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.

Cop26CopOut it is hard, I know, to get people into sections. But this poster has agreed to be a helper weekly, not a leader and they're trying to get her in through the back door and it's not helpful to Scouting.

I've been involved as a leader in the past and always warn people there's a fair amount of training involved so they're aware from the start.

I miss it, it's really rewarding watching them grow from Beavers to Explorers and some of mine are now becoming Leaders in their own right, it's lovely.

DBS + appointments committee interview + online safeguarding training (plus a few other modules about the fundamental of scouting etc) is standard for volunteering in scouting in any leadership capacity. It’s all about safeguarding, finding out what makes you tick/why you’re doing it, and making sure you understand scouting. Makes sense for any level of lesser really. The interview is fine… they just want to be sure you’re a safe pair of hands with no ulterior motive (unfortunately we had a leader who did).

But another person urging caution with your commitment… I volunteered as a sectional assistant 5 years ago, and have just resigned as Cub Scout Leader.

I may be a bit out of date, as I left 3 years ago.
A regular parent helper can become known as a sectional assistant, you need to meet the committee and have a DBS check as you’d be there more than once a month.
However, I agreed to do that (actually so there was a female on site with DBS so girls had help in event of toilet accidents (Beavers), I ended up running the section for 7 years. Loved it, but needed my time back to support DS with his extra-curricula stuff.

Sounds like they've signed you up as an assistant leader in uniform, not as a parent helper.

Just explain to them that you're willing to be a regular parent helper and not a leader.

@AuntyMabelandPippin I agree, it was the sneery “jobsworth” comment I objected to. Most of these parents seem to have no trouble finding the time to get their kids to and from scouts but are suddenly terribly busy in the intervening 90mins .

If everyone did a stint we’d all be a lot less stressed - this applies to almost all volunteering tbh!

If everyone did a stint we’d all be a lot less stressed - this applies to almost all volunteering tbh!

Exactly
This is actually a big driver in why I have just resigned. I have 28 Cubs (😳😳😳😳😳). That’s a good 40 parents. Where are the other 38??? Mynieb Cub is moving to scouts now. I’m not altruistic enough to carry on, virtually alone, without support.

Not having the capacity to take on any more was also why I gave it up in the end. I did 6 years of volunteering and had no desire to design and run sessions really. Didn't have any kids in scouts but felt it was The Right Thing To Do.

We had a pack of 28 cubs, only one parent helper. Even if each cub had had one parent who helped out once a term, or for a single term of the 10 they usually spend there, we'd have had 5 people looking after the group instead of 3.

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads totally relate! And when I turn up to PTA events, all the scout leaders are there, and I go to a litter picking event and it’s the same people again.

A small minority of the parents will have genuine reasons but most just can’t be fucking arsed. Usually the first ones to moan too.

Red flag. Run. Forest. Run. Your boundaries will be worn down and the manipulation and emotional blackmailing will bring you to tears. (bitter experience)

Thanks again for all the comments.

I just remembered that the form had Section Assistant already on it, but the DBS has the other titles that I mentioned originally but not this title. I asked the Scout Leader what this meeting was for two days ago and he has not replied.

I totally get the need to veto potential volunteers but I will not be bullied into something I am not interested in doing. I’m hoping that this meeting will be ok and I won’t feel cornered otherwise I will just walk out (I’m not having a good week and I’m in no mood for people pressurising me )

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads

If everyone did a stint we’d all be a lot less stressed - this applies to almost all volunteering tbh!

Exactly
This is actually a big driver in why I have just resigned. I have 28 Cubs (😳😳😳😳😳). That’s a good 40 parents. Where are the other 38??? Mynieb Cub is moving to scouts now. I’m not altruistic enough to carry on, virtually alone, without support.

Yep. We have 32 cubs. But it's nearly impossible to get a parent to help at any sessions, even when that has meant we've had to cancel sessions. I can't get over how selfish people are, it really is just 90 minutes every so often - we leaders do all the work, we just need the odd extra body to help out.

I'm actually having the opposite problem... I'm there every week and feel like I'm in the way. The main leader just wants to do everything herself...

@mintyme

Thanks again for all the comments.

I just remembered that the form had Section Assistant already on it, but the DBS has the other titles that I mentioned originally but not this title. I asked the Scout Leader what this meeting was for two days ago and he has not replied.

I totally get the need to veto potential volunteers but I will not be bullied into something I am not interested in doing. I’m hoping that this meeting will be ok and I won’t feel cornered otherwise I will just walk out (I’m not having a good week and I’m in no mood for people pressurising me )

So you need to tell him you want to be a parent helper, not a section assistant. Mind, section assistants are more for people wanting to do weekly, and you're not an assistant section leader, so it might be ok.

I do interview section assistants, and we do stress that's what they are, rather than leaders.

I used to be one of those parents who didn't volunteer as a helper (Brownies, not Cubs/Scouts but the principle is the same).

At the time, I had two jobs, a number of other volunteer roles that took me out several nights a week, and a much younger child who needed me to be around at bed time. Thankfully Brown Owl understood that my non-availability was due to all the other things that were going on in our lives, not selfishness.

Also, it was the only activity DD did where I wasn't present (because one of my jobs was running church children's activities). It was very good for her to have that opportunity.

I'm dare say some of the non-helpers could do more. But assuming that people are just lazy/selfish is not nice.

@AuntyMabelandPippin this is getting confusing! The Leader came to a parents pick up and asked for regular parent volunteers to help out, but no further info other than just to help the staff. Then I notice that there is different role titles on the application form and DBS.

So, I should stress that I will only be a parent helper and not a Section Assistant? Thank you.

I think that if you're going to do it weekly, you have to be a section assistant, helpers are more a few time a term. However, groups can be loose in their interpretation of helpers...

You absolutely do not have to take on any more than you want to. The training is mandatory as you will be looking after children weekly, and need to know (for your safety as well as theirs) what the guidelines are.

You will enjoy it, good luck!

I should clarify that for my moaning up thread I did really enjoy helping: my favourite part was when you taught them something new and their faces light up with a wonder that doesn't really exist in adulthood.

Yes, you need to tell them you wants to be an Occasional Helper, and not a Section Assistant or Leader. As an OH you only need a DBS check, no appointments meeting, and no training.

OH are just that, occasionally. Like once or twice a term.
The role they are asking you for is a colony assistant. Not assistant leader.
The training for colony assistant is just basic safety stuff.

Check out the role descriptions here www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/recruiting-and-managing-volunteers/role-descriptions/group-roles/

The Occasional Helper role is for people helping once a month or less. I think the correct role if you want to be there weekly is Section Assistant.

The purpose of the appointments panel is for you to discuss the role you want and check it’s the right one. (And also, for your suitability to be checked - a DBS tells us you don’t have a criminal record, it doesn’t tell us you don’t have a swastika tattood on your forehead!)

Out of interest does the occasional helper role have a limit on the number of times you can volunteer in a year, or could you be an occasional helper but volunteer every week?

I wouldn’t read too much into the title on the dbs- the choice of definitions is very narrow and at the end of the day an enhanced dbs is like any other regardless of ‘title’.

@mintyme For an occasional helper : parent helper you should just have the DBS. You do not go to an appointment panel interview for this. Sounds like the GSL is trying to pull the wool over your eyes and sign you up to doing something you do not want to do. I would refuse to go to the meeting. The person who rang you to confirm appointment (or if they haven’t they should do) should tell you what the interview post if for also.
I am an Assistant District Commissioner for Beavers for our local district, and sit on the appointments committee. (I started off helping when a leader left year ago looking back I wouldn’t volunteer again)

@mintyme just a thought.. they need two references to go through before an interview. Have you given them two people to contact?

An OH is not covered by the same level of insurance as I understand it.

If you are volunteering every week you are, by definition not volunteering occasionally.