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Girlguiding Glasgow launches 100th Anniversary Celebration Challenge with its Give, Grow, Go badge.
UPDATE: MAY 2020
Unfortunately, due to the current situation and in light of government guidelines, all units are suspended within the County until further notice. Our number one priority is the health and safety of our Guides, our Volunteers, and our Team, thank you for your understanding and support. We still wanted to continue with the Girlguiding Glasgow Give, Grow, Go badge and so have pulled together some suggestions for activities you can do to earn your badge at home. Click here to download the updated suggestions – Girlguiding Glasgow Give, Grow, Go At home edition!
ORIGINAL POST:
We’re celebrating our 100th Anniversary this year. And, on World Thinking Day, we’re excited to launch our 100th Anniversary Challenge and the opportunity for guides to earn your Girlguiding Glasgow Give, Grow, Go badge over the next 12 months!
About the challenge!
There are loads of fun challenges that you can do either individually or as a unit throughout the year, each of them around the themes of Give, Grow Go. For example:
- Give – 100 cups of tea for others or perhaps a performance for parents
- Grow – participate in a flash mob or do a survival game
- Go – go on a sleepover or go back in time
There are loads of ideas for challenges in our Give, Grow, Go poster.
Each challenge that you complete is worth points and you need to earn a minimum of 100 points to get your badge – don’t worry, you don’t need to stop at 100! See the poster for the number of points each challenge is worth.
If you attend a County event you will be awarded double points for the challenge you complete! You choose how you complete the badge so that it is a challenge for you and your young members.
Number of challenges
Units should aim to complete the following number of challenges from each of the three challenge types (Go, Grow, Give):
Rainbows – x1
Brownies – x2
Guides – x3
Rangers / Adults – x4
Girlguiding Glasgow’s charities
If you want to raise money for charity as part of your Give, Grow, Go challenge, then you can choose any charity as a unit, or alternatively donate to Girlguiding Glasgow’s preferred charities for our anniversary year, which are listed here:
If you’re going to collect for one of the preferred charities, can you let us know (please email office@girlguidingglasgow.org.uk) so we can keep track of the impact we are making collectively.
Sharing the adventure
We want to celebrate Girlguiding Glasgow and you and your unit can help us do that by sharing the activity you do on social media.
Please use the #GGG100 hashtag!
Ordering the ‘Give, Grow Go!’ badge
To order our special 100th Anniversary Challenge Give, Grow Go badge, download the booking form here
Volunteer Spotlight: Lynn & Karen
Our final volunteer feature is about Lynn & Karen – our dynamic duo who work together as South West Division Commissioner (Lead Volunteer for that part of Glasgow) to support volunteers working with units in this area to provide #GreatGuiding.
Their job share is a great example how guiding can be flexible and sharing out the jobs lets us do the things we are best at!
How long have you been in guiding?
Lynn: I was a Rainbow, Brownie, Guide and Young Leader back on the West Coast, but had a break when I moved to Glasgow for University. I’ve been a Guider now for 10yrs so far which has whizzed by!
Karen: I joined my local Brownie Unit in Pollock at the age of 7 and have never left – 36 years and counting!
What got you involved in the first place & why do you stay involved?
Lynn: All my friends were going to Rainbows and I didn’t want to miss out! Once I got into Guiding I really enjoyed the mix of challenge and fun, and found the life skills I gained (both practical and social) extremely useful across all aspects of my life. I’d planned to work with children in my career but ended up taking a different turn, and coming back to Guiding seemed a natural way to fulfil the desire I had to give as many girls the same opportunities I had to build their abilities and therefore confidence. Its incredibly rewarding to see the impact that Girlguiding can have on its members young and old, and to be part of that is really special.
Karen: To be honest there was not much on offer to do locally unless you wanted to wear a leotard and dance about in jazz shoes. That wasn’t for me! I loved earning badges, getting involved in practical tasks and working as part of a team to make things happen. That sense of team spirit has continued throughout my time in Guiding and has been essential in my current role as I job share with Lynn in the role of Division Commissioner for South West.
You’re currently the South West Division Commissioner – What does your role do & how can you help other members of Girlguiding Glasgow?
Lynn: My role is to be the link between the county and individual groups to ensure that key messages are passed in both directions. I have a responsibility to ensure that the Guiders in my area have the appropriate training and support to fulfil their duties, and to develop and grow Guiding within the division to the best of my abilities. I’m very much a facilitator, helping other people to be the best they can be in their own volunteering roles.
Karen: The role has quite a few spokes to the wheel – communication, administration, liaising with units and individuals, playing a key part in the decision making for Glasgow County to name just a few. One of the key elements for me is the promotion of the organisation. I have a real aspiration to increase the profile of Girlguiding in our community.
What is the best bit about your county role?
Lynn: Getting to see just how much Girlguiding Glasgow does – when you run a unit you know what your own unit and maybe a few others in the division do, but as a member of the county team you have much more exposure to all the wonderful things happening across the county. Its incredibly inspiring and reminds you just what a fantastic movement Girlguiding is to be part of.
Karen: Enthusiasm is infectious. When a group of women get together for a common goal we can achieve anything.
What do you do for a day job?
Lynn: I am a Credit Risk Reporting Manager for RBS. This involves producing returns for our regulators, auditors and external benchmarking companies as well as internal departments including the Board. My role is to produce accurate, insightful reports which help them make important decisions about everything from operational resource requirements to the banks future strategy. It can be quite dry and is usually very demanding, which is why I love escaping to the creativity, silliness and fun of Guiding.
Karen: I work for the NHS as a Data Manager for the Paediatric Gastroenterology Service. One thing I have always said is that being involved in Guiding and having this highlighted on my CV was key to kick starting my career in the NHS.
What else do you do in Guiding?
Lynn: I volunteer at in Brownie and Guide groups in Ibrox, and I have just been enlisted to help with next years big camp too. Like many Guiders I find it hard to say no to a project!
Karen: I am currently volunteering as a leader in a Brownie Unit in Ibrox.
What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering (not just for guiding)?
Lynn: Absolutely go for it! Aside from the pride I feel at contributing to my community, I’ve made so many friends and had so many amazing experiences that I can’t help but feel I’ve gotten more out of volunteering than I’ve put in.
Karen: Volunteering is one of the most rewarding things you can do. The ability to enhance someone”s life is very rewarding and does give you a real sense of achievement.
Volunteer Spotlight: Heather
Our penultimate volunteer profile is Heather, our Queens Guide Advisor. Not only is she a great supporter of this special group of young women, she is an engineer, showing #GirlsCanDoAnything.
How long have you been in guiding?
21 years – ever since I was 5!
What got you involved in the first place & why do you stay involved?
My mum got me involved by taking me along to Rainbows. I enjoyed it & as I progressed through the age groups, I learnt that there is always a new opportunity waiting for you in the next section.
You’re currently a county adviser – What does your role do & how can you help other members of Girlguiding Glasgow?
I’m the Queens Guide adviser supporting any young woman who wants to undertake this award to do so to the best of their ability. I help them find opportunities for various clauses and answer all the questions they might have throughout their journey. The award takes 3 years to complete & is meant to be challenging – it’s fantastic to see them achieve the award.
What is the best bit about your county role?
I love speaking to all the young women doing the award who I’d not meet otherwise. They make me feel positive for the future of guiding.
What do you do for a day job?
I’m a civil engineer – my current project role is as a site engineer on the new forth road bridge!
What else do you do in Guiding?
I also run a brownie unit in Baillieston
What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering (not just for guiding)?
Do it! It is so so rewarding and you get so much out of it. Even though you are giving your time, you get way more back in return.
The experiences you get through volunteering can be life changing so just give it a go!
Volunteer Spotlight: Jade
Meet Jade, our events coordinator extraordinaire! Jade is a great example of the fact that you don’t need to be involved in a unit to support our team. Jade uses the skills from her job as an events manager to support & run some amazing events for our members.
Read below to find out what joining #TeamGlasgow has meant to Jade
How long have you been in guiding?
Since January 2016, one and a half years so far!
What got you involved in the first place & why do you stay involved?
I work alongside Girlguiding Glasgow’s County Commissioner Jill Elborn in my day job and she convinced me to get involved to put the skills that I use in work to use out with the working world. I have always been interested in hearing her guiding stories and the amazing experiences she has encountered and I wanted to be involved in something in a voluntary capacity but I thought that it would take lots of hours that I wouldn’t be able to commit to.
The role that I have in guiding is really flexible, the hours that I volunteer isn’t set each week so I can really work it around my professional and personal life and still give a significant contribution towards guiding.
You’re currently the events coordinator – What does your role do & how can you help other members of Girlguiding Glasgow?
In my role I am responsible for planning all of the County level events such as last year’s County Camp Rockin’ Rio and the annual county celebrations for World Thinking Day which I do by leading a small events team. In addition I support any other events that are being organised by other volunteers by being a member on various event planning groups and I have recently helped a guide leader achieve an element for her Queens Guide Award through inviting her to be a member of an event planning group and mentoring her.
What is the best bit about your county role?
The flexibility! Unlike other roles in guiding, I am not committed to a set number of hours per week. I also love volunteering on the event day to see our planning become a reality and watch members enjoying the activities that I have planned for them.
What do you do for a day job?
I am an Event Manager for Glasgow City Council, so I have a role in planning and delivering all of the major events that take place in the city. I love my job and the skills that I use are transferable into guiding.
What else do you do in Guiding?
I am also a member of the County Executive Committee where I help make big decisions on the governance of the county.
What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering (not just for guiding)?
Volunteering is so rewarding and can be flexible, you get out of it what you put in. With a very busy job, I didn’t think that I had any spare time in my daily life to fit volunteering in however my role in guiding allows me to fit it around everything else that I do. I have really enjoyed making new friends and contacts and guiding isn’t anything like I thought it would be!
Volunteer Spotlight: Anneka
Anneka is our camping adviser. Working alongside Teresa & Jan, she is a vital member of our outdoors team.
We managed to get her away from the campsite to tell us what she gets from being a volunteer with Girlguiding.
How long have you been in guiding?
I have been involved in guiding since my mum first dragged me along to a guide camp at 18 months old to allow the girls to complete their child care badge….So a long time!!!
What got you involved in the first place & why do you stay involved?
My mum and god mother first got me involved and then I became a brownie as i loved going to camps and big events.
As I grew older into guides I loved that I could try out new things and complete badges and qualifications that helped me get into university and get various jobs.
I also had the great experience of representing Wales in a U.K international to Antigua and Monsterrat at 16, and after that I felt like I wanted other girls to gain as much as I have from guiding.
Also moving from Wales, to London and then Glasgow it has meant I have always been welcomed by my guiding family.
You’re currently a county adviser. What does your role do & how can you help other members of Girlguiding Glasgow?
My role as outdoor residential advisor is to help and promote units going away with their units.
I also am part of the committee that makes sure Archairdies keeps up and running.
Part of my role has been organising a training weekend for leaders and also our county camp.
What is the best bit about your county role?
The feeling of accomplishment was amazing when I stood on the field at county camp and saw all 200 girls enjoying themselves doing the activities that I had help choose. Meeting new people is also a great part.
What do you do for a day job?
I work as a community officer, meeting people from lots of different backgrounds daily.
What else do you do in Guiding?
I am a guide unit leader and also help with brownies…. and have been known to take rainbows on days out too!
What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering (not just for guiding)?
Do it! Many people will say that there aren’t enough hours in the day, but for something you enjoy you will always find the time.
You get a great sense of achievement out of watching the girls become young women, but you also develop yourself and find skills you never knew you had!!
Volunteer Spotlight: Gemma
As one of the newest members of the county team, Gemma is our Additional Needs Adviser; supporting the team to ensure guiding is accessible to all. We managed to get 5 mins with her to discuss why her role is so important.
How long have you been in guiding?
I’ve been in guiding for 27 years. I remember my first night at Rainbows. The guider was telling my mum about guiding and how you can move up through the units and then become a guider. All I can remember was thinking well that’s not fair – I want to pick my own job! Oh to be five again 😝
What got you involved in the first place & why do you stay involved?
As I said above – my mum got me involved. She was a guide herself. I think I stayed involved as I really enjoyed all the things I got to try as a member. I really used guiding as a way to push myself. There were times when I was younger when I wasn’t as confident as I am now, and didn’t have as many friends as now. I stay with guiding because I want to be able to give another girl the opportunity to g row and make lifelong friends like I did.
You’re currently a county adviser. What does your role do & how can you help other members of Girlguiding Glasgow?
I am additional needs adviser for Glasgow. My role is to be someone who can discuss how to support any member to be fully involved in guiding. I have helped consider the accessibility of events for girls, talked over issues a girl has had and considered how to make our venues open and easy to access for all.
What is the best bit about your county role?
I feel like I’m still finding my feet with the role to be honest. I like that I can give guidance so that a member can have the best opportunity to have an adventure which is meaningful to them
What do you do for a day job?
I am a team leader for housing support services for adults with learning disabilities. I lead four teams and we support a range of people to live in their own homes and achieve what they want to in their lives. We have different types of services as the people we support are all different. The age range of the people my team supports is 26-93! I really believe that every person should have the opportunity to live their lives their way, and that is what our team strives to achieve for the people we support.
What else do you do in Guiding?
I am a guider in our Glasgow Sense unit, which is a joint unit for Rainbows, Brownies and Guides with additional support needs. Previously I only did Brownies so I am currently working on my qualification for Guides. I am also a mentor to Brownie guiders in South West who are also working towards their leadership qualification
What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering (not just for guiding)?
I’d recommend volunteering to anyone. It can give you the opportunity to use your skills and do something you enjoy, but it can also be a way to really challenge yourself and learn lots. I found that volunteering with Guiding has helped me grow and has really shaped who i am today.
Volunteer Spotlight: Lisa
Lisa is our current Duke of Edinburgh award adviser. Did you know you could undertake part or all of your award through guiding?
We caught up with Lisa a few weeks ago & spoke about why she is a volunteer with Girlguiding Glasgow.
How long have you been involved in Guiding?
About 19 years I think.
What got you involved?
My mum enrolled me into the local Brownies – I don’t honestly remember having a choice in the matter, but I loved earning the badges!
I stayed involved because of the supportive leaders (I still keep in touch with my Guide leader and was privileged to attend her wedding last year!) and amazing opportunities (YLQ, ALQ, INTOPS, DofE, QGA), which Guiding gave to me.
You’re currently our DofE Adviser, what does that entail?
I’m the Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE) advisor. With the support of a lovely group of women, I plan and run all (DofE) trainings/events/expeditions across the county and liaise with DofE advisors from other counties and other organisations across Scotland. I help members of Girlguiding Glasgow aged 14-25 to explore new opportunities and ultimately be their best in whatever they chose to do.
What is the best bit about your role?
I love supervising expeditions! Fresh air, camping, cows… what more could a girl ask for!
What do you do for a day-job?
I am a final year Geology PhD student.
What else do you do in Guiding?
I am a Guide leader with the 357th Glasgow Guides and I’m currently working my way through the Walking Scheme.
What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering?
To quote a well-used phrase: GO FOR IT!
If Lisa inspired you to become a volunteer with us, you can find out more by expressing your interest here.
If you’d like to know more about doing part or all of your DofE award with Guiding, you can contact Lisa here
Volunteer Spotlight: Kirstyn
Kirstyn is our current Senior Section adviser (14-25yr age group). Her role covers the whole of Glasgow – no mean feet when you consider the size of the city!
We quizzed her on her role, her life outside of guiding and what she gets from being a volunteer.
How long have you been involved in Guiding?
I think since 2009. I was a brownie & a guide but had a break for a few years after guides to focus on school and other activities.
What got you involved?
I met Jill (our county commissioner) who asked if I would help out for one night. That was 8 years ago – I’ve never escaped!
You’re currently the Senior Section Adviser, what does that entail?
Basically, my role is to inspire the young women in our Senior Section (14-25 yrs) to be the best they can be by being a good role model, encouraging them to take on leadership roles and supporting them throughout the programme.
I also provide advice and act as a ‘go-to’ person for all in that age group if they aren’t sure who to approach.
What is the best bit about your role?
I love meeting the girls, getting to know them and seeing them grow as people throughout their time in Guiding. I’m also looking forward to setting up the youth forum and learning more about Guiding.
What do you do for a day-job?
I’m an adjusting executive for a loss adjusting firm. I do a lot of report writing and review & validate insurance claims. It’s nothing to do with Guiding and very different to what I get up to as a leader!
What else do you do in Guiding?
I’m the leader of the 295th Guides based in Croftfoot, the Lead Volunteer for the Croftfoot part of Glasgow and I’m an assistant with the Croftfoot Senior Section group.
What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering?
I would say ….. do it! It is the most rewarding thing I do in my life right now. I wouldn’t have made the friends I have, I’d not have seen so much of the world nor had so much fun – Guiding brings out the best in me!
It is so so rewarding – I’m so proud to watch the girls in my groups grow & develop into the awesome young women they are today.
