What's New

In this section you will find all the latest news, updates and information from the RYA Safeguarding Team

The RYA Safeguarding Team aims to provide the most up to date news, guidance and support to all of our clubs and centres. You will find links to all of the newsletters, a diary of upcoming events, training opportunities and updates from our many partners.

March 2022

Meet the Safeguarding Team Q&A Sessions for England CWO's:

7th March - 6.30-8

11th March - 6.30-8

18th March - 6.30-8

23rd March 6.30-8

29th March - 6.30-8

To register for one of the sessions, please click here.

June 2022

2nd & 3rd

The Queens Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday Weekend

The Safeguarding Team will be out of the office for the long weekend. As always, if you have an urgent enquiry that cannot wait untill after the weekend, please call / text/WhatsApp the emergency line on 07384 546489.

Disclosure Coordinator & Club Welfare Officer Facebook Groups

The RYA have recently launched the first RYA Facebook Support Groups. The purpose of these groups is to provide a platform volunteers to share best practice, ask questions and seek support from the RYA Safeguarding Team. You can request to join these groups below:

Disclosure Coordinator Closed Facebook Support Group

Club Welfare Officer Closed Facebook Support Group

Updates to the PVG Process

Some of you may know that Volunteer Scotland Disclosure Service has been working with Disclosure Scotland to launch the new Online PVG Application Service.

This new service replaces the Digital Routine Application Process that you have all been using since March 2020 as a temporary solution while VS staff worked from home . While the process has served its purpose it was never meant to be a long term solution.

A new guidance pack has been created to support you with the new system and can be obtained by contacting the safeguarding team on disclosure@rya.org.uk.

8 Steps to Using the Online PVG Application Process

Organisation recruits applicant (Paid or Voluntary, Routine or Covid-19).
Organisation downloads and completes the Online Application Request form and returns via email to disclosure@rya.org.uk with the email subject heading 'Online Application(s)' Visit the page and download here
RYA send the form to VSDS who input data provided by organisation to Disclosure Scotland’s PVG Online Application Portal
Disclosure Scotland's automatically generated link will be sent to applicant.* Applicant will have 7 days to complete this link
Applicant completes personal information via email link. Applicant information submitted directly to Disclosure Scotland
Disclosure checks undertaken by Disclosure Scotland
Certificate issued to VSDS and the applicant
VSDS issue certificate to organisation.

*It is important to note that applicants will require a personal email or personal work email address to complete this process. Paper Application forms will still be available if an applicant does not have an email address, however this will slow the process.

Benefits of the new Online PVG Application Service:

Quicker application process: This new process will cut down admin time for the organisation and the applicant. The simple online form process eliminates the need for downloads, word documents etc.
Quicker turnaround time: The online service will minimise the timeline from start to finish of the PVG process i.e. you will receive your certificate much quicker than before!

Support available from Volunteer Scotland:

Volunteer Scotland Disclosure Services have several support options for you to ensure you fully understand the new process.

Live Chat: You can access this from our main disclosures section 9-5 Monday to Friday
Virtual Drop in Session: These sessions give you the opportunity to ask any PVG related questions you might have at this time, including questions on this new application process. These sessions take place every Thursday from 11.30am - 12.30pm on Zoom. Find out more and join here.