portsmouthscouts.org.uk IDs

user.name@portsmouthscouts.org.uk

Description

Every volunteer may request a @portsmouthscouts.org.uk account and email address. This is your primary Portsmouth Scouts digital identity.

Your @portsmouthscouts ID should be used for Scouts business and official communications with members, parents (or carers), district, TSA etc.

Used for

Scouts email (hosted by Google Mail)
Google Workspace apps (including Drive, Docs, Sheets, Forms and Sites)

You are assigned an email address that is tied to a Google Workspace account . In turn this grants access to the digital services (including Google Mail) provided by Portsmouth Scouts. You will sign into Google Mail using this ID / email address.

Request an account

To request a new Volunteer account an existing Scouts volunteer must request one from admin@portsmouthscouts.org.uk

Once approved, a welcome email will be sent to the email address you provided on the form.

The Welcome email will be FROM: workspace-noreply@google.com
The Welcome email subject line will be: 'You have a new Google account for Portsmouth Scouts'

Welcome emails may be put into the SPAM for JUNK MAIL folder. Remember to search these folders if you can not locate the email.

If you do not receive a welcome email, try the following steps:

Ask your GSL to confirm your Scout number (Compass number)..
Use your personal email address to contact help@portsmouthscouts.org.uk and request assistance.

First login

To set up your Volunteer email for first time use:

Confirm you have received the Welcome email from Google Workspace (see above).
Open the email and locate your account username, this is your volunteer email address. It will be in the format firstname.surname@portsmouthscouts.org.uk
Click the Sign in button.
Review and accept the information about the use of Google Services.
Enter a new password in the upper field, re-enter your new password in the lower field, then click Change Password. Note: When you update your password, create a strong password to protect Scouting, our members and yourself.
Go to support.google.com/accounts/answer/32040 for tips on choosing a strong password which is memorable to you but nearly impossible for someone else to guess.
You should be taken to the Google Workspace Dashboard for Portsmouth Scouts. You may want to bookmark the page: workspace.google.com/dashboard

Avoid sharing an account among users

Each @portsmouthscouts.org.uk volunteer email is a unique Google Workspace account.

Google Workspace accounts are intended for use by one person. If multiple people frequently access the same Google Workspace account (ie email or Drive) by sharing the username and password, it could cause the following problems:

Data may be inadvertently shared, lost or otherwise compromised - creating a safeguarding concern
They might see a security challenge or question that can not be bypassed
The account might be locked / blocked

To let multiple people manage messages using a single address, administrators can configure a Collaborative Inbox. This is a Group where members with the correct permissions can assign and manage conversations together. Members can use their own account to view, search, send, and reply to messages using the group's email address, instead of their own address.

Contact admin@portsmouthscouts.org.uk to request an email alias or collaborative inbox.

A word about "role email" addresses

nth.gsk@portsmouthscouts.org.uk | 3rd.badges@portsmouthscouts.org.uk | districtyouradvisor@portsmouthscouts.org.uk etc

Histroically, accounts were created for a role, not a person - ie 99th.gsl@ or districtcommissioner@.

To improve safeguarding and data security, existing role email accounts are being migrated to Volunteer email accounts or deleted. No new role email accounts will be created.

Alternatives:

email alias for an existing volunteer account. ie user jane.smith@portsmouthscouts.org.uk is GSL at 99th Portsmouth. An email alias 99th.gsl@portsmouthscouts.org.uk can be added to her Volunteer account, allowing Jane to receive (and send) emails using the 99th.gsl email address from her own Volunteer account.
collaborative inbox - special type of Group where Volunteers with the correct permissions can assign and manage conversations together. Volunteers can use their own account to view, search, send, and reply to messages using the group's email address, instead of their own address.

Role emails are great when you want a generic email address that doesn't directly reveal your name. Role emails can be untied and tied to different Volunteer accounts as needed (they can not be tied to more than one Volunteer ID at a time). This is helpful when volunteers change role, but the Role email will persist.

A personal email address should not be used to conduct Scouts business or communications.

gsl@3rd.portsmouth.com | 3rd.portsmouth@scouts.com | john.smith@hotmail.com

Using personal email addresses creates a safeguarding concern where any individual could create the false impression of speaking on behalf of a Leader, a Section, a Group or Scouting. Because only the email address creator has administrative control, there is no mechanism for the Group Executive or District to regain access to Scout information, in the rare instance it should be necessary.

Find out more about why Personal IDs should not be used ⧉

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