Why we have this policy

Just as an adult in Scouting would never be alone in a room with a young person, we ensure no adult is ever alone in a "digital room" (such as a private message or email thread). This provides transparency and prevents any risk of one-to-one contact.

1. Approved Channels

We only use platforms that are consistent with our values and allow for robust adult oversight.

2. Management & The "Digital Buddy" System

• Two-Admin Minimum: Every account is managed by at least two registered Scout volunteers.
• Continuous Oversight: If one admin is temporarily unavailable, a backup admin is assigned to ensure the "two-adult" oversight is never broken.
• Message Transparency: If an admin receives a private message from a youth member, they immediately loop in or notify the second admin. No conversation remains private between one adult and one youth member.

3. Protecting Boundaries & Privacy

To respect the private digital lives of our members and maintain clear operational boundaries, we follow these guidelines:

• No Following Private Accounts: Our official channels will never request to follow a private personal account. Our channels are a hub for news, not an intrusion into an Explorer's private social sphere.
• No Tagging of Minors: We celebrate successes, but we will never tag a young person’s personal handle or profile in our posts or stories.
• Personal Account Interactions: Adult leaders do not accept "Friend" or "Follow" requests from under-18 members on their personal personal accounts. This boundary remains in place until the individual turns 18.

4. Email Communication

If a leader needs to email an individual young person directly (or vice-versa):

• The response will always carbon copy (CC) a parent/carer or a second adult leader.
• We explicitly encourage our Explorers to CC their parents into any digital correspondence they initiate with leadership.