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Welcome – the volunteer joining journey

16.1.1 Introduction

16.1.1.1 Overview

  1. POR 16.1 describes the process for welcoming a new volunteer applicant to Scouts. A new volunteer is anybody joining Scouts as an adult volunteer for the first time or who has not had a role in Scouts within the last 180 days. 
  2. POR 16.1 does not apply to Scout Network members, employees, or Scout Council roles – refer to POR 16.10 in those cases. 
    However, as specified in POR 16.1.4, POR 16.1 does apply for helpers and other non-members if they require a criminal record check. 

16.1.2 Check the applicant is eligible

16.1.2.1 Eligibility 
The appointing team leader or their nominee(s) must ensure that the applicant: 

  1. is at least 18 years old when their role starts.   
    This will normally be the date when the applicant’s initial details are added to the membership system.
    However, applicants for adult roles may be added to the membership system up to 180 days before their 18th birthday solely for the purposes of conducting a criminal record check. To prevent initiating the other volunteer joining journey requirements, they should be added as a Non Member - Needs Disclosure – this must then be changed to their new adult role on the membership system when they reach their 18th birthday. 
  2. confirms that they have the time and capacity to fulfil the responsibilities of the role.  
  3. can identify and manage any real or perceived conflicts of interest between current roles where rules do not explicitly prohibit holding the proposed combination of roles.

Additionally, for a Youth Lead role the applicant must not have reached their 25th birthday at the time of appointment. 

16.1.2.2 Provisional membership 
Initially the applicant will have a provisional membership status.  

During this provisional period the applicant must always be supervised when with young people and must not engage in any form of unsupervised regulated activity. The supervising individuals must hold a full appointment with a current completed and satisfactory personal enquiry.

However, for roles based In Scotland, the applicant must not engage in a Regulated Role until their criminal record check (Scouts PVG disclosure) has been returned and both the satisfactory criminal record check and the satisfactory internal check are recorded on the membership system. The applicant may then have supervised contact whilst fulfilling the rest of the provisional membership requirements.

16.1.2.3 Membership system
Upon satisfactory completion of POR 16.1.2.1, the volunteer’s team leader must ensure that the applicant is added to the membership system with their agreed role.  

  1. The applicant must then add their personal details to the membership system. 
  2. If the applicant is unable to access the membership system, the relevant Lead Volunteer, after consulting with the applicant, may nominate another member to manage some of their personal details on the membership system using ‘proxy’ access functionality. 

16.1.3 Joining journey for new volunteers

16.1.3.1 Steps in the volunteer joining journey
There are seven steps in the volunteer joining journey. The seven steps may be completed in any order. The seven steps are listed below. 

The broad aim is that the volunteer joining journey is normally completed within 180 days, however the timing requirements for each step are specified in the description of each step in this rule. 

Step  Requirements 
a) Criminal record check 

Satisfactory completion of a criminal record check if indicated as required in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1). The application process for the criminal record check must be completed within 30 days of the applicant’s role start date recorded on the membership system (within 60 days in Northern Ireland, Scotland, BSO and Overseas Territories).

Additionally, for roles based in Scotland, the applicant must not start their Regulated Role until a criminal record check (Scouts PVG disclosure) has been satisfactorily completed and recorded on the membership system.

If the vetting process is not satisfactorily completed, the UK Headquarters Safeguarding Team may end the volunteer’s membership due to the transferable risk of harm to young people.
b) Internal check 

Satisfactory completion of an internal check (formerly called a confidential enquiry) if indicated as required in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1).  

This internal check of records held at UK Headquarters must be completed if indicated in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1). 

The internal check is initiated by the membership system and must happen within 30 days of the applicant’s role start date recorded on the membership system. 
c) References 

Satisfactory completion of References. 

At least two satisfactory references are required, as indicated in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1).  

The applicant’s references must be satisfactorily completed within 180 days of the applicant’s role start date recorded on the membership system. 

At least one referee should have known the volunteer for at least five years and one referee must be external to Scouts. 

Referees must not be relatives of the applicant. 

Referees: 

  • should be familiar with the applicant’s work or interactions with young people 
  • should be able to speak to the applicant’s character and relationships with others   
  • must be aged 18 or over 
d) Declarations 

Satisfactory completion of Declarations. 

The applicant must accept the declarations relevant to their role as indicated in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1). These declarations are automatically requested by the membership system and must be accepted for every new role added. 

The Declarations must be accepted by the applicant within 30 days of the applicant’s role start date recorded on the membership system. 
e) Trustee eligibility 

Satisfactory confirmation of Trustee eligibility. 

The Trustee Board must ensure verification of the applicant's eligibility for a Trustee role where indicated as a role requirement in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1). The relevant team responsible for Trustee Board administration may do this check on behalf of the Trustee Board. 

The Trustee eligibility check should be completed within 30 days of the applicant’s role start date recorded on the membership system and must be completed within 180 days.  

There is support available for Trustee eligibility checks for each Country. 
f) Growing Roots Learning 

Growing Roots is the required learning for new volunteers. It consists of two parts: learning that all applicants must undertake, and role-specific learning. 

The applicant must complete the Growing Roots learning appropriate to their role as specified in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1).   

Safeguarding and Safety learning must be completed within 30 days of the applicant’s role start date recorded on the membership system. 

The other elements of Growing Roots learning are encouraged to be completed within 180 days of the applicant’s role start date recorded on the membership system, though there is currently no mandated completion timeframe. 
g) Welcome Conversation 

Successful completion of a Welcome Conversation is required where indicated as a requirement in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1). 

The purpose of the Welcome Conversation is to: 

  • welcome the volunteer and help them feel part of the team 
  • identify the support they need for their tasks and responsibilities 
  • confirm that volunteering with Scouts is the right fit for them. 
  • help the volunteer prepare for their volunteering journey by addressing questions and outlining future learning and development opportunities 
  • ensure the volunteer understands and commits our expectations, values, the Scout Promise, Our Volunteering Culture and our safeguarding practices (including the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults - Yellow Card, and Safe Scouting Emergency Procedures - Purple Card) 

The Welcome Conversation should be completed within 30 days of the applicant’s role start date recorded on the membership system and must be completed within 180 days.  

The Welcome Conversation does not cover the outcomes of criminal records checks, internal checks, declarations, Trustee eligibility checks, learning or references. 

For a Section Team role, the Welcome Conversation must be attended by:   

  • the 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 (defined below)  

In other Group, District or County teams, the Welcome Conversation must be attended by:   

  • the volunteer applicant  
  • the volunteer’s team leader (or their designate)  
  • an independent Welcome Conversation volunteer (defined below)  

The independent Welcome Conversation volunteer must:  

  • hold a full, current role which requires participation in a Welcome Conversation as part of the volunteer joining journey 
  • have completed the learning for a Welcome Conversation volunteer with this recorded on the membership system. 
  • not hold a current role in the Group or Explorer Unit that the new volunteer is applying to join (an Explorer Unit with a partnership agreement with a Group would be considered part of the Group for the purposes of this rule). 
  • hold an active role in Scouts and have, or have had within the previous five years:  
    • a similar role in a Section Team at Group level or in an Explorer Unit if the volunteer applicant is taking on a Section Team role. 
      A similar role in a Section Team is one in the same section as the volunteer applicant is joining, or the section that immediately precedes or follows it (for example a Beaver Section Team Member in a Welcome Conversation for a Cub Section Team Member).  
    • a similar role in a District or County role within a different team from the new volunteer’s team.  

 

16.1.3.2 Full appointment 

  1. Once all seven steps of the volunteer joining journey are satisfactorily completed and the member has completed their personal data on the membership system, the membership system will update the role status to Full. 
  2. When the role has been updated to “Full” on the membership system and includes a criminal record check, the volunteer is no longer required to be supervised when working  with young people. They are also authorised to take part in regulated activity in accordance with our rules and Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card).   

16.1.3.3 If the volunteer joining journey is not completed within 180 days 

  1. If all other parts of the volunteer joining journey have been completed except the parts of Growing Roots without a mandatory timescale (POR 16.1.3.1(f)) and the criminal record check (POR 16.1.3.1(a)) then, provided the satisfactory criminal record check is not completed within 180 days but the application for a criminal record check was made within 30 days of the start of the Provisional role (POR 16.1.2.3) [60 days in Northern Ireland, Scotland, BSO and the Overseas Territories], the applicant may continue to operate under supervision. 
    Additionally, for roles based in Scotland, the applicant must not start their Regulated Role until a criminal record check (Scouts PVG disclosure) has been satisfactorily completed and recorded on the membership system.
  2. In cases where the seven steps of the volunteer joining journey, as outlined in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1), are not completed within the timescales specified within each part of POR 16.1.3.1 (excluding the personal enquiry and Growing Roots), the Lead Volunteer must take one of the following two actions:  
    • apply appropriate restrictions (POR 16.7) 
    • end the role (POR 16.8)

16.1.4 Helpers 

16.1.4.1 Introduction

  1. Non-members are normally referred to as helpers. 
  2. A helper is a person aged 18 or over who provides Section Teams with informal support to help them to deliver the programme. They may be, for example, parents or local subject matter experts. They are not members of Scouts, or of any team. 
  3. Helpers and other non-member roles do not have any membership benefits, nor any personal accident or medical expenses unless provided locally. (POR Chapter 5g.)
  4. Where a helper is no longer providing informal support either because they have become a member or because they have stopped being a helper, any records on the membership system must be updated accordingly under arrangements made by the Lead Volunteer. 

16.1.4.2 Helpers who are NOT undertaking regulated activity or regulated roles
Helpers (or other non-members) who do not meet any of the criteria for regulated activity or regulated roles must not have a criminal record check or an internal check and must not be recorded on the membership system.

16.1.4.3 Helpers who ARE undertaking regulated activity or regulated roles

  1. Helpers (or other non-members) whose informal support involves regulated activity or (in Scotland) a regulated role must have a completed and satisfactory personal enquiry before they participate in the regulated activity or regulated role. The requirements of POR 16.1.3.1(a) and POR 16.1.3.1(b) also apply.
  2. This requires them to be recorded on the membership system. This recording on the membership system does not form part of any joining process and it is only used as part of a process to enable the necessary internal check and criminal record check to be conducted.  
  3. Even if recorded on the membership system, helpers are not members of Scouts. 

16.1.4.4 Steps for helpers to undertake regulated activity or regulated roles
For those helpers (or other non-members) who are undertaking regulated activity or regulated roles, there are three steps which must be completed: 

  1. A new record is created on the membership system with the permission of the Lead Volunteer or their nominee and a “non-member-needs disclosure” role is added. 
    The recording on the membership system is for the sole purpose of enabling criminal record check and internal check processes to be undertaken. It does not confer any membership or other benefits or responsibilities (POR 16.1.4.5).
    Once the new record is created, the new non-member can then log into the system and enter their personal data.
  2. In countries other than Scotland, before undertaking any regulated activity, a criminal record check must be applied for.  Note (d) below regarding supervision.
    In Scotland, before starting their Regulated Role, a criminal record check (Scouts PVG disclosure) must be satisfactorily completed and recorded on the membership system.
  3. A completed and satisfactory internal check must be satisfactorily completed and recorded on the membership system.
  4. Until these three steps are all complete, the applicant must always be supervised when with young people and must not stay overnight or undertake any other form of regulated activity (POR 16.1.4.2 and POR 16.1.4.3). The person(s) supervising must be member(s) with a full appointment and with a current personal enquiry.

16.1.4.5 What a helper role is NOT 
A “non-member-needs-disclosure" role recorded on the membership system must not be used to enable volunteers to avoid any or all of the seven steps in the volunteer joining journey.

16.1.5 Volunteers returning to Scouts 

16.1.5.1 Return within 180 days of leaving 

  1. Where it is fewer than 30 days since the volunteer applicant had a recorded member role on the membership system, a new member role can be added without following the volunteer joining journey process outlined in POR 16.1.3 but must follow the process outlined in POR 16.2 for volunteers joining a new team or changing role within a team (though see POR 16.1.5.1(b)).  
    Member roles are defined in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1.1).  
  2. Where it is between 30 and 180 days since the volunteer applicant had a recorded role on the membership system, the returning volunteer must complete POR 16.1.3.1(a), (b), (c) and (g) of the volunteer joining journey (criminal record check, internal check, references and welcome conversation), but does not need to complete any of the other elements of the volunteer joining journey.
    Importantly, for roles based in Scotland, a new criminal record check (Scouts PVG disclosure) [POR 16.1.3.1(a)] must be fully and satisfactorily completed and recorded as such on the membership system before the returning volunteer can commence in any regulated role.

16.1.5.2 Re-instatement within 180 days of being suspended 

  1. The returning volunteer who has been re-instated within 180 days following the start of a period of a suspension must have a conversation with their team leader(s) about returning to their role(s).   
  2. These members may be required to complete safety and safeguarding at the discretion of the UK Headquarters Safeguarding team following their period of suspension. 

16.1.5.3 Returning more than 180 days after leaving 
Where it is more than 180 days since the volunteer applicant had a recorded member role on the membership system (or more than 180 days since the start of a period of suspension), they must follow all parts of the volunteer joining journey process outlined in POR 16.1.3. with the exception that where the returning volunteer has been re-instated following a suspension, they should have a conversation with their team leader about returning to their role(s) but do not need to complete POR 16.1.2.1(g).  

16.1.6 Length of time for holding volunteer roles

16.1.6.1

  1. The time limits described here, also apply in POR 16.2. 
  2. Length of time limits, where specified in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1), state the maximum length of time for which a role may be held. Unless otherwise specified in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1), a role may be renewed for further periods following a formal review following agreement between the relevant team leader and the volunteer. 
  3. Roles with specific length of time limits specified in the Teams Table (POR 16.11.1) must be held in terms of five years or less (three years or less for appointed or co-opted Trustees). 
  4. A Youth Lead role must not extend past the role holder’s 28th birthday (25th birthday in Scotland).