Nights away event passport
Quick links
(FS120805)
Published Jan 2019
Nights Away Event Passports exist to enable young people in the Scout and Explorer Scout sections, who are deemed suitably skilled, to undertake a nights away activity as a peer group. Examples of this include patrol camps and expeditions.
Nights Away Event Passports can only be issued by those with a Nights Away Permit and can only be issued to the same level as the permit held, for example someone with a campsite nights away permit can not issue a passport for activities in greenfield areas.
Nights Away Event Passports are only available within the Scout and Explorer Scout Sections, and are only for use with peer led activities. This means that they can not be used for Explorer Scout Young Leaders leading activities for the sections they volunteer with, or for activities where adults will be present with the group. The young person or young people issued with the passport must display appropriate skills to the permit holder in order to demonstrate their ability to safely undertake the proposed activity.
When deciding if an individual or group have the skills to be issued with an event passport consideration should be made for the following:
- Can they use the equipment safely and appropriately?
- Do they work well as a group?
- Is the programme appropriate to the abilities of the group?
- Is there a clear InTouch communication system in place for the event?
- What support would the group have in an emergency?
- Are all young people, parents and leader comfortable with the arrangements?
The permit holder who issues the event passport is responsible for the Nights Away event and for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the young people throughout. This will require planning and preparation, expectation setting with the young people, parents and other leaders and a robust supervision plan.
When considering the use of a Nights Away Event Passport consideration should also be made for the maturity of the individuals involved. Parents, young people and leaders all need to be comfortable with the arrangements in place and knowledgeable of the supervision plan which will be in place.
The permit holder must put in place a supervision plan which enables them to monitor the group as well as providing a mechanism for the group to raise concerns, issues and challenges should they occur.
No, event passports are only for Scout and Explorer Scout members to participate in peer led activities.
An appropriate supervision plan needs to be in place with clear communications channels. It may be that when using a local campsite the permit holder could supervise from their home location with the support of campsite staff and some visits to the site. If the group are planning on being further afield then this would not be appropriate.
This will depend on various factors, but if visits are made and the distance allows for a rapid response to an issue raised then there should be no reason why the permit holder could not stay on one site for the duration of the expedition.
Yes, a group of explorers undertaking an expedition together is a great example of the use of an event passport. Equally they can be used for a patrol leader to lead a patrol overnight at a local campsite.