Policy, Organisation and Rules

2c.1.1 Our Volunteering Culture - policy statement

Our Volunteering Culture applies to, and with, all adult volunteers in Scouts.

2c.1.1.1 Policy Statement
Our Volunteering Culture is a shared set of principles which all volunteers must follow and which outline how we behave, in line with our values. Our Volunteering Culture guides and reminds us of our goal, both as a movement and as a volunteer team: to help more young people gain Skills for Life. It is a statement of the culture and values which we seek to foster and develop.

It provides a framework for a shared understanding for what we do and say as volunteers in Scouts, supporting each other, following our values and being at our best, while acting as role models for young people.

It applies for all our volunteers and for all parts of our organisation. In addition to the actual statement of Our Volunteering Culture (POR 2c.1.1.2), further information and examples are available at Our Volunteering Culture.

2c.1.1.2 The Our Volunteering Culture statement
a) Why we volunteer

As volunteers in Scouts, we are proud to help young people step up, speak up, dream big and gain the skills they need for life.

Thanks to you, young people find their place in the world, learn to believe in themselves and make a difference to their communities and society. No matter your background or experience, where you are based, or which team you are in, your time and skills help young people gain skills for life.

By working together, and living our Values of integrity, respect, care, belief and cooperation, our aim is to have a positive, safe and rewarding experience as volunteers for a movement we truly believe in.

Our Culture is founded on our Values. That means that as volunteers we think carefully about the impact of our words and actions and behave as role models for our young people. Here are the behaviours that we expect from each other in Scouts.

b) As the Scouts we will:

1. Make Scouts a welcoming place, making sure everything we do and say is led by the Values of Scouts and the Scout Promise
2. Commit to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in everything we do, making sure everybody has access to our activities and thrives in Scouts
3. Support you to be part of positive teams that resolve issues with respect and integrity
4. Acknowledge your personal motivation for volunteering and the skills you already have
5. Help you develop your own potential by offering learning opportunities to give you the confidence and the skills needed for your Scout role
6. Listen to you and give you the space to share ideas and concerns so that we may improve our volunteer experience
7. Offer meaningful, relevant, and flexible ways to volunteer, with clear guidance of what we will require from you, and who you may ask for advice and support
8. Accept your other commitments, that your availability may change and offer you volunteering options that will suit you best
9. Help you understand Scouts better and the impact we make, so you may see how your contribution makes a difference
10. Do our best to overcome barriers to volunteering such as finance, accessibility and time

 c) As a volunteer in Scouts we will trust you to:

1. Promote a welcoming and inclusive environment where we treat everybody fairly and with respect, making sure our values are part of everything you say and do
2. Commit to equity, diversity and inclusion, accepting that people’s beliefs, circumstances and motivations may be different to yours
3. Be a great role model in the way you act, by following our values, purpose and policies, as well as the laws of the country you are volunteering in
4. Communicate openly and respectfully, whether verbally, in writing or online
5. Be open and honest with your team about your time commitments and let them know if things change
6. Enjoy yourself and have fun while volunteering
7. Develop yourself by engaging in learning and new opportunities depending on what you and your team needs
8. Promptly complete any learning required to ensure you have the skills for your role

 d) This means that together, we will do our best to:

1. Know what we expect from each other
2. Listen to and respect everybody’s ideas and concerns
3. Feel proud to contribute to and be part of a truly equitable, diverse and inclusive movement
4. Recognise and celebrate all volunteers for their contributions, no matter how long they volunteer for or the amount of time they give
5. Make sure volunteering has a positive impact on your wellbeing and that you get the support you need
6. Contribute to an environment where everyone feels comfortable to share thoughts and ideas
7. Review how things are going, improve volunteering opportunities and resolve problems fairly

2c.1.2 Responsibilities within Our Volunteering Culture

2c.1.2.1 Responsibilities for all adults
All adult members need to implement for themselves these sections of Our Volunteering Culture:

1. "As a volunteer in Scouts we will trust you to” (POR 2c.1.1.2(c)) 
2. "This means that together, we will do our best to" (POR 2c.1.1.2(d)).

2c.1.2.2 Responsibilities for Group Leadership Teams
Group Leadership Teams (POR 4c.1.2) need to work to ensure that these sections of Our Volunteering Culture are implemented for and with all adult members in their Group:

1. "As the Scouts we will" (POR 2c.1.1.2(b)) 
2. "This means that together, we will do our best to" (POR 2c.1.1.2(d)).

2c.1.2.3 Responsibilities for District Volunteering Development Teams
District Volunteering Development Teams (POR 4c.2.6) need to work to ensure that these sections of Our Volunteering Culture are implemented for and with all adult members in their District in respect of their 'District' (not any Group or other) role: 

1. "As the Scouts we will" (POR 2c.1.1.2(b)) 
2. “This means that together, we will do our best to" (POR 2c.1.1.2(d))

2c.1.2.4 Responsibilities for County Volunteering Development Teams
County Volunteering Development Teams (POR 4c.3.5) need to work to ensure that these sections of Our Volunteering Culture are implemented for and with all adult members in their County with a 'County' (not a Group or a District or other) role:

1. “As the Scouts we will" (POR 2c.1.1.2(b)) 
2. "This means that together, we will do our best to" (POR 2c.1.1.2(d)).

2c.1.2.5 Responsibilities for Trustee Boards
Trustee Boards need to work to have confidence that these sections of Our Volunteering Culture are being implemented for and with all adult members in the Group, District or County as appropriate:

1. "As the Scouts we will" (POR 2c.1.1.2(b))
2. "This means that together, we will do our best to" (POR 2c.1.1.2(d)).

They also need to have confidence that all adult members are following the “As a volunteer in Scouts we will trust you to” (POR 2c.1.1.2(c)) section of Our Volunteering Culture.