Trefoil News January/February 2014 Issue No: 621 Published by: Irish Girl Guides, Trefoil House, 27 Pembroke Park, Dublin 4. Printed by: Richardson and Watts, 36 Thornville Park, Raheny, Dublin 5. The Editorial Team of Trefoil News reserves the right to edit material submitted. Publications Officer: Katherine Ryan. Contact : [email protected] Message from the Chief Commissioner/Pathways to Leadership/Editorial Page 1 Message from the International Commissioner/ Intro to World Thinking Day Page 2 MDG 2 - GAT Pack Activities Page 3 How to celebrate World Thinking Day/World Thinking Day Fund Page 4 World Thinking Day Ceremony Pages 5-7 Noticeboard Page 8 Stitch’s Diary Page 9 NPT Update, Dates for your Diary Page 10 Executive News Page 11 Programme Review / Update from Finance Committee Page 12 Who’s Who in IGG - International Committee Page 13 Membership Committee Page 14 Translating for Parents Pinterest / Linkedin / QR Codes Page 15 Public Relations Pages 16-17 How to get into your local paper, don’t forget about a-WEAR-ness Day and a glimpse at the entries for the PR Competition Memories, Memories Pages 18-19 A look back at the history of Brownie Branch for their Centenary year. Interview with Peggy Allbut and Hazel Shiel Out and About Pages 20-26 Ladybirds Pages 27-30 Includes some great World Thinking Day themed activities focussed on MDG 2 and some fun crafts for Valentine’s Day. Brownies Pages 31-34 Includes the Brownies Brilliant Birthday Centenary Challenge for all Branches, some interesting World Thinking Day activities and two pages of Valentine’s Day ideas. Guides Pages 35-39 Includes a Promise and Law Refresher, fun World Thinking Day games, a reminder about the Lord and Lady Baden Powell badges and some fun ideas to get your girls started on their Communicator badge. Senior Branch Pages 40-41 Includes some ideas to inspire you about MDG 2 - “The Girl Effect” and “Being a Good Role Model” International Pages 42-52 Includes Travellers Tales, The Academy 2013, WAGGGS European Conference, World Scout Moot 2013, World Centre Experience Stories and lots of other interesting, upcoming International Opportunities, including an opportunity to lead a CIGA contingent on a service project to Sangam. Inserts: A-WEAR-NESS Day Poster A Word from our Chief... Dear Fellow Leader, Welcome to a New Year and to your Internaonal Edion of Trefoil News. I do hope you all had a good holiday season and that whatever your circumstances, you were able to welcome 2014 with hope and opmism. Every year it amazes me how we give so much thought to the days, the food, the acvies and plans for the short me between Christmas and New Year. So this year, I am pung my focus on the days between New Year and Christmas! At the last Execuve Commiee meeng of 2013, I shared this poem with my fellow commiee members and it’s a wish I have for all our Leaders and Unit Helpers in 2014: “You give your best to the world of Girl Guides, Your "promise" upholds with a strong sense of pride. As a Leader, on a commiƩee, or as one who consults, You are ever concerned to get the best results. A problem or two may arise here and there Not one goes unconquered because you care. So consider my thanks, it's a small compensaƟon For all the hours you give, for your dedicaƟon.” As World Thinking Day approaches, it is good to be reminded of the global organisaon we are a part of. Having sister-Guides and Girl Scouts in 144 other countries really is heartening and this internaonal aspect is one of the things that differenates us from other youth organisaons. It’s wonderful to think there are 10 million of us around the world all trying to make the world a lile beer – imagine that’s twice the populaon of Ireland! I hope you enjoy the acvies and programme ideas in this edion which aim to help the girls learn more about this world in which we are a part. Yours in Guiding, Helen Please feel free to contact me by emailing [email protected] Hello and welcome to this year’s International Pathways to Leadership — Áine Foley edition of Trefoil News. It’s packed full of Leadership... When I think of leadership it screams a International stories, games and activities for thousands words, I think of amazing people - world, World Thinking Day and of course our World Thinking Day Ceremony. sporting and political leaders. People that you never think you could live up to - it's like they are running in a different There may be some terms and abbreviations world race. But in fact we are all taking on a leadership used in this issue that you might not be familiar role by just being a part of the Irish Girl Guides. We as with so here's a quick glossary: Leaders are changing the world one step at a time without even realising. WAGGGS — World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts One great Leader, Michelle Obama, blossomed and WOSM — World Organisation of the Scout bloomed as a Leader in Girl Scouts and says that as a Movement volunteer 'you can show girls that anything is possible and CIGA—Council of Irish Guiding Associations you can inspire them to dream bigger and go further than MDGs—Millennium Development Goals they ever even imagined'. That is the power of positive leadership. One of the examples I have of showing Please email me at any time with ideas for leadership is when I was captain of a dance squad, I had Trefoil News and possible content . If you’ve to delegate work, encourage my team members and make enjoyed doing something with sure everyone was content and happy for our final your girls, it’s likely that other Units would enjoy it too — so performance. let us hear about it. Email 'Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality '-Warren Bennis. your ideas or pictures to [email protected] You are not born a Leader but can gain it, it takes quality to be that Leader, the one who not just has authority, but uses it to influence others in a positive way. Thanks for reading. Áine Foley – Newbridge Senior Branch Katherine Ryan, Editor Trefoil News January/February 2014 Page 1 Message from the International Commissioner Happy New Year to you all and welcome to this 2014 International Edition of Trefoil News. My name is Lorna Finnegan and I have recently been elected International Commissioner. I have been involved in IGG since I joined as a Brownie in Drogheda many years ago and the International aspect of the organisation was always something that interested me. From learning songs and games from different countries, checking out the different uniforms on the posters in our Guide hall, meeting International visitors at Guide camps and travelling to various camps and events as a Ranger and eventually as a Leader. All of my former Leaders sowed that seed of International Guiding within me and for that I will be eternally gratefully. I would challenge each of you to consider how you sow the seed of our wonderful International movement within each of your girls, one of whom will grow up one day to become a future International Commissioner… In 2014 WAGGGS reminds us that “Education opens doors for all boys and girls.” Despite progress, an estimated 250 million children of primary school age lack basic reading, writing and numeracy skills, whether in school or not. All the money you donate to the Thinking Day fund will help fund projects to combat educational disadvantage in some of the WAGGGS focus countries this year – Egypt, Bangladesh, Armenia, St Vincent and Grenadines, and Benin This past year we have had IGG members travel to the Americas, Africa, Asia & Europe. As we speak there are groups of IGG members attending events in Sangam and New Zealand! Some of these events are years in the planning, it’s never too early to start thinking about your first or next International event. The Girl Guiding Ulster Xplore Camp in Castle Saunderson, Co Cavan (2014), our own Explorer Belt next summer (2015) or the next Roverway in France (2016), check out the opportunities later on in this edition and keep your eyes on the website and Facebook pages for even more events! Your International committee are only too willing to help you take those first steps to realising your International dream. Find out who your current committee members are on the Who’s Who page. I look forward to meeting more of you at our Go Global event to be held later in the Spring, watch out for further details in the March edition of Trefoil News and in the weekly emails. Finally I would like to take this opportunity to thank the hard working members of the International Committee, and in particular Jemma Lee for all her support and assistance over the past few months. Wishing you all the best for the coming year Yours in Guiding Lorna Finnegan International Commissioner “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself” ~ John Dewey WORLD THINKING DAY Every year on 22 February Girl Guides and Girl Scouts globally celebrate World Thinking Day. Together Girl Guides and Girl Scouts give thanks and show appreciation for the international friendship they find in our movement and raise money to help grow and share the movement with more girls and young women around the world. Thinking Day started in 1926, the date February 22nd was selected because it is the mutual birthday of Robert Baden Powell the founder of the Boy Scout movement and his wife Olave, who served as the World Chief Guide.