Becoming a leader - tell me all

cuckoo

I really enjoyed being a guide (CGI), and was thinking of looking into volunteering as a leader - scout or guide. I'm a while out of guiding, so was wondering what the procedure is, the training, the time commitment, etc. What do any leaders out there really enjoy about being involved, and what drawbacks are there?

tSubh Dearg

Well I can't tell you about the CGI, but in the IGG people tend to find out where there local company is and offer their services as a volunteer in whatever section they feel they'd be best at; ladybirds, brownies, guides.

Then you work towards being warrented, This involves doing a couple of training meetings (both local and regional), planning and running a meeting by yourself and (of course) doing the whole Law and Promise stuff again.

You also have to sign several child protection forms and you will be put through a background check by the Gardaí.

There are some nice things about being involved like seeing your Guides taking pride in the new skills they've learnt and how much fun they have camping and stuff. One of the drawbacks is that planning meetings can take a fair bit of time and the thing I've noticed about our girls anyway, is that when they're good they're excellent and when they're bad...well it's best to have some sort of painkiller around to deal with the ensuing headache

Ragazza

tSubh Dearg wrote:

You also have to sign several child protection forms and you will be put through a background check by the Gardaí.

QUOTE]

In the IGG we can't get Gardai checks yet.:)

Ron DMC

cuckoo wrote:

I really enjoyed being a guide (CGI), and was thinking of looking into volunteering as a leader - scout or guide. I'm a while out of guiding, so was wondering what the procedure is, the training, the time commitment, etc. What do any leaders out there really enjoy about being involved, and what drawbacks are there?

If you're interested in Scouts, talk to me about it and I'll try and sort you out with some info.
I'd recommend you get in contact with HQ (probably find details on this at www.scouts.ie) and they should be able to supply you with some details on groups in your area who you could contact.

LegacyUser

With CGI you have to be a volunteer for a year or so and then do a course .. child protection etc. Then you are leader.

I found it a bit much though - expectation wize .. you need to be very clear about HOW much time you have. Don't let these organizations squish every big of your private time out of you. They will, given half a chance.

tSubh Dearg

Ragazza wrote:

In the IGG we can't get Gardai checks yet.:)

Sorry I was under the impression when I signed all my forms that this is where they were going and I'm sure somebody said something about it....must have made it up...whoops!

LegacyUser

Problem is that the Guards won't do the checks!!

Polly19

To also become a leader you start out as an assistant leader,a Twaney Owl,and then you can later become a main leader,Brown Owl(In IGG)

The background checks...as fair as Im aware you dont hear anything about afterwe you sign the forms unless you have a criminal conviciton and then your kicked out of the club so I wouldnt worry if you havent heard anything

Also when you become a leader each year you have to get different certs such as piedatricia first aid,out-door camping traing,etc and you earn them over the years.Also before your allowed to take a group away camping or something you have to have earned a pacific cert(or one of the leaders has to have)to allow you to take the children away.

This is all in the IGG

Polly19

How come the IGG cant get guarda checks?

Its soon going to be law that anyone working with children have to under go guarda checks and all the IGG leaders will have to under-go the checks...

LegacyUser

Becuase the guards won't do them!! They refuse.

Polly19

Well at least they wont be allowed refuse them in another year or too

And I thought you were joking when you orginally said they refused to do the checks :S

Are they allowed to do that?

LegacyUser

I'm not sure of the full details but when I was doing my basic leader training last year for CGI I was told the guards would not do them. I don't know why but at that point in time there were no guarda checks being done because of this.

Makes me sick really. What is to stop some wierdo like Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr from joining guides or scouts. Of course, it would take a major incident before the situation would be resolved properly. A child being hurt.

NO ADULT SHOULD BE ALLOWED WORK WITH CHILDREN WITHOUT A GARDA CHECK.

The guards won't do these checks, so how ae voluntary organisations sure the people working for them are okay? In esssence, they are taking chances and risks .. with your kids!

68 lost souls

Well I know in the Order of Malta you need refernces from two people that are already involved in working working with children to become a cadet leader. Something like that would help.

tSubh Dearg

I vaguely remember having to list 2 referees when I was filling out the form. It was a while back though, so maybe I'm imagining it.

LegacyUser

You do provide the names of two people as referees. But that is not enough for an organisation to say that any person is "okay" to work with children. A guarda check is "supposed" to be done on all people who work with children prior to them being appointed into an organisation. It is on the CGI form to give permission for the CGI to get a guarda check on you .. BUT the Gardai refuse to do these checks.

Remember Holly and Jessica in Soham .. lets wait and see what has to happen in Ireland before the Government/Gardai enforce the rule of checking everyone.

A friends word isn't enough in my opinion. Friends don't actually know everything!!

Polly19

As faiir as IM aware a new law is going to be enforced in about a year because of what happened with the Driver for disabled children having been convicted of being a paedophile.

This law will state the same as the recent one,in that all people who are going to be working with children have to have guarda clearance but the courts will be alot more viligant with organisations who dont enforce the law and Id say theyll reprmend the guards for saying they wont preform back ground checks.

In fact have the CGI or IGG or any of the organistation approached the courts of local tds or politicians and said that guards are refusing to preform these checks?