New Unit Information Pack Information for Those New to Guiding

New Unit Information Pack Information for those new to guiding

Contents

Introduction 4 Using the Resource Library 5 The Guiding Manual 7 Using Go! to its full potential 8 Starting… Forms 9 Using the Online Print Centre 10 Branding Made Simple 12 The Programme 13 Example Planning 19 New Unit Planning 20 New Unit Packs 22 RECIPES for adapting games and activities 23 Using the Resource Library for planning 24 Recruitment Ideas 25 A Dictionary of guiding 26 Notes 27

Introduction

This documents’ purpose is to support new Leaders with the running of their unit. It is aimed towards Leaders with no previous knowledge of guiding; however the document collates the information so that is easily accessible.

Information for this document has been taken directly the Girlguiding Website.

This information has been requested by local Commissioners and will be updated in accordance to feedback received.

Girlguiding North West England, Region Headquarters, Guiding Road, Preston, PR2 5PD Telephone 01772 791947 Email [email protected] Opening Hours Monday - Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm Visit Our Shop Monday - Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm

Alex Dodd – Training and Development Coordinator [email protected] 07766 559 789

Amy Mackin – Community Support Worker [email protected] 07766 551 023

Chloe Rossall – Membership Systems Coordinator [email protected]

Using the Resource Library

The resource library on the Girlguiding website (previously the Members’ Area on Go!) is a useful place to find out information about the day to day running of your unit. Go! stands for Guiding Organiser, Girlguidings’ online membership database.

Visit the resource library to find unit forms, programme information and tips about the new website.

Participation on a Plate is an activity pack designed to help you as a Leader to ensure that girls and young women are involved in decision making.

It is available from:

www.girlguiding.org.uk > Making guiding happen > Programme Resources > Participation on a plate

Good guiding is… is an essential tool for every Leadership Team to help you identify your guiding strengths, and inspire you with new ideas for providing a balanced programme.

https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/globalassets/docs-and-resources/programme-and- activities/good_guiding_is.pdf

Using the Resources Library

(previously Members’ Area)

Visit Making guiding happen>

Resources > Resource library > e-learning

Useful links within the Members’ Area

A to Z of Activities – www.girlguiding.org.uk/guidingmanual > Activities Adult-to-child ratios – www.girlguiding.org.uk/guidingmanual > Policies > Safety and safeguarding Being a Leader e-learning modules – www.girlguiding.org.uk > Resources > Resource Library > e-learning Building your skills – www.girlguiding.org.uk > Making guiding happen > Delivering our programme and activities > Planning your programme > Developing members’ skills Fundraising Advice Centre – www.girlguiding.org.uk > Get involved > Fundraise for us > Fundraising toolkit Girlguiding Activity Centres – www.girlguiding.org.uk > What we do > Our activity centres Girlguiding adventures – www.girlguiding.org.uk > Making guiding happen > Delivering our programme and activities > Planning your programme > Creating challenge and adventure Girlguiding online forum – http://girlguidinguk.proboards.com Girls’ Attitudes Survey – http://girlsattitudes.girlguiding.org.uk/home.aspx Go For Its! – www.girlguiding.org.uk/guides > Badges & GFI Guiding Conversations – www.girlguiding.org.uk > Making guiding happen > Commissioners > Guiding Conversations guiding magazine activities – www.girlguiding.org.uk > Making guiding happen > Resources > guiding magazine Guiding news – www.girlguiding.org.uk > What we do > Our stories and news Join Us – www.girlguiding.org.uk/joinus Participation on a Plate – www.girlguiding.org.uk > Making guiding happen > Programme Resources > Participation on a plate Peer Education – www.girlguiding.org.uk > Making guiding happen > Delivering our programme and activities > Peer education The Five Essentials – www.girlguiding.org.uk > Making guiding happen > delivering our programme and activities > the Five Essentials World Centres – www.girlguiding.org.uk > What we do > Our Activity Centres > World Centres

The Guiding Manual

The Girlguiding Guiding Manual has all the information Leaders need to support them in giving girls and young women a safe, consistent experience of guiding.

The pages contain information on all essential aspects of guiding; including child safety, the Promise, fundraising and data protection.

The Five Essentials Girlguiding believes in the value of learning by doing. This is put into practice through a Method with five interlinking elements, known as the Five Essentials of guiding:

 working together in small groups  encouraging self-government and decision making  a balanced and varied programme  caring for the individual  sharing a commitment to a common standard

Using Go! to its full potential

There is a report on Go! that you can run called the ‘Area Contact Details’ this can be run as a unit user and will give you details of your local commissioners and also the names of people in key roles i.e. County Arts Adviser.

You can now record the maximum number of young members you and your team are happy to run the unit with.

To add this, click on 'Additional Details' on your unit's record in Level Management.

Recording this does not stop you from having more, but it will help guiding locally to start spotting gaps and helping to fill them.

Within the Starting Leaflets there are sections for parents to fill in Drop Off / Collection information, this then needs to be checked on a regular basis.

There is also a section for the parents/individual to confirm that they are happy for you, the leader, to store their mobile number on your phone.

Data Protection Destroy any paper records confidentially when they are no longer needed. Keep your membership number and password secure. If sending any data electronically always password protect the attachment.

To update an Individuals’ profile go to:

Go!/Join us > Role Management > Choose Unit > View active young members (read and write) > Edit > Additional personal details

Starting… Forms

Starting Forms can be a useful source of information, once parents/carers have filled in their child’s details the information can then be put into Go!

Starting Forms can also be emailed to parents and returned to Leaders via email.

To acess the Starting Forms go to

Resource Library > Unit Leader

Resources > Starting Leaflets

The Starting... leaflets are designed to encourage a face-to-face meeting with the parents of new members, where you can introduce yourself and discuss everything about the unit.

The form is designed with five pages: The parent/carer keeps the first two pages, which holds information about the section, unit and area The parent/carer gives you back the next two pages with their information. You should then update this information on Go! and then destroy these pages.

The fifth page, the Gift Aid Declaration, should be kept in your financial records. Please note that Gift Aid Declarations included on previous versions of the Starting... leaflets are only valid if they were signed before 1 April 2016. The most recent version of the forms should be used from that date due to HMRC changes.

On Page 4 of the Starting… leaflets there is a section for further information. On this page is a section for ethnicity. Although the member doesn’t have to disclose this information, it is extremely useful when applying for grants or for running reports at a Region level. It allows us to source funding that may be targeted toward different ethnic minorities. If this information has been filled in then as a Unit Leader you are able to add it onto the individuals’ profile.

To update an Individuals’ profile go to:

Go!/Join us > Role Management > Choose Unit > View active young members (read and write) > Edit > Additional personal details > Ethnicity Information

Using the Online Print Centre

The Online Print Centre is an area with the Members’ Area that is used to create the Girlguiding logos for your unit. These are useful when sending out letters to parents or when writing to external providers for grants.

There are four versions of the Girlguiding logo shape. Each version has the logo panel pointing in a different direction. The four versions of our logo can be placed on materials in the following positions: top left, top right, bottom left and bottom right. The version selected should always be positioned to point you to the focus of the material, such as information or an image.

Visit Make Guiding Happen > Resources > Online Print Centre

Access the Online Print Centre here

Create a logo for your unit using the Logo Generator

Branding made simple

The Programme

The Rainbow Jigsaw

Starting Rainbows A new girl may receive a special Welcome Bag and the Rainbow flip book. The first side of this book is Ready for Rainbows, designed to help her understand what Rainbows is all about. It contains lots of fun drawing and colouring activities, and a story featuring a Rainbow called Olivia. The Rainbow activity programme The Rainbow Jigsaw has four areas: Look Learn Laugh Love

Look: We encourage girls to look around them and learn about their own environment and community. We also help them understand that they are part of a wider world, perhaps through crafts or games from around the globe, or learning about festivals from other cultures.

Learn: Rainbows learn by taking part in a wide range of activities such as trying out crafts and recipes, playing games and visiting local places of interest. A representative from the RSPCA might come to a meeting to talk about looking after pets or a police officer might come to explain to the girls about road safety.

Laugh: Rainbows have lots of fun. Meetings involve games, songs, parties, celebrations and making a mess! Girls love sleepovers too!

Love: Through Rainbows, girls learn about caring and sharing with family and friends, working together, fair play, and being considerate and helpful to others. Leaving Rainbows

Of course, at the end of a rainbow there's a pot of gold! So when a girl is nearing the end of her time at Rainbows, she may flip over her Rainbow flip book to My Pot of Gold and find out how Olivia prepares to move on to Brownies. A Leader then helps her plan a special Pot of Gold party. Most Rainbows leave at the end of a term, so parties are often shared by several Rainbows.

The Rainbow Promise

I promise that I will do my best to think about my beliefs and to be kind and helpful.

The Brownie Adventure

 You A Brownie develops her: - understanding and awareness of herself - relationships with family and friends - skills and achievements - confidence and personality - beliefs, morals and values - self-esteem and self-worth.

 Community A Brownie develops her: - understanding and awareness of the communities in which she lives - level of practical action in those communities - knowledge of how she can contribute to her communities - understanding and awareness of her relationships with people in her communities - enthusiasm to use her skills to contribute to her communities and to improve relationships.

• World A Brownie develops her: - understanding and awareness of the world in which she lives - knowledge of and interest in the world - knowledge and understanding of world guiding - enthusiasm to use her skills locally for the benefit of the wider world - understanding of how she can improve her world.

Three programme areas Resource Stage of development You Community World

Becoming a Pre-Promise Joins in all unit activities while preparing for her Promise Celebration Brownie 7 to 8 years – All about your All about you All about your world Adventure badge community Discovering more 8 to 9 years – Discovering more about your Discovering more about your world Brownie Adventure On badge about you Adventures community What’s next for What can you do 9 to 10 years – More What about the world? you? locally? adventures badge Brownies Go For It! During her Brownie Adventure a Brownie should have opportunities to:  complete interest badges  meet other units and sections  take part in experiences beyond the meeting place

The Brownie Promise

I promise that I will do my best, to be true to myself and develop my beliefs, to serve the Queen and my community, to help other people and to keep the Brownie Guide Law

The five programme zones

Girls can extend their knowledge and skills by working towards Guide interest badges covering many different hobbies and activities from Film lover to Independent living. They can also gain Challenge badges that recognise their participation in guiding over a period of time. Typically, Patrols will use a number of activities from a Go For It! pack for each zone and work their way through these. From time to time, the Leader may spot an opportunity to extend the programme or to help the Guides gain more from an activity by using her own knowledge and expertise.

The five programme zones are detailed below:

Healthy lifestyles To encourage in Guides a healthy lifestyle by promoting physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. Areas covered could include:  Body image, healthy eating, exercise, smoking, drug awareness, mental health issues.

Global awareness To increase awareness of global issues and of the contribution each Guide can make. Areas covered could include:  Travel, refugees, the environment, citizenship, development education, world issues, international activities.

Skills and relationships To develop Guides’ self-confidence and self-worth and to improve their interpersonal and life skills. Topics covered could include:  Communication skills, conflict resolution, rights and responsibilities, faith and personal values, teamwork, self-reliance, self-esteem.

Celebrating diversity To promote active citizenship in Guides and to develop their awareness of rights and responsibilities for all. Topics covered could include:  Discrimination, community action, cross-community links, disability awareness, gender stereotypes

Discovery To challenge Guides with new experiences and adventure. Areas covered could include:  Visiting places, new experiences, creative and adventurous activities, learning new skills.

Baden Powell Award

The Baden-Powell Challenge Award is the highest award a Guide can achieve.

To start the Baden-Powell Challenge you need to have: • made your Promise • gained at least two Guide Challenge Badges • gained at least two interest badges.

This shows your commitment to guiding. The Baden-Powell Challenge is divided into five zones, each containing lots of different clauses. You need to complete ten clauses in total. You should do one from each zone, then five more. These can come from any of the zones. Up to two of them can relate to Country/Region or Girlguiding initiatives. To finish the Award you need to take part in a Baden-Powell Adventure. These are usually residential events organised by your County or Country/Region for all Guides in the area who are doing the Baden-Powell Challenge.

The Guide Promise

I promise that I will do my best, to be true to myself and develop my beliefs, to serve the Queen and my community, to help other people and to keep the Guide Law.

The Guide Law is ...

The Guide Law is: A Guide is honest, reliable and can be trusted. A Guide is helpful and uses her time and abilities wisely. A Guide faces challenge and learns from her experiences. A Guide is a good friend and a sister to all Guides. A Guide is polite and considerate. A Guide respects all living things and takes care of the world around her.

Look Wider The Look wider Qualification is divided into eight areas (called Octants) covering; creativity, fit for life, community action, out of doors, international, independent living, personal values, leadership. If phase one and two are completed from all the Octants then the Chiefs Guide Challenge can be awarded.

Chief Guide’s Challenge Second highest award that members can work towards in guiding. It's open to all Senior Section members aged 14-25

Young Leader Qualification The Young Leader Qualification is designed to help you take an active, positive part in running a Rainbow, Brownie or Guide unit. It is open to anyone in The Senior Section aged 14 to 18 and is a great opportunity to develop your leadership skills to help you in the future.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Three levels available

 Bronze (for those aged 14 and over), Silver (for those aged 15 and over) and Gold (for those aged 16 and over).

Queen’s Guide Award Highest award in Guiding, split into five sections

 Service in guiding, outdoor challenge, personal skill development, community action and residential.

Peer education programme, 4 An opportunity for young women to educate each other on important topics such as binge drinking, bullying and sexual health

Innovate A national forum for young women to discuss and contribute to the direction of Girlguiding.

Senior Section Permits

The overnight permit Allows any Senior Section member to take up to eight people from The Senior Section or Guide section away overnight for no longer than 24 hours.

The Senior Section permit Allows any Senior Section member to do the same as the overnight permit but for a camp or holiday of two nights or more.

International trips and events INTOPS, GOLD, international camps or WAGGGS world centre

The Senior Section Promise

I promise that I will do my best, to be true to myself and develop my beliefs, to serve the Queen and my community, to help other people and to keep the Guide Law

Example Planning

This plan is intended as a guide for a new volunteer team of a new Rainbow unit, we are aware that different things work for different groups but equally a blank canvas can be very daunting. The idea of this plan is to give you a starting point, discuss it with an experienced Rainbow Leader in your Division and adapt it to make it work for you.

If girls are planning the programme, they’re more likely to enjoy it.

Further information about the Rainbow programme is available on the Girlguiding website:

Resources > Resource Library > Programme Resources > Rainbows

Most Rainbow units have a set routine for the beginning and ending of a session, there are many variations on the theme but a suggested outline for each is below.

Start of a Session  Girls come in and are registered by the Leader; any letters/subs etc. are handed to the leader.  Girls are asked to stand in a circle, join hands and sing the Rainbow song (in the ready for Rainbows book)  The Leader introduces the main activity for the session. End of a Session  Girls tidy away their activity.  Girls are asked to stand in a circle, join hands and sing the rainbow song (in the ready for rainbows book)  Girls collect all of their belongings and line up.  A Leader lets the girls leave one at a time once she has seen their parent or carer. Adapted from Girlguiding South West England, Growing Guiding Team, 08/2016

How to involve girls in planning

You could hold a:

Rainbow Chat Brownie Pow-wow Patrol Leaders Council Look Wider Team meeting

Link to 5 essentials

New Unit Planning

New Rainbow unit first term plan – Roundabout Me

Programme/ Week Activity Resources Leader 5 essentials

Introduction to Rainbows Girls pick names for leaders (possibly colours) Rainbow song Ready for 1 Game Rainbows (song & Decision making Olivia Story Story) Introduce Olivia Mascot Rainbow Song

Introduce the Girlguiding Family & promise 2 Promise Activity- Promise Mobile (p27) Love Promise Relay race

Explain the ‘ceremony’ of how the girls will make their promise. 3 Make the Rainbow or other resources for the ceremony.

Games night 4 Pick 2 or 3 games from the list below (or others) to play.

Promise practice – silly voices game (take turns to say the promise in a silly voice eg very fast, angry, 5 Laugh giggling) Promise Ceremony

Roundabout – Look activity Look 6 Game (if time) Roundabout – Learn activity 7 Learn Game (if time)

Roundabout – Love activity 8 Love Game (if time) Roundabout – Laugh activity 9 Laugh Game (if time) Roundabout – extra activity or catch up 10 Look Game (if time)

Voting for next terms activities From a selection of possible activities for next 12 Decision making term. Seasonal Craft-

End of term Party Get the girls to each bring a small snack to share 13 and play traditional party games + favourite Rainbow games- You could make it fancy dress or party clothes!

Adapted from Girlguiding South West England, Growing Guiding Team, 08/2016

New Unit Planning

The table below shows the suggested unit sizes for each Section. As mentioned previously your maximum unit capacity can be added to your unit on Go! See Using Go! to its full potential.

Suggested Suggested Suggested Suggested minimum unit maximum ratio of adults Mandatory ratio unit size size unit size to girls

Minimum of 2 adults Rainbow 5 12-15 18 1:5 irrespective of the Units size of the unit.

Brownie Units 12 12-18 24 1:8 n/a

Guide Units 12 12-30 36 1:12 n/a

The Senior 5 n/a n/a n/a n/a Section

For more information about running your new unit search for ‘Starting a New Unit’ available in the Resource Library

New Unit Packs

These items are available from the Guiding Essentials catalogue and are recommended for starting a new unit.

Starter packs – price list Price as of August 2016 Rainbows 1 Guiding Handbook 6052 £7.00 1 Rainbow Welcome Bag 2545 £4.20 1 Roundabout of choice £5.00 - £7.50 1 Rainbow Flip Book 6183 £2.75 1 Olivia Doll (New Design) 2575 £9.00 1 Going Away with Guiding 6045 £8.00 1 Promise Certificate 6158 £0.45 1 Sticker Pack 6160 £1.50 10 Parent Catalogues 1508 £0.00 £37.90 Brownies 1 Guiding Handbook 6052 £7.00 1 Becoming a Brownie 6804 £1.50 1 Adventure File 6806 £3.00 1 Adventure File 2 6814 £3.00 1 Brownie Badge Book 6801 £4.25 1 Brownie Adventures 6807 £7.00 1 Going Away with Guiding 6045 £8.00 1 Sling Bag 2000 £3.30 1 Promise Certificate 6811 £0.45 20 Parent Catalogues 1508 £0.00 £37.50 Guides 1 Guiding Handbook 6052 £7.00 1 Go For It (of choice) £1.50 – £3.00 1 Going Away with Guiding 6045 £8.00 1 G File 6628 £4.50 1 Aim Hi Resource Pack 6541 £7.00 1 Promise Certificate 6641 £0.45 1 G Card 6634 £0.30 1 Promise/Law Card 6060 £0.40 1 Welcome Bag 2136 £3.30 20 Parent Catalogues 1508 £0.00 £33.95 Senior Section 1 Guiding Handbook 6052 £7.00 1 Me in Mind 6033 £7.00 1 Senior Section Resource Books 6112 £7.50 1 Look Wider Certificate (of choice) 6100 £0.60 1 Going Away with Guiding 6045 £8.00 1 Aim Hi Resource Pack 6541 £7.00 1 Girls Matters 6051 £5.50 1 Promise Certificate 6484 £0.45 10 Parent Catalogues 1508 £0.00 £43.05

RECIPES for adapting games and activities

This section will help you adapt games and activities to ensure that everyone can take part.

Rules Equipment Changes to speed/force Rules Instructions Practice Can the rules be simplified or relaxed? Environment Skills Equipment Can you change the equipment? You could use bigger targets, soft balls or equipment that makes a noise.

What equipment is necessary to make an activity happen? If a girl needs different equipment for a craft or activity, it may make her feel less self-conscious if all the girls are given this equipment rather than singling her out.

Changes to speed/force Do girls have to run to play the game? Can girls move in a different way across the space? For a craft, could it be completed over multiple weeks? Consider whether you could have multiple activities happening at once in case some girls finish quicker than others.

Instructions What is the simplest way to explain an activity? Try using visual prompts, such as flashcards, to make things clearer. How about getting the girls to explain the activity to each other? Remember, it doesn't matter if girls make mistakes or don't understand.

Practice Have a practice run of the game. This means you can check if all the girls understand how the game is played.

Environment Think about where you are playing the game/doing the activity. Do you need more space? Do girls all need to be sat at tables or can the use of the space be more varied?

Skills What skills are needed to complete the task and these completely necessary? Could girls tear paper rather than use scissors? Can they work as a team or in pairs? If taking this approach apply it to everyone in the unit rather than an individual. Remember, things do not have to be perfect! It’s better that girls try and develop their own skills rather than activities being done for them!

Members’ Area > Running your unit > Including All > Additional Needs > Guidance > Recipes for adapting games

Using the Resource Library for Planning

The resource library contains lots of useful information and ideas for planning and running your unit.

To access the section visit Make guiding happen > Resources

Once in this section there are tabs containing ideas based around the Promise, Games and Activities, Themed Activities and links to National Challenges.

There are many other places to get ideas and support from.

As a member you will receive a copy of the Guiding magazine: produced three times a year. This has lots of ideas for new activities, news items which mean you stay ahead of the game, Your Voice articles so you can hear what other members are up to and also Tools for the Job to help you run your programme.

Newsletters: This is where you can keep up to date with what is happening in Girlguiding i.e. events and new resources etc. You should receive your electronic newsletter every month. You may also receive newsletters and updates from within your County.

Websites: Visit the Leaders’ Area on our Region website for challenge badges, membership systems tips, grant information and more. www.girlguidingnwe.org.uk/leaders-area

Our Fundraising Pack is also available to download on our website.

Recruitment Ideas

Tips for finding meeting/training places Try the following places for free/low cost meeting places or training venues - Community Fire Stations - Supermarkets - Local libraries often have a meeting space at low cost for community groups – many may have late night opening one day a week - Local coffee shops may support a one-off event – just ask! - Local Volunteer Centres/Community Voluntary Action Centres may have meeting space - Approach local businesses to use their meeting facilities Taken from Girlguiding Midlands, Accessed 22/08/2016

Using Facebook to recruit adults:

‘The leader of this closing unit posted on the unit's Facebook page about the fun she had had being a leader and the wonderful support she'd been given and said that she would recommend it to anyone. Immediately, we had the parents of 2 girls who had been due to start offer their services.’ Division Commissioner, Kendal

‘We use Facebook to keep in touch with our Unit Leaders and it is certainly a good time to do a recruitment push using Facebook.’ Unit Leader, Cheshire Border

Top tips for Facebook:

- Make sure all resources you print include social media details.

- Follow local schools/colleges/businesses – tag them in tweets or post on their Facebook walls and tell them what we do.

- Ask an expert to your unit and ask them to share their experience on their social media channels. It could be a local MP, Doctor/Dentist or big business.

- Join online community Facebook groups so that you can share details of your unit and volunteer opportunities with them.

- Advertise open days and volunteering opportunities on your social media channels and ask your followers to share.

A Dictionary of guiding

Commissioner An adult volunteer responsible for the management of guiding within a District, Division, County, Country or Region.

Girlguiding shops Shops run by Girlguiding selling uniform, resources and gifts.

Go! Guiding Organiser – the membership database.

Guiding Essentials A catalogue (enclosed) with all the products your daughter may need. Contact 0161 941 2237 for more copies.

Join Us The online system used to register girl’s interest in joining Girlguiding. Adults can use Join Us too to express interest in volunteering for Girlguiding.

Leader An adult volunteer who gives time to guiding and has undertaken Girlguiding’s Leadership Qualification.

Programme The activities young members do at their meetings – each section has a programme appropriate to that age group.

Residential An event that involves going away with a guiding group overnight, from sleepovers to holidays, camps and international trips.

Subs (or subscriptions) Unit subs – paid weekly, monthly or termly – that cover the cost of equipment and meeting-place hire. An additional annual subscription covers the day-to-day running of the organisation.

Volunteer shops A local volunteer-run shop that stocks uniform, resources and products.

WAGGGS World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts – the umbrella body for the ten million girls and women in guiding in 146 countries (www.wagggsworld.org).

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