Nights Away Permits
What they are and how to get one
Nights Away Permits (or NAP) are our way to ensure everyone leading nights away events for young people in Scouts have the skills and experience to do so. All Patrol Leaders for Roverway 2024 will need a NAP.
There’s a wealth of guidance and support for gaining your NAP available on the Scouts website. This blog aims to demystify the process.
We also caught up with a couple of our Patrol Leaders who already hold a NAP, Kathy and Liam, to find out what the process was like for them.
How does the scheme work?
The scheme is explained in the Applicants’ Guide. You’ll start by getting in touch with a local Nights Away Adviser (NAA) – to find out who they are, contact your District Commissioner or search on Compass. Your NAA will be able to support you through the entire process, which starts with completing an application form to list any previous experience.
I got in touch with my Training Adviser who redirected me to my local Nights Away Adviser. My previous experience running several camps, completing Explorer Leader training and previously being IST at an international camp all counted towards my assessment. Adding this to some references from events I’d run before, I was granted my permit.
Liam
There’s no compulsory training to gain a NAP – it all depends on your existing skills and experience. You might be recommended to complete Module 16 (Nights Away) or Module 38 (Skills for Residential Experiences), or to ‘learn on the job’ by organising some patrol prep camps with a NAP holder’s support.
I tried to attend as many camps being run in my district to see alternative ways of running aspects of camps - see what works best. Running activities like cooking, tent-pitching and hiking was also good to build my confidence in each area before throwing them altogether in a weekend camp.
Kathy
Your NAA will assess you in four areas: technical competence, knowledge of the rules, child protection and personal suitability. These are done through the Nights Away Assessment Checklist. This might be through prior knowledge, an informal chat, a review of your paperwork and documents or by visiting a camp that you’ve organised.
When they’re happy with the four areas, your NAA will then recommend your local Commissioner (or Lead Volunteer) to award your permit on Compass.
I sat down with my NAA and discussed previous camps and transferable experience. I went away to plan for an ‘assessment camp’, with my NAA’s support. After running the camp with a NAP holder present, I had a debrief with my NAA to discuss any challenges. It was a very informal process which put me at ease and I felt supported throughout.
Kathy
What do the level of permits mean?
NAAs can recommend a level of permit to which they believe you can lead a nights away event. For Roverway 2024, all PLs will require a ‘campsite’ permit, that allows you to lead outdoor camps at a site with plumbed toilets and running drinking water.
What will I get out of it?
Your NAP will allow you to run a nights away experience anywhere in Scouts – it isn’t section specific (although it's good practice to seek guidance from a NAA before taking another section away). This means you'll have a great skill to introduce more young people to nights away with Scouts.
You'll also gain a tonne of skills for life through the process that will set you up for Roverway and beyond.
We gained lots of transferable skills from gaining a NAP, which can be used at Scouts weekly, and have been useful in starting to plan Roverway patrol prep camps. Things like problem-solving, organisation and leading a team are also good to have in almost all aspects of day-to-day life.
Kathy and Liam
Where can I get support?
Your best line of support through this process will be your Nights Away Adviser.
Kathy and Liam also suggest getting in touch with local volunteers for advice, and collaborating with other PLs going through the process to ask questions together – this could be done via the PL/APL Facebook group.
Your patrol’s supporting leader in your County/Nation can help signpost you to support, and the CMT are also here to help you with any challenges you’re facing.