Volunteering at 1st Woodcutts

What is involved in being a volunteer at 1st Woodcutts??

Naomi Booth :: Friday 20th October 2023 :: Latest Blog Posts

Volunteering at 1st Woodcutts is a great way to help young people get skills for life and on your journey you might learn a lot about yourself too. Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.

Whether you want to work with young people directly or help out behind-the-scenes there's something for everyone at Scouts.

Most of our volunteers work directly with young people aged 4 to 18 through our groups known as sections, these are:

• Squirrels
• Beavers
• Cubs
• Scouts
• Explorers

Others have specific skills they share on camp or help with admin, fundraising, finances, operations or governance. If you'd like to volunteer get in touch with Skip John Curtis or anyone who volunteers with us already!

Checks and initial training

All volunteers who work directly with young people will have a DBS check. They also undertake basic training which includes safety and safeguarding, data protection, inclusion and about Scouting in their first few months of volunteering.

We all work to the Young People First code of practice (also known as the Yellow card) which sets out guidance for all adults in Scouts. You can see a copy of this in the HQ entrance or on the Scout website.

Assessing Risk

We know that young people learn by doing. Activities encourage the development of young people and they can feel a huge sense of achievement in completing them. We want to provide EXCITEMENT, but not DANGER. ADVENTURE, but not HAZARD.

Assessing risk starts in the early stages of activity planning and goes on throughout the activity, until all participants go home at the end of the activity. Embedding risk assessment within the programme planning process allows us to deliver safe, enjoyable and exciting programmes for young people.

Woodbeads

Section lead volunteers (e.g. Zoe at Squirrels, Tic Tac Nettie at Beavers, Aklea Andy, Akelatoo Naomi, Skip Skip Rob, Martin) and the adults who regularly assist them (e.g. Jane and Rachel at Squirrels, Luna Clair, Willow Claire, Rusty and Baloo at Beavers, Bagheera Paul, King Louie Paul at Cubs, Nick, H, Will, Jon at Scouts) all complete training called Woodbeads in the first few years of volunteering.

The Woodbeads training is changing in 2024, but includes emergency first response, delivering a balanced programme, skills of leadership, residential experience introduction, practical skills...

Further training

After that leaders can take on training that interests them or would be useful to their section/group. We have leaders with nights away permits and leaders and adult volunteers with climbing permits, archery permits and more.

Lead Volunteers and Trustees

Lead Volunteers (e.g. like Skip John Curtis and Skip Skip Rob)  may or may not work with our young people.

Trustees (e.g. our Chair Pete Wilkinson) are there to make sure that Woodcutts can sustainably deliver a fantastic programme for our young people to develop skills for life - safely, legally, and in line with our charitable purpose. 

They have their own training modules to make sure they can deliver their best in their roles.

 Fundraisiers

We also have a wonderful team of fund-raisers at Woodcutts, they help organise and raise funds so that we can keep costs down for our young people. Our biggest fundraising event of the year is our Firework Spectacular in November, but we have also successfully run Cream Teas, Quiz Nights and look out for Rock'n'Roll Bingo!