1st South Penrith Scout Group , like pretty much every other scout group the world over and is run by is committed volunteers to ensure today’s youth obtain all the benefits that scouting can bring about.
When we say volunteers, we mean the adult leaders of Joeys, Cub, Scouts & Venturers, the Group support committee of chairperson, treasurer, secretary, fund raising co-ordinator, quarter master, the Group Leader and any of the other adult helpers we have at activities and camps.
Why become an adult helper?
Simply – without volunteer’s we can’t run, and yes, there have been scout groups who had lots of youth members but no volunteer adults and so they had to close.
In addition, new NSW legislation has now mandated that are certain documentation requirements for anyone working with children including
all adults attending overnight activities (including parents and guardians)
Within Scouting this means that, yes, there is some paperwork to do!
How to become an adult helper?
- Apply for a free volunteer WWCC (Working with Children Check) from
https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-working-children-check (Also current being trialled by their “app”) - You’ll then need to attend a ServiceNSW office to “prove your identity”. Fortunately our closest one is in High Street Penrith.
- The WWCC details will then be emailed to you. They may take as little as a couple of days or could be a couple of weeks dependant on the workload of the Office of the Childrens Gaurdian (
https://www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/ ) - Complete an “A2 application for adult helper” application form, now available via simple online forms at the NSW branch website
https://www.nsw.scouts.com.au/for-parents/become-an-adult-helper/ - When you get that A2 form emailed to you, please forward it to the group leader. If this is intended specifically for an upcoming please say so, or else it may not be attended to swiftly.
- The group leader will then endorse the completed A2 form (+ referree interview responses if necessary) and will then be sent through to the GWS (Greater Western Sydney) region Office.
- The region office then does “their thing” as far as an validation, entering/logging applications etc.
- The NSW state branch office will then initiate/request a Police check (above and beyond that performed by the WWCC process). Again, this may take anywhere between a few days and a few weeks depending on workload
- Assuming success, you’ll get an email with your membership number! This will probably come titled “Welcome to e-learning”
Within that e-learning environment, if you choose “Curriculums, Training for adult helpers”, it will give you about 20 hours (!!!) of online learning material. As this stage we ask you do (at a minimum):
- Child Safe Scouting (1hr 15min)
- WHS for scouting (45min)
There’s LOTS more online learning there if you’d like to continue doing more!
If you want to take on an “office holder” position within the group committee there’s another area “Curriculums, Training for Group support committee” with a bunch of modules there for specific roles.
Why all this online training?
Because, well, we try not to just do things by the seat of our pants. Apart from Scouts NSW requesting/demanding that we undergo training we want to make sure that anything and everything we do is sufficiently researched and we are appropriately educated to deliver quality outcomes. Section leaders (and assistant leaders) have more online training modules as well as residential training weekends.
What about doing MORE than just adult helper?
Contact the group leader… via email, phone, text, the contact form on this website, carrier pigeon, whatever! Without adult leaders we simply cannot run so if you’re considering putting on a uniform to “do your bit”, please reach out and let’s have a conversation.
Have a look at https://www.southpenrith.org.au/become-a-leader/