Welcoming Process

When new volunteers first join Scouts, their Team Leader or Lead Volunteer will be in touch regularly in the first few weeks. They’ll explain how Scouts works, discuss the time the new volunteer has available, agree on tasks, share the safe scouting cards, and outline the learning they’ll need to complete. All new volunteers also have to complete key vetting and safeguarding checks. 

The criminal record checks must be started within 60 days in Northern Ireland. For the Access NI process, please click here for further information and the step-by-step guide.

References are used to keep young people safe and check all volunteers are right for Scouts. References must be requested within 6 weeks of joining.

Getting references is straightforward with our digital tools. You just enter your referee information, click submit and they’ll be contacted and asked to respond. Referees can respond directly and references with no comments or issues will be approved automatically. Any issues flagged by references will generate an automatic notification to the Lead Volunteer, so it can be reviewed locally.

Referees should ideally know about the volunteer’s work or contact with young people, and be able to comment on their character and relationships with others. Referees must not be relatives. At least one referee must have known the volunteer for at least five years. One referee must not be from the Scouts.

In the first six weeks of joining Scouts, the volunteer will attend a Welcome Conversation with their Team Leader/Group Lead Volunteer and a volunteer who has the Welcome Conversation Volunteer accreditation. This is an opportunity for new volunteers to introduce themselves and their interests, and for current volunteers to make sure they understand and commit to our values, and how we keep young people safe.

Scouts UK Headquarters automatically check new volunteers against our internal records to make sure there’s nothing that would prevent them from becoming full members. This process is quick, and both new volunteers and Team Leaders can view any restrictions applied to someone’s membership by UK HQ on our digital system. 

When volunteers join, or take on a new role, they’ll be asked to accept a declaration relevant to their role, committing them to uphold Scout values, follow Scout policies and complete the required learning.  Charity trustees in the UK must also complete an eligibility declaration form saying they’re eligible to be a Trustee.

New volunteers need to complete their Safety and Safeguarding learning within the first 30 days of joining. This is important so volunteers understand how to keep young people safe in Scouts. New volunteers, or volunteers starting a new type of role, need to complete their remaining Growing Roots learning within six months of joining.

If you would like more information or support around the welcoming process at Scouts, please contact our team at NI:

HM King Charles III has been confirmed as our new Patron, a great honour for UK Scouts.

The King continues a long tradition of the monarch giving their Patronage, dating back to 1912. This was when Scouts was granted its Royal Charter and HM George V became our first Patron.

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King Charles III

Our Patron, HM King Charles III