Providing a warm welcome for new volunteers

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The way we welcome new volunteers has changed. These changes let new volunteers track the progress of their joining journey, putting them in control and helping them to feel at ease as they make their way to becoming a full member at Scouts.

We want to give a great first impression to new volunteers. We want them to feel welcome, valued and supported.

The Welcome Conversation is an opportunity to make sure new volunteers are clear on our expectations of them. It's an important part of helping each new volunteer feel like they're part of the team, and are prepared for their volunteering. We need to make sure they understand and commit to our values, and how we keep young people safe, so that Scouts is the right fit for them. 

It’s also a chance to connect, find out more about why they want to volunteer and what their skills and interests are.

We can help them find the support they need and talk about tasks and responsibilities. They can also ask us questions and find out more about Scouts.

At Scouts, we always put young people first. What this means is we need to meet with new volunteers face to face (this can also be virtually), to give them the opportunity to ask questions and to make sure each volunteer has the same fair, but welcoming experience. This should also mean that an open and honest conversation can take place, and that we meet safer recruitment guidelines, such as the NSPCC Safer Recruitment guidance.

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This will mean:

• Volunteers are welcomed locally with ease

• Welcome conversations take place where the new adult volunteers

• Your new team member(s) is supported through their welcome and induction by an allocated welcome buddy

• New volunteers are empowering through our new self-service tools for learning and development

• There is more digital tools to support local volunteer recruitment

• Admin is reduced for our current and new volunteers, making the process quicker and smoother. 

This allows you and your team more time to focus on the elements that really need a human touch.

What stays the same

As a Movement we are committed to following the NSPCC Safer Recruitment Guidelines, which means that there's a mandatory requirement to meet these as Scouts.

These are the elements of the recruitment and appointment process which will stay the same:

The new volunteer needs to:

• Provide at least two references as a new volunteer
• Complete a DBS disclosure check 
• Have an internal check completed by UKHQ
• Take part in a conversation around suitability and safety for the role with two people

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          (Guide Version: 1 - November 2024)