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Connecting Virtually through Microsoft Teams
In 2019, Scouts NSW began our roll out of Microsoft Office 365 to all Adult Members, giving us a secure and central way of communicating with and supporting our members to access Scouting from anywhere, on any device.
This roll out included the issuing of a Scouts NSW email address to all Adult Members, as well as free access to a suite of Office 365 online tools and applications, including Microsoft Teams, to support the day-to-day business and operations of Scouting.
These online tools play an increasingly important role in keeping us all connected, particularly given the recent developments surrounding COVID-19.
Even as we all practice social distancing, and with face-to-face activities suspended for the meantime, Scouts is still a place where young people can feel supported and connected to their community.
Microsoft Teams is valuable in helping you and your team keep the Scouting spirit going strong when your Group and Sections can’t meet face-to-face. To help, we’ve set up a Virtual Scout Hall (Microsoft Teams site) for each Scout Group, to enable you to continue meeting and conducting activities remotely, without feeling remote.
To ensure you’re best placed to make the most of this opportunity, we’ve prepared a deep dive into Microsoft Teams.
Benefits
Microsoft Teams is Office 365's teamwork hub and group chat platform. It allows users to chat, meet, call and collaborate all in one place, no matter where they are.
- It’s free of charge with your Scouts NSW Office 365 email address
- You can invite families to your Scout Group’s Virtual Scout Hall/Microsoft Team site
- Families do not need to have an O365 account to participate in meetings and activities
- You can conduct meetings such as Weekly Section Meetings and ARPs virtually, and can record every meeting (if you want to)
- Members of your Scout Group’s Virtual Scout Hall/Microsoft Team site can share and collaborate on documents as appropriate
Microsoft Teams 'How To'
Step 1: Make sure you’ve activated your Scouts NSW email address
Scouts NSW has set up a Virtual Scout Hall (Microsoft Teams site) for each Scout Group, and as the Group Leader/Leader in Charge, you are the default owner of the site.
To be able to access and use your Virtual Scout Hall, you must first have activated your Scouts NSW email address. If you have NOT already activated your Scouts NSW email address, your Group’s Virtual Scout Hall will not be accessible and you will not be able to schedule or host online meetings.
Step 2: Add Members to your Group’s Virtual Scout Hall (Microsoft Teams site)
Once your Scouts NSW email address has been activated, you will be given access to your Group’s Virtual Scout Hall (Microsoft Teams site). From here, you’ll be able to add in your Section Leaders and Youth Members (via their Parents/Guardians’ email addresses) as members and guests of your Team. Please remember that if you’re adding Youth Members, you will need to do this by using their Parent/Guardian’s email address.
Step 3: Schedule Meetings in your Group’s Virtual Scout Hall
Whether you’re looking to run a virtual version of your Group ARP, or continue your Weekly Section meetings and activities, scheduling meetings and video calls is simple. You can select which participants to invite, and you can choose whether the meetings are one-off or recurring events.
Step 4: Attend Meetings and Virtual Activities
Now that you’ve scheduled a few meetings – it’s time to join in the fun! Attending meetings is as simple as logging into your Group’s Virtual Scout Hall (Microsoft Teams site), selecting your meeting and clicking ‘Join’.
There's comfort in what’s familiar, and by continuing your Group’s traditions and activities virtually —whatever they may be—you remind your members that they’re still on solid ground and connected to Scouting, no matter what’s going on in the world.
One last (but very important) thing...
At Scouts NSW, our responsibility to ensure the safety of our Youth Members extends to the online environment as well as face-to-face, physically. While we may not be conducting face-to-face Scouting activities for the meantime, Two Deep Leadership still applies for all interactions with Youth Members, whether they be online or via phone.
Please take the time to refresh your memory by reading our Social Media Guidelines so you know exactly what is expected of you when communicating with others in Scouting online.
- Adult Members must not engage in one-on-one discussions with young people online
- All electronic communication between Adult Members and Youth Members should be public (e.g. within your Group’s Virtual Scout Hall/Microsoft Teams message thread).
- If a circumstance does arise where an Adult Member needs to communicate with a Youth Member electronically, the communication should always include at least one other Adult Member and the Youth Member’s parent (for example, by including the other adults in a Teams message thread).
Our Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics guides our interactions with each other. Please ensure you maintain polite and respectful interactions online.
We're here to help
We know that change can take some time to get used to, so we have created a library of support materials to help you better understand Microsoft Teams and how you can use it to keep your members connected to Scouting. These materials include a Quick Start Guide and step-by-step guides for using Microsoft Teams.
You can find these materials on our helpdesk portal.
If you require assistance for technical-related issues, please contact Scouts NSW IT Support Department ITSupport@nsw.scouts.com.au.
Child Safety in Scouting
Scouts Australia NSW is committed to operating as a child safe organisation and implementing child safe policies and practices in accordance with the elements of a child safe institution outlined by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse report entitled Creating Child Safe Institutions.
Remember
All suspicions, concerns or allegations about criminal matters or child protection matters should be reported directly to the Chief Commissioner, the Deputy Chief Commissioner (Youth Safety, Compliance and Support), the CEO or the Child Protection Officer at the NSW State Office.
To make a report use the online child protection form, call 02 9735 9000 or email childprotection@nsw.scouts.com.au.
Imminent Danger
If a young person is in imminent danger, the matter should be reported directly and immediately to NSW Police on 131 444.
Where a report is made to the police, you should also subsequently notify the NSW State Office.
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