Your training programme will be split into 3 phases throughout the year.

Phase 1 – Induction
You’ll join us at the start of your placement (September 2026 or January 2026) alongside our larger Residential Volunteer programme and complete your Initial Training Course (ITC) at Gilwell Park. This lasts for 5 days and then you’ll head back to your home centre to start your site induction and Adventure training. Over the next few weeks you’ll be training alongside all the other volunteers gaining a base line of skills and experience running introductory sessions for young people – this will include high ropes session, target sports and on grounds sessions like team building.

Phase 2 – Core Training
After a few weeks of “learning the ropes” (pun intended!) you’ll start completing additional training to help you develop your skills as an outdoor instructor. The exact make up of the Core Training will be matched to the needs of the group but we anticipate it will include:
o Archery GB Instructor Award
o ERCA Traditional Ropes Course Instructor AND Generic Rescuer
o Advanced Facilitation and Coaching Skills
o 16 Hour Outdoor First Aid
o Skills for starting a career – CVs and Job Interviews

Phase 3 – Personal Development
The next step is to start building a personalised programme of training to help you on begin your career. You’ll have regular meetings with your line manager to work on and review your development plan. Within this you will be allocated a budget of £750 to use towards training courses and qualifications. In this phase we move the onus of development towards you – you will be responsible for finding training opportunities and courses and logging any relevant experience you need to progress on those qualifications. We’ll support you to do this but getting the most out of Phase 3 will need you to be motivated to get outdoors and take control of your own learning. As you come toward the end of your placement, you’ll also take part in a number of workshops with our team to help you prepare to the next steps in your career – finding your first job as an outdoor instructor!

Application 
You need to complete the application form, including a short video, and reference/recommendation from your Scout/Guide Leader. We will keep applications open until eight weeks before placement starts, unless we fill all spaces. 

Online interview 
Once your application is submitted you will be invited to join one of our team for an online interview. This is a chance to discuss the placement and tell us more about why you would like a place. If you’re successful at this stage, we’ll provisionally assign you a place at one of our centres.

Visit the Centre 
The next stage will be to arrange a visit to the centre so you can spend a day with the team and see the centre. These are optional and available, but not essential. 

Arrival and Induction 
We’ll start making arrangements for you to join us on your initial training course at Gilwell Park. You’ll be at Gilwell Park for approx 5 days training alongside the other volunteers on this programme, and our larger Residential Volunteer Programme.

Like all our volunteers you will gain a lot of experience instructing introductory sessions to Scout and School groups. In addition, we’ll provide you with additional training on more advanced instructing skills like facilitating effective teamwork, and coaching people to improve. Once you’ve completed this training, you’ll be able to instruct on more advanced sessions – this might include badge programmes, corporate team building days, supporting groups with additional needs, or older groups who want more skills coaching out of their session. 

No, because this is not a reflection of what your first job as an outdoor instructor is likely to look like. Most instructors who work at outdoor centres will support the whole range of centre operations – this includes learning some maintenance skills, helping in the kitchen, helping to prepare centres for guest arrivals. We’re designed the programme so that you will gain experience of all the areas of work your likely to need as you start your career.

Broadly you can expect to complete the Core training in the first half of your placement, and most of your PDP training in the second half. However, the training will be spread out throughout the year, so you are able to make the most of it - as an example we’ll need you to have at least 3 months of experience running our inhouse high ropes sessions before you complete the ERCA Traditional Ropes Course Instructor and Generic Rescuer course.

If you know you can only be available for part of the placement then you might find our Residential Volunteer Programme is a better fit for your circumstances. However, do please ask us if you would like more information as we will try to be flexible where we can.

We must be fair to all the programme volunteers with how much we will fund training opportunities. However, if you want to top-up the cost of a course yourself then that’s ok. We’ll also use our network of trainers, and professional contacts to support you in finding the best value for money for courses and training – helping you to squeeze the most out of your allocated budget.

Yes, this is a residential programme. Living on centre means you get the most out of the experience, and you build great friendships with all the other volunteers at the centre. Due to the nature of the role you’ll need to volunteer at weekends and evenings as well because that’s when we have Scout and Guide groups visiting the centres. Living on centre you’ll be provided with accommodation in a twin room, catering, weekly expenses and all of your uniform – as well as your training programme.

Under UK tax law we’re only able to reimburse volunteers for the expenses incurred as part of their placements. This includes any pre-authorised expenditure for items such as travel, as well as a small allowance for unreceipted expenses at £5 a day (reimbursed at £35 per week).

We’re happy to talk to you about our experience running residential volunteer programmes at our centres. In the last 10 years over 1000 people have completed our Residential Programme from all over the world. Former volunteers from the UK are now working full time in the outdoor industry – many come back to work for us as seasonal instructors, lead instructors and even some of our training and management team were former volunteers at our centres.

We want to offer an opportunity for UK Scouts and Guides with a passion for the outdoors to use Scout Adventures as a pathway for starting a career as an outdoor instructor. We believe that people with a strong Scouting or Guiding background bring a unique set of skills and experiences which make them particularly well suited to a career in this industry. This residential programme is intended to upskill our Scouts and Guides - giving them a strong foundation of outdoor qualifications and operational experience so that they can go on to secure their first instructor job. In years to come we hope to see many of those who took their first steps on this programme come back to us to continue their careers in senior and managerial roles.

You’ll agree an exact plan with your line manager, however some examples of programmes that could fit in the budget could be:

Example 1 – Paddle and Hill 
A blend of qualifications to support your existing ropes and target qualifications giving you a rounded CV for work as a freelance instructor.
- Paddle Sport Instructor
- Paddle Safety and Rescue
- Mountain Leader Training

Example 2 – On the rocks 
A mix for those who love being on (or under) the crag. These qualifications would be useful for finding work at centres in upland and mountainous areas.
- Rock Climbing Instructor Training
- Rock Climbing Instructor Assessment
- BMC Local Cave and Mine Leader Award

Example 3 – Down to earth 
Making the most of the available budget this combination would give you a well-rounded set of skills at outdoor centres or as a freelance instructor across the country, including in low land and urban areas.
- MIAS Mountain Bike Instructor (Level 1 or 2)
- Climbing Wall Instructor Training
- Climbing Wall Instructor Assessment
- NRSA YPS Tutor (Air Rifles)