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Waiting List Policy and Implementation

1. Executive Summary

1.1  As a group we recognise that Scouting is for all and we have realised over the years that as much as we would love to, we cannot satisfy all the demand for Scouting in our Area.

1.2 We must therefore apply some fair and transparent criteria that balance supply and demand. Those criteria should not violate the equal opportunities policy, but they can be used to preserve the age balance in the sections and thus improve the delivery of the programme for all.

1.3 We welcome parents to join when their child joins. This is to improve the support to our Group and our young people, volunteering roles such as being an Assistant Leader, fundraiser manager, skills instructor, adventurous activity leader, active Support member and from home administration roles are low on commitment but big on impact.

2. Influences

2.1 By design, each section has an optimum joining age that gives each member the opportunity to complete the full programme before Moving On to the next section.

2.2 Unless they join the group from Cubs there is little chance of a non-member moving to Scouts as, most Scout places are taken each term by our Cubs moving on. A small number of places in Cubs are guaranteed for those joining at Beavers, however waiting lists will be in force for both Beavers and Cubs, until such time as the number of Beavers fills all places in the Cub Cub Section.

2.3 Following the successful Moving On between the sections, if the remaining place/s are predicted to be free for at least two terms the place/s will be offered to young people on the relevant reserve list.

3. Policy

3.1 It is inevitable that there will occasionally be slight variations, due to personal development or the desire to coordinate age cohorts Moving On to the next section at the appropriate age.

3.2 However, wherever possible, new members (those joining Scouting for the first time) should join a section at or around the optimum joining age for that section – Beavers 6, Cubs 8, and Sea Scouts 10.5 years old. Existing members should also Move On to the next section at the optimum age wherever possible and agreed by the child’s adult, section leaders and Group Scout Leader each term.

3.3 This means that, unless considered desirable by the Group Scout Leader on an individual basis: new members will only be admitted into one of our sections within the following age ranges: Beavers 6 to 6.5, Cubs 8 to 8.5, Scouts 10.5 to 11.5.

4. Likely scenario

However, the scenario is often that there are more candidates than places.

  1. Beaver places are offered from the waiting list on first to apply* basis for each Calendar year intake, the first 10 per Beaver Section. (any changes to maximum numbers in this section will be reviewed on a regular basis)
  2. Cub places are offered on a first to apply basis (once the places for the existing Beavers have been taken into account).
  3. Once termly section moves have been made, known as Moving On, any remaining Cub and Scout spaces will be allocated from a reserve list according to a predetermined and transparent process, our Reserve List Selection Criteria.

5. Implementation

  1. The join application form is accessed from the group website and completed online.
  2. All data is entered directly by the applicant into a GDPR compliant database.
  3. Should applicants contact a leader directly to secure a place, the leader must direct the enquiry to the online application form.
  4. The waiting list and reserve lists are held in the group’s secure online database, Online Scout Manager (OSM).

6. Cloud Database Lists

  1. Under 5 Waiting List
  2. Beaver Waiting List
  3. Cub Waiting List
  4. Scout Reserve List

7. Data and Privacy Policy

Group Privacy Policy: https://www.2ndstivesseascoutgroup.org.uk/gdpr

OSM Data Policy: https://www.onlinescoutmanager.co.uk/security.html

Scout Policy: https://www.scouts.org.uk/about-us/policy/

8. Request to Join and Moving on Process

8.1  The initial ‘Request to Join’ waiting list is managed by the Group Scout Leader or appointed administrator.

  1. The adult completes the online request to join form (1).
  2. The administrator contacts the parent/carer to inform them of data received and a guide to likelihood of join date, or to discuss alternative local groups.
  3. *Children 3 and under; the First 10 children born in a particular calendar year to apply will be notified of their successful application to join 2nd St. Ives and will be moved to the Beaver Waiting List (2).
  4. As their sixth birthday approaches, each child in the First 10 will be offered a place at Beavers to start when a place becomes available, the term after their fourth birthday or on their sixth birthday if possible. (Children who are not in the First 10 or are not offered a place with Beavers by the age of 6 will be maintained on a Beaver waiting
    list (3) in the order that they applied , unless a Beaver in the First 10 of the same calendar year group chooses to decline the offer to join, or leaves Beavers prematurely.)
  5. The next 8 Children (up to a maximum of 12 per year with the Beaver intake) on the Cub waiting list will be allocated a place on or around their 8th Birthday for our Cub Scout Section.
  6. Children 10 and over; will be placed on the appropriate cloud database reserve list for Scouts (4)

8.2 Moving On

  1. Each section after Beavers will take in a ‘Moving On’ cohort from the younger section at the start of each academic term or half term following consultation with all
    section leaders, administrators, and the Group Scout Leader.
  2. The members of the Moving On cohort will all have reached the optimum joining age for the section they are about to join within the previous 6 months or will do so within
    the next 3 months.
  3. After the Moving On numbers have been verified, any empty Scout spaces, which will be empty for at least two terms, will be allocated to children on the
    reserve list for Scouts in accordance with our List Selection criteria. The Cubs’ places will be filled from the waiting list as noted above.

8.2.1 Children whose adults volunteer in a recognised role will be given priority over others on the reserve lists, providing all training and DBS checks have been successfully completed.

9. List Selection Criteria

9.1 Selection for the remaining space/s from the Cub and Sea Scout lists will begin once all section moves, Moving On, for the new term are agreed and that the remaining space/s would be available for at least two terms from the term the remaining space/s could be taken.

9.2 The List Selection Criteria is intended to ensure:

  1. Existing members who have been displaced can continue benefiting from Scouting (1-3)
  2. Those whose parents or siblings are already actively involved in Scouting or Guides can take part with their family (4)
  3. Potential new members with adults who have promised to commit to an active recognised volunteer role within the group join together as a family (5)

9.3 The following criteria is used as guidance for new member selection process:

  1. Existing Scouts UK members who have been displaced, from a local dissolved group or who will be relocating to the local area.
  2. Existing members who attend locally and would not be able to continue their scouting journey with their existing group due to the night of the week (Note: other groups in
    the local area should also be approached, if there are no places available).
  3. Children of existing Scout or Guide volunteers with a recognised role.
  4. Children of potential volunteers (once all training and DBS checks have been successfully completed).
  5. Siblings of existing members of the group.
  6. Non-members*
  7. a. Watersport
  8. Existing members from a local Scout Group who wish to transfer to the group.
  9. Former members of the group who wish to return to the group.

9.3.1 Non-member

  1. who are able watersports enthusiasts.
  2. who are within the optimum joining age for that section
  3. who are beyond the optimum joining age for that section

*If there are several children equally eligible for joining; the priority in the criteria and the order in which they are accepted will be decided by a committee of section leaders with the following factors for consideration as a guide:

  1.  their adult’s potential to become an active regular volunteer with 2nd St. Ives
  2. length of time since joining the reserve list.

10. Implementations

  • Except for the First 10 Beavers, and 8 Cubs for our Cub Pack in each calendar year very few children will get into 2nd St. Ives Scouts from the reserve lists.
  • However, it could happen in circumstances where an existing member leaves prematurely and there is a gap in that age range of the cohort, in such circumstances we will endeavour to fill the place with a child of similar age from the reserve list.
  • The time a young person has been on a reserve list is not the primary consideration for selection.
  • The term ‘member’ refers to any child already a member of the Scout Association, not necessarily 2nd St. Ives Sea Scout Group.

11. Key Policies

To find out more about equality and adjustments please see the Scout Association Key
Policies on the Scouts UK website: https://www.scouts.org.uk/por/2-key-policies

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