Our Volunteers

Who are our Leaders?

All our leaders are volunteers, and give their time willingly. Leaders undergo relevant training so as to deliver the National Programs issued by Scouts Aotearoa in a safe and age appropriate manner.  Leaders are all Police vetted, and hold a First Aid certificate.  Many have additional qualifications and training in various other activities that are occasionally run by the group.  Often, leaders are parents of existing or past scouts, who saw the benefit to their child and wanted to give something back to the organisation.

We are always looking out for new leaders, so should you feel you have something to give and advance our group then please ask any of our leaders or contact our Group Leader.

Becoming a Leader

You wish to become a Scout Leader?  Great!  It’s not as scary as it sounds and it’s immensely rewarding. We are always looking for new people who are willing to volunteer and help support the organisation.  The more Leaders we have, the more time we can spend organising exciting activities for your child and others.  You do not need to be a New Zealand citizen to become a Scout leader, though being a citizen or resident is beneficial, but you do need to be able to commit to working with us for at least a year.

Here is a brief outline of expectations:

• Commitment is needed for a minimum of one year.
• Leaders need to be able to lead a group of at least 6 children (independent of your own child) with use of the Scout Method.
• Attend weekly meeting nights. Cover can be arranged if you need some time off.
• Help set up & pack up for meetings, do attendance register, do badge sign offs.
• Contribute to planning & plan/lead approximately 1-2 sessions per term.
• Be an active part of the leader team for your section.
• Contribute ideas & communicate using chosen methods (email, etc)
• Attend & help at some weekend events each term.
• Complete the initial Leader Training within 12 months.
• Support other leaders in your section and group.
• Adhere to Scouting NZ code of ethics, health and safety policy, and child & youth protection policies.
• Pass a new Police Check and reference for a Scouting New Zealand volunteer.

First of all, you should talk with a current leader in the appropriate section (Keas, Cubs, or Scouts).  They will be able to tell you more, and get your application started with the approval of our Group Leader.  You will also need to complete some training before you can become fully Warranted and receive your scarf at a special ceremony.

All the training, and one of your uniforms, are provided and paid for by our Group, though you are expected to be able to commit to volunteering for at least a year.  You can also receive a discount on the term fees for any children you have in any of our sections.

You will need to:

• Speak with an existing Leader, Section Leader, or the Group Leader to confirm your intention.
• Email orewa@group.scouts.nz to let the Group Leader know that you are applying (if you have not already spoken)
• Complete the online application form:
  • Access the application form online here
  • Give group as “Orewa Sea Scouts“
  • Select Role as “Kea Leader“, “Cub Leader“, or “Scout Leader” depending on which section you are applying to
  • Give the name of the Group Leader who gave prior approval
• Provide min. two character references who have known you for a long time but are not related to you.  Your employer could be one of them for example, or a close friend.
• Be police vetted (this may take some time, possibly up to 2-3 months).  As long as you do not have any criminal convictions, this should not be an issue, but if you have any concerns please talk to the Group Leader before applying.  Note that, if you have not lived in New Zealand for long, this will take longer to organise.
• Plan to obtain a current First Aid certificate (or equivalent).  Our Group organises this periodically, or you can contact St John directly; you may already have the qualification through your workplace if you are a designated first aider, or work in in healthcare.   You can arrange this only after you receive your Leader Warrant, though it is better to get it organised early as our training calendar gets fully booked early.
  Once you have been provisionally accepted as a leader you can book a “First Aid Level 1” course with us, or on the St John website and claim the costs back from us (prior GL approval needed). Talk to our Group Leader to find out the dates of our next First Aid training here at Scouts prior to booking third party providers.
• Obtain your uniform (navy blue Sea Scouts shirt) from Scouts Direct for your investiture ceremony.  This is the only cost you’ll have to pay for. We will provide your Activity Shirt which is used during the warmer months, during camps and most outdoor activities.
• After receiving your Leader warrant, you should complete Leader training courses to learn the basic skills and any admin duties. The training structure is due to be revised (end-2023), so you should ask your Group Leader for more info and keep an eye on our training calendar to book those dates that best work for you.

Once you have received your Warrant, and your Group scarf, there are additional training courses you can optionally take to gain more skills in Scouting, such as certification for activities like sailing training, climbing, caving, as well as more advanced first aid courses, Bush Leader with Overnight Endorsement, River Crossings, Rock and Abseil qualifications and Kayaking Leader in rivers as well as open waters.

Note that you are able to start working as an Assistant Leader once the reference checks and police vetting have been made, but you do not receive your Leader Warrant until you have the first aid course and essentials training completed.