Introduction
Scouts Canada requires that all applicants for roles with Scouts Canada comply with this procedure before they participate in any Scouting activities. This procedure is not applicable to youth: Beaver Colony, Cub Pack, Scout Troop or Venturer Company participants. This procedure is applicable for Rover Scouts.
Our Procedure
1. This procedure describes the minimum mandatory requirements for volunteer Screening prior to participation in any Scouting activities and applies to all:
a. Scouters
b. Rover Scouts
c. Parents/guardians and other adult resource people
d. Venturer Scouts acting as Youth Offers of Service at major events
e. Businesses and organizations whose employees and volunteers participate in Scouts Canada activities
2. The responsible Commissioner, or delegate, provides applicants with:
a. A job or role description
b. An explanation of the volunteer screening steps and expectations
c. A link to the Scouts Canada Code of Conduct
3. All persons applying to become a registered Scouter or Rover Scout must create a MyScouts profile and register as a volunteer on MyScouts.ca.
4. When applicable, each applicant will be interviewed according to Scouts Canada’s Screening Interview Guide.
a. The Interview Guide for Youth-Aged Applicants is also used when applicants are less than 18 years of age.
b. Interviews will:
i. Be conducted by at least two interviewers that have completed the necessary interview training
ii. Respect the confidentiality of the applicant’s information
iii. Confirm whether the applicant will accept the role or not
iv. Determine whether the applicant is acceptable or not
v. Result in a screening checklist being recorded on the Applicant’s MyScouts profile
c. Applicants and references may not be related by blood, adoption or marital status.
d. Applicants under 18 years of age, who are Scouts Canada members, must provide their contact Section Scouter or Group Commissioner as a reference.
e. Rover Scouts or Scouters transferring between Groups must follow the Transfer a Rover Scout or Scouter Procedure.
5. New Scouts Canada applicants (Scouters) must provide Scouts Canada with five references. Scouts Canada will contact at least three of the references and record the information received. Scouts Canada will then conduct such further inquiries as may be reasonably necessary. The five references provided must include:
a. A co-worker or workplace supervisor
i. Where the applicant is either unemployed, a stay-at-home parent, a long-term retiree, a young applicant or a person with no work history, this requirement can be excluded.
b. If the individual has volunteered with another youth-serving organization, a person from the organization.
i. Where the applicant has volunteered with another organization and has not provided a reference from that organization, the file is referred to the Safe Scouting Department
c. At least two references who have known the applicant for the past five years
d. Others who can attest to the person’s character
e. More character references, when a workplace or youth-serving organization reference cannot be provided
f. In the case of a failed reference, the fail will be reviewed by Safe Scouting, or as delegated. The applicant will not proceed until approval has been granted.
6. Applicants must read, agree to be bound by and sign (annually) the Scouts Canada Code of Conduct (Adult or Youth Scouter).
7. Clean Police Record Checks are mandatory for all volunteer applicants 18 years of age and older.
a. A clean PRC means:
i. No criminal record, as defined by the Criminal Records Act
ii. No pardon(s) for a sexual offence as set out in the recent amendments of the Criminal Records Act
iii. No outstanding criminal charge(s), including no stayed charges
iv. No order(s) made in the interest of safety under the criminal code which would restrict the applicant’s access to weapons, firearms, or explosives
v. No contact, access or behaviour restriction(s) with any person
vi. No order(s) made under the child protection legislation which is intended to restrict the applicant/member's access to children
vii. PRC submitted must be recent to within 3 months
vii. PRC must explicitly state it was requested on behalf of volunteering for Scouts Canada
b. As part of ongoing screening, a new Police Record Check must be submitted every three years. Scouts Canada reserves the right to conduct or request a Police Record Check for any volunteer at any time.
c. Should an applicant not be able to provide a clean Police Record Check, that person may apply for an exception. Please see the Police Record Check Exception Procedure.
d. In addition to a PRC, the applicant must:
i. include a Vulnerable Sector Screening recent to within 3 months when applying to be a Scouter
ii. meet Scouts Canada PRC/VSS requirements for appointment
iii. include a provincially based Child Abuse Registry check (residents of Manitoba and Nova Scotia only)
8. All applicants must commit to the minimum mandatory learning and development required to have competency to safely facilitate the Canadian Path program.
a. All applicants must complete Scouting Fundamentals, including Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders, before appointment.
9. The responsible Commissioner may approve the appointment, after reviewing the interview assessment, reference checks and Police Record Check.
Parent Helpers, Other Adult Resource People including Hired Resource People (e.g. Canoe Guides) and Support Workers for Youth with Disabilities
1. Parents/guardians and other adults:
a. Do not count in the Two-Scouter Rule or Youth:Scouter ratio
b. May not be with youth unless supervised by Scouters
2. There are two categories of parents at Scouting activities:
a. Parents/guardians who attend to watch the activities or assist their child in the activity
b. Parents/guardians who attend to assist the Scouters as program instructors, first aiders, etc.
3. Parents and other adults who assist Scouters at more than five Section activities must apply to become a registered Scouter, be screened as per the Volunteer Screening Procedure and complete all volunteer screening and mandatory training requirements.
4. Other adults include, but are not limited to:
a. Individual resource people (paid or volunteer)
b. BP Guild members who are not members of Scouts Canada
c. Employees of companies that provide resource people (e.g. canoe guides)
d. Support workers for persons with disabilities
5. Parents/guardians complete a Myscouts profile when they register their child. Other adults who assist Scouters do not need to complete a Myscouts profile.
6. Parents/guardians and other adults are expected to sign the Scouts Canada Adult Code of Conduct before participating in activities with their children or assisting Scouters.
7. Parents/guardians and other adults who are assisting Scouters at an overnight activity must submit a clean Police Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Screening, Child Abuse Registry Check (applicable provinces only) and complete Safe Scouting for Parents online training before participating.
8. Where a support worker is provided by an agency, the agency must demonstrate to the Council Relationship Manager that their employee has been screened to the same standard as a Scouts Canada volunteer.
9. Where the support worker is not provided by an agency, they are screened as an “other adult” pursuant to the current procedure.
Venturer Scouts acting as Youth Offers of Service at Major Events
1. Venturer Scouts acting as a Youth Offers of Service at Major Events:
a. Help Scouters to organize and run activities at Major Events as defined in the Event Standards
b. Do not count as Scouters for the purposes of the Two-Scouter Rule and youth:Scouter ratio
c. Must have their role explained to them by event organizers
2. Prior to attending the major event, Youth Offers of Service must:
a. Sign the Scouts Canada Code of Conduct (youth)
b. Provide a written letter of reference from their Company Scouter indicating suitability for the role
c. Complete Scouting Fundamentals training, including Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders
Parents of Youth Offers of Service must contact the Help Centre to enable web-access to their child’s Myscouts profile in order to complete the required screening and training.
