Groups re-opening
From the Announcement on 05 April, the good news is that we will be able to restart face to face scouting indoors and outdoors in England from Monday 12th April.
Groups in Wales can start back on the 12 April outdoors only or from the 22 April indoors and outdoors.
When this document was written the NYA have not updated their guidance to Step 2 of the Government roadmap.
So as not to delay sending our guidance out and allow Groups to have some time to plan for next week we have looked at the Government document and extracted the required information, we will revisit and review the guidance later in April.
Guidance
Please observe the following guidance and note that we have imposed some of our own guidelines on top of those from the Government / NYA.
1. Groups must HAVE PRODUCED a Start Back Risk Assessment for meetings and have had it passed by Mark Napier This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for approval
A list of Groups by Area is noted at the end of this bulletin and shows who has sent in a CRA.
2. A Covid Risk assessment must be passed by GSM for every Section meeting in a Group
3. All Sessions must be run in a fixed location, undertaking a walk / hike / expedition or similar is not permitted, visits and trips are also not allowed.
4. Ratios: please make sure that you have the correct number of leaders for children attending each section meeting, this is more important if you are working outside. Remember no leader can work with more than one section on the same day. Please use the current Supervision document if unsure
5. First Aid: As previously discussed, in the most recent bulletin, the HSE cut-off date for First Aid extensions was 31st March 2021. Our supervision document clearly states that we have one Adult Leader qualified at each session and that is how we are insured. Therefore, we have to comply and have someone qualified in attendance at every meeting.
Many Groups may potentially have this in place however, those that don’t may well not be able to open until we can get everyone requalified.
First Aid is classified as essential training and can be carried out in a controlled environment. Helen Leary and Alan Wilson are willing to run courses over the next few weeks to get everyone up to speed and signed off again.
This will be done in sessions of not more than six attendees plus the trainers.
If you require someone from your Group to attend a course to allow you to reopen then please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
6. Bubbles of 15, plus leaders (leaders should not mix across the bubbles). If more than one bubble, there must be room to meet without the bubbles mixing.
7. 2m distancing between everyone in the bubble as much as possible. Leaders must keep a 2m distance from the members and each other. If they must go closer, work side by side and wearing eye covering for a short a time as possible.
8. Scouts (10+), Senior Scouts and all Adults are to always wear a mask indoors and outdoors.
9. A bad weather plan is required for all outdoor sessions.
Don’t forget
If you or your leaders do not feel safe restarting you don’t have to until you do feel safe. We are still in a pandemic and a third wave is possible.
As most leaders are not vaccinated, as are none of the members under 18, we are taking an extremely cautious approach to restarting face to face meetings.
Stay Safe
The Covid Team
References
Coronovirus Control Plan: Alert Levels in Wales – Coming Out of Lockdown (gov.wales)
1041-NYA-UPDATE-COVID-19-P3-26_3_21.pdf
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance and support - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/first-aid-and-medicals/first-aid-certificate-coronavirus.htm