Guidance notes for leaders: Running a Girlguiding unit revised edition

It's exactly a year today that I wrote about the Guidance notes for leaders for the new programme, and one of my comments was to ask why it wasn't dated and now it has been - June 2019. It has grown by 2 pages, and is now up to 22 in total, and has much more of a feel of a proper publication rather than a draft one. There is a new section on page 9 which talks about the influences on the girls lives which feels like it should be part of the Educational Framework. The Moving on up resource gets a mention on page 16. Pages 18-19 are a sales inventory section by section!
I did smile at the section which said to let the girls choose the leaders name, but remember it should be suitable for being used in public! I particularly like the Appendix as it lists leadership qualities for the girls section by section.

You can find it here:
https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/globalassets/docs-and-resources/learning-and-development/guidance_notes_for_leaders_2019.pdf
Beware it comes as a pdf so I had to try printing from 3 different devices before it would work!

Girls Attitudes Survey 2019

Moving up a Section

Another update from the Trainers Conference and now available online. It's been updated (June 2019) and renamed slightly to incorporate the new programme and as well as focussing on the how to use UMA's, Skills Builders & Section Gold Awards to move up a section. There are pages covering communications with leaders/units, parents & girls. As well as a brief outline of how to do unit transfers on GO, there are 2 appendices with draft letters for parents & girls.
The supporting Trainers notes provide a loose session plan with updated figures for a corners game:

9% of Rainbows do not move to Brownies
40% of Brownies don't move to Guides
74% of Guides don't move to Rangers
61% of Rangers don't become Leaders.

Find them at https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/globalassets/docs-and-resources/learning-and-development/outdoor-team/moving_up_support_for_leaders.pdf there are also individual factsheets for each section.

Our Chalet, Adelboden, Switzerland

Just back from an amazing week in Adelboden on one of Jeka's final trips. This time was different to my previous visit in 2007 as we didn't take any guides with us, only a couple who happened to be with their mums who are leaders. Which made for a very different trip like a real holiday. We also didn't have a coach, as we flew, so by using public transport we saw so much more of the area. It was a wonderful week we visited Our Chalet and Kandersteg International Scout Centre, Bern, Thun, and Interlaken including a yummy chocolate show, several cable car's and a fair bit of walking. I had my mountain top moment when I received GCSE results on top of a mountain above the clouds and obviously celebrated with coffee and cake. This is our unit brownie bear who came with me every step of the way and wrote a FaceBook diary for the unit every night. Notice his Bern Bear badge. If you get chance to go you should take the opportunity.

 

Future Girl, Plastics, L3 Skills Builder and reply from a PM!

I wrote a few weeks ago about one of my brownie groups working on a level 3 Skills Builder on Making Change, who had written a letter to the PM, and made a poster asking for change on plastics in the ocean - completely their choice.

Today they received a reply from Theresa May, and I'm sure they will be over the moon when they read it in September. Just goes to show the power of the new brownie programme!

UK Parliament Week 2019 (2-8 Nov)

Can't believe it's that time again - my pack arrived yesterday- well both packs arrived yesterday, either I registered twice or I have received 2 packs by accident! This year as well as the usual bunting, voting box and pin badges, the pack includes some wrist bands which I think the brownies will really appreciate. South West England have once again put together a special edition activity pack. They have managed to improve on last years pack, there are more and larger colour photos than last year; and there is more of a focus on evaluation & debate with ideas on how to take up and down for the relevant age groups.

I particularly like the activity on page 18 (see photo below) which will appeal to all age sections with choices that will mean something to each one. Page 21 & 22 "UK Parliament Week in your pocket" is a good idea that could be adapted to a range of themes and even used for trainings and picks up the idea of conversation starters to take it even further. Page 25 is always a winner with a template for a Cootie catcher, which again are always well received with girls of all ages, and its not an easy topic to create excitement with! Not a mention of Brexit in sight which is itself an achievement.

Girl Guides in France

Just back from a short break in France in the Haute-Vienne Region near Limoges, this article was in a free magazine, aimed at the huge ex-pat community with second homes in the Region. Weekend guiding fits in so well with life in the international community, and I was really pleased to see Girl Guides had a prominent article in the local English press.