United Kingdom

Promise:

Guide Promise

Adults, Senior Section members and Guides work towards making, or reaffirm the follwing promise:

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.

Senior Section members also have a further responsibility to be of service to the community.

Brownie Guide Promise

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.

Rainbow Guide Promise

I will do my best:
To love God, and
Be kind and helpful.

Wording of the Promise

Members who are of foreign nationality and who are temporarily or permanently resident in the United Kingdom, may make the Promise in the following way:

I promise that I will do my best:
To love my God,
To serve the country in which I live,
To help other people, and
To keep the [Brownie] Guide Law.

Where, in a religion, God has a name that is more commonly used, that name may be substituted in order to make the Promise more meaningful to each girl and woman. 

Law:

Guide Law

1 A Guide is honest, reliable and can be trusted.

2 A Guide is helpful and uses her time and abilities wisely.

3 A Guide faces challenge and learns from her experiences.

4 A Guide is a good friend and a sister to all Guides.

5 A Guide is polite and considerate.

6 A Guide respects all living things and takes care of the world around her.

 The Brownie Guide Law

A Brownie Guide thinks of others before herself and does a good turn every day.

The Rainbow Section does not have a Law.

Motto:

Guide Motto - Be Prepared

Brownie Guide Motto - Lend a Hand

Age groups:

Senior Section 14-25

Guide 10+

Brownie Guide 7+

Rainbow Guide 5+

Development of the movement:

Girlguiding UK* was officially recognized in 1910 and now has four sections – Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and the Senior Section. Girlguiding UK has members in the six regions of England and in the countries of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It also has British members in more than 40 countries overseas, and represents a number of Branch Associations throughout the world. The Association is privileged to have HM The Queen as Patron.

* Operating name from 2002

Mission and Vision Statements

Girlguiding UK, as part of a worldwide Movement, enables girls and young women to fulfil their potential and to take an active and responsible role in society through its distinctive, stimulating and enjoyable programme of activities delivered by trained volunteer leaders.

Girlguiding UK’s Vision is to be recognized as the leading organization for girls and young women and to widen and increase its membership.

Programme:

Each girl takes part in a programme designed to support her personal development in the key areas identified in the WAGGGS Educational Guidelines and the Association’s Educational Framework. Girls are encouraged to live by the values contained in the Promise, to make a contribution to the community in which they live, and to gain an understanding and appreciation of the wider world. In all sections girls are encouraged to take a full part in the planning of their own programme, contributing ideas in a way which is appropriate to their age group.

In the past three years new programmes and resources and have been introduced in the Guide and Senior Sections. The new Brownie Programme will be introduced in 2003 followed by a new Rainbow programme in 2004. All the Section programmes are now being reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that they are kept up to date and relevant to today’s girls and young women. They have also updated their image by introducing new contemporary items of uniform and have organised a football festival and staged huge pop concerts for thousands of members.

All members have excellent opportunities to participate in exciting adventurous outdoor activities at the three national training and activity centres and other sites owned by Countries, Regions and Counties throughout the UK.

Relationship to society:

In the UK, Guides of all ages are encouraged to become active citizens by working within their own and other communities. They work to identify needs and effect change through consultation and partnership. A recent example was The Commonwealth Community Action Challenge 2000-2002 for Senior Section Members. A unique event was held in 2002 to celebrate the achievements of the young women across the Commonwealth who took part in this project. In the UK many groups made a significant difference to their communities by designing and carrying out a project. These were as diverse as clearing beaches and rivers to working with groups of children with hearing difficulties. The good work done as part of the Commonwealth Community Action Challenge was recognised in a report published in 2001 which gave credit to organisations like Girlguiding for developing citizenship beyond the classroom.

The Association has continued to develop schemes to enable more girls and young women to experience International Guiding and take parts in projects whilst abroad. One specific aim is to equip more Guiders with the knowledge and confidence to travel overseas with their units.

The GOLD scheme, for 16-30 year olds combines community development work with service overseas. In joint partnership with other WAGGGS associations, between five and ten projects have been organised each year since 1990.

Partnerships have been established with Comic Relief, UNICEF, Action Aid and other UK NGOs to work with us on Global Education. There has been training on particular issues and packs with activities and fundraising ideas for all sections have been produced.

Communication and Co-operation

International friendship and understanding has a high profile within the Association. Unit activities on international topics are an established part of the programme and resources are continually being updated and new ones developed. In addition to this many girls attend international camps, both in the UK and Overseas.

Girlguiding UK is committed to helping Guiding grow in Russia, many of the UK’s counties and regions have long-term twining relationships within Russia. A signed partnership agreement is now in place with RADS, allowing a co-ordinated approach of working together to shape and develop both associations.

Girlguiding UK is a recognised part of the Youth Service and maintains contact with various ‘umbrella’ bodies and government departments.

Marketing and external relations are of increasing importance to our Association, and different partnerships projects are being developed. ‘Take our Daughters to Work’ for example, was introduced in the UK with the aim of raising awareness amongst girls, to the diversity of the working world. The running of the scheme was taken over by Girlguiding UK in 2001. In 2002 we enabled 20,000 young girls to get their first taste of 'the workplace'. Organisations all over the UK took part in the Day, offering a variety of experiences from taking apart a computer to passing employees fire safety test to leaning how to drive a mechanical digger.

The Heritage Centre at Commonwealth Headquarters in London is an exciting, modern, interactive visitor centre. It provides a fun place for UK members and international visitors to explore the opportunities created by Guiding throughout the 20th Century, and discover those for the 21st Century.

‘Guiding’, the monthly magazine for Leaders, concentrates on items of interest, important topics and practical advice. Other publications support the work of the Guider, Commissioner and Trainer, and are written by volunteers.

The Association’s website at www.girlguiding.org.uk, contains information on all aspects of UK Guiding. It includes pages on the different Sections, details of forthcoming events and activities.

Training:

Girlguiding UK has continued to develop and support their adult membership through a variety of initiatives: the Association offers competence-based adult qualifications. These give credit for prior learning and experience, whether it is within Guiding or not. The competence –based qualifications cover a wide range of areas from food hygiene to power boat cruising.

We have developed Leadership Training for 14 – 16 year olds. From the age of 16 it is possible to work towards our Leadership qualification. On completion, a certificate is awarded to everyone, regardless of age. The warrant however, is only awarded to those over 18. Members who are under 18 when they complete the qualification will receive their warrant on their 18th birthday.

Training for Commissioners, Advisers and Trainers continues to be developed. In order to improve support for new Leaders and Commissioners a system of personal mentoring has been introduced.

The Adult Training Qualification for Trainers can be used as an externally recognised qualification.

The Association is working on strengthening Guiding by supporting all the adults involved to be positive and effective in their role. One of the biggest challenges faced by Girlguiding UK is to support Guiders who are active in areas of social deprivation. They are looking at ways in which they can assist Guiders who work in these difficult areas.

Projects

• Together We Can (Global Action Theme Project)
• Reality Checks Healthy Eating
• Social Issues
• Positive and Effective Leadership
• Sports Strategy
• Building Peace
• Action on AIDS Booklet
• Guiding Overseas Linked With Development (Gold)
• Girls and Citizenship
• Let's Get Out and Do Something
• Peace Pack
• Cold Chain Challenge
• Global Development Village
• Girls Get Real
• Family Get-Together
• Exploring Spirituality