Travelling is exciting – travelling with Girl Guides is amazingly exciting.  Planning for Guiding Mosaic 2016 (GM2016, July 9-17, 2016) can seem daunting, exhausting and terrifying.  Don’t panic, take up the challenge and enjoy the experience. Enjoy the view and go for it!

Each GM2016 patrol will consist of Pathfinders or Rangers and Guiders. Here are some tips to get you started as you organize your patrol:

• Identify the Guiders and girls who will make up your patrol: You will need to ensure that you meet Safe Guide ratio and that all of your girls meet the age requirements. (Participants must be registered in Pathfinders or Rangers for the 2015-2016 or 2016-2017 Guiding years.) Complete the List of Participants (IT.11) form as a means of gathering all the participants’ relevant information in one place. An ideal patrol is eight girls and two adults, but patrols can be any size. With assistance from the Provincial Liaison, smaller patrols may be combined with another smaller patrol. If you do not have a patrol attending GM2016, individual Guiders and individuals girls can still attend. They will be placed with existing patrols, also with the assistance of the Provincial Liaison.
• Get started on the required Safe Guide documents for participation: You will need to submit a Travel Preauthorization (SG.8) form for preapproval to travel. Once approved, you will be able to get started on your other documents including Activity Plan (SG.1), Parent Guardian Permission (SG.2), Activity Notification or Authorization (SG.3) and Emergency Response Plan (SG.4).
• Develop a draft budget to be shared with families: Google current costs for ground/air transport, food enroute, camp registration and potential equipment purchases. Remember to include an emergency reserve!
• Organize a parent meeting: You’ll want to discuss expectations around behaviour (Code of Conduct) and costs. Consider holding your meeting for 30 minutes following your regular unit meeting. Only the girls attending GM2016 would stay and it will save you having to go out a second night.
• Decide if you are going to do any travelling pre or post camp: Plan a week, or several days before or after camp. You could explore Edmonton, Calgary or one of the nearby national parks. Have the girl’s research and plan the itinerary. Gather information about costs, accommodations and transport along the way.

TIP – Buy a notebook that is exclusively for GM2016 use. Jot down anything and everything that is related to your planning.  You’ll have all your information in one place and you’ll never wonder, “Where did I put that…”

By guest blogger Kris McGee. Kris is a Pathfinder Guider from Kitchener, Ontario and an avid traveller. She’s been part of youth trips to more than a dozen countries and from coast to coast.

Guiding Mosaic pre-registration is now open! Questions? Email GM2016(at)girlguides.ca