Assistant Unit Leader Vacancy
Could you show your stripes and be a World Scout Jamboree Unit Leader?
An exciting opportunity has arisen to be part of our Unit Leadership for the World Scout Jamboree. We are recuiting 1 assistant leader to join the leadership team of Unit 45 to make sure that our 72 young people will be empowered to be bold and brave to make the most of the life shaping experience the World Scout Jamboree will provide.
We’re supporting the UK Contingent’s vision to be the most inclusive UK Contingent to attend a World Scout Jamboree. There should be no unnecessary barriers to anyone becoming part of our Unit Leadership Team.
*Never been to a Jamboree before? – that’s OK!
*Not an Explorer Scout Leader? – absolutely no problem
*Never been on a plane? – step forward tiger!
The UK Contingent is not shying away from challenging the perceptions of who an adult jamboree volunteer is, so if you’re prepared to Think big. Dream wild and Act together why not leap at the opportunity to apply to join our team?
This is an adult role, and considering prior experience, the UK Contingent advise Unit Leaders, Deputies and Assistant should be at least 18 years old by 1 January 2022.
Considering it?
Role Description here
Application Form here
Applications are open until 30th April 2022, applicants need to be available on 8th May for a selection day
To find out more about previous Jamboree experiences please watch the video below:
Frequently Asked Questions :
Where and when will the 25th World Scout Jamboree (WSJ) be?
The World Scout Jamboree will be held from 1st to 12th August in 2023 in Saemangeum, Jeollabuk-do Province with dates either side for travel and UK contingent events
What is a World Scout Jamboree?
The World Scout Jamboree is a bit like the Olympics’ – it is held every four years at different locations around the world. Scouts from every Scouting nation (about 226 countries and territories) attend for an event to share fun, adventure, world issues and friendship. Approximately 30,000 Scouts are expected at the next event to be held in South Korea. The Jamboree lasts for 12 days, and on top of this is sightseeing, and hosted hospitality to form a 3 week expedition. The World Scout Jamboree is seen as a pinnacle event for Scouts.
Who can apply to go as a participant?
To apply to be a participant you must be born between 00:00 on 22nd July 2005 and 23:59 on 31st July 2009. These dates are set by the UK Contingent and are out of our control.
What happens if I was born outside of these dates?
If you were born after these dates you should be eligible for the 26th WSJ in 2027. If you were born before these dates then you should look at other international activities, such as Roverway, or the International Service Team for the Jamboree.
Where will the Jamboree be?
The Jamboree will be held in Saemangeum, Jeollabuk-do Province. Find out more about the site by visiting the Jamboree website at http://www.2023wsjkorea.org/
What is the Jamboree theme? “Draw your Dream!” expresses the desire of the members of the Scout Movement to transform the World Scout Jamboree into their own festival and to grow their dreams through it. Saemangeum, which will be shaped into a spacious recreational ground (10 km²), where young scouts from around the world will pursue their dreams throughout the World Scout Jamboree.
What makes a Jamboree special? The Jamboree is not just a huge gathering of Scouts and Guides from all around the World, it is more than that. Scouts from around the world living, working and having fun together. When a member of the United Nations visited the Jamboree in Japan he described it as “the way the World should be”. It is truly a special place where Scouts can share their cultural and national backgrounds and words cannot do it justice.
Can I join the expedition late or leave early? The Jamboree unit will leave the UK and Return to the UK as a whole unit. It will not be possible to join late or leave early.
I have special needs / disabilities, can I still go? The ethos of the Jamboree is that it should be open and accessible to everyone of the correct age. As a result, every effort will be made in to accommodate young people who are differently abled wherever and whenever reasonable adjustments are possible. This may be simple physical or environmental changes through to more complex adjustments. Whilst these can cover a wide range of requirements, obviously this is a very complex area. We would suggest that if you have any particular questions relating to personal adjustments then please contact your District Commissioner. Fundamentally, all participants in the Jamboree, young person or leader, must be aware that it is a 3 week expedition, mainly camping overseas, with a wide range of activities. It is loads of fun, but it will also be very tiring at times and can have an element of stress relating to logistics, cultural differences and time zones.
Can you accommodate special dietary requirements? A lot dietary requirements can reasonably easily be catered for, as long as you are prepared to be as flexible as possible. Dietary requirements based on religion, and for example Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free are routine. The WSJ itself will be set up for these. However all participants need to be aware that access to particular foods whilst travelling can be more challenging so a degree of flexibility is appreciated. Other dietary requirements will need more work to be achieved. If you have any concerns, then please contact your DC.
What faiths and culture’s are represented at the WSJ? Essentially, ALL. The event is aimed at everywhere in the world that has Scouting, and this includes all faiths and cultures. At the Jamboree, you could be queuing for an activity and talk to somebody from virtually anywhere in the world. A lot of the activities are aimed at interaction with others. At the WSJ, there will be chances to learn and join in with other faiths and beliefs. With the ethos of the Jamboree being open to all, the WSJ will be open to applicants from all faiths, no faith and cultures.
What is the UK contingent? The UK contingent is the name for all of the participants, leaders and the International Service Team who will attend the event from the UK. The entire contingent will contain about 4,500 people!
What makes up a Jamboree unit? A Jamboree unit is made up of 40 people; this is 4 leaders and 36 participants organised into 4 patrols. The UK contingent will include approx. 90 units.
How many Jamboree places does West Yorkshire have? West Yorkshire has been awarded 8 patrols, so we will need 72 participants and 8 leaders. This is across 2 units.
Do I have to be a West Yorkshire Scout to apply? Yes, you must be a member of a West Yorkshire Scout Troop, West Yorkshire Explorer Unit or a West Yorkshire Young Leader to apply. If you Scout elsewhere, you will need to apply through that County.
How much will the Jamboree cost? The Jamboree fee is made up of two separate amounts.
- UK HQ WSJ Fee. UK Contingent Management Team are currently working on the costings for 2023 and we hope to have this information before early autumn. However, as a guide the UK HQ WSJ fee for the last Jamboree in the USA was £3,295. We are expecting a fee of between £3,300 – £3,400 for South Korea. We have no say in this fee, although West Yorkshire Scouts are responsible to collect it and pass it to HQ.This amount covers all costs from when the unit assembles at a UK Airport, until their return.Compulsory uniform items and some kit (such as kit bag) are usually included in this.
- West Yorkshire Scouts Training Fee. This is the cost of training and pre-jamboree activities inWest Yorkshire prior to the WSJ. Each unit usually has between 6-10 events (being an evening, a day or a weekend) to prepare for the WSJ, and it also usually includes additional items such as hoodies and unit scarfs. We are still working on the budget for this.
Are there any other costs not included above? There may be a few other items such as
- All participants will require an individual valid passport in their own name with 6 months expiry from date of return to the UK after the WSJ.
- Visa’s may be required for the countries being visited.
- Compulsory and voluntary Vaccinations may be required for the countries being visited.
- Some kit will be required (such as sleeping bags, mats, footwear etc.)
- There are usually options to buy additional UK Contingent kit, and Unit kit (so sometimes extra hoodies, badges, or even an additional item that the unit would like but is not in the budget).
- Travel and transport to all training events and departure / return airport.
Am I allowed to fundraise to pay for the Jamboree? Absolutely, we would encourage you to fundraise to help raise your Jamboree fee, this can be an important part of your Jamboree journey. In the past many participants have fundraised their entire Jamboree fee. However, fundraising may be more difficult in the aftermath of Covid. Essentially, if you work hard at your fundraising, you are more likely to raise more. If you sit back and let others do it, you are less likely to raise the money. Fundraising can be done individually, in small groups, as part of an Explorer Unit / District.
Do the Jamboree Leaders help us Fundraise? The main role of the Jamboree leaders is to form the Jamboree Unit and help the unit bond and prepare for the expedition. They will help with fund raising ideas, and will encourage the unit to talk and chat about what is working, and what is not working for the members of the unit. The leaders may also be offered fund raising activities that they then share out to the unit, and of course, the leaders also need to raise their own funds as well. However, the leaders are NOT responsible to fund raise for you, or to organise any fundraising. Ultimately, this is down to you.
What are the Jamboree dates? The Jamboree itself will be held between 1st August to 12th August 2023. However, the UK Contingent may be able to provide Hosted Hospitality and/or a cultural experience either before or after the Jamboree. It also takes a number of days to fly everybody out before, and back afterwards. Therefore, we currently do not know the precise dates that will be required. In total, it is likely to be 3 weeks.
What is hosted Hospitality and where will it be? Hosted Hospitality took over from Home Hospitality in 2019, and is a unique opportunity to stay with a foreign Scout Group / District in another country. Essentially, the whole unit stays together, but undertakes activities with the host group / district. This is a real privilege to see the country through the eyes of people who live there. At this stage we do not know if Hosted Hospitality will be available to units or where it may be (typically it is in Countries close to the Jamboree Country).
Will all of the people in the unit be from West Yorkshire? At the moment (subject to West Yorkshire having sufficient applications to fill the units), all our units this time should be from West Yorkshire
Will I know the people in my unit before we go? The unit is likely to be made up of Scouts and Explorers from across the County and you may not know many people at the start of the journey. However in the build up to the Jamboree you will have a number of training events to get to know your unit and many Scouts tell us that by the time they go to a Jamboree their unit become like a second family.
Do I need to use Social Media? Whilst it is not compulsory, you will get the most out of the unit team building by joining in on Social Media. The unit will normally decide on one social media platform to use (can be a Facebook group, Whats App group etc.). Normally, there will be one social media channel which is supervised / monitored by the leader team. Participants then usually setup their own independent channels which are not monitored. Official Communication will be via E-mail and/or the one monitored Channel.
How many training weekends will there be, and do I have to go to them? West Yorkshire usually have a number of training events / weekends, usually around 6 to 10 but this will depend on the unit, and we will be looking for you to attend all of these so that the unit can bond together as a unit.
Where will the training weekends be? It will be down to the Unit Leadership team to decide on the locations. Most will be within West Yorkshire, but as we aim to try and prepare the units for what they will encounter in Country there may be some City experiences outside of West Yorkshire.
Will the cost of travel to training weekends be included? No, it will be down to yourself to travel to / from the training weekends, but (subject to Covid restrictions lifting), sharing of transport is encouraged.
Will there be any Virtual Training? Depending on how quickly we return to normal, there may need to be some Virtual Training / unit meetings (most likely to happen in the beginning, but may be used if new or urgent information comes out).
How do I apply? There will be an application form issued by your Districts, and all applications must be made via this application form (by the date on the form).
What about selection? Attending Selection is COMPULSARY. You cannot be considered for a place on the WSJ without undertaking the selection process. This time we have added complications due to potential Covid Restrictions so we are running selection within in each District to minimise numbers at events. Obviously if further restrictions come in we may need to reconsider how we select.
Do I have to go to the selection weekend to get a place? Yes – whatever selection process is chosen, you must participant in that process to be selected as a Jamboree participant.
Do I have to pay all of the money at the start? No, we need stage payments to meet the commitment to pay Scout HQ over the next two years. Once we know the HQ payment schedule, we will set the schedule and publish it. All participants will need to keep to this schedule.
Do I need to pay a deposit? If you are offered a place on the Jamboree after the selection process, you will need to confirm your acceptance with a non-refundable deposit.
What happens if I need to withdraw after paying the deposit? Refunds of money paid will only be given if we can refill your place on the Jamboree, less the non-refundable deposit, less the cost for training / equipment received or ordered, less the cost of changing names charged by HQ, and any discount needed to be given to fill the place (potentially at short notice). If money has been fundraised, then under charity commission rules, we may need to return this money to the original source of the funds. If this is not possible (for example it was a bag pack), then it may need to be kept and used for a suitable comparable alternative purpose. Monies will be refunded in the following order (after costs)
- Any HQ Grant
- Any District / Group Grant
- Any other organisation Grant
- Any untraceable funds donated (such as bag packs) donated to West Yorkshire Scouts
- Any remaining funds returned to source
You may still need to pay money in to go towards refunding grants / cover costs. This is highlighted in a Terms and Conditions document you will sign after accepting your place.
What happens if I need to withdraw close to departure? We will always try very hard to re-fill the place, however, this may be very difficult – especially at short notice. Depending on the reason for withdrawal, there may be insurance cover (for instance, a broken bone or a major illness / death in immediate family). However, we reserve the right to insist on payment in full, even if you do not attend.
How will money for the Jamboree be handled? All funds for the Jamboree will be paid to Districts who will arrange for transfer to West Yorkshire Scouts. We will issue instructions on this procedure later. No funds are to be paid to any Jamboree leader. Your District point of contact will be able to advise you of each individual participant account.
Can we claim gift aid on fundraising? Unfortunately, the Jamboree does not qualify for gift aid, and therefore, no gift aid can be claimed / reclaimed for Jamboree payments / fundraising.
Can we claim any grants to attend the Jamboree? Yes, there are a range of funds and grants that can be applied for.
- It is always worth approaching your Group / Explorer Unit / District, as they may have funds in place for this type of event.
- UK HQ have a Jamboree support fund
- Other private trusts and organisations – Round Table, Rotary Club etc.
Some of the above are open to all, some can have restrictions (such as location, purpose, financial situation) etc.
How can I find out more about what it is like to attend a Jamboree? The best way to find out about a Jamboree is to talk to someone who has been before, the young people who went to the Jamboree in Japan or USA would be a good starting point.
Do I have to apply via my Group / District? yes you should apply via your District
Do I have to be a Scout? Yes – you must be a member of UK Scouting to attend. If you leave Scouting / stop being an active member of your Scout group / Explorer unit, your place may be withdrawn.
What is the Jamboree management for West Yorkshire ? The Jamboree comes under the West Yorkshire Assistant County Commissioner (International) – Vicki Pearson. Each Jamboree unit will have a Unit Leader, plus 3 assistant leaders, for 36 participants.
What is the Jamboree Management System? This is a web based system used by HQ to obtain information on all participants for their management on the planning and running of the Jamboree, and unfortunately, it is NOT linked to OSM. This system usually starts to be used around 12months prior to the Jamboree.
Do I have to use Jamboree Management System? Yes, you will need to use and up to date.
Is there another expedition in 2023 if I am not successful? We are expecting a high number of applications, far more than we can accept onto the WSJ and so will look at another expedition for those that are not successful.
Will I have a say in which unit I am placed in? No. Once we have received all of the acceptances of places against the offers, the Jamboree Management team will place everybody into the units as given to us by HQ. This will be dependant on a variety of factors, including age distribution, sex distribution, personality characteristics and district distribution. The WSJ is all about making new friends, and whilst you may know some others in the unit you are placed in, it’s a fantastic chance to make new friends!
What about GDPR? As a West Yorkshire County Scout event, data will be handled as described by the West Yorkshire County Scouts GDPR policy (available from the West Yorkshire Scouts Website). Central Data (such as application forms, selection planning) will be held on the West Yorkshire County Scouts Suite account. Access will be limited to the West Yorkshire Scouts Jamboree Management team, and the Jamboree Leaders. Financial data will be held and processed in an accountancy system set up for this purpose. Data will also be shared with UK Scout HQ where needed for the planning and management of the WSJ. Data will be destroyed in various stages, up to 11 years after the last WSJ event (for instance general data could be 2 years, financial data will be destroyed after 7 years, medical / insurance information could be 11 years).
Will we be insured? The UK HQ will organise the insurance for the expedition (usually through their Insurance arm – Unity). When we have details, we will forward this on to you.
What about Covid? The WSJ is over 2 years away, we are continuing on the basis that issues caused by Coronavirus will dissipate over the next 2 years. However, we are not able to predict the future and Covid may become an issue again. We will have to wait to see what Insurance can be put into place, but we think it would be fair to say it is unlikely that insurance for a Covid cancellation would be possible. If Covid were to become an issue, and withdrawal / cancellation occurs, then you will need to expect that it may not be possible to refund some or all of your monies paid due to factors outside of the direct control of West Yorkshire County Scouts / uninsurable situations. All arrangements are handled by HQ and the refund policy will be as per HQ.
Will I need any vaccinations? Quite possibly yes. You will need to have any vaccinations which are compulsory for the countries we are visiting, or mandated by the Jamboree organisers. Unfortunately, we don’t know what these are at present. It is recommended (subject to your Doctors advice) to have your normal UK range of vaccinations.
What are the other risks of visiting South Korea? South Korea is a modern, advanced nation, and has recently held a successful Winter Olympics. There is a low ongoing risk of conflict between North and South Korea, since the two countries are still technically at war, but the current armistice has been stable for the past 60 years.
Who has the final say? All places in the West Yorkshire WSJ units are granted by permission of the West Yorkshire County Commissioner. At any time, and for any reason, an individual’s place may be withdrawn by the County Commissioner. The financial consequences of this, will follow the What happens if I need to withdraw after paying the deposit.