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Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing at Scouts. Read more

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Nights Away Permit Scheme

The Nights Away Permit Scheme is an internal assessment scheme designed to ensure that everyone leading Nights Away events for young people within Scouts have the skills, experience and personal suitability to do so.

The Nights Away Permit Scheme

The Nights Away Permit Scheme is an internal assessment scheme designed to ensure that all those leading nights away events for young people within Scouts have the skills, experience and personal suitability to do so.

On this page you can find out more information about the scheme, our guides for applicants, adviser and commissioners, and forms and resources.

There's an Assessment Checklist that the Nights Away Adviser (NAA) uses to assess any applicants for the Nights Away Permit Scheme.

Nights Away Permit Scheme

The Nights Away Permit Scheme promotes quality residential and camping experiences. It shows that all those leading nights away events for young people within Scouts have the skills, experience and personal suitability to take young people away safely.

Discover the scheme

Applicants' guide

This page provides a guide to applicants wishing to gain a nights away permit.

Read the Applicants' guide

Assessment guide

This page provides an overview for Nights Away Advisers (NAAs) assessing applicants for a Nights Away Permit.

Read the Assessment guide

Commissioners' guide

This page provides a guide to Commissioners on their role within the Nights Away Permit Scheme.

Read the Commissioners' guide

Advisers' guide

This page provides a guide to those wishing to become Nights Away Advisers (NAAs).

Read the advisers' guide

Nights away FAQs

Discover our frequently asked questions (FAQs).

Read the FAQs

Forms and resources

To apply for a Nights Away permit you will need to contact your Nights Away adviser. The Nights Away Application form is an application form that you can attach to emails or print out and fill in by hand.

The Nights Away Notification Form (Form NAN) can also be attached to emails, or printed out and completed by hand. It's recommended that you download and install the Scouts font, Nunito Sans, beforehand.

As well as being available from the Scout Support Centre, Nights Away permit holders can download a Nights Away Event Passport to use for young people-led nights away events. Take a look at our Nights Away event passport guidance.

Supporter of the Nights Away Permit Scheme (SNAPS)

The Supporter of the Nights Away Permit Scheme (SNAPS) in each County (or Area, or Region in Scotland) is a way of identifying who's responsible for supporting the Nights Away Permit Scheme locally.

Permits and the management of Nights Away Advisers (NAAs) remains the responsibility of Commissioners, with SNAPS available to support Commissioners in this area.

This'll most often fall under the remit of the ACC Activities or a County Nights Away Adviser, but may come under a different role depending on local structures.

Technical manual

Nights Away

Nights Away is a print publication containing everything you need to know for enjoying the outdoors and taking young people away safely and with confidence. Aimed at all adults in Scouting, it provides advice on the best equipment to take, ways of preparing your staff and how to make the most of your time away. 

 

Purchase the manual from Scout Store

Nights Away and safeguarding

Check out the hints and tips