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Supporting you in your role...

Through the adventure of scouting, young people get to take risks in a safe environment, try new things, work as a team and have their first taste of responsibility. All this (and lots more), is made possible by the efforts of our dedicated team of hard working adults – people like you! 

Volunteer agreement leaflet

 

Simply put, without people like you scouting wouldn’t exist and with this in mind we realise it is important for us to provide you with as much support as we possibly can and for us all to know what we can expect of each other. 

So, to help you in your role we have developed a volunteer agreement, below you can download a complete PDF copy to read and keep safe for future reference or alternatively, you can review each section from the menu below.

Its purpose is to support you and ensure that you know and understand the policies, processes and best practices of The Scout Association. It’s an intentionally detailed booklet which pulls together information from various sources to provide you with the points you need to know as a volunteer in scouting. 

 

 

By having this agreement in place we hope to demonstrate:

Commitment

It shows that we care and that thought has gone into the way we engage and involve our adult members across our Districts and South London.

Consistency

It ensures that decisions are consistent and not made on an ad-hoc basis and that all our adults are treated equally and fairly.

Clarity

it allows our adults to know where they stand, how they can expect to be treated and where to turn to if they feel things are going wrong

Unity

It helps ensure that everyone fully understands why they are involved in Scouting and the role they play in the Movement. 

If there is anything you do not understand or require further clarification on, please speak to your volunteer line manager or visit the pages below where we have pulled together more information on lots of the topics included in the guide. 

Our volunteers are important to us and it is important that you as a volunteer enjoy your experience with Scouting and that your needs and expectations are met. If you have questions, concerns or if you are unhappy about anything, please talk with your line manager, Group Scout Leader or District Commissioner. Many problems can be sorted out through discussion.

Please remember that this agreement only highlights the policies of the Association and is to be used in conjunction with our rules which can be found in The Policies, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association (referred to as POR), available to download from www.scouts.org.uk/por

We really hope you find this guide a useful resource and point of reference to support you in fulfilling your role in in scouting.

Scout Active Support

This agreement reflects the hopes and intentions of you (the volunteer) and South London Scouts (the charity) and is not contractually binding in any way on either party.

Take a look at the sections below...

  • Why you need to read this…

    Adult volunteers are crucial to the success of scouting across South London as without volunteers scouting simply wouldn’t exist. With this in mind we realise it is important for us all to know what we can expect of each other.

    Read more

  • Who is a volunteer?

    Usually the definition implies when someone ‘gives their time freely for the b

    Read more

  • Safety

    A sense of adventure lies at the heart of our movement and doing things safely is fundamental to everything we do. Knowing about the safety policy is a crucial part of keeping scouts safe, and there are lots of tools and resources to support you with this.

    Read more

  • Safeguarding young people

    The 'Young People First' code of practice (also known as the yellow card) sets out a code of behaviour for all adults in scouting.

    Read more

  • General Data Protection Regulation

    We hold and process data on you for a number of purposes connected with your role as a volunteer, and in taking up your appointment you consent to the association retaining your personal data during your membership and also beyond to facilitate any present or potential future involvement with scouting.

    Read more

  • Your membership record

    Once your appointment has been made full it is your responsibility to keep your personal details up to date on the national membership database which is called Compass.

    Read more

  • Personal expenses

    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 local policy on personal expenses for more information.            

    Read more

  • Insurance

    All adult members of scouting are covered by a arrange of comprehensive insurance policies while taking part in scouting, these are: Public liability Personal accident and medical expenses Trustees indemnity (Non-members, such as supporters and occasional helpers are not provided with the same automatic basic personal accident insurance as members.)

    Read more

  • Communications and social media

    The Internet and mobile technologies have changed the way we live and communicate and these methods can be very helpful when communicating with your members families and confirming arrangements about activities or events. As adults in scouting we need to make the best use of these and new technologies, whilst protecting both the young people in our care and ourselves from being placed in a vulnerable position.

    Read more

  • Concerns about scouting

    We hope that everyone who comes into contact with scouting will have a positive experience. However, it is inevitable that on rare occasions, concerns may arise which require investigation.

    Read more

  • Appointment reviews

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

    Read more