Site after site, night after night, Rob Moore has trawled the internet seeking Network websites worthy of recognition. Finally, he’s found three of the best and is now armed with the knowledge to make yours one to remember

A few months back, I awoke from a fevered slumber to the fearful sight of a strange masked man standing at the foot of my bed brandishing a large sword. I groaned intolerably as he divulged that broadband could cost as little as £15.99 a month. Naturally,
I found myself excited by his proposition. Following a ruthless slash at my bank balance, the masked stranger was off like a thief in the night leaving me to prowl the darkened depths of the internet. And prowl I have, like a tiger starved of sustenance I have been stalking Scout Network websites up and down the UK awaiting the ideal moment to pounce and express my thoughts. That moment is now. Below I reveal the best Network sites I have come across, as well as some of the pitfalls to avoid
when designing your own.

Merseyside Scout Network
Of the sites I visited, Merseyside Scout Network‘s is by far the most user-friendly. They have managed to make things staggeringly simple with a very effective browser. A stunningly obvious toolbar allows easy navigation to every area of the site without overloading your browser. Instant one-click access to great photographs, useful contacts and an up-to-date
programme diary (very rare but very important. Who cares about the exciting events you have planned for August 2002?) help to make the site one of the best I’ve seen.
It is very important to think of your audience when you are putting a site together. Don’t be afraid to test it out on people inside and outside of your Network. Can they easily fi nd the information they are looking for? Do they understand what your menus refer to? Is there anything they think the site should include? Navigation and design should obviously be given
very careful thought when you are putting together a website. Visit www.scout-network.com to see Merseyside Scout Network’s excellent site yourself.

West Lancashire Scout Network
Not quite as tidy or sexy as Merseyside‘s (I’m not necessarily referring to the people!), but it still contains great content and has an easy to use navigation system. Amongst their local events West Lancashire plug a number of national events too, and contact details are easy to fi nd. I particularly liked the random photo viewer, which gives a nice snapshot of the often bizarre and fun reality of Network Scouting. Content is another major consideration. Think hard about the information that you want to include on your website. Think about your audience. Who is the content aimed at? What will appeal to them? Get someone to proof any written material before it goes online to check spelling, grammar and whether or not it makes sense. Also try to keep text as short and to the point as possible. No one wants to spend hours looking at your website scanning text, looking for just that one bit of essential information that they are after. Visit www.network.westlancashirescouts.org.uk to see West Lancashire Scout Network’s comprehensive website yourself.

Essex Scout Network
Essex Scout Network’s site is very closely linked to its County site. The format is shared, as are some of the links. This gives a fuzzy, warm feeling inside. It’s almost as though Network have integrated well with the other Sections in Essex! Events have ‘sectional’ icons, indicating who is welcome, and links take you where you want to go in just one click (no irritating intermittant pages here). I’m impressed by the wealth of photos that are on offer and especially the County Network team line-up. Do you know who your County Scout Network Administrator, Treasurer or even Commissioner are? Visit www.essexscouts.org. uk/sections/network.php to see Essex Scout Network’s great website yourself.

Wonder web!
The internet truly is a brilliant resource with almost unlimited possibilities. The only restriction is your imagination! Your Network can really benefi t from a comprehensive and attractive looking website. If you’re preparing to put together your own Network website, I strongly suggest you visit other Network sites fi rst for inspiration. Get to it now, before the masked stranger starts to brandish his large sword at you too!