Welcome to Penistone Scouts

Getting started in Scouting

Whether you’re completely new to Scouts or have a history of Scouting in your family, we want to give you quick and easy access to all the information you could ever wish for about Penistone Scouts! This should help you get set up and settling in before you know it!

We’ve structured this content so you can jump straight to a key topic. Navigation should be a breeze – if there’s more detail available, you’ll be able to access it by clicking on the coloured and underlined text. This is the highlights tour, and definitely not an exhaustive list.

If something is missing, or you’re uncertain, please reach out to us.

Who’s involved in Scouting?

Youth welcome – She’s been through every youth section in Scouting, and she’d like to welcome your young person. Share with your young person what Harriet has to say about being a member of Scouts.

Adult leader team – All of the people who support the young people directly, or behind the scenes, are volunteers. There are some key contacts across the group we’d like to introduce you to.

Things you’ll do (as a youth member)

Get together – Whether it’s in-person for a section meeting, or virtually on Zoom where needed, for an event or overnight stays, we get together and enjoy our scouting in exciting places.

Earn badges – It’s brilliant to do and try new stuff. What’s also great is being recognised and awarded for your achievements. In Scouting, you’ll earn badges that’ll show how far you’ve come and what you’ve done.

Challenge yourself – You’ll have exciting and amazing opportunities as a Scout. From our youngest members (aged 6) through to those approaching adulthood, we’ve lots on offer, and all of it rewarding.

Things you’ll do (as a parent / guardian)

Keep in touch – For us to be able to provide the best possible experience for your young person, we need you to ensure their personal information is up-to-date and accurate within the Parent Portal of Online Scout Manager. It’s a bit like the parent hub of a school system. When you accept a place at Scouts, we’ll send you a welcome message asking you to register. We have a getting started guide for Online Scout Manager here.

Help out – We are all volunteers, and there’ll be times where we need more hands to accomplish something for the young people. We will call upon parents and guardians to help us.; whether that’s part of a parent rota, or in relation to a specific event/occasion. We’ll always let you know in advance, and we’ll work with you to make sure it’s achievable.

Equip your child suitably – To Scout safely, depending on the situation, your child will need access to certain equipment or stuff. Sometimes this is an appropriate sleeping bag, footwear or clothing. From a uniform to trips away, we’ll support you in choosing the right things – if you aren’t sure, please ask us.

Pay subs/event fees – We are a membership organisation and a charity, we’re also an inclusive organisation that aims to be as affordable as possible. To run Scouting, there are inevitable costs involved. We break down and collect the annual membership fee in 12 instalments via our Online Scout Manager (OSM) system. Events and trips carry an additional cost – should you sign up your young person for them, additional monies are requested via OSM.

If you need support, or have challenges financially, please speak privately and confidentially with the Group Scout Leader, Rob. We have a hardship fund.

Things we’ll do (as adult volunteers)

Share invitations – So that you’ll know what’s on offer, plus details of when it’s taking place and what you need, we’ll send information to your provided email address. In most cases, these will include a relevant link to the full details stored within Online Scout Manager.

Keep you informed – Whether it’s an email or notification of news on our group website, we will share information with you regularly. It’s completely up to you if you unsubscribe from this; however, it will mean we won’t be able to invite your young person to participate. We also share stuff on social media too – but this is additional content – our primary contact is email / Online Scout Manager and this website.

Be led by you – We are a youth-led organisation. Young people are at the heart of Scouting, and we volunteer to make sure you get the best possible experience and access to all that Scouting offers.

Keep records – Alongside the Parent Portal of Online Scout Manager is the adult volunteers access. We’ll keep records of attendance, achievements and attainments (so we can reward young people). We’ll use our group’s Office 365 to communicate with one another and plan a safe/suitable programme and events. But we do all this with data compliance and assurances in place.

Run events – We’ll go camping, take part in adventurous activities, share and experience new skills. All this makes up Scouting. We want what’s best for the young people.

Train – We’ll train all of our volunteers appropriately. Whether that’s first aid, safety and safeguarding or specific training for their volunteer role, we’ll invest in our people.

Things we’ll do together (as Scouts, leaders and parents/guardians)

Fundraise – An essential part of keeping the cost of Scouting accessible and affordable is through our fundraising. From staffing the car part at Penistone Show, baking for a cake stand and BBQing food at Penistone Gala, supporting Thurgoland Gala and lots more, we can’t do these without you.

Take part in community events – As Scouts, we give back and we form part of the wider community. We march and take part in Remembrance Sunday. We share the organisation and hosting of Penistone Gala & Mayor’s Parade, we support others wherever we can and promote positive community behaviours.

We’ll be proud

Together, of ourselves and each other, we will achieve fantastic, exciting and amazing things. We’re part of something special. You’re part of the scouting family! Welcome!