With over 10 years as a Girl Guide leader, it’s not surprising that some things have changed since I started.  Here are some of my tips for using technology as a Guider.

• Email is your friend – I’m a big fan of email. I can write an email when I think of something or when it’s convenient for me and co-Guiders can respond when it’s convenient for them. There is also a record, so I can go back and look things up when I forget.
• Shared documents – This has really helped. All of my co-Guiders can read and edit our shared documents. It’s easier than sending another email (and remembering the attachment) every time I make any changes. I recommend Dropbox or Google Drive.
• Download it for a meeting – I can’t get Wi-Fi at our regular meeting space so I prefer to download all files or videos to my computer or tablet.
• Songs on YouTube – When I’m learning a new song, I like to listen to it a few times. I’ve had good luck finding recordings of songs on YouTube, I even learned the Our Chalet song this way.
• Just use the cell phone camera – I often forget my digital camera or forget to take pictures with it. When cell phone cameras were first introduced the pictures were grainy and fuzzy (doesn’t this blur look like she’s having fun in Girl Guides!), but now the pictures I take with my cell phone are great for documenting what we got up to.

While I’m a fan of technology, I have two cautions:

• The internet doesn’t forget – While it is great to promote Girl Guides, I don’t want to impose on a girl’s privacy. Be sure to confirm that your girls have an Image Release (IR.1) form signed. I also always ask parents permission before using their child’s picture on a blog posts and I’m quite generic when I post about Girl Guides on Facebook.
• Turn off the phone (when you aren’t taking pictures) – I don’t want to be bothered by a wrong number during a district meeting and during unit meetings I want the girls in my unit to know that they are more important than whatever I’m looking at on my phone.

I know that technology can often be confusing or overwhelming but it can also be helpful and handy.

By guest blogger Jill Ainsworth, who has been a Girl Guide leader for more than 10 years and currently works with Sparks and Brownies in Westmount, Quebec. When she’s not in uniform, she is pursuing a PhD in Biostatistics at McGill University. Check out her previous blog post, Say cheese! Setting up a Girl Guide photo booth