Becoming an Adult Member of Scouts is easier than ever!
Scouting provides adults aged 18 years and over a host of rewarding opportunities to make a direct positive impact on their local community and on the lives of young people.
Not only do Adult Members help youth members develop valuable skills in an environment of responsible risk-taking, but they themselves develop a variety of skills in leadership, project management and event planning. No prior experience is necessary, with all Adult Members undergoing training on all aspects of youth leadership, program planning, safety and other requirements.
If you're ready to join the adventurous life of Scouting, you can become a uniformed member of Scouts NSW by completing Adult Membership Application Form , by clicking the button below.
FAQs for Applicants
A1 Applicants
You should be able to use any of the common browsers to complete forms on the Scouts NSW website. If you are experiencing technical issues, please contact the Scouts NSW Member Services Department on (02) 9735 9000 or [email protected] between the office hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
All persons over the age of 18 must complete the online New Adult Membership Form.
This includes Rover Scouts, Leaders, new support committee members, adult helpers, and adults who attend an overnight Scouting activity must complete the online New Adult Membership Form. This includes parents/carers who attend any overnight Scouting activity with their children.
If you have any questions about the adult member application, or require support, please contact the Scouts NSW Member Services Department on (02) 9735 9000 or [email protected] between the office hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
After you submit your online A1 form, you will receive an email confirmation with a copy of your application. A copy will also be sent to your Region Office.
Your Group Leader will receive a separate email notification with a request to review your application. Once reviewed, your Group Leader will contact your referees and schedule a time with you to conduct an introductory interview.
We’re so glad you asked! To ensure you can complete the online A1 form as easily as possible, we recommend you have the following on hand:
- A copy of your current Working With Children Check number and expiry date (or Working With Children Check application number). Scouts NSW requires all adults who attend any overnight Scout camp or activity, and all parents or guardians who attend overnight Scout camps and activities with their child, to have a Working With Children Check. You can apply for a Working With Children Check online via the Service NSW website here.
- The names and contact details for two referees (other than relatives or members of the Scout Association) who may be contacted for a reference check.
- If you have an external qualification such as a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE40110) and/or First Aid Certificate, a copy of these certificates. (It is not mandatory to have these qualifications to become an Adult Member).
Paper-based forms are still available for now and will be accepted where an online form can’t be used until 1 February 2020. After this time, all A1 applications will need to be completed using the online forms.
All new adults who wish to join Scouts NSW as a uniformed adult member, i.e. a Leader of Youth or Leader of Adults, must complete an A1 Form.
FAQs for Group Leaders
A1 for Group Leaders
For user questions, please contact Member Services at [email protected]. If you experience technical issues with the form, please contact the IT department at [email protected]
The paper-based forms are no longer used – all A1 applications need to be completed online.
All persons over the age of 18 must complete the online New Adult Membership Form.
This includes Rover Scouts, Leaders, new support committee members, adult helpers, and adults who attend an overnight Scouting activity must complete the online New Adult Membership Form. This includes parents/carers who attend any overnight Scouting activity with their children.
The introductory interview with the adult member applicant should take place after your initial review of their application, and after the mandatory reference checks have been conducted. When endorsing the application in ScoutLink, you’ll be asked to confirm that the introductory interview with the adult member applicant has taken place.
A hyperlink to the online reference check form will be displayed in each A1 email notification sent to Group Leaders/Leaders in Charge. This is a secure web page.
Please note that you will need to have the answers for both reference checks before completing the online form. It is not possible to save the answers for one reference check and then go back and complete the form when you have done the second reference check. Therefore, you’ll need to enter both reference checks at the same time.
As a Group Leader/Leader in Charge, you simply need to:
- Monitor your emails for any new adult membership (A1) applications.
- Assess each application before approving or endorsing them in ScoutLink, including conducting reference checks and the introductory interview.
- Notify your Region Office if there are any issues with an application.
The process for the online Adult Member application form (A1), as at 21 October 2019, is detailed below:
Step 1: The adult helper fills in the online A1 form and the details are automatically entered into ScoutLink.
Step 2: The Region Office Manager (ROM), Region Commissioner (RC), and Group Leader (GL) or Leader in Charge (LIC) receive an email advising an application is waiting to be endorsed in ScoutLink by the GL/LIC.
Step 3 (action required from GL/LIC): The GL/LIC must log into ScoutLink to endorse the application. Before endorsing the application, the GL/LIC must conduct reference checks using the details provided by the applicant, along with an introductory interview.
Step 4: (action required from RC): The RC receives an email advising there is an endorsed application in ScoutLink that is awaiting their approval. The RC must then log into ScoutLink and approve or reject the application endorsement.
Step 5: (action required from ROM): The ROM will receive an email confirming that the endorsement has been approved, and will then need to log into ScoutLink and validate the applicant’s Working With Children Check (WWCC).
Step 6: (action required from State Scout Service Centre): The State Scout Service Centre will receive an email advising that an application is awaiting a Police Check confirmation in ScoutLink. The State Scout Service Centre representative will then log into ScoutLink and validate the applicant’s Police Check. The member’s application can then be approved.
Note: If the ROM or State Office uncovers an issue with the WWCC or Police Check, they must advise the Child Protection Team, which will determine whether the application can proceed. In many cases, the application will be allowed to continue. If applicants are resigned, an email will be sent to the ROM and RC to advise them of this, and the application will not progress any further. In this case, the adult member applicant will not be allowed to participate in Scout activities.
If you need any support using these resources, please contact the Scouts NSW Member Services Team on [email protected].
