FAQs for Group Leaders/Leaders in Charge
What is the process for online Y1 forms?
The process for the online Youth Membership Application Form (Y1), as at 14 October 2019, is detailed below:
Step 1: The Youth Member applicant’s parent or primary carer completes the online Y1 form and the details are automatically entered into ScoutLink. The parents receive an email welcoming them to Scouts.
Step 2: The Region Office Manager (ROM) and Group Leader (GL) or Leader in Charge (LIC) receive an email advising an application is waiting to be approved in ScoutLink by the GL/LIC.
Step 3 (action required from GL/LIC): The GL/LIC approves the application in ScoutLink, confirming the applicant is now a provisional (trial) member. This allocates the applicant a Scout membership number and generates an email to the parent/carer, which includes their membership number. The parent/carer will also receive a separate email inviting them to create a Operoo account for the youth applicant.
Step 4: The applicant, ROM, and GL/LIC receive an email confirming that the applicant is now in provisional (trial) status, including the applicant’s Scout number. This email reminds the GL/LIC that, when the applicant’s trial period ends, which is dependent on the specific Group’s practice regarding length of trial periods, they should go into ScoutLink and endorse the applicant as a full member.
Step 5: The applicant can now fully participate in all Scout activities as part of their trial period. This period may be as short as one week or as long as a maximum of six weeks, depending on your group’s needs.
Step 6 (action required from GL/LIC): When the applicant has completed their provisional (trial) period, the GL/LIC endorses their application in ScoutLink, at which point the applicant becomes a full member and the Group will be billed according to existing policies.
What if the applicant doesn’t complete the trial period?
If the applicant doesn’t complete their trial period, the system will automatically delete their details after six weeks. You will receive a reminder email two weeks prior to the end of the six week period if you haven’t already endorsed the provisional (trial) member for full membership by this time.
How can I help parents/carers select the right Group in the online Y1 form?
Scouts NSW has prepared a customisable ‘Become a Youth Member’ flyer template for Group Leaders to customise and distribute to the parents/carers of prospective youth member applicants who will need to complete a Y1 form.
You can download the PDF customisable flyer here and the Microsoft Word customisable flyer here. Simply use Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word to fill in the custom field with your Group name. Then, print out the flyer and distribute it to prospective members.
If you need any support using this resource, please contact the Member Services Department at info@nsw.scouts.com.au.
Is the paper-based Youth membership application still available and accepted?
Paper-based forms are still available for now but will be withdrawn from availability in January 2020. Therefore, we recommend you begin using the online version of Y1 as soon as possible. Paper-based forms will continue to be accepted and processed until 1 February 2020. After this time, all Y1 applications will need to be completed using the online forms.
In some exceptionally rare circumstances, an applicant may need to access a paper-based Y1 form after this date. In such cases, permission will be required from your Region Commissioner and the paper form will be supplied and processed by the Region Office Manager.
What are my responsibilities as Group Leader/Leader in Charge?
As a Group Leader/Leader in Charge, you simply need to:
- Monitor your emails for any new Youth membership applications.
- Assess each application before approving or endorsing them in ScoutLink.
- Manage the applicant’s progress through the application, provisional (trial), and full membership stages of the youth joining Scouts journey.
- Notify your Region Office if there are any issues with an application.
If my Group is not on Operoo, does this mean our parents/carers cannot use the online Y1 form?
All parents/carers will be asked to use the online Y1 form. You will also need to provide an E1 form if your Group isn’t on Operoo. The E1 form can be accessed here.
Whom can I contact if I have a question about the Y1 form?
For user questions, please contact Member Services at info@nsw.scouts.com.au. If you experience technical issues with the form, please contact the IT department at helpdesk@nsw.scouts.com.au