Policy, Organisation and Rules

These definitions explain terms that are used in POR and which have specific meaning. 

Where the plural of a word is used in POR, the definition also applies and so the plural word will be highlighted as having a defined meaning. Only the singular word is included in this chapter. Similarly for the use of apostrophes.

As examples:

• role, roles and roles'
• Trustee, Trustees and Trustee's
• volunteer, volunteers and volunteers'.

A. Words used in defining 'rules'

Must and should  

POR uses these key words to indicate obligations for rules:

• 'Must' means that adherence to the rule is mandatory and must be followed without exception. There is also an occasional use of the phrase ‘must not’.
• 'Should' means that the rule is strongly recommended, with an expectation of adherence. However, circumstances might justify an alternative approach. This minimum good practice guidance should be followed unless there is a good reason not to. It is good practice for such ‘good reasons’ to be agreed and recorded by the local governance team (Group, District or County Trustee Board or Country Board as appropriate).

In some cases the word ‘may’ is used in a rule. Use of the word ‘may’ indicates that the rule has no obligations and indicates less formal advice and recommendations which could be helpful in the operation, management or governance of your section, Group, District, County or country. Use of the word ‘may’ is not highlighted in the text of POR. 

B. Definitions concerning people aged 18 and over

The 'people' definitions are included in (C) below. The actual distinction between the words is quite nuanced, so it is important to see the words together – each word here has its own specific meaning, detailed in the definitions in (C) below.

• Adult
• Applicant
• Connected person
• Helper
• Parent
• Trustee
• Volunteer

C. Definitions

Definitions are listed in alphabetical order.

Accreditation

Accreditations are a way of sharing tasks and responsibilities, where a volunteer needs to be given certain permissions to take these on.

They are normally specific tasks that operate wider than an individual team and often may be carried out by one or more individual volunteers.

An accreditation may have some pre-requisites which must be met before an accreditation is granted.

There are two types of accreditations:

1. An accreditation that may be granted to any number of adult members and used anywhere across the hierarchy. For example, members who are accredited to support Welcome Conversations as part of the joining process.
2. A responsibility delegated to a member within a specific location in the hierarchy. For example, the place or person in a District that Awards and certificates must be posted to.

Activity

In POR, the term activity should be interpreted as a meeting, an activity, or an event. 

It may involve young people (see examples below) or be an adult-only event (for example a County conference for Group Lead Volunteers or a nights away learning event). 

For young people, Scouts’ programme is delivered to young people through activities. These include: 

1. section meetings (often held in, or close by, the section’s normal meeting place) 
2. activities away from the normal meeting place (such as a wide game in the woods or a hike or a visit) 
3. adventurous activities 
4. nights away events (including section camps and sleepovers, a County Explorer Belt expedition, or a District Cub Camp, or a Group Family Camp).  
5. all other events where young people are present. 

Adult

A volunteer or staff member aged 18 or over. This is a person with an adult member appointment (see the POR Chapter 16 Teams Table) 

This does not include a member of Scout Network unless they also have a role as a volunteer or a staff member. 

Adventurous activity 

An activity that requires an adult or young person to hold an appropriate and in date Adventurous Activity Permit gained through the Adventurous Activity Permit Scheme (POR 9a.7)

AGM

Abbreviation for an Annual General Meeting.

Applicant

The person applying for a particular role.

Area

Certain 'Counties' are titled Area rather than County. This applies in Wales. British Scouting Overseas is also an Area.

Unless otherwise stated in POR, all references to 'County' or 'Counties' in POR relate to 'Area' in Wales and in British Scouting Overseas.

An Area is led by an Area Lead Volunteer.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is the Trustee Board for The Scout Association, the lead charity in the Federation.

Broadly it has two functions: 

1. It has a governance oversight of the Scouts’ federation of charities 
2. It has specific responsibility as the Trustee Board for UK Headquarters, including the England Team and the UK Service Teams that are not separate charities. 

There is more detail in POR Chapter 6. 

British Scouting Overseas

British Groups that operate abroad within the Area  known as British Scouting Overseas (often referred to as BSO). They are part of The Scout Association. At March 2026, BSO operates 59 Groups, 17 Explorer Units and 4 Scout Networks across 28 countries around the world. Two of the 59 countries in BSO are a British Overseas Territory (the Falkland Islands; and St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha).  

The BSO Area is a charity in England registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

The Districts and Groups that comprise BSO are all based outside of the United Kingdom. Their locations can be seen on their website. 

The Area, Districts and Groups that comprise BSO are all part of the Scouts’ Federation. 

The five Overseas Territories are not part of BSO. 

Bullying

Bullying is characterised as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, abuse or misuse of power through means that a recipient is:

• undermined
• humiliated
• denigrated
• injured

It is not classed as bullying if a Lead Volunteer or team leader is solely making sure a person follows the rules in POR. Bullying is more than a strong, firm or authoritarian interaction. It is:

• destructive rather than constructive
• a criticism of the person rather than their mistakes
• public humiliation rather than private correction
• where the recipient feels threatened or compromised

See also Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy.

CCEW

Charity Commission for England and Wales.   https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission/ 

The charity regulator in England and Wales.

CCNI

Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.   
https://www.charitycommissionni.org.uk/

The charity regulator in Northern Ireland.

Charity

Scouts is a Federation of charities (often referred to as the Federation).

The majority, but not all, of the organisations that form the Federation are charities in law. There are two routes to being a charity in law:

1. Federation members who are registered with the relevant regulator (see POR 5a.1.1.2)
2. All excepted charities in England and Wales (see POR 5a.1.2.2).

Charities that are not charities in law most commonly occur in Bailiwick of Guernsey, BSO, Isle of Man, Jersey, each of the Overseas Territories, Scotland. All ‘Scout’ charities in law are members of the Federation, but not all members of the Federation are charities in law.

Charity governance

The Scouts is a Federation of charities, as described in POR Chapter 5. Each charity  must operate as charity whether or not they are a charity in law. They must meet the requirements of POR, the relevant charity regulator and charity law applicable to their location.

Key regulators are the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator – OSCR (for Scotland), and the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

Other territories also have their own charity regulator, including Bailiwick of Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey and the five Overseas Territories. 

A charity’s Trustee Board has governance responsibilities which are described in POR Chapters 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e and 5g.

Charity in law

Scouts is a Federation of charities (often referred to as the Federation).

The majority, but not all, of the organisations that form the Federation are charities in law. There are two routes to being a charity in law:

1. Federation members who are registered with the relevant regulator (see POR 5a.1.1.2)
2. All excepted charities in England and Wales (see POR 5a.1.2.2).

All ‘Scout’ charities in law are members of the Federation, but not all members of the Federation are charities in law.

Conflict of interest

A conflict of interest is when someone’s judgement or actions are, or could be, affected by personal involvement or other interest relating to the matter at hand. This includes any circumstances that affect, or could be seen to affect, someone’s independence or impartiality.

For Trustees:

All trustees have a legal duty to act only in the best interests of their charity. If there is a decision to be made where a trustee has a personal or other interest, this is a conflict of interest.

Conflict of interest may lead to decisions that are not in the best interests of the charity and which are invalid or open to challenge.

Conflict of interest may also damage a charity’s reputation or public trust and confidence in charities generally.

These harmful effects may be prevented where individual trustees should identify conflicts of interest, and the trustee body must act to prevent them from affecting their decision making.

See also:

• • Conflicts of interest: a guide for charity trustees (England and Wales)
  • Conflict of interest (Scotland)
  • Running your charity guidance (Northern Ireland) – see Guide 5 on that page

Connected person

An individual aged 18 or over who has a recognised association with The Scouts either through formal membership or a non-member affiliation. This includes individuals who engage with, contribute to, or benefit from the organisation’s activities without being formal members.

Constitution

Every member of the Federation must have a governing document, whether or not they are a charity in law.  In the Scouts we call this a constitution. 

Country Headquarters [sometimes referred to as Nations Headquarters]

For England (including Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey), British Scouting Overseas, and the five Overseas Territories: this is UK Headquarters  

For Northern Ireland: this is the headquarters of the Northern Ireland Scout Council

For Scotland: this is the headquarters of The Scottish Council of The Scout Association

For Wales: this is the headquarters of ScoutsCymru

County (including variants)

A County is a Scout unit  that supports delivery of the programme within a defined geographic area. A County has various responsibilities as defined in POR, including providing support to the Groups and Districts within the County.

For ease of reading, POR refers to ‘County’ in all cases, but the word County must be read as:

1. Area (in Wales and British Scouting Overseas)
2. Bailiwick (of Guernsey)
3. Overseas Territory (each of the five Overseas Territories) 
4. County (in England; noting that the Isle of Wight is an English County) 
5. Island (Jersey, the Isle of Man)  
6. Region  (in Scotland) [and see the definition of Region for more detail] 

(^[NI] There are no Counties in Northern Ireland.)

A County will normally comprise two or more Districts. In cases where there are no Districts, then the District responsibilities are undertaken by the County teams.

Counties are led by County Lead Volunteers. A County comprises a County Leadership Team, a County Programme Team, a County Volunteering Development Team, a County Support Team and a Trustee Board. In Counties with no Districts there will also be a County 14-24 Team, and some 14-24 sections.

Criminal record check

A criminal record check will show any spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings together with any information held by local police that is considered relevant to the role.

For England and Wales, the criminal record check process is conducted by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). A criminal record check undertaken by the DBS generates a DBS certificate as an official record.

For Scotland, the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme is managed and delivered by Disclosure Scotland. A criminal record check undertaken by Disclosure Scotland generates a disclosure certificate as an official record.

For Northern Ireland, the checks are conducted by AccessNI, which is a branch in the Department of Justice. A criminal record check undertaken by AccessNI generates a digital disclosure certificate as an official record.

Outside the United Kingdom (in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, British Scouting Overseas and the Overseas Territories), the DBS is also used. In certain countries outside the UK other checks are also undertaken which are notionally carried out under the authority of the Safeguarding Team, but the checks may often need to be conducted locally. Further detail about criminal records checks in British Scouting Overseas and the Overseas Territories can be found on this webpage. 

It is important that the correct criminal records check is used, based on the location of the role that is being applied for.  As examples: 

1. if a volunteer operating in England will also be undertaking a role within a Scottish team, then a criminal record check (Scouts’ PVG disclosure) must be undertaken prior to starting the Scottish role
2. if a member with a role in Northern Ireland joins a UK Headquarters team, then a DBS Criminal Records Check must be undertaken prior to starting the UK Headquarters role 
3. if a new volunteer applicant who is based in the Borders of Scotland starts to work with a Scout Group or District in the north of England, then they must undertake a DBS Criminal Records Check rather than a PVG Criminal Records Check. 

For members and non-members visiting Scotland, a Scouts’ PVG disclosure may also be required, as described in POR 9a.5.

Custodian Trustee

A custodian trustee holds the title to all the property for a charity but is not involved in its day to day management. Custodian trustees must act on the lawful instructions of the charity’s managing trustees. Unlike holding trustees, the powers and duties of a custodian trustee are set out in section 4 of the Public Trustee Act 1906.

Except for Scotland, the SATC may be involved. See SATC Custodian Trusteeship information.

Data Controller

A Data Controller is a person or organisation that decides why and how personal data is processed. In Scouts, this includes local Scout Units (Group, District, or County), with accountability resting with the Trustee Board. For the Membership System, UK Headquarters and Scout Units are independent Data Controllers, each responsible for ensuring their own data processing complies with UK GDPR and POR. 

Data Lead 

A Data Lead in a member of the Federation oversees local data protection matters, ensuring compliance with UK data laws and Scouts policies. They manage incidents, support volunteers in handling data breaches, data protection complaints and subject rights requests, maintain key documentation like data protection and retention policies, and promote best practices. They act as the main point of contact for data issues, they also guide secure data handling and access controls within their local area.

Data Processor 

A Data Processor is any person or organisation that processes personal data on behalf of a Data Controller. This includes third-party services such as online membership systems. While the Processor handles the data, the Controller decides the purpose and means of the processing. 

District

A District is a Scout unit that supports delivery of the programme to young people within a defined geographic area. A District has various responsibilities as defined in POR, including providing support to Groups.  

As well as providing support to Groups and their Section Teams, a District has responsibility for the 14-24 age range and will also have Explorer Units, a Young Leader Unit and a Scout Network. A District must have at least one Explorer section and must have young people in each section. An Explorer Unit can be partnered with a Group via a Partnership Agreement. A District must also have a Young Leader Unit and a Scout Network.

Districts are led by District Lead Volunteers. In addition to its 14-24 sections, a District comprises a District Leadership Team, a District 14-24 Team, a District Programme Team, a District Volunteering Development Team, a District Support Team and a Trustee Board.

Excepted charities

Excepted charities are regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. They have the same responsibilities as registered charities, even though they are not required to register with, or make annual returns to, the Charity Commission for England and Wales. However, the requirement for Trustees of excepted charities to present their Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts to the Scout Council at their AGM still applies, and they must still operate as described in POR. 

More information about excepted charities is available from the Charity Commission for England and Wales. 

Ex officio

Ex officio means 'by virtue of the office' and refers to a responsibility or role that comes as part of someone’s 'main role'. For example, a Group Lead Volunteer is also an ex officio member of the Group Trustee Board.

Explorers

Explorers is the Scouts’ section for 14-17 year olds.

Young people of Explorer age can be involved in different ways, as Explorers, Young Leaders or both.

There are three main types of involvement: 

1. Explorer only – actively participating in the programme of an Explorer Unit but not helping as a Young Leader.
2. Young Leader only – helping as part of the section team in a Drey, Colony, Pack or Troop, but not taking part in the programme of an Explorer Unit. Young Leaders are members of the District Young Leader Unit.
3. Explorer AND Young Leader – actively participating in the programme of an Explorer Unit AND helping in a section as a Young Leader. 

Note that other 14-17 Helpers (typically helping as part of DofE, Girlguiding or similar) are not a member of Scouts. 

Federation of charities

Scouts is a Federation of charities (often referred to as the Federation).

A federation of charities is defined as one central and many local organisations under a single entity. For the Scouts, this single entity is The Scout Association which is governed by our Royal Charter.

All Groups, Districts, Counties, Country Headquarters and UK Headquarters are members of the Federation. Additionally, there are other organisations which are also members of the Federation.

However, not all Groups, Districts, Counties are charities in law.

Girlguiding 

The Guide Association - operating name Girlguiding (in a similar way to The Scout Association - operating name Scouts). 

Gross misconduct

Gross misconduct has no strict legal definition. In the Scouts it is interpreted as observed practices that are a clear breach of our values such as:

• theft
• physical violence
• gross negligence
• serious insubordination
• behaviour that destroys relationships with other volunteers or staff such as bullying and harassment

Gross misconduct may cause physical and emotional damage to individuals and reputational damage to the Scouts and any connected person.

This guidance is a general overview of the subject of gross misconduct and the examples above are to help understanding – they do not cover every eventuality.

Group

A Group is a Scout unit  that supports delivery of the programme to young people within a local community.

A Group comprises one or more Squirrel, Beaver, Cub or Scout sections. A Group must have at least one section but, where reasonably practical, will have at least one of each section type (Squirrel Drey, Beaver Colony, Cub Pack and Scout Troop).

A Group will have effective links to one or more Explorer Units to ensure that Scouts in the Group have a natural progression into Explorers.

Groups are led by Group Lead Volunteers. In addition to its sections, a Group will comprise a Group Leadership Team and a Trustee Board.

Harassment

Harassment is 'unwanted conduct that has the purpose or effect of violating people's dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment' (Equality Act 2010).

Harassment may be conduct based on characteristics including:

• age
• class or socio-economic status
• ethnic or national origin, nationality (or statelessness) or race
• gender (including gender reassignment)
• marital or civil partnership status
• sexual orientation
• disability
• political belief
• pregnancy and maternity
• religion, belief or faith (including the absence of religion, belief or faith)
• sex
• colour
• language
• social background
• non-relevant criminal background

The list above is neither exhaustive nor exclusive.

Harassment may take many forms – for example verbal or written abuse, ignoring or subjugating colleagues to unwanted attention, ridiculing and humiliating colleagues in front of others, mocking, mimicking or belittling a person.

A person may be harassed even if they were not the intended 'target'. For example, a person may be harassed by racist jokes about a different ethnic group if the jokes create an offensive environment.

See also Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy.

Head of Governance

This role is the lead staff member of the Governance staff team at UK Headquarters. Any contact with the Head of Governance should initially be via [email protected].  

Helper

A helper is a person aged 18 or over who is not a member  of Scouts but provides informal support, normally to help to deliver the programme. They may be, for example, parents or local subject matter experts.

If a helper undertakes regulated activity or a regulated role, they must have a fully completed personal enquiry and must be recorded in the membership system to enable those checks to take place. This recording on the membership system will use the Non-Member Needs Disclosure role.

Helpers who are not engaged with regulated activity or regulated roles must not be recorded on the membership system.

Whether recorded on the membership system or not, helpers have no membership of Scouts, and no member benefits (POR 16.1.4.1).

Holding Trustee

These are trustees are trustees of land, whose role and purpose is set out in a trust deed and is also governed by various Trusts law.

Their function is restricted to holding a charity's property - usually land and capital assets. Like custodian trustees, they have no power to make management decisions and must act on the lawful instructions of the charity trustees. Unlike custodian trustees, whose functions are set out in legislation, the role and powers of holding trustees will be defined by a charity's governing document - in the case of Scout property this means the deeds and trusts that govern land and property.

Internal check

The process used by the UK Headquarters Safeguarding Team to check members, staff and helpers who support regulated activities or regulated roles against records held at UK Headquarters. 

Until November 2024 this was known as a Confidential Enquiry or CE check.

Roles that require an Internal Check are indicated in the Chapter 16 Teams Table.

Large scale activities 

A large scale activity is typically an adventurous activity which involves 100 or more individuals (adults and/or young people). Some smaller events are so complex that their approvals must be treated as if they are ‘large scale’. 

Leader in charge 

A Leader in charge is an adult with a full appointment who has been given overall responsibility for managing an activity safely and ensuring it adheres to the requirements of POR. 

Mandatory procedures or mandatory processes

In addition to rules, POR also contains mandatory procedures or processes. These are not classified as rules but they do describe processes or procedures that must be followed to ensure fairness and consistency – for example, the process for suspending a person from membership.

Member – young person

A young person in any section (Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Scout Network) who has made the Promise appropriate to the first section they join. They are a member of The Scout Association and are a member of their local Group, District, County, Region, and
country, where applicable.

Scout Network members must also be recorded on the membership system. 

Member – persons 18 or older

An adult (aged 18 or over) whose adult role requires them to be a member and complete the joining process. They are a member of The Scout Association and are also a member of their local Group, District, County, Region, and country, where applicable.   

Their membership formally starts when they are added to the membership system and have signed their declaration(s).   

Initially new volunteer’s membership will have status ‘provisional’. 

Their membership will move to status ‘full’ when all steps of their Volunteer Joining Journey are complete. 

Scout Network members who do not also have an adult role are not adult members. 

Members of the Scout and Guide movements

Members of an organisation recognised by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) or the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

By following the rules contained within POR, members of The Scout Association ensure their adherence to WOSM's policies and guidelines.

Membership

Members of Scouts have membership of the organisation.

Membership system

Records of adult membership and digital tools to support members in their volunteering are a key function of The Scouts website.

Through scouts.org.uk, digital support provides processes for welcoming new volunteers, managing the volunteer joining journey, managing learning, and supporting local ways of working.

Although these digital systems are an important function of the scouts.org.uk website, for convenience in POR they are collectively referred to as the 'membership system'.

OSCR

Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. https://www.oscr.org.uk/.

The charity regulator in Scotland.

Overseas Territories

Refers to the parts of The Scout Association that are established in Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Gibraltar. Each of the five are a British Overseas Territory.

Further details can be seen at this webpage. 

The five Overseas Territories are not part of British Scouting Overseas. 

Parent

The word parent must be interpreted as parent, guardian or carer as appropriate for the young person concerned.

Partnership Agreement

Where an Explorer Unit is partnered with a Group, there must be a Partnership Agreement in place. A formal Partnership Agreement ensures that links are understood and maintained and obvious to both parties.

The purpose of a Partnership Agreement is therefore to document the operational relationship between a District, a Group and an Explorer Unit. It must be reviewed annually.

Further support is available at this webpage.

Permanent ending of membership 

Where a person’s membership has been ended and the person must not be re-admitted to membership under any circumstances and at any point in the future.

In some publications this may also be referred to as exclusion.

Personal data

Personal data is any information relating to a living individual who: 

• can be identified directly from that information 
  OR
• can be identified indirectly when the information is combined with other data. 

The UK GDPR applies to personal data that is: 

• processed entirely or partly by automated means 
  OR
• processed manually, where the data is part of, or intended to be part of, a structured filing system. 

For more details, visit the Information Commissioner’s Office website. 

Personal enquiry

Vetting checks for adults aged 18 or over where they will be involved with regulated activity or regulated roles or are (or may be) Trustees.  

There are two parts to the personal enquiry:

• satisfactory Criminal Record Check, which must be held at all times
• satisfactory Internal Check which is required on starting each new role.

Policy

A policy is a formal set of rules, principles, or guidelines adopted by an organisation to guide decisions and achieve consistent outcomes. In our case, ‘organisation’ means ‘Scouts’.

Further, it can only be a policy if it contains - and needs - a Policy Statement.

All the official policies of The Scout Association, which apply to every Scout unit, must be recorded in POR. This ensures consistency, clarity, and accessibility in all parts of the organisation.

Scout units, including UK and Country Headquarters, may develop local policies where appropriate. However, these must not conflict with POR, which contains the only official policies of The Scout Association. Local policies must also be accessible to all members of the Scout unit.

Policy statement

A policy statement is a concise declaration of the organisation's position or intent regarding a specific issue or topic.  

A policy statement typically forms the introduction to, or is the summary of, a policy. It sets the tone and clearly communicates the Policy’s purpose. It will typically take the form “It is the policy of The Scout Association that …”. 

Example:
"It is the policy of XYZ Corporation to protect the confidentiality and integrity of personal data collected from customers and employees."
This is the policy statement within a larger Data Privacy Policy for XYZ Corporation. 

Process and Procedure

A process is a structured sequence of activities to transform inputs into outputs to achieve a specific goal. The focus of a process is what needs to be done and why. 

As example, the purpose of a recruitment process may be to attract, assess, select, and hire a candidate.

A procedure is a detailed set of instructions describing how to perform a specific task or step within a process. The focus of a procedure is how the task needs to be done. 

As example, an interview procedure (within the recruitment process) is a step-by-step guide for conducting candidate interviews (e.g., greeting, asking questions, scoring, closing the interview).

Within Scouts, some processes or procedures may be deemed mandatory, while others are for guidance to encourage consistency of approach. Mandatory processes or procedures must be recorded in POR.

As examples: 

1. The Volunteer Joining Journey to be followed when a new adult joins Scouts is a mandatory process that MUST be followed. It comprises seven different procedures (criminal record check, internal check, references, declarations, Trustee eligibility check, Growing Roots learning, Welcome Conversation). 
2. The suspension of a member MUST follow a defined set of steps to ensure fairness and consistency, and so is a mandatory procedure. 
3. The complaints process is a mandatory process. 

POR

The abbreviation of Policy, Organisation and Rules.

The programme

This describes the selection of activities and experiences provided in the sections for youth members. It is based around three main themes:

• outdoor and adventure
• world
• skills

The programme is designed to be progressive through the sections to offer young people an appropriate level of challenge. It should be delivered in a balanced way that incorporates elements from each theme.

A range of badges and awards exists in each section, covering the three main themes as well as leadership, teamwork and personal development.

Quorum

Used for meetings of charity bodies (Scout Councils, Trustee Boards and sub-teams of a Trustee Board) to specify the minimum number of people necessary to make decisions.  

The requirements for setting this number are usually set out in the charity’s governing document or constitution. 

Reference

References are used during the volunteer joining journey so that the Scouts gain information about the suitability of an applicant to work with children and young people.

Region

In England or Wales, a Region is a Scout unit that supports delivery of the programme within a geographic area. A Region in England has various responsibilities delegated by the Chief Volunteer for England, including providing support to Groups, Districts and Counties.

A Region in Wales has various responsibilities delegated by the Chief Volunteer for Wales, including providing support to Groups, Districts and Areas. Unless otherwise stated in POR, all references to 'County' or 'Counties' in POR relate to 'Area' in Wales.

In Scotland, the Scouts is organised into Districts and Regions, each with distinct responsibilities. Some 'County' functions are the responsibility of Scottish Regions, whilst others lie with Scottish Districts. Unless otherwise stated in Scottish Variations from POR, all references to 'County' or 'Counties' in POR relate to 'Region' or 'Regions' in Scotland.

In Northern Ireland, the primary organisation unit is a District. A group of Districts is led by a Regional Lead Volunteer, though most supporting services are delivered by the wider Northern Ireland Country team.

Regional Lead Volunteer

This term applies in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

In England and Wales, a group of Counties is managed as a Region. The term Regional Lead Volunteer refers to a volunteer who leads a Region in England or Wales.

In Northern Ireland, there are four groupings of Districts – these are known as Regions and each has a Regional Lead Volunteer.

Regions as a grouping of Counties do not exist in Scotland, so references to it in Scotland should be read as Chief Volunteer for Scotland. For Regional (Scotland) Lead Volunteers, use the definitions of Counties and County Lead Volunteers.

Regulated activity – young people - except in Scotland

The term Regulated Activity applies in in all parts of Scouts except Scotland (England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Channel Islands, British Scouting Overseas and Overseas Territories).

In those countries, regulated activity is:

1. Teaching, training, or instruction; care for, or supervision of children on more than 3 days in a 30-day period, or once overnight with the opportunity for face-to-face contact with children.
2. Moderating a web service wholly or mainly for children (excepting those without access to content or child users) on more than 3 days in a 30-day period.
3. Driving a vehicle for children on more than 3 days in a 30-day period.
4. Personal care on at least one occasion
5. Day-to-day management of someone in regulated activity with children

Regulated activity with children in England and Wales - GOV.UK

Regulated roles - young people – in Scotland

The term Regulated Roles applies only in Scotland.

Regulated Roles in Scotland apply to volunteers aged 16 and over.

A Regulated Role with children is where the volunteer is working in a way which has all three of these characteristics:  

1. Involves the carrying out of one or more named activities (see below) 
2. The activities are carried out as normal duties (reasonably expected to be part of the role), and in Scotland
3. Carrying out of these activities gives the individual the opportunity to have contact with children

In (a) above, Named Activities are any of:

1. Having responsibility for the safety and welfare of a child
2. Teaching, instructing, or delivering training to children
3. Holding power or influence over a child for the purpose of an activity in which the child is taking part or seeking to take part in.
4. Being in charge of or caring for children
5. Providing cultural, leisure, social or recreational activities for children
6. Driving or escorting children in connection with transport services provided exclusively or mainly for children
7. Being the day-to day supervisor or line manager of someone doing the activities above
8. Holding a position of responsibility in an organisation which has as one of its main purposes the provision of benefits for or to children

NOTE: For Regulated Roles there are no time limitations as in Regulated Activity for the other nations, other than it is part of normal duties. For Regulated Roles, an occurrence of once is enough.

PVG scheme - Regulated roles guidance

Regulated activity and regulated roles with vulnerable and protected adults in Scouts

As Scouts is a youth organisation, the majority of our service users are children aged 4-17 and the adults in Scouts have roles and responsibilities to care for the children so most criminal records checks are for the Child Workforce.

There are some occasions in Scouts where a vulnerable or protected adult may be a service user and some specific guidance on whether Regulated Activity / Regulated Roles apply. More guidance is below.  

If you think that these may apply to your volunteering, please discuss this with [email protected].

Regulated activity with vulnerable adults - in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, British Scouting Overseas and Overseas Territories (i.e. except in Scotland) is

1. Providing an adult with physical assistance with eating or drinking (for example spoon feeding), going to the toilet, washing, or bathing, dressing, oral care or care of the skin, hair or nails because of the adult’s age, illness, or disability
2. Prompting and then supervising an adult who, because of their age, illness or disability, cannot make the decision to eat or drink, go to the toilet, wash or bathe, get dressed or care for their mouth, skin, hair, or nails without that prompting and supervision.
3. Training, instructing, or providing advice or guidance which relates to eating or drinking, going to the toilet, washing, or bathing, dressing, oral care or care of the skin, hair or nails to adults who need it because of their age, illness, or disability
4. Day to day management of those providing the above regulated activity to adults

An adult is considered vulnerable at a particular time, not because of the setting in which the activity is received, and not because of the personal characteristics or circumstances of the adult receiving the activities.

Regulated Activity (Adults) in England and Wales - GOV.UK 

Regulated roles with protected adults - in Scotland

A Regulated Role with protected adults is where the volunteer is working in a way which has all three of these characteristics: 

1. Involves the carrying out of one or more named activities (see below)
2. The activities are carried out as normal duties (reasonably expected to be part of the role), and in Scotland
3. Carrying out of these activities gives the individual the opportunity to have contact with protected adults (including physical or visual contact, written or verbal communication with protected adults, exercising power or influence over protected adults). This contact should be more than incidental.

A Protected Adult in Scotland is anyone aged 18+ who  

• is homeless
• is receiving health or community service
• needs assistance with activities of daily living
• has experienced, is experiencing or is at risk of experiencing domestic abuse
• has an impaired ability to protect themselves from physical or psychological harm because of a physical or mental disability, illness, infirmity, or ageing

AND is receiving a service for this.

Protected Adult status is only in effect whilst the person is receiving a service addressing one of the listed needs. 

Examples of named activities with Protected Adults in Scouting:

• Teaching, instructing, training, or supervising protected adults
• Giving advice or guidance to a protected adult in relation to education, training, or employability
• Being in charge of protected adults
• Having responsibility for the safety and welfare of a protected adult
• Having the ability to directly influence decisions about the safety and welfare of a protected adult
• Providing cultural, leisure, social or recreational activities for protected adults
• Driving or escorting protected adults in connection with transport services provided exclusively or mainly for use by protected adults
• Holding a position of responsibility in an organisation which has as one of its main purposes the provision of benefits for or to protected adults (regardless of Whether the organisation has an additional purpose of providing benefits for or to another group)

PVG scheme - Regulated roles guidance

Relevant Lead Volunteer

The Lead Volunteer for the Scout unit [see definition of Scout unit below – this is not an Explorer Unit] in which the role is located. For example: 

1. the relevant Lead Volunteer for a County Programme Team Member would be the County Lead Volunteer.   
2. the relevant Lead Volunteer for a Section Team Member or Team Leader in a section within a Group would be the Group Lead Volunteer.   
3. the relevant Lead Volunteer for a Section Team Member or Team Leader in an Explorer Unit would be the District Lead Volunteer.   

Right of attendance

Typically used for Trustee Board meetings, but may apply in any situation. Right of attendance means that a specific person is entitled to attend each meeting and therefore must be informed of the times/venues of each meeting as with the other members of the Board. A person with right of attendance may contribute to discussion at a meeting but is not a formal member of the group and so has no voting rights.

Role

A volunteer role within the Scouts. The full list of the available roles is contained in the POR Chapter 16 Teams Table. Most, but not all, roles confer membership of Scouts – this is indicated, for each role, in the Teams Table.

Role holder

The person who holds a given role, which has been successfully appointed under POR 16.1 or POR 16.2.  

Rule

SATC

The Scout Association Trust Corporation (SATC) is a company that offers a property holding service to all Scout Groups, Districts and Counties ('Scout Units'). In this role, the SATC enters legal agreements to hold property and sign documents on behalf of Scout Units. This usually includes freehold arrangements (property ownership) or leasehold arrangements (as tenant or landlord).

The SATC does not operate for Scotland.

Scouts

See The Scout Association. 

Scout Network Member

A Scout Network member is referred to as a youth member unless they also hold a volunteer role in which case they are an adult. But legally they are adults once they reach 18.

This means that, for example, they have supervised access to young people and that consideration is given around Nights Away activities, such as separate accommodation, and guidance on Pre-Existing Relationships.

Scout unit

The term Scout unit applies much more widely than to an Explorer Unit or a Young Leader Unit.

It is a member of the Federation, or a section – so it is a section, Group, District, County, Region, country, or nations’ equivalents.  

Section

This describes a single unit of Scouts delivering the programme to young people. These are a Squirrel Drey, a Beaver Colony, a Cub Pack, a Scout Troop, an Explorer Unit (including a Young Leader Unit), and a Scout Network.

If multiple Dreys, Colonies, Packs, Troops, or Explorer Units exist within the same Group or District, each one is a separate section. For example, if a Group comprises one Drey, two Colonies, two Packs and two Troops then that Group is hosting seven sections. And a District with three Explorer Units plus a Young Leader Unit plus a Scout Network is hosting five sections.

If multiple instances of a section type exist within a Group or District, they may choose to operate collaboratively (for example in a Group with two Packs the Section Teams may jointly plan Pack programmes) but each section operates as a separate entity.

POR contains guidance on the size of sections (Chapter 4b) and how to open and close sections (Chapter 4d).

SORP

SORP is an abbreviation for the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice, specifically the Charities SORP (FRS 102). It is currently at its second edition, though work has started to create the third edition, which will be published during 2026.

The SORP applies throughout the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales). Scout units in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man are not mandated to use the SORP but its use is strongly encouraged.   

The SORP applies to the form and content of accruals accounts and also has useful guidance for all trustee reports. 

See Charities SORP 

Staff member

A person employed, in any capacity, by a Group, District, County, Country Headquarters, or UK Headquarters.

To employ someone means to have someone work or do a job for you on a regular basis and pay them for it. This work may take an hour per month or 40 hours per week or any other amount of time. It does not include buying services from a third party organisation.

Structure

Most commonly, it means either the organisational structure or the volunteer line management hierarchy. This is an important part of the federated structure of the Scouts.

The organisational structure is the structuring of Scout units: section, Group, District, County, Region, country, UK. Each level of the structure is responsible for supporting the programme in a smaller area, with Districts responsible for Groups, Counties responsible
for Districts, and so on.

There are some exceptions to the general structure:

• in Scotland, the structure is Group, District, Scottish Region, Country, UK.
• in Northern Ireland, there are no Counties. There are Districts (grouped as Regions), and the Country team.
• in England and in Wales, and also Gibraltar, there are a number of Counties with Groups but those Counties have no Districts.

The volunteer line management hierarchy refers to the volunteer manager of each of these units: Group Lead Volunteer, District Lead Volunteer, County Lead Volunteer, Regional Lead Volunteer, Country Chief Volunteer, UK Chief Volunteer. Each of these volunteer managers is supported by a team who work to support the delivery of the programme in their areas.

Sub-committee

This term is no longer used. It previously referred to sub-committees of a Trustee Board. Trustee Boards may, if needed, set up sub-teams.

Supervised access to young people

Access to young people must always be in accordance with our Rules and Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card).

When a volunteer (or a Scout Network member) does not have a valid personal enquiry, their access to young people must be supervised which means that they must always be within sight and hearing of at least one adult who has a full team member or team leader appointment and holds a satisfactory personal enquiry.

Teams and sub-teams

Our volunteers work together in teams to deliver a great programme for young people, or to be part of a team that supports the teams who are delivering programme.

Each team and each sub-team will have a Team Leader(s) and a sub-Team Leader(s). And apart from the Team Leader(s) and the sub-Team Leader(s), each Team will comprise some Team Members and sub-Team Members.

The Team Leader is responsible for ensuring that the team achieves its purpose and tasks, as described in the team's team description which defines the team's purpose that the team must achieve, and a set of tasks that must be undertaken by the team.

The Team Members and the Team Leader must agree amongst themselves how their purpose and tasks will be achieved. Team Leaders normally have a Team Leader role title – for example the Team Leader of a Section team is a Section Team Leader and the Team Leader of a District Support Team is the District Support Team Leader. For Group, District and County Leadership Teams, however, the team leader is the Group, District or County Lead Volunteer.

The team leader is responsible for ensuring that the team achieves its purpose and tasks, as described in the team's team description which defines the team's purpose that the team must achieve, and a set of tasks that must be undertaken by the team.

The team members and the team leader must agree amongst themselves how their purpose and tasks will be achieved.

Team leaders normally have a Team Leader role title – for example the team leader of a Section team is a Section Team Leader and the team leader of a District Support Team is the District Support Team Leader.

For Group, District and County Leadership Teams, however, the team leader is the Group, District or County Lead Volunteer. And for Group, District and County Trustee Boards, the team leader is the Group, District or County Chair.

Sub-teams are teams of volunteers that sit within another team. For example, a Hillwalking Team within the Programme Team or a Campsite Maintenance Team within a Support Team. Each sub-team has a specific area of focus within the overall scope of that larger team. The Sub-Team Leader is an ex officio member of the 'parent' team. For example, the if the District Support Team has a sub-team managing fundraising then the fundraising Sub-Team Leader is an ex officio member of the District Support Team.

The various Teams are described in POR 4c.1 (Groups), POR 4c.2 (Districts) and POR 4c.3 (Counties). Trustee Boards are described in POR 4a.1.4 and in POR Chapter 5 (particularly chapters 5b, 5c, 5d).

Team description

For each team there is a team description which describes the purpose of the team and the tasks and activities that the team members are responsible for achieving. The team must agree how to collaborate in order to jointly ensure that the team operates and delivers well.

Team descriptions can be viewed from the Local Teams webpage.

The Scout Association

The parent organisation of Scouting in the UK and elsewhere, delivered under the framework of the Royal Charter. The organisation is often known as Scouts. Further details at www.scouts.org.uk.

Trustee

An adult who is a charity Trustee within a member of the Federation, as defined in a Group, District, County, country, or UK Headquarters constitution.

UK GDPR

UK General Data Protection Regulation.  

UK Headquarters

This refers to the Headquarters of The Scout Association in the United Kingdom.

UK Headquarters’ Executive Leadership Team (ELT) 

This UK Headquarters team is led by the Scouts’ Chief Executive (CEO) and comprises the CEO and their direct reports. The Executive Leadership team is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of the Association, which includes managing our finances, operations, commercial services, communications and marketing. 

Unsatisfactory service

Service in a role that would be grounds for ending the role under POR 16.8. 

Validation [sometimes referred to as Learning Assessment]

The process where a Learning Assessor checks what skills an adult has learned, and that they can apply to their role the skills that they have acquired. Validation is essential for every learning module. In some cases, the validation is conducted as part of an online learning, with a validation certificate issued at the end of the learning.

Volunteer

An adult who holds at least one non-paid role with the Scouts. They may be members or helpers.

Volunteer Joining Journey

The steps to be taken to make a safe, but welcoming, recruitment of new volunteers into the Scouts. The steps of the Volunteer Joining Journey are detailed in POR Chapter 16.  

www.scouts.org.uk - The Scouts’ Website

www.scouts.org.uk is the official website of The Scout Association and provides regular news updates, general information on the Scouts, material for young people and access to a range of online resources for members. See also the definition of ‘membership system’.

WAGGGS 

The World Association of Girl Scouts and Girl Guides. 

Further details at WAGGGS' website.  

Welcome Conversation

As part of the joining process for a volunteer new to the Scouts, a Welcome Conversation will be conducted if so identified in the Chapter 16 Teams Table. In a Welcome Conversation the new volunteer meets with their volunteer team leader or Lead Volunteer and one other independent person.

WOSM

The World Organization of the Scout Movement, often known as World Scouting.

Further details at WOSM’s website.

[in] writing

Where in writing is specified, this must use an easily reviewed method. If circumstances require prompt reply, then social media may be used but must be followed up by email or similar as soon as practicable.  

Young Helper

The Young Helper role applies only in Scotland.

It is used for young people who are not Explorers (Young Leaders). They are young people who are helping as part of DofE or Guide service and who require a criminal record check (Scouts PVG disclosure).  

Young Leader

An Explorer aged between 13½ and their 18th birthday who is working with a Squirrel, Beaver, Cub or Scout Section Team.

Young Leaders automatically belong to a District Young Leader Unit even if they are also members of another Explorer Unit. The purpose of the District Young Leader Unit is to ensure that all Young Leaders receive the training in the Young Leaders’ Scheme, and to ensure that each Young Leader who is not also a member of another Explorer Unit has access to a programme pathway that leads them to the top awards within the Explorer section.

Young person (plural: young people)

A member or prospective member aged between their 4^th and 18^th birthdays.

Scout Network members are a young person unless they also hold a volunteer role in which case they are an adult. But legally they are adults once they reach 18.