Publicity, branding and recruitment webinar hosted by our Communications Manager, Lauren Penny. This session will help you to publicise your group, access the Woodcraft Folk branding tools online and offer advice on how to successfully recruit volunteers and children through publicity and social media.

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• 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

The post Safeguarding Pocket Guide 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!

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This checklist will ensure that your planned activity meets Woodcraft Folk’s minimum expectations for overnight activities with children & young people, and should be completed by the volunteer responsible for the activity not less than 7 days before the event.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

First

Last

Name of Group / District *

Email *

Start date of proposed activity *

Approximate number of volunteers *

Over 18

Full Names of Volunteers Attending *

Venue or location *

End date *

Approximate number of participants *

under 18

Name of camp/event co-ordinator *

Name of camp/event safeguarding lead *

This cannot be the same as the camp/event co-ordinator

Which age groups are involved as participants in this event?

• Woodchips (under 5)
• Elfins (age 6-9)
• Pioneers (age 10-12)
• Venturers (age 13-15)
• DFs (age 16-20)

Event Management *

• A site visit has been completed (or the group is already familiar with the site/venue)
• At least two registered volunteers aged 18+ will be supporting the trip
• Minimum child/volunteer ratios will be met

For mixed-age groups, volunteers have been identified to be responsible for each age group *

• Yes
• No
• Not applicable for this event

Volunteer screening & training *

• Any adults (including 16-20 year olds taking responsibility for others) have undergone relevant volunteer screening, including referencing, Enhanced DBS check or PVG membership
• Event co-ordinator & safeguarding lead have (as a minimum) completed a Level 1 Safeguarding course, the NYA ‘Safeguarding in a Youthwork Setting’ online course, or equivalent training
• All volunteers are familiar with Woodcraft Folk’s Safeguarding Policy, Code of Behaviour and other relevant procedures, and know how and when to raise and share concerns

Managing risk *

• A safeguarding plan covering the proposed activity has been completed and shared with all volunteers
• A risk assessment has been completed and shared with all volunteers
• A first aid needs assessment has been completed, and suitable first aid cover is in place
• Planned activities are covered by Woodcraft Folk’s Public Liability Insurance

External instructors with suitable insurance cover have been engaged to lead activities not covered by Woodcraft Folk insurance *

• Yes
• We are not using external instructors for this event

Participants & programme *

• Informed parent/carer consent has been given for all participants under 18 to attend the camp/event
• Health and emergency contact information (including disability, additional needs, health conditions, allergies & dietary requirements) has been obtained for all participants (including adults/volunteers)
• A briefing has been given to participants and volunteers outlining expectations
• A programme of activities has been planned and agreed, appropriate to the age, ability and number of participants, and which can be safely and effectively delivered by the available volunteers

Transport *

• Any volunteers who are transporting children or equipment to site have the appropriate licence, insurance and skills to do so safely and legally

Personal and communal equipment being transported in vans or lorries does not exceed the maximum permitted weight *

• Yes
• We are not transporting equipment for this event

Any other relevant information

Submit

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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.

The post First Aid Guidance appeared first on Woodcraft Folk.

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.

The post Staying Safe appeared first on Woodcraft Folk.

Joining Woodcraft Folk

Volunteer Screening Checks

Further Help & Advice

The post Membership FAQs appeared first on Woodcraft Folk.

This behaviour code outlines the conduct Woodcraft Folk expects from all its volunteers and staff. This includes trustees, sessional staff, students on work placement and anyone who is undertaking duties for the organisation, whether paid or unpaid. Adhering to the code will:

• help protect children and young people from abuse 
• avoid misunderstandings between volunteers
• support effective dispute resolution
• reduce the risk of unfounded allegations being made

Group, district and activity co-ordinators, are responsible for making sure volunteers have read and agreed to follow the Code of Behaviour before supporting Woodcraft Folk activities, and are aware of behaviour expectations, and that they understand the consequences of inappropriate behaviour.

The role of volunteers and staff

In your role at Woodcraft Folk, adults, whether staff or volunteers, are acting in a position of trust and have a duty of care towards the children and young people we work with. You are a role model to young people and are expected to act appropriately.

Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

• Prioritising the welfare of children and young people. You should at all times take responsibility for the care, welfare and safety needs of all children and young people in your care. Every adult has this responsibility for all children at all times.
• Including and engaging all children and young people. You must be aware of the vulnerability of some groups of children to being isolated and hurt.
• Providing a safe environment for children and young people, e.g. ensuring equipment is used safely and for its intended purpose
• Responding sensitively to children who seem anxious about participating in certain activities.
• Following Woodcraft Folk principles, policies and procedures, including our policies and procedures for child protection/safeguarding, whistleblowing and online safety
• Staying within the law at all times
• Modelling good behaviour for children and young people to follow
• Listening attentively to any ideas and views a child wants to share with you. You must never dismiss what a child tells you as lies or exaggeration
• Being aware of safeguarding and child protection issues, and taking action when appropriate. If you know, believe or suspect a child to be at risk of harm, injury or abuse you should share this with your Local Safeguarding Lead immediately. 
• Challenging unacceptable behaviour, and reporting behaviour that appears abusive or is otherwise concerning to the Local Safeguarding Lead. This includes behaviour being displayed by an adult or child and directed at anybody of any age

Rights

You should champion the rights of children and young people and:

• Treat them fairly and without prejudice or discrimination, recognising that all participants bring something valuable and different to the group/organisation
• Understand that they are individuals with individual needs
• Respect differences in gender, sexual orientation, culture, race, ethnicity, disability, faith and religious belief
• Challenge discrimination and prejudice
• Encourage young people and adults to speak out about attitudes or behaviour that makes them uncomfortable

Relationships

You should promote relationships that are based on openness, honesty, trust and respect, and:

• Avoid favouritism
• Be patient with others
• Exercise caution when you are discussing sensitive issues with children or young people
• Ensure your contact with children and young people is appropriate and relevant to the work of the group or project you are involved in
• Ensure that there at least two adults are present during activities with children and young people
• If a situation arises where you are alone with a child or young person, ensure that you are within sight or hearing of other adults.
• If a child specifically asks for or needs some individual time with you, ensure other staff or volunteers know where you and the child are.
• Only provide personal care in an emergency or by prior agreement

Respect

You should listen to and respect children and young people, and:

• Take their contributions seriously, actively involving them in planning activities wherever possible
• Respect their right to be involved in making choices and decisions which directly affect them.
• Respect their personal privacy as far as possible – if you need to share something they have told you to protect a child or young person, explain this at the earliest opportunity

Unacceptable behaviour

When working with children and young people, you must not:

• Allow concerns or allegations to go unreported
• Take unnecessary risks
• Smoke, consume alcohol or use illegal substances in contravention of Woodcraft Folk’s Drug, Alcohol, Tobacco & Intoxicating Substances Policy
• Develop inappropriate relationships with children and young people
• Make inappropriate promises to children and young people
• Engage in behaviour that is in any way abusive, including having any form of sexual contact with a child or young person.
• Make contact with young members of Woodcraft Folk outside of the group, including by phone, email or via social media, other than in accordance with Woodcraft Folk’s Online Communication Guidance
• Act in a way that can be perceived as threatening, intimidating, bullying or intrusive
• Patronise or belittle children and young people
• Make sarcastic, insensitive, derogatory or sexually suggestive comments or gestures to or in front of children and young people
• Trivialise another member’s concerns about a child
• Ignore an allegation or suspicion of abuse in the hope that it will go away or in the expectation that someone else will deal with it

Working with Other Volunteers and Staff

Woodcraft Folk promotes co-operative value and ways of working, and benefits from the input of a diverse range of volunteers. Our work is best when responsibilities are shared equitably – no one person can do everything on their own, and everyone’s input should be encouraged, supported and valued. In order to work effectively together, adults should:

• Respect each other’s workloads and personal circumstances, allowing appropriate time to respond and respecting their need for time off
• Carry out agreed roles or tasks, and communicate clearly if they are unable to complete something they have agreed to do or if deadlines can’t be met
• Respect confidentiality, sharing information on a need-to-know basis only
• Avoid engaging in gossip or moaning, and raise concerns or issues through the proper channels
• Respect and accept differences of opinion, and abide by democratic decisions
• Use financial resources responsibly
• Declare conflicts of interest where they might exist
• Participate in training relevant to their role
• Consider the tone and content of both oral and written communication
• Seek to resolve conflicts, via discussion or mediation, rather than ignoring them

Upholding this code of behaviour

You should always follow this code of behaviour and never rely on your reputation or that of our organisation to protect you.

Inappropriate behaviour will be addressed via Woodcraft Folk’s disciplinary procedures. Depending on the circumstances, you may be asked to undertake additional training, withdraw from a particular role, be asked to leave Woodcraft Folk, or have your right to work with children and young people within the movement removed. In serious cases we may also make a report to statutory agencies such as the police and/or the local authority child protection services.

If you become aware of any breaches of this code, you must report them to your Local Safeguarding Lead. If necessary you should refer to our whistleblowing, safeguarding and child protection procedures for guidance.

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Safety

The safety of everyone involved is the most important factor; be it physical or emotional danger. Do not try to deal with the situation, or the behaviour, until you have made sure everyone is away from danger and therefore have decreased the likelihood of it happening again.

Listen & talk

Make sure you listen and talk to everyone involved: the child, their parents/carers, other volunteers and any young members that may have been affected.

Respect

Treat everyone involved with respect and don’t expect to receive respect if you do not show it in the first place. Never use physical punishment.

Try to find a solution

Try to work out a solution that everyone involved is happy with. Ideally this should involve the child staying as part of the group, possibly after a break from the group, or when a new behaviour agreement has been put in place. There will be cases where this won’t be best for everyone involved, and a child may have to leave the group.

Agreement

Where possible, agree a response with all involved, including the child. Where possible, the child themselves should be encouraged to self-manage their own behaviour. This will help the child to develop and learn.

Support

Ask for support – dealing with challenging behaviour is tough, so don’t do it alone.

Prevention

It is better to take steps to avoid unacceptable behaviour occurring than to deal with behaviour once it has happened. You can reduce the likelihood of unacceptable behaviour in your group in a range of ways.

Group Agreement

As a group (with adults and children), agree your expectations of group members, including what is and isn’t acceptable, and what the consequences of unacceptable behaviour will be. Expectations should be made clear to new members and their parents/carers. Aim for consistency, while acknowledging that different volunteers will have different strengths and styles of leadership. A group agreement is a good way to document these expectations. Expectations should be reviewed regularly so that they can be developed as the group grows and changes. You could:

• Discuss in small groups/pairs before agreeing as a whole group
• Discuss informally during other activities e.g. craft or on a walk
• Play a game (e.g. human knot) and ask reflective questions, e.g. ‘How well did we work together?’
• Reflect in a positive way, e.g. ‘What do you enjoy about the group?’, ‘How can we make it welcoming?’
• If you use ‘time out’ as a consequence, agree an approach in advance, e.g. where, how long, supervision (being careful to avoid one-to-one contact between volunteers and children)

Health, access & consent information

It is important to collect consent forms as soon as new members join the group. This isn’t simply for medical reasons, as it may also highlight children who may present with challenging behaviour. The group can work out how they will manage potential situations before they arise. In some cases the consent form may not have all the information needed, so following them up with an informal chat is a good idea.

• Encourage honesty to support inclusion
• hare info from consent forms with all leaders
• Ask parents/carers about children’s needs and strategies that work to engage them (especially if not joining in or being disruptive)

Risk assessment

Managing behaviour should be part of the group’s risk assessment. This may be informed by the information collected when a young person joins a group or just as the group grows and develops. Including it in your risk assessment will get the group to really focus on the behaviour and what is unacceptable about it. Why is it unsafe? The group can then think about solutions to prevent or manage the behaviour in advance of it happening, rather than after an incident.

Follow-up from incidents

Report any incidents as accurately as possible, use this to reflect and review the group’s activities to see if any improvements can be made to your practice to avoid repetition.

Choosing activities

Think about games and activities carefully, If you have done them in the past, did they work well? Why was this? What worked with one set of children may not work so well with another. Starting off with a familiar game or simple craft that young people can join in with immediately on arrival helps to set the tone for the session.

You should expect children to participate, but have some flexibility – discuss your group’s approach to children who may want or need to opt out, e.g.:

• Allow them to sit out quietly as long as they do not disrupt the activity for others
• Have a chill out space or book corner, especially for younger children who need a quiet space from time to time

Running the session

Ensure there are sufficient volunteers, including one additional adult who can circulate and provide one-to-one attention if needed to support young members to engage. Some groups call this role the ‘group guardian’. Share responsibility for managing behaviour, without relying just on the main activity leader. This helps the rest of the group activity continue, with less disruption.

Adopting a consistent structure for each session will help those children who find it difficult to adapt to new things. Try to have your opening and closing circles at about the same time each week so that children become familiar with the pattern of the session. Try to avoid long transitional gaps which are very difficult for some.

Make sure that children, particularly those with additional needs, know what will happen next and even guide them into the next activity or game. Make sure that you explain clearly at the beginning of the session, exactly what will be happening in the session, and be prepared to repeat this a number of times for individual children. Don’t suddenly make a change without forewarning vulnerable children so that they avoid becoming confused and then disruptive.

Ensure where possible that there is a gender balance in the group (and consider how you will seek to maintain this).

The group night environment should be welcoming, open to all, and most importantly, fun.

Recommended Practice

Distraction

Avoid confrontation by distracting the child into another activity, for example helping to prepare the drinks or helping to get another activity ready.

Warning

‘Pick your battles’, but where distraction hasn’t worked or isn’t appropriate, give a clear warning what will happen if unacceptable behaviour continues. Move immediately on to another activity so the child can ‘succeed’ immediately in not repeating the behaviour.

Acknowledge

Seek to acknowledge the efforts a child is making to improve their behaviour, but if unacceptable behaviour continues you will need to follow through with what the group has agreed will happen or the warning you have given.

Remove

As a last resort, ask the child to move to a quiet place in the hall or remove the group from the immediate area around the child so that they have a chance to calm down. Asking the child’s parent/carer to keep them at home for a session might be the next step, but always make sure that both child and parent know how long this will be for, and why it has happened. Remove a source of disruption, e.g. a particular game, equipment, etc.

Always make sure that discussion of a child’s behaviour, whether with them or their parent/carer, is done privately so that they are not humiliated in front of the rest of the group.

Training available

To watch our most recent training webinar click here.

Approval Date: May 2022

Review Date: May 2024

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