How to run a welcome conversation

Team Leaders should arrange a welcome conversation no later than six weeks into a new volunteer's joining journey - we suggest at week four. This should be after they’ve visited and started to help out in their new team, so the conversation feels more relevant. If for some reason this isn’t possible, then in line with POR it must be completed as soon as possible and within six months of starting in the new team.

Volunteers usually only ever need to have one welcome conversation – they won’t need another if they add or change teams/roles, as long as they’ve not had a break in service of more than 30 days.

If a volunteer starts in a role that doesn’t require a welcome conversation, for example a trustee position, and then moves to a different role that does, for example a Squirrels team member, they’ll then need to have a welcome conversation. 

The welcome conversation does not include consideration of the outcomes of criminal records checks, internal checks, declarations, trustee eligibility checks, learning, or references. Any issues that might be raised by any of these will be handled by the District Volunteer Development Team. 

For a Section Team role, the welcome conversation must be attended by:

• the new adult (volunteer applicant)
• the volunteer’s Group Lead Volunteer (or their designate), or for Explorer section roles, District 14-24 Team Leader (or their designate) 
• an independent welcome conversation volunteer (as defined below) 

In other Group, District, or County teams, the welcome conversation must be attended by:   

• the new adult (volunteer applicant) 
• the volunteer’s line manager (or their designate) 
• an independent welcome conversation volunteer (as defined below)

Another person can accompany the new volunteer if they would like additional support (for example for help with understanding, additional needs, or anxiety).

An independent volunteer with the Welcome Conversation Volunteer accreditation  
This must be someone who has the welcome conversation volunteer accreditation and who is not part of the same Group, Unit or Team as the new volunteer (an Explorer Unit with a partnership agreement with a Group is considered part of that Group)

They must also hold an active role in the Scouts and be, or have been within the previous five years, in a similar role as the new volunteer is taking on This can be someone with a role in the same section as the new volunteer is joining, or the section that is the previous or next age section to the section the volunteer is joining (e.g. a beaver section team member in a welcome conversation for a cub section team member. 

In a District or County, they need to hold a role within a different team to the new volunteer being appointed.

Your District Volunteering Development Team are responsible for making sure there are enough welcome conversation volunteers locally and will support you with finding someone to support the conversation from outside your Group or Unit if needed.

The person responsible for recruiting the volunteer 
In a group this is likely to be a member of the Group Leadership Team, perhaps the Lead Volunteer or Section Team Leader. They must have completed their Welcome Conversation learning and should’ve already met the new volunteer.  

If someone other than the Lead Volunteer is responsible for recruitment, and they have the Welcome Conversation Volunteer accreditation, they're able to do the conversation in place of the Lead Volunteer or Team Leader.  

We want new volunteers to feel part of the team, welcome, supported and valued. Welcome conversations are also a chance to get to know each other, learn more about why they want to volunteer, and their skills and interests. Its also an opporunity to help them find the support they need, and talk about tasks and responsibilities. They can also ask questions and find out more about Scouts. Together, you'll help them find their place in Scouts.

If they feel welcome from the start, they'll be more likely to stay, and may encourage their friends to volunteer too. So less time spent recruiting new volunteers and more time doing the things you love, that matter the most. It's a win for everyone! 

Before the conversation it is important to prepare. Decide who’s asking what, both before and during the conversation. Work out what's best for each person to cover depending on skills, interests and availability.

Remember, the new volunteer might be a bit nervous about it all. To help them feel more comfortable, consider:

• Asking if they have a name they prefer to be known by and check their 
  preferred pronoun too
• Do they know lots about Scouts, or are they new to it? 
• What their background is 
• Have they volunteered anywhere before? 

Also, are there other things to be aware of? Such as do they have any accessibility needs? Or do they prefer to be contacted at certain times of the day or week?   

Next, decide when and where the conversation will happen. Ideally, the conversation needs to take place within six weeks of the new volunteer joining, at the point where they're ready to decide if they want to volunteer with Scouts.

The new volunteer’s Leader Volunteer or their delegate should make sure an independent volunteer with the Welcome Conversation Volunteer accreditation can attend the conversation. Set aside around 30 to 45 minutes, so there's plenty of time to chat. 

Avoid meeting in a busy scout hall, pubs, cafes or in your/their house – consider a side room in the scout hall, during a section meeting or before or after a meeting is due to start. You can make use of virtual tools, for example: Teams, Zoom, etc. where this is appropriate. 

Make it comfortable and convenient for them. It could be at their group meeting place or even a local cafe. They may prefer an online meeting. It's best to give choices and ask where they'd like to meet. 

Contact the new volunteer via their preferred method (in person, phone call, or email), and agree a time and a place that’s good for them. 

Make sure to:

• Explain that this will be an informal conversation and not an interview. It is also a chance for them to find out more about local scouting and ask any questions
• Let them know how volunteering can be flexible
• Hold the conversation once the new volunteer is sure they’d like to take on the role 
• Share our Welcome Conversation checklist (more details about this below)

Here's a few top tips to make this feel welcoming:

• Create a warm and open environment
• Keep it simple. To a new volunteer, Scouts can seem daunting. Put yourself in their 
  shoes. Cover the key points, and try to avoid jargon and too much detail, at least for now. 
• Be positive. Remember, to them you're the face of Scouts, so be friendly and help them feel at ease. It's a two-way conversation, so share some of your experiences too. But make sure it's mainly about them, and that you're in listening mode. 

Make sure to use this handy checklist is for welcome conversation volunteers and team leaders to use during the welcome conversation. It's a conversation guide, to make sure all the points have been covered.

The checklist should also be shared with the new volunteer ahead of the conversation, so they know what to expect.

Make sure you let the new volunteer see this throughout the conversation, and tick things off as you go through them together.

Download the checklist HERE

Remember, it's not an interview, it's a conversation to welcome the new volunteer to Scouts. 

You might find it useful to practice what you will say with someone else and get their feedback. How was your body language and tone of voice? Is there more you could do to help the new volunteer feel welcome? 

Be prepared, but also be relaxed and open. It's all about making the new volunteer feel welcome and giving them the opportunity to ask questions and chat. Together, you can help them find their place in Scouts. 

Ask open ended questions - open-ended questions are broad and can be answered in detail e.g. " What are you looking forward to most in your role?”, while closed-ended questions are narrow in focus and usually answered with a single word or from a limited multiple-choice options e.g. "Do you enjoy being a leader?". By understanding the difference between the two, you can learn to ask better questions and get better, more actionable answers.

Plan how you will deliver the conversation together, making sure it’s conversational and open.

The conversation should last around 30 minutes and really shouldn’t last longer than 45 minutes, so plan how long you want to spend on each topic to help structure your time together.

Things to consider and remember:

• Be positive, smile a lot, avoid assumptions and do everything you can, to help put the new volunteer at ease. Think about non-verbal signs
• Check name pronunciation or other names the volunteer might go by
• Take it in turns to share a little information about yourselves, talk about your current scouting role and what you enjoy most about being a volunteer
• Get to know the new person and find out how they're getting on as a new volunteer
• Remember we are focusing on flexible volunteering as a member of a team, and they have volunteered to carry out certain tasks - we’re looking for people, not leaders so emphasise just how flexible volunteering with us can be
• Steer clear of scout jargon or acronyms 
• Have a pen and paper handy to record key details  
• Remember the main purpose of your conversation – don’t overload them with information – there will be plenty of time for you to delve deeper into the specifics of volunteering down the line

The following may help you with your planning:

A bit about The Scouts

• Explain a little more about where their role and team fits within the structure of the organisation and local scouting
• Make sure they understand their responsibilities and the potential tasks they’ll be doing 

Check where they are up to on the volunteer journey

• Give an overview of the steps in the joining journey 
• Ask if they have been receiving the welcome e-mails (from UKHQ)
• Check they've received a link to confirm their details and can sign in to scouts.org.uk 
• Check they’ve been given a welcome pack to help them in their role 
• Let them know they can update their personal information online at any time 
• As them if they have any questions about the volunteering declarations / references etc

Values, promise and policies

• Confirm they've seen and understand our:
  • Scouts values
  • key policies
  • Promise
  • Our Volunteering Culture

They don’t need to remember everything, but they need to know where to find them and confirm they’re happy to accept them

Safety & Safeguarding

• Go over the importance of our safeguarding code of conduct for adults - the Yellow Card. Check they have received a copy and agrees to follow it
• Check they also know how to report any safeguarding concerns directly to the HQUK Safeguarding Team and share the link to our safeguarding policy (www.scouts.org.uk/about-us/policy/safeguarding-policy-and-procedures) 

Let them know how to get the most out of volunteering with Scouts

• Chat about how they can get the most out of volunteering
• Give an overview of the learning and personal development we offer
• Ask if they have any access needs or specific ways in which scouting are able to make their volunteering as smooth as possible
• Check that they know where and what support is available and who to ask if they need help?

Explain next steps for new volunteer

• Explain what will happen after this conversation   
• Check the steps they still need to in their volunteer joining journey (the Lead Volunteer or Team Leader can quickly see this on their membership record)  
• Check if they have been offered support from a welcome buddy (this is optional and their choice)   
• Make sure they have provided details of the referees and have completed the declarations on the membership system
• Ask if they have started their Growing Roots Leaning and remind them that they need to complete the Safety and safeguarding learning within their first 30 days of being added to the membership system 
• Remind them that if there is anything that they want to update (personal information, changes in circumstances etc.) they need to do it in the membership system
• Ask them if they have and questions, if you are not in a position to provide an answer, let them know you will get back to them as soon as you can
• And importantly, thank them for giving their time to Scouts and everything they have done so far to get started as a Scouts volunteer!  

Once the volunteer leaves, have a chat about how it went and if you both think the new person is a good fit for Scouts. 

Think about:

• Did they understand our values and what's expected of them? 
• It's really important they understand and commit to following the Yellow Card 

If you have any concerns, speak to your District Lead Volunteer who will make the final decision about whether the new person is right for Scouts. 

If you decide the new volunteer’s a good fit, you need to pass on your recommendation to your Group Lead Volunteer, (if they weren't already in the welcome conversation), so they can arrange for it to be recorded on the membership system. When its record it, you will get a notification. 

Remember, the welcome conversation is only one step in the new adult’s joining journey. Once all joining journey steps are complete the new adult’s appointment will move to ‘full’ status. Until that point, they can volunteer but must not have unsupervised access to young people.