The Fort Team
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The South London Scout Centre – known by most as The Fort, is our county centre and campsite. It is loved and used by members of our groups and units across South London, by scouts, guides and other youth organisations across the country and the world, and by members of other organisations, families, and friends in our local community and far and wide.
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Over the coming years we will be undertaking an exciting project of major development of the centre, including, new facilities with areas and services just for our use, and areas for public hire.
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We have also launched a new exciting centre service team who will manage and run the centre and ensure that it is well maintained and welcoming for all our visitors and users, so they have an enjoyable and memorable time.
Anyone over 16 years can be a member of our team – students, Explorers, Network members leaders, Supporters, parents of members, retired professionals, or simply those wanting to get involved in something different and rewarding for a couple of hours a week or month etc.
There is no requirement to have been previously involved in local scouting before joining. All that is required is a willingness to volunteer some time to support the running of the centre.
As a member of our South London Scout Centre Team, you can give as much or as little of your spare time as you want to, to support the running of the centre. This means that you can be involved without the need to make a regular commitment and can help out in a way that best suits you.
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Ways you can get involved…
Whether you have a professional trade or skill that can help maintain our facilities, such as carpentry, plumbing or electrics, or if you are just interested in getting involved in the day-to-day support of our centre. We're sure to have the right role for you. There are many ways to be part of our team, these include:
Duty Wardens
Our duty wardens, volunteer on a rota basis and take it in turns to oversee the smooth running of the centre and ensure visitors needs are looked after during their stay on site.
This includes overseeing:
- visitors are welcomed and booked in on arrival and introduce to the facilities
- any small problems are sorted out as they arise
- the site is left in its usual pristine condition when visitors depart
- the facilities are regularly cleaned and maintained
They also oversee the running of our on-site shop (once we have established it), taking telephone enquiries and bookings, answering users/campers queries, take payments and anything else which occurs during the shift.
Remember, it won’t all be left to you! Some tasks can be delegated to other members of the team that is on site. The duty warden’s role is to make sure that they are done!
Our duty wardens are our main customer facing team within our centre’s operation and our reputation for being friendly and helpful lies very much in their hands. Although this is a responsible role, our volunteer wardens report to the centre warden and receive a great deal of support from the other duty wardens, members of the centre team, our centre management team, the team coordinator, and other volunteers on the county team so they are never on their own.
Above all they have a great weekend in our tranquil surroundings. Helping to make sure that the young people and adults on site have a fantastic time using the centre.
‘Wardening’ is done on a rota – you might choose to do a couple of weekends a year, or you might want to do more or even regularly (like one weekend a month or every eight weekends etc.)
Weekend Wardens
Weekend Wardens stay on the site from Friday evening to Sunday evening. Normally covering weekends but, if available also cover mid-week periods at high points, such as Easter, Spring Bank Holiday and the Summer season.
Weekday Wardens
Weekday Wardens are on site on their chosen days during the working week. They are there while our regular users and keyholders are on site.
These roles are not an either or. People can opt to be both weekday and weekend wardens!
Weekend crew
Our volunteer service crews are involved with every aspect of the running of the site. Our service crews are well known as the friendly face of the centre. They work together to help to make sure that the young people and adults on site have a fantastic time using the centre and help by carrying out odd jobs to help keep the centre in tip-top condition and a great place to visit.
There is routine cleaning duties, serving in the shop, maintenance tasks such as painting, weeding, mending fences and anything else that needs doing. This placement is incredibly flexible and volunteers must be prepared to use their own initiative and muck in!
The early part of the season will be mainly devoted to site preparation and training of volunteers. Groups can book in at any time of the year but they are far fewer in the winter months.
During their rostered weekend, crew members work with the duty warden to undertake some of the usual day to day jobs such as keeping the toilets and washrooms clean & tidy and managing our rubbish and recycling station etc. But also, more exciting project work such as developing a new activity or maintaining existing ones.
As a member of our service crew means you could have a higher level of responsibility, driving the tractor, managing the shop, assisting campers, sorting challenges, supervising small teams etc.
Some service crew members choose to volunteer on site regularly and some choose to do 2 or 3 weekends per year, others do just the one now and again.
To be part of the crew you must be over 16 and have a positive, polite and friendly can-do attitude.
Service Team
Our service team meets every month on day that suits them, from around 10.00am to 5.00pm to help maintain the site.
Everyone of any age is welcome particularly if they have basic DIY skills although young people below 16 need to check with us beforehand so that we can ensure their safety.
Grass Cutting
During the summer the grass needs cutting weekly, preferably when there are no young people on site. If you would like to learn how to drive our tractor and join the grass cutting rota on a weekday you would be very welcome. During the winter we don’t cut the grass so regularly!
Opportunities to complete the service element of Scout Top Awards and the DofE Gold Award
We are really pleased to offer a limited number of opportunities for young people taking part in the Chief Scout’s Platinum Award, Chief Scout’s Diamond Award, The King’s Scout Award and Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award the opportunity to complete their service or residential experience at The Fort. The experience will vary depending on the time of year. For more details, please see the link below
Ad-Hoc Help
This can be a great way to get involved especially for retired people or younger people who don’t really fit into other categories.
There are lots of other ways to help us out, whether it be maintaining activity equipment, stocking the shop, helping out in the office, rubbish picking, managing the centres social media etc, we’re always looking for help.
You may just want to volunteer to help on a short term basis or be interested in a more regular volunteer position with us – either way your contribution will be invaluable in helping us run and develop our centre. It doesn't matter if you're with us for just a few hours or become a regular volunteer, you'll be given full support and training to fulfil your role.
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Accommodation and food
We have dormitory style indoor accommodation. The spaces available to our team are fully segregated, male, and female, and over and under 18 years.
There is a fully equipped kitchen (you will be involved in cooking your own meals), WCs and shower and a communal area, with internet access.
A ‘general food shop’ is provide for each weekend team (crew). Each rostered team can supplement this with their own ‘food shop’, at their own cost, should they choose.
Everyone over 18 years will require a valid DBS check, which we will organise.
