• adult to child ratios
• expected standards
• when and how to share concerns
• code of behavior for volunteers

When printed, the guide can be folded into a convenient booklet, and relevant local contacts such as your Local Safeguarding Lead can be written in the space provided.

Folding Instructions

1. Fold the sheet in half widthways
2. Cut along the dotted line, from the fold, half way to the edge of the sheet
3. Fold the sheet in quarters, along the remaining solid lines
4. Open out completely, then fold in half lengthwise
5. Open at the cut section, then collapse the sheet along the creases to create an 8-page booklet

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Once you’ve completed your application, the next stage will be to take your ID along to your group or District Membership Secretary to be witnessed. Your Membership Secretary will then go on to the online system, verify your application and send it off for processing.

What you need

• You have to become a member of Woodcraft Folk — To apply click here
• Create and complete a DBS application on Know Your People.
• District Organisation PIN — if you’re unsure of your District’s PIN, check our list & follow the link
• Access code word — this will be given to you by your local Membership Secretary or is available by emailing membership@woodcraft.org.uk
• Your identity documents (passport, driving licence, utility bill etc)

Further guidance can be found in the Candidate Experience guide (from page 37) document provided by Know Your People

A different process exists to handle applications by transgender volunteers – to find out more visit the Sensitive Applications page.

Update Service

Woodcraft Folk can subscribe you to the DBS Update Service, which will enable us to renew your certificate automatically, and also enable your status to be checked by other organisations you work with without needing to apply again. To do this you need to give Woodcraft Folk your permission by emailing membership@woodcraft.org.uk once you’ve completed your application.

If you have a DBS certificate processed by another organisation and have already subscribed to the Update Service Scheme you can use this disclosure with us. Read our Update Service guidance for more information.

Technical Support

If you have any difficulties with using Know Your People, you can contact them via their live chat found at help.fadv.com/s/.

For any other questions about DBS and Membership contact the membership team by emailing membership@woodcraft.org.uk. 

The post Applying for a DBS Certificate – Know Your People appeared first on Woodcraft Folk.

Our Commitment

A child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind – they should be supported to feel comfortable and confident when participating in our activities and wider society.

Woodcraft Folk has a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. Woodcraft Folk will not tolerate abuse, bullying or discrimination, which can harm children or young people emotionally, physically or psychologically.

We have listened to what children and young people say they need, and commit ourselves to:

• putting children and young people’s needs first when we plan our activities
• communicating openly with young members and volunteers
• making sure people know they will be listened to when they speak out about things that make them uncomfortable
• identifying a named person to lead on safeguarding for each group, event, project or centre
• ensuring at least two adult volunteers supervise groups of young people
• considering young people’s needs and gaining their consent if adults make physical contact
• screening our volunteers who work with children
• asking all volunteers to complete appropriate safeguarding training
• risk assessing all our activities
• keeping people’s personal information and other data safely
• making sure children, young people and their parents/carers know who they can speak to about any concerns
• taking concerns and allegations seriously and responding in the right way

Our Responsibilities

All volunteers and staff share responsibility to work together to keep children and young people safe at Woodcraft Folk by:

• being familiar with our policy and and procedures
• helping young members, parents and carers to understand how we keep young people safe
• sharing any concerns promptly to their Local Safeguarding Lead. 

The staff who make up our Safeguarding Team will support Local Safeguarding Leads to take the right action in response to any issues or concerns. The Safeguarding Team will also work with Woodcraft Folk’s Board of Trustees, will make sure that we keep reviewing our policy and procedures, and learning the lessons from things that happen. 

Getting In Touch

The Local Safeguarding Lead for your group, district or centre should be the first point of contact for queries, issues or concerns. 

Woodcraft Folk’s Safeguarding Team can be contacted by emailing safeguarding@woodcraft.org.uk or by calling 020 7703 4173 and selecting option #4. 

Woodcraft Folk’s Lead Safeguarding Officer is Owen Sedgwick-Jell. He is supported by Lauren Karstadt and Leanne Powell, Membership & Groups Manager.

What Next?

Visit the Safeguarding pages of our website to find:

• Online training on Safeguarding for groups and volunteers
• Advice and good practice resources
• Guidance for responding to concerns
• Templates for Local Safeguarding Plans

The post Safeguarding Policy appeared first on Woodcraft Folk.

Take a few moments to read our guidance to give you an idea what you can expect, and what will be expected of you. This will really help you to get the most from your experience.

Whether you’re camping under canvas or staying in one of our residential centres, there’s lots about the way we camp as a group which may be new to you – this guidance introduces Woodcraft Folk’s approach to:

• mealtimes
• chores and ‘clans’
• programme activities
• free time for adults and children
• staying safe
• working together

Most volunteers will attend a shorter, usually local, camp for their first time away with a group. Larger camps, such as our International Camps or UK-wide Venturer Camp are much more involved, with plans taking shape over months or even years!

The post Have a Good Weekend! appeared first on Woodcraft Folk.

Private Cars

Parents/carers may be willing and able to transport their own children to your venue, though you should not assume that every family will be in a position to do this. Lift sharing can help minimise the demands on parents/carers to transport their children to and from camp – it may be preferable to help families arrange this informally between themselves rather than for organisers to take this on in addition to the other aspects of organising the event. Drivers must ensure that their vehicle is safe and roadworthy, that they have adequate insurance in place, and that seatbelts, child seats or booster seats appropriate to the age and size of any young people are used. Adults giving lifts to young people in private cars should make sure that they are following any guidance in the Local or Event Safeguarding Plan. You will also need to ensure that there is adequate parking at the venue for any cars belonging to those who are staying.

Coach or Minibus

Providing transport will increase what you will need to charge to participants, but can make the trip more accessible to families without access to a car, and reduce the demands on parents/carers, particularly if the distances involved are large. Private coach hire will incur significant cost – most of this relates to the cost of the driver, and it frequently costs only a little more to hire a large coach than a small one. You may need to consider access to your chosen venue, particular in remote, rural areas (for example, coaches can only access Woodcraft Folk’s site at Biblins from the opposite side of the river – kit will need to be carried across the bridge to the site). Minibuses can be a more cost-effective option – you may be able to hire one, with or without a driver, one at a reduced rate through your local community transport scheme or other community organisation. Check the licencing requirements carefully to ensure that a volunteer driving the minibus is legally entitled, as well as sufficiently skilled, to drive the vehicle. The MiDAS training accredited by the Community Transport Association is a popular route to enable volunteers to drive smaller minibuses without obtaining a full PCV licence.

Public Transport

Depending on your chosen location, public transport may be an appropriate option for participants – the Darsham Country Centre is particularly convenient as trains stop directly outside the front door! Costs can be reduced by booking special group fares in advance, or by making use of any railcard discounts that members/volunteers in your group are entitled to. Travelling together can increase the opportunities for young people to bond, exercise their problem solving skills and develop independence – though, of course, you should consider carefully how you will manage any risks associated with this. Depending on the age of the young people, the nature of the accommodation, and how far they need to walk at the other end, it may be feasible for participants to carry their own kit with them, or you may wish to arrange for bulky/heavy kit to be transported separately by car or van.

Vans & Lorries

Hiring a van or lorry to transport equipment is commonly needed for a larger or longer camp. If hiring on a self-drive basis, you should pay careful attention to the licence entitlement of your prospective volunteer drivers. Only drivers who passed their standard driving test prior to 1 January 1997 are able to drive larger vehicles on a car licence – others will be limited to driving Transit- or Luton-style vans. It is vital that drivers of these vehicles, whether hired or not, pay careful attention to the legal weight limits – the gross vehicle weight (GVW), which is the combined weight of the vehicle, its payload, the driver and any passengers, must not exceed the maximum for the vehicle – which will vary by make and model. The load limit for a van may be reached long before the vehicle looks ‘full’, particularly if you are transporting heavy items such as gas bottles and marquees. Anyone driving an overweight vehicle may be fined and/or given penalty points on their licence if stopped by police or DVSA officers.

Rest Breaks

Driving without adequate rest breaks will increase the risk of accident and injury – it is important to avoid making unreasonable demands of volunteers who are driving as part of your activity. Consider whether you can hire a vehicle with a driver, rather than asking volunteers to take on this responsibility. Can volunteers who have not been part of the camp be asked to drive the van, rather than asking someone who is already tired from a weekend at camp to take this on? Do you need two drivers who can share the task? An extra day’s hire for a vehicle may add to the cost, but this is preferable to asking a volunteer to undertake a long drive that is potentially unsafe.

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Only volunteers who are competent to do so should install, maintain and use gas equipment while at camp, and equipment should be checked regularly to ensure that it is in safe working order, that connections are sound, and that gas hoses are in date.

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Woodcraft Folk has a responsibility to protect its staff, volunteers, young members, and anyone else participating in its activities. It is therefore important that Woodcraft Folk leaders consider the need for first aid provision as part of planning and risk assessing activities.

Despite the voluntary nature of Woodcraft Folk’s provision, the principles of the First Aid At Work regulations apply to the organisation’s activities. Group Co-ordinators, Local Health & Safety Leads and group leaders must work together to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to provide first aid in the event of an accident or injury to participants. 

Basic Requirements

• Volunteers must be able to provide adequate first aid cover for every group session, camp, residential or other activity
• Appropriate first aid supplies and equipment must be available at every group session, camp, residential or other activity
• First Aid Needs Assessments must be completed to determine what level of provision is required for any given activity
• Records must be kept of any treatment given, shared with parents/carers where appropriate, and stored securely

Considering Risk

Woodcraft Folk activities do not all carry the same level of risk of injury, and so the required level of first aid cover will vary between activities. An assessment of need should take into account:

• the nature of the activities
• the duration of the session or activity
• the location
• the number and age of participants

You should document the assessment you make of your first aid needs, either in your local/event safeguarding plan, or as a separate document.

Levels of Cover/Training

Depending on the outcome of your assessment of need, you should determine which of these is most appropriate to your planned activity:

Appointed Person

This is the lowest level of cover and must be in place for all group nights where risk of injury is low and help can be readily summoned in an emergency. An Appointed Person is a named individual who will take charge in an emergency, administer first aid and/or ensure the emergency services are called if required.

An Appointed Person must also ensure that a suitably stocked first aid kit is also available for each activity, whether this is provided by your group or at your meeting venue.

An Appointed Person does not need formal First Aid training, though organisations such as British Red Cross provide basic courses to help Appointed Persons respond to an emergency. These will include skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), sometimes known as Basic Life Support (BLS).

Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)

A first aider trained to EFAW standard will be appropriate for camps and residentials where the activities being undertaken are not hazardous and help can be summoned easily in an emergency (e.g. a site with good mobile phone coverage close to a town).

EFAW courses typically take a day to complete (or the equivalent spread over several sessions), and cover a range of emergency situations. This is the minimum qualification expected of a first aider, and certification lasts for three years.

If your group works predominantly with young people aged under 12, you should consider taking an equivalent course in paediatric first aid.

If volunteers have been trained to this standard as part of their employment, they can use this certification to act as first aiders when volunteering at Woodcraft Folk.

First Aid at Work (FAW)

The higher First Aid at Work standard may be necessary for longer residentials or those in more remote locations.

First Aid at Work qualifications typically take three days of training, and participants will learn to manage and respond to a wider range of injuries and emergency situations.

Certification lasts three years, and can usually be renewed via a shorter refresher course.

 If your group works predominantly with young people aged under 12, you should consider taking an equivalent course in paediatric first aid.

If volunteers have been trained to this standard as part of their employment, they can use this certification to act as first aiders when volunteering at Woodcraft Folk.

Higher Level Qualifications

Groups planning adventurous activities in remote locations, especially those where a mobile signal cannot be relied upon, should consider undertaking specialist adventure first aid training to provide adequate first aid cover. Courses, typically offered by specialist providers, will provide additional skills and knowledge relevant to remote locations, such as caring for a casualty for an extended period while help is summoned.

Alternatively, groups wishing to run such activities may use specialist activity instructors who hold suitable first aid qualifications themselves. Group leaders should enquire about this when selecting activity providers. 

Selecting Training Providers

There are a wide range of organisations delivering first aid training and qualifications. Woodcraft Folk groups are responsible for ensuring that any training provider they use is competent, and the training provided is suitable to their needs.

Where possible, groups are advised to undertake training provided by recognised voluntary first aid organisations (British Red Cross, St John’s Ambulance, St Andrew’s First Aid), or an Awarding Organisation (AO) that is regulated by Ofqual, SQA or Qualification Wales. The independent monitoring of the quality of these providers means you do not need to ask further questions to gauge their suitability.

If you choose to use another provider, you should satisfy yourself that the training is of sufficient quality by using the due diligence checklist provided by the HSE. 

Additional Needs

The collection of information about participants’ needs, including disabilities, vulnerabilities and long-term medical conditions, is important in determining how best to manage risk of illness or injury. Groups should undertake additional training or increase the level of cover provided for activities based on this information, e.g. training in the use of EpiPens where a participant has severe allergies.

Record Keeping

You should keep a record of any incidents or accidents that require first aid treatment. A standard form is downloadable from this page – this is preferable to an ‘accident book’ for reasons of data security. Copies of completed forms should be provided to the parent/carer of any young person who receives first aid treatment at a Woodcraft Folk group or activity. Forms should be retained by the Group Co-ordinator or Local Safeguarding Lead for three years from the date of the incident, and then disposed of securely.

Any incidents or accidents that require follow up from a health professional must be notified to Folk Office. First aid forms and incident reports need to be sent to safeguarding@woodcraft.org.uk where:

• advice is sought from 111
• a 999 call is made, whether an ambulance attends or not
• the casualty attends A&E
• a follow-up appointment is made with a GP or outpatient clinic

Serious injuries, or incidents resulting in multiple people attending A&E must be notified to the Chief Executive as soon as possible, and in any case within 48 hours, in accordance with Woodcraft Folk’s Serious Incident Procedures.

Contents of First Aid Kits

Your First Aid Needs Assessment should also consider what first aid supplies need to be available. As a minimum, a first aid kit which meets British Standard 8599-1:2019 should be available, appropriate to the size of the group and nature of the activity:

Kits should be kept in a dedicated box or bag, marked clearly with a white cross on a green background. The minimum contents specified under BS 8599-1:2019 include:

Completing a First Aid Needs Assessment

A first aid needs assessment does not need to be lengthy or complex, but should identify what level of training and equipment is required for any given activity (or type of activity) that your group undertakes.

For your regular group nights, you could include this assessment as part of your Local Safeguarding Plan for ease of reference, though a separate assessment should be completed for camps and residentials, with due regard to the location, ease of access, likelihood of serious injury and duration of the activity. 

A template suitable for use in Woodcraft Folk groups is attached to this page.

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You can base your own plan on our Google Doc template (remember to click “create a copy” to make an editable version), or download the template as a Word document from the right hand side of this page.

For advice on completing risk assessments for your group’s activities you can watch our Risk Assessment webinar, led by Andy Taylor, Head of Centres at Woodcraft Folk.

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The session is designed to last for around 2 hours, though timings are flexible. You can create editable copies of the resources below to adapt for your own use using the Google Doc files in the Training Resources Drive.

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Joining Woodcraft Folk

Volunteer Screening Checks

Further Help & Advice

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