explorer Scout Leader and a District Scout Network Commissioner, among other roles.

As Active Support Officer, I am responsible for maintaining everyone's compass records, ensuring everyone has the necessary DBS checks and other Compass-related things. Feel free to contact me if you have something to discuss!