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| − | From [http://www.yhwscouts.ca/area/docs/201314/Scouts_Canada_Transportation_Policy_FAQ.pdf SCOUTS CANADA’S TRANSPORTATION POLICY, FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS], posted by Ilan Yampolsky, Director of Child and Youth
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| − | Safety on 14 August 2013
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| − | [[File:E036_transit.png|right]]
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| − | '''Q. Are Scouts Canada volunteers permitted to drive, or otherwise provide transportation to, Scouting youth to and from Scout meetings or activities?'''
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| − | A. No, Scouts Canada does not permit its volunteers to transport Scouting youth because our
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| − | programming, and thus our insurance coverage, contemplates only the activities we conduct and
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| − | not the transportation to and from such meetings and activities. As such, transportation is generally
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| − | not a part of the Scout meeting or activity. It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians of
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| − | Scouting youth, and not Scout volunteers, to ensure that the Scouting youth can safely get to and
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| − | from the Scout meeting or activity.
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| − | '''Q. May I transport youth outside of my capacity as a Scouts Canada volunteer, such as when I transport my own child’s friends or I assist parents who otherwise cannot transport their children to Scout meetings or activities?'''
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| − | A. Because transportation is not part of the Scout meeting or activity, if volunteers decide to
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| − | transport youth, they do so at your own risk. In such a situation, the Scout volunteer must let the
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| − | parents and the youth know that the transportation is not part of the Scouting event and that the
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| − | volunteer is personally responsible for safety and insurance. Additionally, because the driver would
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| − | not be acting in his or her capacity as a Scouts Canada volunteer, he or she should not wear the
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| − | Scout uniform during this transportation and should instead put it on upon arrival at the meeting or
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| − | activity. Although such transportation does not fall within the purview of Scouts Canada’s rules, it is
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| − | strongly recommended that those who drive Scouting youth adhere to the Code of Conduct and
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| − | Two-Leader Rule during transportation.
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| − | '''Q. As a parent, what should I be aware of when a Scout volunteer drives my child?'''
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| − | A. Generally, transportation to and from Scout meetings and activities is not part of the Scout
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| − | program itself; rather, it is the responsibility of parents to ensure that their children get to and
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| − | leave from the meeting or activity safely. If a Scout volunteer drives your child, you should
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| − | understand that
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| − | * the volunteer is doing so outside of the purview of Scouts Canada programming, and thus outside the insurance coverage and safety regulations of Scouts Canada;
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| − | * the volunteer is personally responsible for the safety and insurance coverage of his or her passengers;
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| − | * although the volunteer is not required to comply with Scouts Canada safety regulations during this non-Scouting matter, it is highly recommended that another adult accompany the child as a matter of best safety practices.
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| − | '''Q. May a volunteer rent a vehicle to transport youth?'''
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| − | A. Again, because transportation is not part of the Scout meeting or activity, if a volunteer
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| − | decides to transport youth, the volunteer does so at his or her own risk. Renting a vehicle is
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| − | strongly discouraged. Anyone who rents a vehicle to transport youth does so entirely at his or her
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| − | own personal and financial risk. As stated within this document, such transportation must not be
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| − | associated with Scouts Canada, and all youth and their parents must be aware that the
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| − | transportation is not part of the Scouting event. “Scouts Canada” must not be named or appear on
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| − | the rental agreement.
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| − | '''Q. May Scout Groups purchase a vehicle, such as a bus, to transport youth?'''
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| − | A. No. Scouts Canada insurance does not cover transportation or vehicles, and we are not
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| − | responsible for vehicle maintenance and driver training and certification. Volunteers who purchase
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| − | vehicles for use to transport Scouting youth do so at their own personal risk. It is highly
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| − | recommended to hire transportation services from a charter company when needed instead.
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| − | '''Q. Are Scouting youth who have valid driver’s licences permitted to drive fellow youth members?'''
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| − | A. As discussed in this document, because transportation is not part of the Scout meeting or
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| − | activity, if Scouting youth decide to transport other youth, they do so at their own risk. They must
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| − | let the other youth and their parents know that the transport is not part of the Scouting event and
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| − | that they, or their parents, are personally responsible for safety and insurance.
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| − | '''Q. What kind of transportation is meant to be encompassed by this transportation policy? Does this rule include driving to remote trailheads? Does it include sharing a canoe with Scouting youth?'''
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| − | A. Generally, Scouts Canada’s transportation policy prohibits our volunteers from transporting
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| − | youth when that transportation requires (1) some sort of licence or certification to operate the
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| − | method of transportation or (2) insurance to operate the method of transportation. Thus, a
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| − | volunteer generally may not transport youth in a car because the volunteer must carry a driver’s
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| − | licence and be insured to drive, and Scouts Canada’s insurance does not cover the volunteer’s
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| − | driving regardless of how remote a trailhead is. If a volunteer decides to transport youth in such a
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| − | circumstance, he or she must do so pursuant to the guidelines in this document. In contrast,
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| − | because a canoe does not require a licence to operate nor does it require insurance, sharing a canoe
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| − | with youth is not prohibited under the transportation policy. Similarly, typical non-motorized
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| − | outdoor activities in which Scouting youth partake generally do not fall under the transportation
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| − | policy. Note that for other forms of transport such as canoes or bicycles, at least two volunteers
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| − | should keep the group within sight and earshot to comply with the two-leader rule.
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| − | '''Q. If Scout volunteers cannot drive youth members, how can we run activities, such as bottle drives and Apple Day, where driving seems to be an inherent part of the activity?'''
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| − | A. Transportation is not part of the Scout meeting or activity, so if volunteers decide to
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| − | transport youth, they do so at their own risk. It is the responsibility of the parents of Scouting youth,
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| − | and not Scout volunteers, to ensure that the Scouting youth can safely get to and from the Scout
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| − | meeting or activity. Therefore, it is suggested that Scout volunteers enlist the assistance of parents
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| − | to transport their youth and for parents to make arrangements among themselves to transport each
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| − | other’s children. For example, parents can drive the youth (and Scout volunteers) to and from an
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| − | Apple Day location and, if needed, ferry them from location to location. Alternatively, Scout
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| − | volunteers who decide to drive the youth can explain to parents and youth that such transportation
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| − | does not fall within the purview of Scouts Canada programming and insurance, as outlined
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| − | elsewhere in this document. Regardless of who is driving, as a matter of best practice, it is strongly
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| − | encouraged that all adults in such a situation adhere to the two-leader rule and Code of Conduct
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| − | despite the fact that transportation is not part of the program.
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| − | '''Q. What are the rules when transportation has been arranged with a third-party, such as a bus company or an airline?'''
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| − | A. When transportation has been arranged with a third-party as part of a Scouting activity,
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| − | that transportation is part of the Scouting activity and all Scouts Canada rules apply; in particular,
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| − | volunteers should ensure that they comply with the Two-Leader Rule and Code of Conduct. Because
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| − | third-party carriers are in the business of transportation, they are responsible for their own safety
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| − | procedures and insurance. For long distance transportation, charter services should be hired in
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| − | accordance with BP&P section 19002.
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| − | '''Q. Do third-party transportation carriers’ employees need to comply with Scouts Canada screening policies?'''
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| − | A. Any adult non-members who are in a position of trust, or otherwise undertakes leadership
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| − | responsibilities over Scouting youth, must comply by our screening policy. Thus, a bus driver or
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| − | airplane attendant who has only incidental interaction with our youth during transportation would
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| − | not need to comply with the screening policy. In contrast, a kayak guide who instructs Scouting
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| − | youth would need to comply with the screening policy: for example, a day guide would need to sign
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| − | our Code of Conduct, and an overnight guide would require a signed Code of Conduct, a clean PRC
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| − | and VSS, and completed CYS training. See [http://www.scouts.ca/cys/SC-CYS-VolunteerScreeningPolicy-eng.pdf Scouts Canada’s screening policy] for more information about
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| − | screening and supervision of non-member adults.
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| − | '''Q. Where can I get more information about Scouts Canada’s transportation policy?'''
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| − | A. Scouts Canada’s transportation policy can be found at BP&P sec. 10004, and our Duty of
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| − | Care is outlined in BP&P sec. 7000. If you have additional questions, would like to seek clarification
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| − | regarding whether a particular form of transportation falls under this policy, or would like to learn
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| − | more about our insurance coverage, please contact your [[Area Support Manager]].
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