We’re going to make a better first impression for new or returning volunteers. It’ll be clear where to sign up, what to expect, and what stage they are at. They will also be in control of moving this forward as much as possible.
Why we are creating a new welcoming process:
- So that we can attract new volunteers and keep the ones we have
- So that we can grow our movement and reach new communities
- So that we do less admin and have more time for the things that matter most
- Because volunteers told us the current welcome process can be off-putting
We are moving to a much warmer way of welcoming new adults, and this means changes to our appointment process. This will include a welcome conversation in place of the formal appointments panel meeting. Conversations will be group led and will happen where the new adult volunteers.
The Volunteer’s Journey
So that new volunteers understand what they need to do and feel welcome, as quickly as possible, the Team Leader or Lead Volunteer will be in touch regularly in their first few weeks. They’ll talk about how Scouts works, what time they have to volunteer, agree what tasks they’ll do, share the yellow card, explain the learning that they’ll need to do and generally support them through their first few weeks of being a volunteer.
All new volunteers will have to complete their Access NI and safeguarding checks when they join Scouts.
Guidance on a Warmer Welcome Conversation
We want to give a great first impression to new volunteers. We want them to feel welcome, valued and supported.
The Welcome Conversation is an opportunity to make sure new volunteers are clear on our expectations of them. It’s an important part of helping each new volunteer feel like they’re part of the team, and are prepared for their volunteering. We need to make sure they understand and commit to our values, and how we keep young people safe, so that Scouts is the right fit for them.
It’s also a chance to connect, find out more about why they want to volunteer and what their skills and interests are.
We can help them find the support they need and talk about tasks and responsibilities. They can also ask us questions and find out more about Scouts.
When to have the Welcome Conversation
Team Leaders should arrange a Welcome Conversation no later than six weeks into a new volunteer’s joining journey. This should be after they’ve visited their team, so the conversation feels more relevant. If for some reason this isn’t possible, then in line with POR it must be completed within six months.
Volunteers usually only ever need to have one Welcome Conversation, – they won’t need another if they add or change roles, as long as they’ve not had a break in service of more than 30 days.
If a volunteer starts in a role that doesn’t require a Welcome Conversation, for example a Trustee position, and then moves to a different role that does, they’ll then need to have a Welcome Conversation.
What are we asking Districts to do?
As we prepare ourselves for introducing the Welcome Conversations across Northern Ireland, we want to be ready with our Welcome Conversation Teams, who fall under the Volunteer Development Team. It’s so important to remember that the style of these conversations is changing, so it will no longer be in-front of a panel but actually with the Group Lead and someone from the District’s Welcome Team.
So, as a District Lead, you should be:
- Spotting who can be a part of the District’s Welcoming Team;
- Make sure that they know the role and purpose of the District’s Welcoming Team;
- Make sure that they have agreed to undertake the new style of learning that will be shared soon;
- Contact your Group Lead Volunteers to let them know that they will also have to complete the new training, as they will be leading the conversation with the new/returning volunteer.
Additional Resources
- Scouts UK’s PowerPoint Slides – Warmer Welcome
- Contact our NI Transformation Lead Scott Robinson at scottrobinson@scoutsni.org
