Beavers - volunteering application process seems OTT

[mintyme]

The Head of our local Scouts popped into the Beavers session that my DS attends at pick-up to ask for a parent/s to volunteer as a regular helper. I said I would as by the time I get home I’m coming back to pick DS again so I might as well help out etc.

The DBS is done and I have online safeguarding to do which is fine, as I’ve done this before with volunteering. But now I’ve had an email to say I must attend an Appointments Advisory Committee meeting with a panel of 3 people for 20 mins to discuss how they can best support me.

Alarm bells are going off because I’ve since heard that his Scouts Head is very persistent when it comes to recruiting volunteers, this meeting seems a bit OTT for a parent helper, and the DBS states the position applied for is ‘Child Workforce Trustee/Helper/Leader.’

As far as I am concerned I am only going to be a regular parent helper and I have neither the time nor the inclination to take on any responsibility than to just turn up and help out regularly.

Would this panel meeting flag to you that they are expecting/going to demand more commitment than parents were led to believe? I’m feeling a bit cross that this could be the case.

It’s a trap. Don’t do it! There is no escape. I volunteered as a helper and ended up running the group by myself for FIVE years.

@ShesComeUndone do you really think so? I also forgot to mention that the current Assistant Leader casually introduced me to another parent helper as “our new trainee leader.” I corrected her but she didn’t reply as she was in the middle of talking to some children.

If this is the case then I am furious. I am in absolutely no position whatsoever to provide any more support than as a parent helper

I was being light hearted but this is actually what happened to me. I said ‘I only want to help at meetings I don’t have time to do more than that’. They neglected to tell me that they were looking to stop being a leader so pretty much as soon as I had signed up I was left running the entire group, having to do a leadership qualification, the accounts (because the parent volunteer stopped doing that too). It filled every spare moment of my life for five years and made me hugely anxious. So joking aside, be firm! I should have just let the group close down when I was left alone and then maybe some of the other parents would have volunteered!

@mintyme absolutely a trap ! Been there, done that.

The guilt they put on you is immense ! To the point that, in my case, if I couldn't be available the day needed to change the weekly meet to - because the current day didn't suit the leader - they'd have to close the group !!!

I left shortly after !

Yes it does seem very OTT. I'm a Girlguiding leader and our regular helpers are asked to do the enhanced DBS, online safeguarding and basic first aid learning (takes about 20 minutes) and that's it! As a leader/assistant leader there are a lot more hoops to jump through and it does sound like they're expecting you to be doing more than just turning up for an hour a week. But again, I have no knowledge of scout procedures so perhaps this is normal... Hopefully someone will be along soon who knows their stuff!

I would go to the meeting and be very clear what you’re prepared to do, and what not. I was a volunteer helper (NOT assistant leader, I didn’t want that level of involvement) for several years. I’m good at holding boundaries, and made it clear right from the interview what I was prepared to do, and it was fine. But it did help a lot that I’d been utterly clear that I had no interest in further training or involvement beyond being a helper, right from the start.

Its just a chat to make sure you are suitable and have basic ideas of safety and appropriate behaviour. I had one last week as weve recently moved so I changed districts and I've been a leader for four years.

They want to meet you.
There has been lots of threads on here about GG safeguarding concerns. (Right or wrong, I'm not commenting) this is Scouts way of ensuring that every adult who is in regular contact has been met by line managers.

Tell them at the meeting of your concerns re tome etc. They will understand.
(16 years as a leader)

Absolutely not necessary and not surprised this puts people off. I am a Scout leader and for parent helpers we just do a DBS, no need for appointments committee .

Yes. It's a trap. That I fell into. I started as a parent helper. I'm now a scout leader.
We are DESPERATELY short of volunteers.
Please don't refuse to be a parent helper. Just stand resolutely firm that you aren't agreeing to more.
If your group is anything like mine, then volunteers are so rare that we are constantly dancing on the edge of closure. My daughter got covid, so 10 days of lockdown meant 2 scout sessions were cancelled as there were no volunteers willing to stand in for those weeks.

Thanks everyone for your experiences and perspectives.

I will attend the meeting but I will absolutely make it crystal clear that I will be nothing more than a parent helper, and I have firm boundaries and am prepared to walk out if they push their luck.

It’s a sad case of affairs that so few adults want to/are able to volunteer with young children, however I’m afraid I only have so much commitment I am prepared to offer and if they don’t like it then we are not the right pairing for a volunteer partnership.

The panel things seems a bit OTT but Scouts have had quite a few safeguarding issues over the years so some places are very cautious. We try to DBS check at least one parent for each child and ask them to sign up to help twice a term. Means we have plenty of parent help and some of them find they enjoy it and become assistant leaders.

Be very clear that you only want to help and you are never to be left running a meeting.

Appointments meetings are usual. They want to make you sure you know what scouting is about, and if you're sure you want to volunteer.

However I'm not sure occasional helpers have one, though I could be wrong. So I think you might need to point out you are only going to be an occasional helper, not a leader.

I was an assistant beaver leader, and now I'm a section assistant at scouts as I didn't want the responsibility of being a leader again, and didn't want to do tons of training.

Like others I was asked to help out at Beavers (so my youngest could start) and then the Leader ended up leaving, leaving me to run the group with another parent who'd also volunteered. So I'd be wary about them claiming you're a trainee leader. You'll never be able to leave!

I'm an assistant in scouting and went through panel. Apparently it'll need doing again as I've moved section with my youngest. I'm a leader in Guiding and made it clear that I'm happy doing on the night/ trips, but not too embroiled behind the scenes as I already do that in one organisation.

I was hoping to creep away, but leaders were low in the new section so I moved on too.

I had this and I’ve been a teacher for years. They wanted me to attend all sorts of courses (which I refused as done it all and more for my job). Also got shirty when I wouldn’t supervise church parade (I said I was an atheist and that went down like a lead balloon).

I am our local Chair of Appointments Committees. I do not see parent helpers, only section assistants and leaders. This is the criteria for helpers:

Helpers

Additional adults (for example parents or subject experts from the community) may be used on a regular or occasional basis to support the delivery of programme. The Personal Enquiry and criminal records disclosures checks requirements detailed in Rule 3.27(b), 4.28(b) and 5.19(f) must apply wherever applicable for these adults. A person who requires a Personal Enquiry (including where relevant a criminal records disclosure check) [Rules 3.27, 4.28, 5.19] and who does not have an active role on Compass that includes a criminal records check must be registered on Compass as an Occasional Helper SV. This Occasional Helper role on Compass is not otherwise part of the Appointment Process, carries no membership status and is only provided to enable the Personal Enquiry and criminal records disclosure checks to be conducted if required by Rules 3.27, 4.28 and 5.19.

There is some mandatory training even for helpers, but very little.
He's trying to stitch you up.

This happened to me and it nearly bloody broke me. Looking back it was a form of gaslighting. Honestly. Exactly the same thing 'oh it's just a few hours'

I cried one Sunday when trying to plan a session for the following day. It was a massive amount of work. I had other shit going on too but I have never felt so overwhelmed. I had 3 part time jobs at the time. Ridiculous.

Makes me so cross.

As it happens now I have more time I regularly volunteer for 2 organisations and it's a really good fit.

Beavers (including all the training etc). No Thankyou

There is a difference between being an occasional helper and being a regular volunteer (on a rota for example). Interviewing volunteers is part of safer recruitment practices and normal good practice for any role involving children. Interviews are a two way process though - so it is your chance to find out more about what is expected and whether that will work for you...

Sad that these jobsworths ruin things for everybody

If you want any more information, look at this link.

@ShesComeUndone

It’s a trap. Don’t do it! There is no escape. I volunteered as a helper and ended up running the group by myself for FIVE years.

This. It really is a trap, the only way out is if new blood comes along and you leg it before they realise they are trapped

I'm only half joking
I hope you're good at using the word "no"

They’re not jobsworths, they’re desperately trying to keep the units open for YOUR kids!

If every parent volunteered once a term we’d be laughing - but so many (and I don’t include you OP) see it as free childcare. It is a huge amount of work so it needs sharing!

I think there are three sorts of people they see at appointments committees:

Leaders
Assistant leaders
And section assistants

The point of the one I went to was actually to make sure that I knew what I was signing up to and that I wasn't being pushed into it.

I would definitely be very clear though, even at Sectional Assistant level there are some training requirements e.g. what to do if a child comes and presents a safeguarding concern.

I totally agree about parent helpers being crucial. Everyone should take their turn. DBS and first aid I was happy with but training modules etc were just too much.