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• Rainbow overnight

Rainbow overnight

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Description

Staying away from home for one night only.

 

Ratio of adults to girls

This should be 1:4 (not including the Event Coordinator), with a maximum of 30 children.

There must be at least three adults present at all times.

Young Leaders (aged under 18) who are attending as part of the event team are not included in the above ratio.

Children of volunteers should be included in the ratio. If young children are present, an extra adult is needed to look after them.

 

Regulations

• Rainbow overnight events must not exceed 24 hours, including travelling time.
• Rainbows must not travel abroad for overnight events.
• Rainbows may attend a sleepover with Brownies provided the total number of children does not exceed 30.
• All volunteers aged 16 or over who are staying overnight at a residential event must have undergone the recruitment check process (Young Leaders and non-member volunteers should be assigned the role of Residential Occasional Helper on Go!).
• You will need to complete a Residential Event Notification form and submit it at the start of your planning.
• All of the adults present should be known to the Rainbows.
• All Rainbows must be accompanied by a Leader from their own unit.
• Parents must have the opportunity to meet the Leaders prior to the event and have all plans explained to them.
• A parent or other family member must be contactable and available to collect the Rainbow should the need arise.

 

Venue/accommodation

• The accommodation must be indoors and under one roof.
• The venue must be approved by the relevant host Adviser. If the site or accommodation has not already been approved, notify the Adviser of your plans in plenty of time for the venue to be inspected before firm plans are made.
• There must be access to a telephone at all times, and the telephone number must be made available to parents.
• The area used by the Rainbows must be secure and inaccessible to the general public.
• If the girls are staying in a youth hostel or hotel, the sleeping, washing and toilet facilities must be self-contained, and girls must sleep in rooms close to those occupied by the Leaders.
• If Leaders share a sleeping area with Rainbows, there must be at least two Leaders/helpers or two Young Leaders present.
• Lilos and sun loungers are not to be used as beds. If bunk beds* are used, they must conform to British Standard numbers EN 747-1 and EN 747-2 (2007).
• The venue should be sufficiently local so that a parent can collect their child should the need arise.
• If male volunteers or male children are present, there must be separate sleeping and bathroom facilities for them.
• If an accident results in an injury which needs medical/hospital treatment or any illness occurs during any residential event, the Event Coordinator must report the details as soon as possible to Girlguiding UK’s insurance service.

 

Please click on the links below for further regulations on topics which may be relevant to your event:

• gaining experience and getting assessed for a licence
• joint events with other organisations
• caravans
• Event Coordinator requirements
• leadership team roles and responsibilities
• male volunteers and families of volunteers.  

 

Qualifications

A leader must either:

• hold or be working towards the Girlguiding UK Training Opportunities: Camp and Holiday Scheme Overnight Licence (modules 1-3)
• hold an equivalent Girlguiding UK residential qualification, provided the Commissioner is satisfied that the Leader’s residential experience and skills are up to date.

An Overnight Licence (modules 1-3) is not section-specific and is therefore valid for use with all sections.

The Event Coordinator does not necessarily have to be the licence holder.

If the licence-holder is not a Rainbow Leader, a Rainbow Leader should be involved in planning and be present at the event.

Training Opportunities: Camp and Holiday Scheme (order code 6478) is available from Girlguiding UK Trading Service via the online shop or your local shop or depot.

 

Learning and development opportunities

Click here to find out more about training and qualifications related to going away with guiding. 

 

Hints and tips/useful information

If the venue is not normally used for overnight accommodation (eg a church or school hall), the local police and fire service need to be informed that the sleepover is taking place.

*Bunk beds: The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents http://www.rospa.com/ recommends that no child under the age of six sleeps in the top bunk. If logistics require younger girls to sleep in top bunks it is advisable to seek parental permission for this. Some accommodation providers have their own age restrictions for the use of top bunks.

The publication Going away with guiding provides advice and information to help both new and more experienced Leaders to plan and run successful events. Order code 6045.

In this new multi-section resource Rainbow Leaders can now get tips and advice on programme, catering and health issues, as well as the elements required for gaining an Overnight Licence.

 

Page last updated: 5/8/2012