The 16-Year-Old Brownie

Dear Reader,  DISCLAIMER: ALL RIGHTS TO THIS BADGE BELONG TO 1ST ST SEBASTIAN BROWNIES, ALL INFORMATION AND PHOTOS HAVE COME FROM THE CHALLENGE BADGE PACK THEY HAVE CREATED AND GUIDING CHALLENGE BADGE FACEBOOK GROUP!!! photo belongs to Claire Gibson via challenge badge Facebook group As you will probably soon learn from this blog, I am a really big Disney fan!! And by that, I mean a  REALLY big fan! So, when I was browsing the files on Facebook, looking for a challenge badge to do in my own time, I came across Magical Kingdoms,created by 1st St Sebastian Brownies in Berkshire, and I was instantly sold.  The badge includes research activities, games, crafts, watching the films, wordsearches, and food/cooking. I like that this badge offers so many activities - 97 in fact, and that they link to helping others by donating 2ps to charity, being creative and increasing knowledge by researching. The badge stipulated that as a member of The Senior ...

Dear Reader,  Interested in a leadership role? Working towards badges and awards independently? Completing courses such as Peer Education? Interested in international trip opportunities? The Senior Section offers all of this.. and more! As a member of The Senior Section I have been able to become a Peer Educator, go on an international trip to Disneyland Paris, complete my Young Leadership Qualification, and begin working towards my octants.  Members of The Senior Section work towards the Look Wider programme - a set of 8 octants that each challenge the member to be creative, active, imaginative and willing to help others. Each octant contains 3 phases that must all be completed, each of which challenge the girl to a new level, and require increasing amounts of time and dedication - such as learning a new language, creating a website, or going on an international camp in the UK - such as a jamboree.  They may also wish to work towards their Young L...

Dear Reader,  Is your daughter keen to earn badges and awards? Does she enjoy camping, and using her skills to make a difference? Take a look into Guides!! Guides is for all girls aged 10-14, who enjoy making friends, challenging themselves, getting their hands dirty and developing new and existing skills. At Guides, your daughter will have the chance to earn badges, such as Performing Arts and World Cultures, Go For Its, and challenge badges, as well other awards such as her Commonwealth Award. Guides go on lots of camps, trips and get involved in art, craft, outdoor cooking, sport and even volunteering - should you daughter wish to become a Rainbow or Brownie helper! Some Guides get the opportunity to go on international trips - such as to Disneyland, or one of our World Centres. As well as the potential to go away to a jamboree, a week long camping event where she will meet Guides and Scouts from all over the world. In meetings, Guides work both in the...

Dear Reader Does your daughter enjoy adventure? Would she benefit from the chance to explore new things, and independence? If so.... Brownies is for girls aged 7-10 and is a chance to earn badges, play games, go on trips, camps and make friends.  Since I began volunteering at Brownies, I have been away on a pack holiday to local centre, Patterson Lodge and a Christmas sleepover, completed many badges and activities, and had the joy of taking some of the girls to Butlins for Brownie Starburst 2018. I have enjoyed watching the girls explore different badges, such enjoying the creativity of Toymaker, and increasing their life skills with the Stay Cyber Safe challenge badge.  When a girl joins the unit, she will complete 'Becoming a Brownie', an activity booklet that enables her to learn about Brownies through drawing, word searches and the Brownie story. After completing, this she can be enrolled into the unit, and the Guiding family. She will then receive h...

Dear Reader, Do you have a daughter who enjoys running around, getting her hands covered in paint and playing games? Well... If she's between the ages of 5 and 7, have you considered Rainbows? Whether your daughter is already a loud, confident socialite, or a quiet, reserved girl who needs to come our of her shell, Rainbows will likely be a great thing for her. She will have the opportunity to make friends from different schools, make crafty creations covered in stickers and glue (without your carpet having to suffer), and even go on trips, and sleepovers.  After a short time at Rainbows, your daughter will be able to make her promise, and be enrolled as an official member. Along with all our older units, Rainbows have the opportunity to earn badges, including Rainbow Roundabouts - 7 badges which are designed to allow Rainbows to do activities,crafts, cooking and games to help them explore personal development, world festivals, healthy living and s...

Dear Reader, Many people can probably say they were a Brownie, or a Guide, right? But how many people can say that they still go to Brownie meetings at 16? Well, I'm one of the lucky ones.... As a GirlGuiding Anglia Young Leader, I get the privilege of spending 3 hours a week, volunteering at Brownies and watching girls grow into more confident, more able young women and gaining valuable skills by engaging in all the activities and opportunities we can offer them.  I get to see them from the very beginning, when they first join Brownies, right up until the point where they leave us and continue their journey into Guides. Currently, I get to work with almost 30 Brownies across 2 local units, alongside a team of leaders who give up a lot more time than the 1 + 1/2 hour meeting: planning, making, buying and discussing every aspect of the programme or activity, on the basis that we aim to give our young women the best we possibly can.  My own GirlGuiding jo...