Girlguiding UK

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Scout organization

Organizational data
Name	Girlguiding UK
Headquarters	London
Country	U.K.
Founded	1910
Founder	Robert Baden-Powell; Agnes Baden-Powell
Membership	540000
Headed by	Liz Burnley (Chief Guide); Sophie, The Countess of Wessex (President); Queen Elizabeth II (Patron)
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Girlguiding UK is the national Guiding organisation of the United Kingdom. Guiding began in the UK in 1910 after Robert Baden-Powell asked his sister Agnes to start a group especially for girls that would be run along similar lines to Scouting for Boys. The Guide Association was a founder member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) in 1928. Today the Association has more than 600,000 members and continues to be the largest female only youth organisation in the UK.

The Girl Guides in the UK are officially "The Guide Association" and go under the operating name of "Girlguiding UK". Although Scout units in the UK, formerly boys only, can now accept girls (new units must be open to both sexes; units established before being open to girls retain the right to choose whether or not to accept girls), this has not affected the numbers of girls joining Girlguiding UK. At present one out of every three eight-year-old girls in the UK are Brownies and 50% of UK women have been involved with Guiding at some point in their lives.

Girlguiding UK is a charitable organisation and adult leaders are not paid for their time.

1 History
2 Programme
3 Uniform
4 Promises
5 Administrative Structure in the UK
6 Girlguiding UK outside of the United Kingdom
7 See also
8 References
9 External links

[edit] History

The "classic" Guide Uniform, from the 1950s

Following the creation of Robert Baden-Powell's Boy Scout movement and their first rally, at the Crystal Palace, it became apparent that many girls wanted to join the movement. In response Baden-Powell formed the Girl Guides in 1910, and asked his sister Agnes to look after the new organisation. A few years later his new wife Olave became involved and, in 1918, was appointed Chief Guide.^[1]

[edit] Programme

Girls are organised into sections by age. These are Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and the Senior Section.

[edit] Rainbow Guides

Rainbow Guides or Rainbows are aged from 5 to 7 year old, except in Northern Ireland where girls can join from age 4. Activities are organised around work the four areas of the Rainbow Jigsaw - Look, Learn, Love and Laugh. Each girl makes a promise on joining a Rainbow Guide Unit and must be able to understand and want to make this promise.

[edit] Brownie Guides

Brownie Guides or Brownies are from 7 to 10 year old. Brownies work from the Brownie Adventure which is divided into three areas: You, Community and World. Brownies can also work towards interest badges covering a variety of subjects. Brownies units are are called Packs. Packs are divided into Sixes, small groups of girls who work together. Sixes are traditionally named after fairies. The adult leader is often called Brown Owl. These two elements are taken from the Brownie Story, in which two children visit the Brown Owl in the wood to learn how they can avoid doing the housework.

[edit] Guides

Guides are 10 to 14 year olds. Guides work from the 5 Zones: Healthy Lifestyles, Global Awareness, Skills and Relationships, Celebrating diversity, Discovery. Guides can choose to work on Challenge Badges, Go For Its, Interest badges and the Baden-Powell Challenge which is the highest award that a Guide can gain.

[edit] Senior Section

For girls between 14 and 26 years old, there are a variety of schemes and groups to chose from.

Young Leaders work with Rainbows, Brownies or Guides. They can work towards Making It Count or the Adult Leadership scheme as well as other Senior Section opportunities.
Guiders (18+) work with Rainbows, Brownies or Guides in a leadership role and are working on/have completed the Adult Leadership Scheme.
Rangers meet together to plan and carry out activities, they may work towards any opportunities available to Senior Section members.
Member of a Look Wider group: a Senior Section member who has chosen to focus on the Look Wider scheme.
Duke of Edinburgh's Award Participant: a Senior Section member who has chosen to focus on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Lone Senior Section member: a Senior Section member who is working on part of the Senior Section programme, but is not part of a unit.
In4mer: anyone who has undergone the 4ward, 4 self, 4 others peer education training
Guide member of SSAGO: For Senior Section members who are studying at university or college.
Female member of LINK
Appointment Holder
Trefoil Guild Member

[edit] Senior Section Awards and Qualifications

Making it Count (leadership)
Chief Guide’s Challenge
Commonwealth Award
Queen's Guide Award
Residential permits
Adult Leadership Qualification
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

[edit] Uniform

Girl guides wear practical clothing, originally designed by Baden-Powell and his sister. With an overall blue colour, this has developed over the years into a modern uniform.

Current Rainbow uniform

Current Brownie uniform

Current Guide uniform

Current Senior Section uniform

[edit] Promises

All members of the guide association make a promise upon joining, the current promises for each section are given below:

Rainbows:

I promise that I will do my best

to love my god

and to be kind and helpful.

Brownies:

I promise that I will do my best

to love my god

to serve the queen and my country

to help other people

and to keep the brownie guide law.

Guides, Senior Section and leaders:

I promise that I will do my best

to love my god

to serve the queen and my country

to help other people

and to keep the guide law.

In addition members of the Senior Section promise

To be of service to the community

[edit] Administrative Structure in the UK

For effective administration of Girlguiding UK, the UK is split into smaller areas. At the top level there are nine Countries and Regions. These are:

Girlguiding Scotland
Girlguiding Ulster
Girlguiding Cymru

and

Girlguiding Anglia
Girlguiding London and South East England
Girlguiding Midlands
Girlguiding North East England
Girlguiding North West England
Girlguiding South West England

Countries and Regions are then split into Counties. These in turn comprise of Divisions. Divisions are split into Districts. In areas with few members, County, Division or District level may be omitted because effective communication occurs without it. Each area is lead by a Commissioner.

[edit] Girlguiding UK outside of the United Kingdom

Girlguiding UK is also active outside the British Isles. In nine British overseas territories, there are branch associations with slightly different Guiding programmes adapted to the local conditions. Most of the branch associations use different uniforms or lighter textiles.

Branch Associations are active in

Girlguiding BGIFC (British Guides in Foreign Countries) offers the programme of Girlguiding UK to British citizens outside the UK. It is mainly active in Europe and Asia and serves about 220 units of all age ranges. Most of the units are related to military bases, diplomatic missions or British schools.