Learning you need to do: Growing Roots
Discover the learning you need to do as a volunteer
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Page last reviewed: January 2026
What is Growing Roots learning and when to complete it
Growing Roots is the learning you need for your role. All new volunteers need to complete Growing Roots learning within their first 180 days. Safeguarding and Safety need to be completed within the first 30 days.
The only people who don't need to complete this learning are Presidents, Vice Presidents, Non Member - Needs Disclosure, Retired Members and Designated Carers.
Existing volunteers need to complete any outstanding Growing Roots learning.
When changing or taking on a new role, you might need to complete additional Growing Roots learning that you weren’t previously required to. You need to do this within 180 days from taking on a new role.
Volunteers joining or re-joining Scouts after a break of 180 days or more need to re-do Growing Roots learning, even if they’ve completed this learning in a previous role.
You need to renew some Growing Roots learning every three years. If you don't complete the learning you're required within the expected timeframes, your Lead Volunteer might need to apply some restrictions.
How to complete Growing Roots learning
You complete all Growing Roots learning online by accessing My Learning. You find it under the section ‘the learning you need’. Your progress is automatically tracked and recorded in your profile in My Learning and My Membership when completed.
Read the My learning digital tool guide to learn how to access, find and complete learning.
Use our interactive Learning Tree to know more about our Growing Roots learning.
Growing Roots for everyone
This is the learning everyone needs to complete.
Who does this?
All new volunteers. Exceptions: Presidents, Vice Presidents, Non Member - Needs Disclosure, Retired Members and Designated Carers.
When do I need to do it?
To be completed within your first 30 days. Renewed every 3 years.
Why do I need this?
At Scouts, we know young people thrive in secure surroundings, whether they’re at home or away. Wherever we go, we’re serious about keeping our young people safe. Everyone in Scouts needs to have the tools and know-how to keep our young people safe.
What you'll learn:
- What Safeguarding is and why it’s important.
- How to recognise Safeguarding concerns.
- How to respond to and report Safeguarding concerns.
- How to Safeguard adults at risk.
Who does this?
All new volunteers. Exceptions: Presidents, Vice Presidents, Non Member - Needs Disclosure, Retired Members and Designated Carers.
When do I need to do it?
To be completed within your first 30 days. Renewed every 3 years.
Why do I need this?
At Scouts, doing things safely is fundamental to everything we do. Wherever we go, we’re serious about keeping our young people safe. Everyone in Scouts needs to have the tools and know-how to keep our young people safe.
What you'll learn:
- What our safety policy is and why it’s important.
- What your responsibilities are in terms of safety.
- How to assess and manage risks.
- How to manage and report incidents.
Who does this?
All new volunteers. Exceptions: Presidents, Vice Presidents, Non Member - Needs Disclosure, Retired Members and Designated Carers.
When do I need to do it?
To be completed within your first 6 months.
Why do I need this?
At Scouts, we're open to all and it’s important we make sure everyone feels welcome. We need all our volunteers’ help to do this, so we want to make sure you have the tools and know-how to help everyone feel accepted and included at Scouts.
What you'll learn:
- How to challenge assumptions.
- Practical ways to be more inclusive in everything we do.
- How to respond when people need reasonable adjustments.
- How to challenge discrimination.
Who does this?
All new volunteers. Exceptions: Presidents, Vice Presidents, Non Member - Needs Disclosure, Retired Members and Designated Carers.
When do I need to do it?
To be completed within your first 6 months.
Why do I need this?
At Scouts, we’re trusted with the personal data of our young people and volunteers. We need to take that responsibility very seriously. We need all our volunteers’ help to do this, so we want to make sure you have the tools and know-how to handle personal data responsibly.
What you'll learn:
- What data protection and personal data is.
- How to gather personal data in Scouts.
- How to use, share and store personal data in Scouts.
- How to securely delete or archive personal data.
- How to respond to a data breach or subject access request.
Who does this?
All new volunteers. Exceptions: Presidents, Vice Presidents, Non Member - Needs Disclosure, Retired Members and Designated Carers.
When do I need to do it?
To be completed within your first 6 months.
Why do I need this?
At Scouts, we work together towards a shared goal, which is to help young people develop skills for life. We need all our volunteers’ help to do this, so we want to make sure you understand how Scouts works and what support is available to you.
What you'll learn:
- Our purpose, promise and values at Scouts.
- What support is available to you.
- How our different teams work together.
- How Scouts create impact.
Growing Roots for some people
Team Leaders, Lead Volunteers and Trustees need to complete some additional Growing Roots learning.
Who does this?
All new Section Team volunteers.
When do I need to do it?
To be completed within your first 6 months.
Why do I need this?
You’ll be working directly with our young people, helping them develop skills for life. We want to make sure you have the tools and know-how to deliver our amazing programme and be properly youth led.
What you'll learn:
- What the Scout method is and how we create impact.
- How to involve young people and be youth shaped.
- How to promote positive behaviour when working with young people.
- How to plan and run safe and exciting programmes, so young people can achieve their top awards.
- How to work with the parents and carers of our young people.
Who does this?
All new Team Leaders and Lead Volunteers. Exceptions: Team Leaders of Section Teams and Sub-Team Leaders.
When do I need to do it?
To be completed within your first 6 months.
Why do I need this?
At Scouts, we aim to provide great leadership. We want to be great role models to our young people. So, we want to make sure you have the tools and know-how to lead your fellow volunteers in Scouts.
What you'll learn:
- How to adapt your leadership style.
- How the Scouts approach the Teams works.
- How to welcome new volunteers.
- How to run good reviews with volunteers, and how to recognise them for their work.
- How to have constructive conversations.
- How to carry out your responsibilities for permit approvals, activity approvals, and suspensions.
- How to lead on inclusive growth.
Who does this?
All new Trustees.
When do I need to do it?
To be completed within your first 6 months.
Why do I need this?
As a Trustee, you might be responsible for a Group, District or County/Area/Region. You’ll need to know what your responsibilities are, and we’ll give you the practical tools and advice on how to be a great Trustee.
What you'll learn:
- What a Trustee is and what responsibilities you have.
- Where to find resources and support for approaching your responsibilities.
- How to manage premises.
- How to manage risks as a Trustee.
First Response
All Section Team volunteers, Group Lead Volunteers and 14-24 Team Leaders must complete First Response within their first 12 months and renew it every 3 years.
First response is delivered locally. Read the First Response guidance to learn more about how to complete it and how to use an external first aid qualification to credit this skill.