The 4 week challenge

Make sure you are prepared and ready to meet the new volunteer, invite them along before the section start time so they have chance to familiarise themselves with the venue and the programme as well as meet the team. You should be prepared to involve the new volunteer in the activities but don’t expect them to run anything yet.

Building on week one, hopefully the new volunteer is starting to feel part of the team. Make an effort to involve them in the activities and let them lead on small tasks (Maybe running an activity base or game). At the end of this week ask them to come prepared to run something next week.

Hopefully your new volunteer is now becoming part of the team. Involve them in everything happening in the evening and encourage them to take the lead on an activity which hopefully they have planned and organised (Possibly with your help).

During week 4- set time aside during meeting with adults to find out how they have found it, if they enjoyed it, feedback for if it’s repeated in future, if they would be interested in helping again and how?

If they say yes...
Brilliant news! But this is just the start, don’t lose a volunteer after all the hard work that has gone into finding them. They will need lots of support and guidance so keep going!  

 Now you can: 

• Introduce them to a mentor or buddy 
• Don’t leave them stranded! 
• Get the whole team to welcome them into your section and group/unit  
• Have a 1-1 chat to answer questions and queries 
• discuss their different volunteering options (you can use our handy guide!)
• talk them through our adult appointments process and give them our adult information pack 
• Offer support and signpost them to our welcome to scouting web pages 
• Provide them with a copy of your group/unit welcome pack
• Give them a uniform - this will really help them feel a part of the team 

Soon after (within three weeks), your new volunteer should be registered on Compass and their disclosure (DBS) check application completed if this has not already been completed.

If they say maybe...
Don’t write this off as a no, find out more and support them in making their decision. The most important thing is to make it a positive experience. Even if they don’t volunteer straight away, they may come back in the future.  

• Find out what they are unsure about  
• Is there anything you can do to help?  
• They might need more time or even to help for a few more weeks to make sure it fits with their current situation 
• Share the term programme, can they support a few nights that interest them without fully committing? 
• You could offer to extend the challenge for a few more weeks 
• Would they like to try a different role/task/section?  

Give them some time and space to think about whether or not scouting is for them, don’t push! Keep in touch and remember to share the fun stuff you are doing. Say a massive thank you for giving the challenge a try.

If they say no...
If they doesn’t want to join scouting after the challenge, it’s important to find out why. Can you do anything to help?

• Tell them about the many other ways they can get involved, such as joining your executive committee, running your social media/website, helping with adult and/or youth recruitment, taking on an admin task/role etc. 
• As them if they have any worries or concerns we could help with?  
• Find out if they have any useful feedback? (was the team friendly, did we take the time to explain the next steps?) 

Make sure you keep the door open if they ever want to come back and volunteer in the future. Keep it positive and thank them for all the time they have given. You never know who they might talk to and they could spread the word for others to try the four week challenge. 

Whatever the outcome, it's important that some kind of thank you is given at the end of week four regardless. 

So the four week challenge is complete and if everything has gone to plan, your new volunteer has agreed to continue volunteer - what’s next?

This is just the beginning of an adult’s journey into scouting it is really important that we put just as much effort into the welcome and induction of new adults as we did into the 4 week challenge.

Depending on the role the new volunteer has applied for the correct appointment process should be followed (more infomraiton on this can befound here).

It is also good practice to find a mentor for the new adult who can guide and support them through the first few months. Getting started training is a priority and can be provided through the local training manager.

• Think about who you are going ask to take on the challenge and how to ask them- by email, face to face in a parents meeting, by letter or through a phone call? Have you had some parents who have really enjoyed helping out on the family rota or getting stuck in with online activities? 
   

• Remember most adults won’t have been DBS checked by us so it’s important that you have enough volunteers present to have ‘sight and sound’ and support the new adult at all times, whether they’re from your group/unit or the wider district. 
   
• If your programme or venue is not appropriate for your team to have ‘sight and sound’ of the new volunteer at all times you should register them as an occasional helper on Compass and obtain a DBS check through scouting prior to the start of the challenge.
   
• On the first evening the new volunteer should be given a 'Young People First' code of practice (yellow card) and be familiarised with the venue. It would be a good idea to meet them before the start of the section meeting.
   
• Think about the programme carefully - new adults need to be able to get involved. Small group activities can work well, where adults are needed to help facilitate.
   
• Communication between meetings is important. Just a quick thanks and reminder of what to expect with next week’s programme can make a huge difference to making a new adult feel welcome and appreciated. 
   
• Adults taking part wouldn't usually wear uniform but it might be nice to give them a group/unit scarf, and possible a ‘scouting name’ if you use them in your section.  
   
• It is important that you existing leadership team are positive, welcoming and friendly and open to new members joining the team. This is not hard a ‘sell’ in the early weeks- you don’t want to scare new adults off!
   
• If the new volunteer continues to volunteer beyond week 4 it is important that they are registered on our national adult membership database - Compass and their DBS is in progress.
   
• If your programme or venue is not appropriate for your team to have ‘sight and sound’ of the new volunteer at all times you should register them as an occasional helper and obtain a DBS check through scouting prior to the start of the challenge.

• On the first evening the new volunteer should be given a 'Young People First' code of practice (yellow card) and be familiarised with the venue. It would be a good idea to meet them before the start of the section meeting. If the new volunteer continues to volunteer beyond week 4 it is important that they are registered on our national adult membership database - Compass and their DBS is in progress.