In addition to setting the minimum ratios of Leaders to Young people (see the section labelled ‘Ratios’ on this page), the Scout Association sets standards for the operation of meetings:

• There should be a high quality balanced Programme.
• Opportunities for youth members to take part in the decision making process.
• Any forum or committee should have both Young People and Leaders working together.
• Every Beaver/Cub/Scout/Explorer should have the chance to attend at least one nights away experience every year.

The District Team, is required where necessary to assist Sections to reach these minimum standards and we encourage you to reach out if you need any help or have concerns about meeting these standards. There are lots of solutions such as partnering with a neighbouring section/group or taking part in a district event or camp that may resolve the difficulty.

If a section fails to reach the minimum standard for 2 consecutive years, the District Lead Volunteer, with the approval of the District Trustee Board, may close it. POR dictates that if it fails to reach the minimum standard for 3 years, it must be closed.

Every section in the District is provided with a Gold+ license for Online Scout Manager. OSM is a youth membership system and provides leaders with a whole host of tools for reducing admin and securely storing personal information about young people. OSM lets leaders track youth attendance and very easily extrapolate badge progress, thus ensuring young people are rewarded for their effort. Parents can book and pay for events and subscriptions online which saves time collecting payments as well as having to pay them into the bank.

Please note it is mandatory in Doncaster Danum that all sections use OSM to record youth data, badge progress and attendance registers.

Your Group Lead Volunteer or 14 – 24 Team Leader should be able to set you up with access to OSM once you have been issued with your Scout email address and completed the appointment process.

We are firmly committed to diversity in all areas of our work. We believe that we have much to learn and gain from diverse cultures and perspectives, and that diversity will make our organisation more effective in meeting the needs of children, young people and adults.

We are committed to developing and maintaining an organisation in which differing ideas, abilities, backgrounds and needs are fostered and valued, and where those with diverse backgrounds and experiences are able to participate and contribute.

The Equal Opportunities Policy

Young People

The Scout Association is part of a worldwide educational youth movement. The values, which underpin and inspire its work, are embodied in the Scout Promise and Law and in the Purpose of the Association.

Within this framework, the Association is committed to equality of opportunity for all young people.

Accordingly:

The Scout Association is committed to extending Scouting, its Purpose and Method to young people in all parts of society.

No young person should receive less favourable treatment on the basis of, nor suffer disadvantage by reason of:

• class or socioeconomic status;
• ethnic origin, nationality (or statelessness) or race;
• gender (including gender reassignment);
• marital or civil partnership status;
• sexual orientation;
• disability (including mental or physical ability);
• political belief;
• pregnancy;
• religion or belief (including the absence of belief).

All Members of the Movement should seek to practise equality, especially in promoting access to Scouting for all young people. We should make adjustments where possible to support all young people with disabilities to access Scouting – see the section on Reasonable Adjustments on this page.

The Scout Association opposes all forms of prejudice and discrimination, including racism, sexism, and homophobia. All Scout Groups, as independent charities, have a duty to comply with relevant equalities legislation.

Further information about equalities legislation and Scouting is available via the members area of the www.scouts.org.uk

Note: With reference to gender, membership of the youth Sections of the Association is open to boys and girls, and young women and young men of the appropriate ages subject to the rules set out in 3.6, 4.6 and 5.6 in POR.

Leaders and other volunteers

To carry out its work the Association seeks to appoint effective and appropriate Leaders, and to involve other volunteers in supporting roles, all of whom are required to accept fully the responsibilities of their commitment.

The overriding considerations in making all appointments in Scouting shall be the safety and security of young people, and their continued development in accordance with the Purpose and Values of the Association.

Accordingly, all those whom the Movement accepts as volunteers must be appropriate persons to undertake the duties of the particular position to which they have been appointed (including, if relevant, meeting the requirements of the Sponsoring Authority) and, where appropriate, the responsibilities of membership.

In making an appointment to a particular leadership or support position it may be appropriate to consider the gender and/or ethnicity of the potential appointee, in particular to ensure appropriate composition of leadership or supporting teams.

The physical and mental ability of a particular potential appointee to fulfil a particular role will always be a relevant factor to consider.

Within these constraints no person volunteering their services should suffer disadvantage by reason of any of the issues already listed above for young people. Nor should they be discriminated by age.

Note: Sexual feelings directed towards children and/or a sexual interest in children is a bar to any involvement in the Scout Movement.

We strongly believe that expenses and fees should not be a barrier to any adult’s participation in Scouting and, in principle, volunteers should not be out of pocket. Please refer to your group’s policy on personal expenses for more information.

Advice

• Do accept volunteer expenses. You can always give them back as a donation to your Group if you do not need reimbursing.
• Don’t ever accept money as payment from someone you have helped in the course of volunteering. Explain to them that they can make a donation to Scouting if they so wish.

For all Explorer Scout regular indoor meetings a minimum of two adults must be present and a minimum of two adults for all nights away activities*. 

For all meetings and activities, leaders should assess the risk and arrange for sufficient adults (aged 18 or over) to ensure a safe environment for the operation of the section. This risk assessment may mean that more adults are needed than the minimum ratios above indicate. 

*It is possible for young people to hold a Nights Away Event Passport, which allows them to run a nights away event for their peers, without adults present, in which case the ratios will not apply. 

For more information please see POR

Most people perform better if they have the opportunity to discuss how they are doing and where they are going from time to time.

A review in Scouting is simply an opportunity to look at what has happened since you started in your role, or since your last review, and to see what further support and guidance you might need. It should not be confused with the performance appraisals that many people have experienced at work. Reviews can be both formal and informal, depending on what stage you are at in the course of your appointment.

An informal review is held at least annually, to build on the chats you have during the year. It is a chance to take stock and plan for the future.

A formal review takes place with your volunteer line manager at the end of your agreed appointment period, although you can be called for a formal review at any time. During the meeting you will both get the opportunity to express your views. Your review will then go on to look at the successes you have had in your role, the progress you have made on your training (if appropriate), where you can best contribute to Scouting in the future and the role you would prefer in Scouting going forward. The kind of things you will discuss are:

1. are you happy in your current role?
2. what challenges have you faced in your role?
3. do you wish to continue, or would your expertise be best used in another role,
4. or should you retire from Scouting?

At the end of the review a decision can then be made about your future role, and any support that you will require. 

Risk Assessments are essential for every activity whether that be doing crafts in the HQ or parascending at a local airfield. Despite what most people might think, risk assessments are a great enabler for participating in adventurous activities as they allow you to rationalise and explain how something that, at face value might sound quite risky or unsafe, is a perfectly acceptable activity. Of course they also force us to consider how we keep all adults and young people safe which should always be our number one priority.

However here’s a few guiding principles and tips

• Do share your risk assessment with everyone involved with running the activity.
• Do review an old risk assessment and see if it needs updating or adapted.
• Do show your risk assessments to your line manager or someone else for advice.
• Do ensure the risk assessment is shared with all young people and adults taking part.
• Don’t be afraid to change a risk assessment on the fly (a dynamic risk assessment) but make sure everyone is informed of what has changed and why.
• A risk assessment can be aural but it should still be written down and it filed securely ready for next time or in case something goes wrong. There is a facility in OSM to store and share risk assessments and we strongly recommend all leaders use this facility or the space provided for each group and section on Sharepoint/Teams .
• For nights away experiences and adventurous activities you will be asked to submit your risk assessment accompanied with the notification before the event takes place.

Running Safe Activities

• Activities – the A-Z of Scout Activities will guide you through the planning of running exciting and safe activities for your young people.
• Programme – get some practical ideas of how to bring safety into your programme.
• Camping and Practical Skills – find out more top tips for staying safe whilst doing practical skills and in a camping environment. 
• Events – guidance for those planning, managing or responsible for approving events within Scouting to ensure that they are delivered in a safe way.
• Managing a premises – top tips for managing a Scout premises safely.

Emergencies and Reporting
Its important to know what to do in an emergency and what plans to have in place before an activity to ensure that you can respond efficiently should one arise.

InTouch

InTouch is the system used to manage communications at all Scout activities and events. It is flexible to allow those organising events to implement a system best suited to their particular circumstances.

Whenever any activity, event or meeting is run within Scouting it is a requirement that an InTouch system is put in place (POR 9.3).  This is to ensure:

• everyone involved is aware of how communication will take place between Leaders, participants, and those not on the event
•  there are details of who is present should anything go wrong, and there is a system in place in the event of an emergency.

The procedures put in place to ensure this are likely to vary at different types of events due to the differing circumstances and needs. To facilitate this InTouch is a process that you must follow to ensure that everyone is clear as to what will be put in place for every Scouting event.

Training

All adults in Scouting undertake training which includes content to help them deliver safe Scouting. The aim of the training is to enable adults to plan and run exciting, safe and developmental activities for the young people in their section.

Permits and adventurous activities

The adventurous activity permit scheme is an internal assessment scheme designed to ensure that all those leading adventurous activities for young people within Scouting have the skills, experience and personal suitability to do so. Full details are available on how the scheme works and support for you through the scheme, whether you are a leader applying for a permit, an assessor assessing an applicant, or a District Lead Volunteer granting someone a permit.

We have a clear code of behaviour called ‘Young people first’ also known as the yellow card. You should have a copy but if you don’t please ask your volunteer line manager. This applies to all adults working in Scouting, regardless of their role. It is also included in the training that you will receive and provides guidelines about how young people should be treated. We expect everyone to follow it.

The Law and Scouting – A duty of care

Under the terms of the Children Act 1989, Leaders have a duty of care towards the young people in their custody. This means that adults should adopt a common sense approach when dealing with injuries and illnesses. If you act reasonably when dealing with a problem, it is unlikely that you can be accused of unreasonable action after the event.

Safeguarding – How to prevent incidents 

The Child protection policy

The Scout Association acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people and is committed to ensuring that safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities and government guidance and complies with best practice and The Charity Commission requirements. This policy is in process of being updated and the revised version will be published in September 2020.

This policy:

1. applies to all adults including the Board of Trustees, volunteers, paid staff, agency staff and anyone working on behalf of The Scout Association;
2. recognises that the welfare and interests of children and young people are paramount in all circumstances; and
3. aims to ensure that all children and young people have a positive and enjoyable experience of Scouting in a safe and child-centred environment and are protected from abuse whilst participating in Scouting and otherwise.

The Scout Association acknowledges that some children and young people, including those disabled and those from ethnic minority communities, can be particularly vulnerable to abuse and accepts the responsibility to take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure their welfare.

Resources

The training has been updated in June 2020 and the new elearning video resource available follows the September update to our protection policy.

Who should take the training?

If you are up-to-date with your Safeguarding Mandatory Ongoing Learning, you’re not required to re-do this new module but, to stay up-to-date, we’d encourage you to complete it (it doesn’t take long). 

What’s included in the training?

There are five lessons in the module and an assessment at the end. You will need to score 100% in the assessment to unlock the certificate of completion. 

There is a reference guide to the content of the Safeguarding Mandatory Ongoing Learning. This guide can be used for reference before, during or after you do the e-learning,

What are the training objectives? 

By doing this e-learning you will: 

• understand the Safeguarding Policy and how to keep young people and adults at risk safe 
• understand the code of practice in the yellow card
• know how to recognise abuse 
• know how to report concerns 
• know what to do to keep Scouts safe.

We are committed to being a leading organisation in health and safety management. Together, we can all help to ensure the health and safety of ourselves and others. This is why you are expected to follow our safety in scouting guidance which is detailed in the ‘Staying Safe checklist’ which you can download here.

The Safety Policy

The Scouts sets out to deliver everyday adventure and develop skills for life in a growing movement of adult volunteers and young people aged 5-25, in the UK and internationally. 

The Scouts recognises that life is not risk-free, and in its turn Scouting is not risk-free.  As Scouts, we believe that our members benefit most from our activities when we manage these risks to well-being to be as low as is reasonably practicable.  Identifying and proportionately managing risk is a skill for life that we wish to kindle, develop and enhance in all of our members.  

All those involved in Scouting must, so far as is reasonably practicable and to the extent of their role, ability and understanding;

• Properly assess the risk of every activity undertaken in Scouting.  This assessment should be suitable and sufficient for the activity being undertaken, and it follows that activities with higher risk should require more in-depth assessment. 
• Provide and receive clear instructions and information, and adequate training, to ensure members are competent to undertake their task.
• Prevent accidents and cases of ill health by managing the health and safety risks in Scouting.
• Maintain safe and healthy conditions, provide and maintain plant, equipment and machinery, and ensure safe storage/use of substances.
• Review risk assessments as often as necessary when circumstances and conditions change.
• Never be afraid to change or stop an activity if risk increases.

You don’t need written permission to take photographs and in a lot of cases, you could get yourself into a world of agro if you asked for it and were refused! Check your wordings carefully if you are making policy on photography. You should however ask for permission to share photographs this is best done via OSM.

All new appointments within Scouting involve a number of responsibilities and commitments and everyone taking on a new role will have hopes and expectations. Some of these will be realised and some won’t. Therefore, a realistic compromise needs to be worked out and we call this a ‘mutual agreement’.

The success and quality of the partnership between our new adults and Scouting will ultimately depend on how open it is. From the outset, the mutual agreement needs to explain what we expect from you and what you expect from Scouting. We also need to be clear about what help and support Scouting can provide you in your role.

The agreement is a step towards this and covers the principal aspects of volunteering with Scouting in Mersey Weaver but you will need to discuss more local matters with your line manager.

A good mutual agreement consists of:

1. a description of the role you have agreed to undertake,
2. the specific tasks involved and the time we expect them to take,
3. details of the support required and expected,
4. an agreed date when we will review the agreement,
5. an understanding that you, as a new person to scouting, accept the fundamentals of Scouting and this volunteer agreement,
6. what we hope to offer to you.

Volunteer expectations

Everyone who volunteers with Scouting within Mersey Weaver is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect. You have a right to:

• accurate information on scouting at local and national level
• a clear description of the role you have taken on
• a safe working environment
• negotiate a choice of roles and tasks on a flexible basis
• a named person (volunteer Line Manager), you can go to for advice, support and peer mentoring and a Training Adviser
• protection from exploitation by other volunteers and service users 
• be able to say ‘no’ without feeling guilty 
• have your contribution valued by all areas of the organisation
• receive constructive feedback on your contribution
• have opportunities to develop skills
• have opportunities for training
• have local scouting deal with disciplinary and grievance matters
• volunteer in a friendly atmosphere
• have fun.

Volunteer responsibilities

In return, you are required to abide by the ‘Adult Code of Conduct’ described elsewhere on this page.

You will also find details here on following procedures related to Safety, Safeguarding, Diversity, Risk assessments, Training, Data Protection (GPDR) and Vetting.

You should also:

• wear Scout Association uniform as appropriate to your role.
• refrain from public criticism of scouting.
• avoid revealing any confidences entrusted to you in the course of your day to day volunteering (i.e. things discussed at team or Trustee Board meetings).
• enjoy yourself and encourage others who may be interested in volunteering with Scouting.

Further details on all these policies can be found in the current edition of The Policy, Organisation & Rules of The Scout Association (www.scouts.org.uk/por)