faqs
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Q – How old do I have to be to work for Acorn?
All applicants need to be at least 18 years old and for all senior positions, applicants must be 21 years old. Our staff age range is 18 – 65 years old.
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Q – How long is the season?
Our main season runs from early April - late August. We aim for the majority of our senior staff to start in April and have staggered start dates available throughout the season for the rest of the team. We can be fairly flexible with working around things such as winter jobs and university but generally require staff to be available for a minimum of 2 months.
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Q – When should I apply?
We begin recruiting in October and with our main operating season running from April - end of August. We advise applying between November-January, for the best chance of securing a position, however, we continue recruiting throughout our season and will accept applications up until July.
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Q - What's the recruitment process?
Email your CV and covering letter to jobs@acornadventure.co.uk and you'll receive a reply to confirm it has been received. If your application has been successful, you'll receive an email inviting you for an interview. If you are successful at your interview we will send you a formal job offer letter and we will later send you a contract pack with all the necessary paperwork - staff handbook, kit list and DBS paperwork.
Q – Do I need any qualifications?
At Acorn it doesn’t always matter if you don’t have any qualifications. What matters is that you are passionate about providing young people with an enriching, fun and safe experience in the outdoors. We offer our staff the opportunity to gain qualifications at our pre-season training in mid-March and end of season training in October. Some positions require managers and instructors to hold outdoor activity NGB qualifications, such as: BC UKCC1/UKCC2/Paddlesport Instructor, SPA/RCI, GNAS/Archery GB, BFA/Go Fencing.
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Q – Do I need a DBS check?
Everyone that works for Acorn is required to have a DBS Check. This check costs £40, we will send out a DBS application form in each member of staff's contract pack and will process this for you. You will then be required to send a copy of your DBS via email or post to Head Office when it arrives at your registered address. If your DBS arrives whilst you are on centre your family/friends will need to forward it on to us for you. If you have recently had an Enhanced DBS completed then we may be able to use that for the season; please get in touch with the Recruitment Team for more information on this.
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Q – How will I get to my centre?
If you have been contracted to a UK centre then you are required to make your own way there. If you need to use public transport to get to your centre, then we can arrange for you to be picked up from the local train/bus/coach station. If you have been contracted to a centre abroad then you are required to make your way to a UK port or airport and we will arrange your transport to the centre from there.
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Q – How much will I get paid?
Our staff are paid in accordance with the National Minimum/Living Wage guidelines. Food and accommodation are available on site along with an optional service package. All wages are paid monthly into your bank account. For more information about wages and packages please contact the Recruitment Team.
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Q – What uniform do I need?
We provide the top half of uniform for you consisting of 3 t-shirts, a hoody and a waterproof jacket. The bottom half needs to be plain, dark trousers or shorts.
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Q – What type of accommodation will I stay in? Can I choose who I live with?
Camping is at the heart of Acorn Adventure’s mission statement. At Acorn we don't like to create a divide between staff and guests and as such we offer all our staff a full-board package option to camp on centre. Camping accommodation includes: a raised bed and mattress, hard flooring and electricity. The accommodation arrangements are 2 members of staff per tent, however, senior members of staff will usually have their own tent. At our Spanish centre staff accommodation is cabin dormitories. At Acorn you may be able to choose who you want to live with for the summer.