Contact: new.staff@fsc.org.uk
If you are over eighteen and you think FSC sounds like your sort of organisation, do give us a try. We can’t offer much in the way of money, just reasonable travel expenses, but the good company of like-minded adults of all ages keeps many people coming back year after year.
Some of our best staff are recruited by children returning from camp and urging their parents to join in the fun. We provide training in practical camping skills and also make sure that each camp has a balance of new and experienced staff so that each person can continue ‘learning by doing’.
If you enjoy the open air, the company of children and being part of a community, there’s information below on the process of training to be a member of FSC staff. Practical training is carried out over a weekend of camping. Parents often have much needed experience in childcare, younger staff may have more energy for boisterous games and activities. Whether you’re zany and imaginative or dull and dependable, we need your talents.
All would-be staff have to attend a training weekend and be approved by the FSC staff who facilitate the training. The purpose of the training weekend is to take you through the role of an FSC staff member, give you a proper taste of FSC life and philosophy, and a feel of whether FSC is right for you.
Training lasts for two or three days (generally over a bank holiday), and takes place as a separate activity on regular camps which are held in Easter, early May and during Whitsun.
Before being offered a space on a training weekend, we require that trainees have completed an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check through FSC, standard procedure for anyone working with children or vulnerable adults.
How to apply
Before you can apply to train you MUST complete two things:
- A Disclosure & Barring Service (previously known as CRB) check. Details of how to get a DBS check completed for FSC in the DBS section. Please note that you must get a DBS check with FSC. Even if you have a valid, active DBS check with another organisation, we still need you to apply for a new DBS check with FSC.
- Provide two references with the referees’ contact details. References need to be from two unrelated professionals (e.g., employers, tutors), who can vouch for your suitability to work with children or young people. Only one reference can be provided by an FSC staff member. References should be emailed to new.staff@fsc.org.uk. We will verify references to check they are genuine.
- You will need to send references and apply for DBS check by 31st January (and we advise you to start the process by November). When these are confirmed, you will be able to apply to train on a camp
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring my children with me to the training weekend?
Unfortunately, it’s not possible for trainees to bring children of any age with them to training, and it is not possible to allocate child places on camp to the children of trainees.
Do I need any specific qualifications to staff with FSC?
No, we don’t have any experience requirements for our staff. However, we ask for two written character references (from employers or college tutors, for example) who can vouch for your aptitude for responsible childcare. You need to complete the DBS check successfully and the training weekend to the satisfaction of those training you.
Do I have to wait until I have completed my training before applying to staff on camp?
You cannot apply online until you have completed the training weekend to the satisfaction of those training you, however you can register an interest in staffing before then. We can then take your interest into consideration when allocating staff to camps.
Will successful training guarantee me a staffing place on camp in the year I train?
Unfortunately not. Allocating staff to each of our camps is a long and carefully run process which seeks to get the right balance of experience and skills while accommodating camp and children’s group preferences. That said, many of our new staff members who apply for camp in the year they train are successfully allocated.
Can my training lapse?
When you have completed training you will need to staff within 18 months to be a full member of FSC staff. If you’re not able to staff within 18 months of the training weekend, you will need to attend another weekend. Your DBS check will still be valid so you won’t have to complete that process again.
If I am successful in my training and become a member of FSC staff, do my children get priority in their application to attend future camps?
In a word, no; this is not a reason to train to staff. FSC camps are very popular, and we have long waiting lists of children keen to join us. While we are keen for new staff to join us to run camps, we do not feel that a policy of priority for staff children applying for camp brings the right balance to camps. For active FSC staff (those who have staffed already in past 10 years), we are able to place some children with priority when a parent is staffing in the same period – we recognise that it is otherwise very difficult for these existing staff to continue staffing. This is balanced against overall camping numbers, including making sure we also prioritise children with inclusion & high support needs. Shorter camps (<2 weeks) are especially popular with staff families, and we often cannot accommodate all staff children who apply for these camps.
Once you are active staff, we are more likely to be able to find a camp place for your child if you apply to separate camps. If your child independently gets a camping place in the year you staff for the first time, we strongly advise that you attend separate camps.
Where and when will training camps be?
Training camps are likely to all be held in southern England. They take place at Easter weekend, May day weekend and Whitsun bank holiday weekend.
Who will be running the training camps?
Training camps run as a specific activity on regular programmed camps. You will be with a small group of trainees, up to a maximum of 8, camping together as a group, in the same field as the children attending the camp, who themselves will be in different groups according to their age.
The trainee group is led by two experienced FSC staff, who will plan and run a series of training sessions, involving discussion and practical activity.
There can be opportunities for trainees to join in with various activities which are a normal part of camp life, with the trainee group integrating as far as possible with the camp.
Where can I get more information about FSC?
If you haven’t already, take a look at this website for some more general information about FSC in About FSC
Further queries and questions
Please email new.staff@fsc.org.uk