Getting back into the great outdoors

When planning for reopening for Scout use, you will need to consider and balance the following factors as we pass through each level of changes in your country.  

When planning for opening for third party/public use, you’ll need to consider and balance the following factors as we pass through each level of the National Youth Agency  (or the relevant guidance in your country) and the updating of other guidance relevant to the third party you're working with or public access.  In all cases, you should check that you're insured for the activity you're undertaking, and that you aren’t breaching local planning restrictions or operating outside the scope of The Scout Association’s exception certificate for campsite licensing.   

As restrictions ease across the UK at each level you’ll need to consider how visitors, staff and volunteers use the range indoor and outdoor spaces safely and in line with the relevant guidance in the jurisdiction your property sits in.  

You should consider;  

• How are you going to communicate your systems to visitors prior to arrival, on arrival and during their time on site.  
• What cleaning regime you will implement to keep people safe, do you have enough resources and how does this impact site capacity – more guidance on cleaning can be found (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings)   
• How are you going to manage spaces (both indoors and outdoors)  
• What’s the capacity of your site (physical space, toilet provision, hand washing facilities) when operating within the current guidance and considering the expectations of different user groups?   
• How do you keep volunteers and staff involved in the running of the centre safe?   

• Which activities can you run in line with the guidance at each level Check the programme advice for more information.  
• Which activities and services can you offer in line with Scout and government guidance?  

Remember in each jurisdiction there is a different set of rules which apply, make sure you are familiar with those for the location in which you operate. 

Managing Shared spaces   

• Toilets – can be shared between groups but clear signage and information should be provided on how to use them in line with current guidance. You’ll need to consider appropriate cleaning regime for both users and your team to implement.  
• Showers – can be used as long as you have an appropriate cleaning regime in place and the space can be well ventilated.  If you are not confident, you can achieve this then you may need to consider bookings systems for showers with appropriate cleaning between users or keeping them closed. 
• Sleeping Spaces – must be in groups of no more than 6 people, when working with Youth Sector organisations. There is no limit for school groups A sleeping space is a separate physical room or whole tent not a pod within a tent or a room separated with an additional barrier as this isn’t effective separation and is likely to  cause wider safety implications   

See both the programme advice and where applicable check the relevant National Governing body guidance. 

• Do you have a system for recording attendance? 
• Under the track and trace guidance you have a duty to keep at least the contact details for the party leader of each visiting group for 21 days but also a responsibility to keep a log of who was working when and what time including any significant contact they had with any groups or individuals  

It is no longer the law to practice social distancing or wear a face covering, however when an activity requires direct  physical or close contact face coverings should be warn.  Examples of this might be: 

• Harness checks  
• Administering First Aid 
• Performing a rescue at height or in a confined space 

You will need to balance the safety of participants and instructors, how the participants are feeling about the virus and the risk of one of your instructing team being a close contact and having to self isolate or becoming infected and being a close contact with the wider team. 

A checklist for opening up physical property. This a great guide for what to think about before starting to use any premises again.