Digital Services

St Helens district are able to offer our volunteers number of different digital resources that they can use within your groups they are listed below. To request any of the below please visit our service catalogue and fill out a request form this will then be sent to your line manager (eg GSL or DC) for approval.


We understand that many groups already operate their own website and email system (Office 365) but the district can still provide support and guidance to any group. Please just click on the service catalogue button above summit a help ticket.

Group/Unit Websites on the District Hosting Platform

Groups and units are able to use the District Hosting platform to host their website as part of the sthelensscouts.org.uk domain. For example https://22nd.sthelensscouts.org.uk

This can be ordered through the Service Catalogue: Click Here

The product information is below:

We have a standard set of plugins, and manage updates through our central management console, so you don’t have to worry about patching, and can concentrate on content.

Gold Build Plugins/Functionality

  • #SkillsForLife Theme (On Brand theme produced by MerseyWeaver Scouts)
  • CDN Enabler (to improve page load speed)
  • Office365 Single Sign On (to manage user access)
  • Broken Link Checker
  • Coming Soon
  • EU Cookie Law
  • Joining/general inquiry/volunteer Form
  • Generate Blocks
  • MainWP Child Site (to enable remote patching and management)
  • PostSMTP (to allow the site to send emails)
  • Wordfence (Security firewall)
  • Wired Impact Volunteer Management (help with recruitment)
  • Events Calendar
  • Updraft Plus (BackUp & Restore, configured to backup to District Azure Cloud storage)
  • Members – to manage additional roles
  • We require MainWP & Wordfence to be installed to ensure that security updates are applied regularly, and Office365 SSO to maintain access control lists.

Additional plugins can be installed at the Owners discretion, however they may be removed if a plugin is advised to have security issues. This is to protect the integrity of the platform.

Click Hear for More information

Office 365

Office 365 provides anywhere access to professional email, calendar, HD video conferencing, and more. Designed to help charities do more good, this fantastic suite of tools provides groups with access to Office Online and Microsoft’s best-in-class cloud-based productivity and collaboration software.

Full GDPR compliance & alignment with the scouts rules for email (https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/supporting-life-issues-and-young-people/digital-safeguarding/e-mails-and-text-messaging-guidance-for-leaders/)

  • a free email addresses firstname.lastname@sthelensscouts or where requested & enabled firstname.lastname@Group/Unit. sthelensscouts
  • Secure personalised business class email, calendar, and contacts with a 50 GB inbox  (Microsoft Exchange)
  • Personal File storage and sharing with 1 TB of OneDrive storage
  • Multiple Microsoft Teams where you can share file with multiple people in your group
  • Collaboration services to securely store & backup documents (SharePoint). Essential for succession planning.

Unlimited online meetings, instant messaging, audio, HD video, and web conferencing (Teams)
Find out More

Online Scout Manager(OSM)

Online Scout Manager (OSM) is a youth management system and platform for Scout Groups and Explorer Sections. As well as managing personal data it enables leaders to email parents, track badge progress, organise and publish a programme, track growth, manage event attendance, handle payments, claim gift aid, maintain and inventory of equipment and much more! Every Section in the district is provided with access to a ##### subscription for free.
Click Here to find out More