You’ll find in this section of the website information and guidance which will be useful for those running Woodcraft groups.
We know that many parents, volunteers and youth leaders are making enormous efforts to continue to support young people at this difficult time. Woodcraft Folk has a long history of empowering young people through informal education and continues to find new ways to do so during the pandemic.
To find Woodcraft Folk’s COVID19 guidance, updates and impact documents visit the Woodcraft Folk COVID-19 website.
UK Youth and the National Youth Agency have provided further sector support online.
Woodcraft Folk’s top priority is the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We are committed to following and developing best practice in how children and young people engage with youth work and each other online.
Policies, procedures and guidance
Those that are most relevant for those running groups online include:
- Our safeguarding policy
- Our Virtual Group, & Social Networking, Website, Mobile & Email Communication Guidance
- Video conferencing risk assessment
Further online safety advice for parents, volunteers, youth leaders and young people can be found at ThinkUKnow.
All Woodcraft Folk staff and volunteers have completed appropriate screening, including criminal record checking. If you are concerned about the practices or conduct of any Woodcraft Folk member please contact [email protected]
All Woodcraft Folk members are learning how to adapt programme from traditional face to face group night activities. The following webinars and guidance should help:
- Refresher webinar on meeting with groups online safely – Delivered Feb 2021
- Spring 2021 online programme ideas – a webinar delivered Feb 2021 with ideas and tips for running programme with young people online.
- Managing Bubbles webinar – September 2020 – a good chance to hear about what a bubble is and how groups can manage them.
- Creating a safe, inclusive and engaging online environment – a session from The Kite Trust (September 2020)
- Preparing to reopen webinar for groups looking at how we can safely reopen and when.
- Woodcraft Folk and Social Distancing webinar looking at how we can safely start to meet again and adhere to social distancing guidelines.
- Infection Control and Risk Assessment Webinar — 1st July. Talking about how we can control infection and risk assess our activities
- Staying safe online which explores best practice in co-ordinating online group programmes
- Choosing the right platform when working online compares video conference software and identifies issues to consider when choosing the right platform for your chosen activity. Where using Zoom we have created this guidance for leaders.
- Woodcraft Folk volunteers may find it useful to try GroopLIVE – a secure, fully encrypted, online platform for group meetings
- Virtual programme ideas from #DreamBigAtHome
Our fundraising hub contains all our information on fundraising locally for Woodcraft Folk during this time.
Whilst Covid-19 restrictions mean that many Woodcraft Folk groups and activities can still not take place, now is the time to plan future activities. Although we recognise that Covid-19 has hit communities differently and some groups are in geographical areas with a high R level. Each group will be supported to do what is right for their members and their community. Folk Office will continue to deliver remote and virtual programme through #DreamBigAthome.
As our groups begin to be able to meet physically again we have created some example session plans to help our groups. There are ideas for activities when meeting up and sticking to the guidelines set out in the Roadmap to reopening. These can be edited or slotted in with other plans. Other activity ideas that work well at a social distance to fit into your sessions can be found here.
We are all stars — Elfins & Pioneers (age 6–12)
Penny Hike Part One — Elfins & Pioneers (age 6–12)
Penny Hike Part Two — Elfins & Pioneers (age 6–12)
Around The World — All Ages
Zoom Pass The Tap — All Ages
Chalk workout — All Ages
Cooperative paper planes — All Ages
Flour Tig — Woodchips, Elfins & Pioneers (3–12)
As well as national activities that are on this site we have been really impressed by how wonderful our volunteers have been in delivering their own ‘local’ group nights online.
Below are some great examples of what people have been up to across the UK during lockdown some are activities and ideas to be slotted into sessions and some are powerpoint presentations with a full session plan: