Adult Training - Scheme Outline
Training Scheme Overview
The Scout Association is a voluntary movement dedicated to the development of young people between the ages of 6 and 25. Each week over 100,000 adult volunteers, in a variety of roles throughout the UK, help Scouting to achieve its aim. The Scout Association's primary purpose is the development of young people, it also seeks to offer personal development opportunities to adults, both within their Scouting role and as individuals. The Adult Training Scheme is one means by which adults in Scouting can be supported in their chosen role. It is also a means by which personal development needs can be met.
All adults accepting a Warrant are, within a period of up to three years, obliged to show that they have the defined skills for the role. In doing so they can be awarded a Wood Badge. Sectional Assistants are not obliged to complete a Wood Badge, but may do so if they wish. They must, however, complete at least two specific modules (Modules 1, Essential Information and Modules 3 or 4, Tools For the Job).
To help individuals through the process of gaining a Wood Badge, they will be linked with one or more Training Advisers. These are responsible for helping adults match their existing skills with those of their new role, for identifying skills gaps, for agreeing plans for gaining the required skills and for confirming that those skills have been successfully gained.
All other Appointments must complete Module 1, Essential Information and, depending on the Appointment, another specific module. The additional specific module varies according to role and is required to ensure that an adult has all the skills they require to carry out their job effectively. A Wood Badge is not available for these Appointments.
Module Delivery
County Training Managers must ensure that at least two delivery methods for each module are available in their County (with the exception of First Aid, Changes in Scouting and Nights Away). It may however be necessary to provide more than two methods to suit the full range of learning styles in the County.
Adults, in consultation with their Training Adviser, should identify the most appropriate methods for the modules they need to complete. Factors that should be taken into account include the personal circumstances of the participant, their preferred learning style and the opportunities available locally
Validation
This is the means by which an individual's ability to use a skill in practice is confirmed. All modules required for a particular Appointment must be validated regardless of whether the skills have been gained by previous experience or by planned learning.
Each module has a fixed requirement. There are also usually a number of validation methods for participants to select from. Validation methods should:
- be appropriate for those that have or have not attended training
- involve people doing their job in Scouting and not be an extra task
- demonstrate that some (but not necessarily all) of the module objectives have been met
- seek to improve the quality and/or quantity of Scouting
Job Description
Once an adult has been recruited, the first stage of Appointment is to agree a job description with their Group Scout Leader or Commissioner. This should state who they are working with, what they are required to do, how long for and what support is available to them. The adult should then begin a locally agreed programme to induct them into their new role as stated in the Adults in Scouting model, which defines the stages an adult goes through during their time in Scouting.
Necessary forms completed
This includes the Appointment form (AA) and for individuals new to Scouting or returning after a break, a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) form, which are sent to Headquarters by the District.
Provisional Appointment made
Once the CRB form has been received by HQ, the Appointments sub-Committee Secretary informs the Local Training Manager that the new adult needs to start the Adult Training Scheme. At this stage a Provisional Appointment is made. The adult is now ready to begin "pre-Appointment training" - called Getting Started.
Getting Started
Following the issue of the Provisional Appointment, four requirements must be met before the presentation of a Warrant. These can be completed in any order:
- Module 1, Essential Information
- Module 3 or 4, Tools for the Job
- the Appointment Process
- Personal Learning Plan
Personal Learning Plan
A Personal Learning Plan is an agreed record of planned learning for a specified role. The plan is constructed by firstly identifying which of the modules in the Module Matrix is relevant to their role based on their job description, and secondly by answering a series of short questions about each of the modules identified. This establishes which modules they will require training for. It also establishes which of these modules they will require training for. The adult should use the Adult's Personal File, which contains a workbook to work through and this should be issued as part of Getting Started. Once they have completed the workbook, they discuss it with their Training Adviser to finalise the Personal Learning Plan, which should detail:
- which modules training is required for
- which method of learning is planned to be used
- how each module is going to be validated
- the target timescales for the above
- the date of the next review meeting
It is important when agreeing the methods of training that the adult's personal circumstances are taken into account and the most appropriate method for them is chosen.
Once Getting Started has been completed and the full Criminal Record Bureau check has been returned satisfactorily, the Warrant can be presented. At this stage Warranted adults may wear a Gilwell Woggle with their uniform. Non-Warranted adults who have completed Getting Started (of the parts of it relevant to their role) may wear a Log and Axe pin badge.
The Wood Badge
The recommendation for award of the Wood Badge may only be made once satisfactory validation of all modules in the Personal Learning Plan has been completed. In most cases the responsibility for recommending the award of the Wood Badge rests with the County Training Manager. Headquarters is responsible for awarding Wood Badges and will forward the Wood Badge and certificate to the Group Scout Leader or appropriate Commissioner for presentation
Ongoing Learning
Following completion of the Wood Badge, all Warranted adults must undertake an average of at least five hours ongoing learning each year, Calculated over the period of the Warrant.
Ongoing learning may take a number of forms. In essence any training, learning or development completed by the adult that is subsequently incorporated into their Scouting role is deemed appropriate. The maintenance of a current adults First Aid qualifications/First Response certificate could be included as part of the ongoing learning requirement.
Occasionally, Headquarters may specify particular ongoing learning topics for some or all Appointments. It is likely that this will occur only in the case of major policy or legal changes. In these cases, HQ will make training material and support documentation available