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 journey started in 2011 (aged 10) when my mum decided that I should join my local Guides unit. Throughout 4 years as a Guide, I went away on camp each year, earned myself a fair few badges and made a lot of friends. I was a nightmare at first, but the same team of leaders are still putting up with me and supporting me to this day.
At 14, I moved to the Senior Section unit attached to Guides, and made my promise with the notorious Captain America at Madame Tussaud's London, as well as visiting Pax Lodge, the UK's World Centre! To this day, I am still a member of the unit, working towards Look Wider and my Commonwealth Award.
I became a Rainbow Helper, and after quite a few months with the unit, I decided that the age group just wasn't for me - but I saw many girls come and go, and had a lot of fun completing the Disney Mania Challenge badge with them.
In May 2016, I first embarked upon the terrifying move to Brownies. A place where, at 5"1, some of them were almost as tall as me, and better at crafts too! However, I soon learnt that Brownies aren't scary, and I began to work towards my Young Leader Qualification with the unit, running activities ranging from designing book covers, to make Promise jars, and had great fun at pack holiday, and a Christmas sleepover.
In 2017, I was approached to accompany another local Brownie unit to Butlins, for Brownie Starburst 2018, and that is the point at which I thought, 'oh it's okay, I'm only a college student with my Monday evenings taken up with Brownies, 18 hours of schoolwork a week and a social life.... of course I'll join a second unit!' (Yes, I know, I'm crazy!)
But all that said..
Since I started Guiding, I've been away for 22 nights, including a trip to Disneyland Paris, I've volunteered at 3 District Thinking Day celebrations, filled a camp blanket with over 60 badges, and become a GirlGuiding Peer Educator.
You might not realise that there are local units in your area, but there'a high chance, there are. Ranging all the way from Rainbows, our youngest girls, through to the Leaders and Trefoil Guild, women who spent their time running units, or ran one for many years and have since passed those units on, but don't want to leave the Guiding family.
I aim to raise the profile of Guiding in my local area, by showing people what amazing opportunities it presents and how much you can achieve, both by helping others, and doing things for yourself.
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,
Yours,
The 16-Year-Old Brownie
This is awesome, so well-written x
ReplyDeleteThank you!X
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