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 the NYA scale; 

When planning for reopening 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 (NYA) scale 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.  

• What’s the capacity of your site (physical space, toilet provision, hand washing facilities) when operating within the restrictions at each level and considering the expectations of different user groups?  
• Can the roads and car parks cope with the potential increase in traffic? 
• Can you keep volunteers and staff involved in the running of the centre safe?  

• Which activities can you run in line with the restrictions at each level or are you just offering space? Check the programme advice for more information. 
• Which activities and services can you offer in line with government guidance and/or social distancing restrictions at each level or are you just offering space?  
• Can you provide enough qualified people to run them if required?  
• Is what you offer of benefit to young people?  

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

• Does the change in activity create a negative impact on neighbours or locals in the surrounding area?  
• How would someone external seeing the activity happening perceive this considering the guidance currently in force?  
• This is an opportunity to engage/re-engage with local groups and districts 

• 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 

• With all activities you should not plan to break social distancing requirements in the normal operation of the activity.  In an emergency situation (such as giving first aid or performing a rescue) of course you will need to break the social distancing requirements. Consideration should be given on how to keep everyone as safe as possible whilst balancing the need to respond to the situation.   This does mean that for some activities you will need to wait until restrictions ease, and for others limit the participation and the way of delivering the session to ensure that social distancing is adhered to.  Key considerations: 
• ·In planning on how to deliver the activity can the instructor and all participant always comply with the current social distancing requirements? 

• Is the need to rescue a likely occurrence – if yes then you will need to wait until restrictions ease? 
• When planning the activity consider where, under normal circumstances, the instructor would be within 2 metres.  Can this be avoided by changing the process, restricting the age or height of participants, limiting participation to those with previous experience, etc? 
• What will the quality of the activity be for the participant where there might be limitations on ability to coach or progress due to changes in the way you’d deliver the activity? 

It's not possible to provide a definitive list of which activities would be suitable for running under the current conditions since so much depends on the location, the equipment available, the available supervision level and the experience of the participants.  Where activities have a national governing body, their websites are often full of useful ideas for tailoring the activity in the current circumstances.