Scouting is the largest youth movement in the world, open to both boys and girls, with over 28 million members. It is a voluntary organisation run by people who freely give up their time to organise weekly activities for young people.

The 12th Chichester Scout Group is within the Chichester Scout District, part of West Sussex Scout County.

Every section is run by an Appointed Section Leader, who is usually supported by Appointed Assistant Leaders, Section Assistants, parent helpers and skills instructors. All leaders undergo regular training relevant to their sections and undertake compulsory First Aid training, Child Protection Awareness instruction and have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. When your child joins the Scout group, we ask if you and/or any other adult in your household would be willing to complete a CRB form as well, which means that we have a pool of adults that can assist when and where needed at a Scouting activity should the need arise.

All leaders have a copy of the Young People First card, otherwise known as the “Yellow Card” that provides us with a Code of Practice for Safeguarding for both the young people and the leaders. We have included a copy of this for your reference in this pack.

Scouting is a uniformed organisation and you will be expected to purchase the relevant section uniform for your child. For local availability of uniforms, please contact your Section Leader. All members are expected to wear their uniform for meetings unless your leader advises otherwise.

Progression from one section to the next is usually automatic for existing members of the group.  Parents/carers will be contacted by the appropriate section leader to discuss handover arrangements.  If a section is oversubscribed then a waiting list system would operate and priority would be given to existing members of the Scouting movement (including overseas members). Anyone wishing to join a section which is oversubscribed, or who is new to Scouting should contact the Group Scout Leader.