Change 1: A warmer welcome for everyone

We are moving...

We’re going to make a better first impression for new or returning volunteers. It’ll be clear where to sign up, what to expect, and what stage they are at. They will also be in control of moving this forward as much as possible.

Why we need to create a warmer welcome • So that we can attract new volunteers and keep the ones we have • So that we can grow our movement and reach new communities • So that we do less admin and have more time for the things that matter most • Because volunteers told us the current welcome process can be off-putting

Historically our District Appointments Panels have welcomed new volunteers into their role. Although these panels are an important step in our appointment process and help us keep young people in scouting safe, it can be somewhat intimidating and unclear for new volunteers, and despite our very best efforts and rarely as welcoming as they could be. It can also be really off-putting for potential volunteers, meaning that they don’t get involved.

We are moving to a much warner way of welcoming new adults, and this means changes to our appointment process. This will include a welcome conversation in place of the formal appointments panel meeting. Conversations will be group led and will happen where the new adult volunteers.

Things are moving on, so the opportunity to give feedback, mention at the end of this video, has now closed.

This will mean:

Volunteers will be welcomed locally with ease
Welcome conversations will take place where the new adult volunteers
Your new team members will be supported through their welcome and induction by an allocated welcome buddy
New volunteers will be empowering through a new self-service tools for learning and development
There will be more digital tools to support local volunteer recruitment
Admin will be reduced for our current and new volunteers, making the process quicker and smoother. This will allow you and your team more time to focus on the elements that really need a human touch

What will stay 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 will need to:

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

We've developed a system that enables you to start using welcome conversation in your group now using our current rules and systems. Click the banner below to find all the information, tools and resources you need to get started...