Scouts Victoria
         Info Book 2021
     1                                                   Scouts Victoria Info Book 2021
                                                                                                 Index     Contents
        Contents                                                                                 Index     Contents
        Child Safe Scouting                                   Contacts
        Choose Your Own Adventure                             State Development and Leadership Team
          Joey Scout Events                                   Region and District Support Teams
          Cub Scout Events                                      Region and District Maps
          Scout Events
          Venturer Events                                     Administration and Membership
          Rover Events                                          Member Services
          All Sections                                          Adult and Youth Membership
        Youth Program                                           Event Funding
          Promise and Law                                       Interstate Travel
          Scout Method                                          Operoo - Health Records
          Plan > Do > Review >                                  Personnel Team
          Our Program. One Journey across Five Sections         Code of Conduct for Adults in Scouting
          Age Ranges                                            Duty of Care
          Program                                               Leader Induction
          Our Program                                           Working With Children
          Joey Scout Section                                    Adult Leader Appointments
          Cub Scout Section                                     Adults In Scouting
          Scout Section                                         Adult Recognition Awards
          Venturer Scout Section                                Adult Training and Development
          Rover Scout Section                                   Other personal and professional development 
                                                                opportunities
          Diversity And Inclusion                               Vocational Education and Training
        Youth Activities                                        First Aid
          General Advice                                        Fundraising and Grants
          Outdoor Adventure Skills                              Marketing and Communications
          Adventurous Activities                                Friends of Scouting
                                                                Australian Scout Fellowship (ASF)
        Outdoor Adventure Skills Activity Teams                 Victorian Scout Foundation
          Core Outdoor Adventure Skills                         Special Interest Groups
          Land Based Outdoor Adventure Skills                   Finances and Insurance
          Water Based Outdoor Adventure Skills                  Trailers, Vehicles, Buses and Vessels
        Special Interest Area Teams                             Property Management
                                                                Policies Directory
        Camping                                                 Complaints and Disputes
          Major Adventure Facilities and Campsites              Incidents
          Halls                                                 Scout Shop
          District and Group Campsites
        State Leadership Team
        Digital Info Book
        A digital version of our Info Book is available to download 
        from the Forms and Tools page of our website. It is also 
        available on the Scouts Victoria App. The digital version will 
        be updated regularly, please send any updates through to 
        infobook@scoutsvictoria.com.au.
        2                                                                                   Scouts Victoria Info Book 2021
                                                                                                                              Index        Contents
          Child Safe Scouting                                                                                                Index        Contents
          Scouts Victoria is a child safe organisation with zero-tolerance       It is important that the young people in our care are safe, and 
          for any harm, abuse or neglect. We value the diversity of our          that they feel safe. It is also important that adults are safe. The 
          members, including gender, sexuality, race, religion and ability.      following behaviours are unacceptable by Adults in Scouting.
          Scouting has been proactive on child protection since the 1930s,          •  Any form of physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, 
          when local areas were warned to be vigilant and show no mercy                cultural, racial or religious abuse.
          in denying membership to unsuitable people. In the 1940s local            •  Entering an area where children are changing or 
          areas were advised that any inappropriate behaviour must be                  showering, or entering youth members’ tents or sleeping 
          reported to the police. Police checks for aspiring Scout Leaders             areas on camp when young people are in bed (without a 
          began in the 1960s – nearly 50 years before the Working With                 valid reason, such as an emergency).
          Children Check.                                                           •  Transporting an individual youth member alone (unless 
          Today, Scouts Victoria has an extensive Child Safety Framework,              their own child, or in an emergency).
          which includes:                                                           •  Communicating one-on-one with youth members outside 
             •  Our Child Protection Policy, which outlines our                        of Scouts through text messaging or via social media.
                expectations for supervision and Leader ratios – including          •  Developing special relationships, including one-on-one 
                ‘Two Deep’ leadership requirements to protect youth.                   catch up sessions for missed Scouting activities.
             •  Mandatory training and renewal of training.                         •  Distributing inappropriate materials via any channel.
             •  Training materials and support for youth members.                   •  Engaging in discussions with young people that are not 
             •  Reporting practices.                                                   age-appropriate.
             •  Capability and process to respond to Child Safety                   •  Encouraging the use or consumption of alcohol, smoking, 
                Incidents.                                                             or use of illicit substances by youth members.
             •  Information and fact sheets.                                        •  Being under the influence of alcohol or illicit substances 
             •  Participation in the National Redress Scheme.                          while undertaking duties as an Adult in Scouting.
             •  Participant in the Victorian Reportable Conduct Scheme as           •  Behaving towards a youth member in a manner that makes 
                administered by the Commission for Children and Young                  them uncomfortable.
                People.                                                             •  Breaching the Scouts Australia Code of Conduct. Adults in 
          In the future, a number of eLearning modules will be available for           Scouting also commit to our Code of Ethics.
          youth members explaining our Child Safety practices, strategies        Anyone can report any incident of unacceptable behaviour to our 
          for youth members to keep themselves safe and how to access            Child Safety Team as per the “Child Safety Reporting” section
          support services.                                                      Training
          Conduct                                                                All Adult Members and Supporters of Scouts Victoria must 
          Conduct of any adult in Scouts Victoria is subject to the Scouts       complete the Child Safety and Workplace Health and Safety 
          Australia Code of Conduct. It applies to all members over the age      Training within three months of commencing their membership 
          of 18, regardless of location and role, when engaging with young       as of 2020. This is a condition of membership or holding a 
          people and adults in any form. This includes face-to-face contact      support role with Scouts Victoria and you can access our 
          and using technology such as online platforms. Parents and             eLearning System at www.training.scouts.com.au.
          guardians who wish to actively participate in Scouting activities      Two Deep Leadership
          must also follow this code.
          Scouts Australia Code of Conduct                                       Scouts Victoria requires all of our Adult Members to operate 
          I will set an example that I would wish others to follow.              under the Two Deep Leadership requirements at all times, 
          Therefore, I will:                                                     unless expressly permitted under the Child Protection Policy. 
                                                                                 This requirement is not negotiable unless there is a genuine life 
             •  Respect the dignity of myself and others.                        threatening emergency and must be recorded.
             •  Demonstrate a high degree of individual responsibility.          As outlined in the Child Protection Policy, Two Deep leadership 
             •  Recognise at all times that my words and actions are an          is defined as:
                example to other members of the movement.                        Two Adults present: This is our standard when adults are 
             •  Act at all times in accordance with the Promise and Law,         supervising and conducting Scouting activities involving children. 
                Code of Ethics and this Code of Conduct, thereby setting a       At least two adults must be present, except in unforeseen 
                suitable example for all.                                        circumstances (such as an emergency). While the minimum ratio 
             •  Not use the movement to promote my own beliefs,                  of adults to children will vary from activity to activity, a minimum 
                behaviours and practices where these are not compatible          of two adults is always the preferred minimum required – this 
                with Scouting principles.                                        is known as a Two Deep procedural requirement. The failure to 
             •  Adhere to the Scouts Australia Child Protection Policy           achieve this standard should not preclude the Scout activity from 
                and provide a safe environment for youth members                 occurring but the situation and details of all attendees are to be 
                participating in the Scout program, their parents or             recorded by the Leader in Charge.
                guardians and visitors.
             •  Report any conduct seen or heard that does not comply 
                with this Code of Conduct to the appropriate Scouting 
                person.
          3                                                                                                            Scouts Victoria Info Book 2021
                                                                                                                                     Index         Contents
           Child Safe Scouting                                                                                                       Index         Contents
           Travel: On certain occasions (for example transporting a child             What about abuse by non-Scouting members?
           from venue to venue) it is likely that only one adult will be              Adult Members are often the only trusted person for some 
           supervising. In these circumstances, prior informed consent (this          of our youth members. Observations by you may make all 
           may be verbal) is to be obtained from the parents or guardians             the difference to a child who is being abused. If you receive 
           of the children concerned. In this situation, care should be taken         a disclosure of abuse (or observe injuries or behaviour 
           that the adult is not alone with only one child (that is, the child is     symptomatic of abuse) of a youth member we require you to 
           in the company of another child).                                          make a report. We can then provide the appropriate assistance 
           Child Safety Reporting                                                     for you to support the youth member and reporting it to the 
                                                                                      appropriate authorities.
           Reporting Abuse                                                            But, I’m not sure if this is reportable?
           In brief, should a member of our organisation become aware of              As outlined in our Child Safety training, if you are uncertain then 
           an incident of child abuse, whether by witnessing it or hearing            you are required to make a report. Our team can then assist to 
           of it from someone else, they are required to report it to the             ascertain if further action is necessary. It also enables Scouts 
           Executive Manager of Scouts Victoria.                                      Victoria to identify patterns of behaviour that may be of a 
           You can do this immediately after becoming aware of the                    concern. Scouts Victoria is required to respond to and investigate 
           incident by calling 1800 870 772                                           claims of abuse or other child-related misconduct.
           You should also complete a Child Protection Report form, you               This includes reporting behaviour that doesn’t meet our Child 
           can download the form from the Child Safe Scouting page of our             Protection Policy – for example, failing to meet the ‘two deep 
           website and then email it to childsafe@scoutsvictoria.com.au.              leadership’ requirements should trigger you to submit a report. 
           Remember, you are bound by the Adults in Scouting Code of                  This reporting enables us to appropriately monitor and take 
           Conduct to report any conduct seen or heard that does not                  necessary corrective action.
           comply with the code.                                                      If you are still unsure, please call 1800 870 772 and speak to 
           From May 2020, Scouts Victoria is a party to the Reportable                one of our team who can assist.
           Conduct Scheme in Victoria that is administered by the                     I am not confident in filling in the form
           Commission for Children and Young People. This requires Scouts             We understand that completing a form may not necessarily 
           Victoria to respond to allegations of child abuse (and other child-        be easy to do. In this situation contact us on 1800 870 772 to 
           related misconduct) made against our members, supporters and               speak to our team who can assist or take the report over the 
           volunteers. In addition, these allegations must be reported to the         phone.
           Commission for Children and Young people for oversight in line 
           with the operation of the scheme.                                          More Information
                                                                                      For more information relating to Child Safe Scouting, please visit 
                                                                                      the Child Safe Scouting page of our website.
           4                                                                                                                   Scouts Victoria Info Book 2021