Please note our Cub and Scout sections are currently closed. We are in need of volunteers to join our Cubs & Scout Section Leadership Team, and volunteers to join our Trustee Board. Search our Volunteer Page to find out more.
Some of our sections use Online Scout Manager (OSM) to record member’s details, update badge records, plan our programme and process our payments. The benefit of this is that you can see what we see – and it keeps everything safely in one place, and up-to-date.
When you first join a section, you’ll be invited to the Parent Portal, this gives you access to:
The programme for the current term
Access to the child’s personal details
Access to the child’s badge records and progress made towards badges
The ability to process payments (we use GoCardless)
The ability to make a Gift Aid declaration (when requested via email
Logging in to OSM (Parent Portal)
Once you have registered with the Group you will be added to the OSM system and you should then receive an introductory email – if you haven’t had this please let a leader know. The introductory email will give you a direct link to the OSM ‘Parent Portal’ system.
You can also access the Parent Portal from any device connected to the internet. Simply click the Login button or visit https://www.onlinescoutmanager.co.uk/
If this is the first time you are logging in then you will need to Create an account using the email address you gave us when you registered your child. Click ‘Create an account’ and enter your name, e-mail and password and then click ‘Register and login’.
If you have more than one child in the group, use the same email address when creating the account will allow you to manage them all from one login. Each child will be presented in the list on the right hand side of the portal.
Using the Parent Portal
Here is a video showing how to access OSM (Parent Portal).
Areas in the Parent Portal
Noticeboard
Displays any notices by Leaders they want to make you aware of.
Payments
This page will show all current and future charges for subscriptions and events throughout the year. Clicking on to this screen will show you payments schedules which are currently setup on your account.
All payments are controlled by GoCardless which is a secure online system that handles the Direct Debit payments.
You can find out more about payments at https://www.1stmarkfieldscoutgroup.org.uk/subscriptions-and-fees/.
There are 2 ways to make the payments on the system;
Recurring Subscription
This will stay active for any future payments and is a great way to set up and not have to worry about the subs payments being paid on time. These payments will be taken automatically on the due date shown on each schedule. You can also chose to Pay Now where you can do an immediate payment. You will always be notified of any upcoming payments and given the opportunity to immediately cancel a payment with a direct link in the email.
One off Payment
Some payments will allow you to use the Pay Now feature where you can do an immediate payment. This still uses the same Direct Debit authorisation, but will only initiate a single payment. The next time a payment is due you can go back and press the Pay Now button again, the Direct Debit will still be active to complete the payment.
Cancellation
All of these Direct Debits can be manually cancelled at any time using the payments page or links on the payment notification emails. Any existing payment schedules are automatically cancelled by the system when your child leaves the section and/or the group.
Events
This screen will be empty unless you have an event planned for the current term. These will then be shown in a date ordered list showing the name of the event and the cost. A tick or cross will show on any which you have already decided to go on or not.
Clicking theses will then show you more details about the event which have been published by your Leaders, times, dates, location and cost are all shown at the top of the screen along with a list of attached documents which you may need. These might be consent forms to download and return, or maps or kit lists for the event. Below that you will find all the details about the event which have been shared.
The details about the event may sometimes be purely for information purposes, but generally if these are shown on OSM then we will try to enable booking and payment online as well. The attendance field at the top of the page will allow you to sign up for the event if it has been enabled, you may also be also to sign up for a waiting list if it is only available for a limited number of members – you will then be notified when a space becomes free.
Once you have notified us that you wish to attend, we can send out emails quickly and easily to those members on the list to update you about the event. If paying online is available, this will normally be done through the Camps & Trips schedule and you will be notified when this is due to be taken. You will then normally be reminded about the event a few days before.
Programme
The programme screen is where you can find all the latest updates about what is going on each week. Leaders will always update this section with changes as well as inform you by email so keep checking back each week. Programme details are no longer listed the website to enable you to get the very latest information.
Each planned meeting during the term is shown with its title, date, time and a description of what will be happening. The details will normally be updated with any specific instructions relating to the activities which are planned – different locations, times, clothing requirements etc will all be shown here for each week as required.
Below the information there are badges shown which relate to the areas of badge work that are going to be covered by that particular meeting, this gives a good indication of what they will be learning and whether you might have more badges to sew on at the end of the night! More information about badge work is shown in the next section below.
Parent Rota
Sometimes Leaders may need a few extra pairs of hands for certain meetings, hikes and outdoor activities etc. These are sometimes shown with an extra button which allows to sign up for the parent rota for that date – this is a great help to all the leaders as it gives them a reassurance that parents will be available to help in advance so the meeting can go ahead.
Calendar Feed
At the top of the screen you will find a very useful feature which can revolutionise your diary! By clicking on the calendar feed button you can add the programme into your calendar automatically – this will then sync all meeting details for your child as long as they are on the system. Meeting names, times and all information will be shown for every meeting and updated at regular intervals to make sure you always the latest information. A similar option is also available on the events screen.
Badges
The badge screen is a fantastic way of keeping track of what your child is achieving at Scouts. Each badge which is being worked on my the section is shown here, the amount of the badge which is highlighted shows what has already been completed. By clicking on the badge image it shows all the requirements for each badge and what has been completed already.
By keeping up with this information you can find out about the work we do at Scouts.
If you are wondering where these badges should be displayed, then the Uniform tab at the top of the badge screen will give you all the details.
Personal details
This screen allow you to update contact details for yourself and your child. We would ask you to try and always keep this up to date so we can always get hold of the correct people if necessary. Please ensure you always have at least two separate contacts listed along with mobile numbers so we can get in touch with someone in the event of an emergency.
The email addresses are used by the system to send out notification about activities and payments, as well as messages from Leaders so it is very important we try and keep these as accurate as possible. When you first login you will probably find there are only your name, email and phone filled in – this is normally the information we get when your child is added to the waiting list, so please go through and add all contact details for parents, emergency contacts and medical details which you think would be useful for your Leaders to access.
Emails
The emails menu will show you a list of all the messages you have received via OSM for the last 3 months, great for catching up on lost messages about upcoming events and meetings!;
Gift Aid
This option will allow you to update your declaration online, even if you have filled in these details on the paperwork when joining we would be grateful if you could do this via OSM.
Gift Aid has enabled us to claim back a significant amount of money which helps greatly with funding the Groups activitives and equipment. By completing this online it simplifies the administration of claiming these funds for those volunteers involved. From time to time we may send out reminders to ask for this to be completed.
Access
The final part of the main menu allows you to see who can access these screens for your child. This is normally restricted to the contact email addresses shown on your personal details pages, but if anything seems to be incorrect then please contact us for help.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How secure is making payments through Online Scout Manager?
When you make a payment through the Parent Portal, your payment details are processed securely by GoCardless who are registered with the FSA and sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland. All payments through the Parent Portal are protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee meaning that your money is protected by law at all times.
How do I download the programme to my calendar?
The Parent Portal allows you to link the Programme and Events to your Google Calendar or iCal. This automatically places these events on your calendar. You will see in the Programme and Events a button “Get programme calendar feed” and “Get events calendar feed”, click these to get the link.
How do I add the Calendar to Google
You can add your calendar feeds to Google Calendars by opening up your Google Calendar in a web-browser (it cannot be done via the mobile app).
Currently, about half-way down the page, you may see “Other Calendars” where you can add a friend or co-worker’s calendar – use this option to paste in the URL.
If you cannot see this, go to the calendar settings and find “Browse interesting calendars” and paste the URL into the “Add by URL” option.
How do I add the Calendar to Apple Ical
You can add your calendar feeds to Apple Ical by opening up your Apple Calendar in a web-browser (it cannot be done via the mobile app).