Our Vision at GGC is a better world, by girls. And it makes sense since the core of the Guiding movement has always been active citizenship. As girls learn who they are and what they can do, their motivation to take positive action in the world is inevitable.
In May, we are exploring the fifth and final pillar of girl-driven Guiding: engage community. Girls in Guiding are supported in identifying local issues that matter to them, engaging in their communities through service, and learning about their rights and responsibilities as citizens. Through these experiences, girls in Guiding are primed to become the compassionate leaders of tomorrow.
Megan Gilchrist, a committed Guider from Ontario shares an
inspiring story of girls speaking up:
“Our meeting place is in the centre of a
large parkland area managed by Parks Canada. Two years ago, our Brownie unit
was outside doing some geocaching, and were horrified at the number of little
plastic baggies full of dog poop that the dog walkers had left behind. When we
came back inside, the girls were still upset, so we talked about what we could
do to help solve the problem. The girls brainstormed some longer-term solutions:
go back another week and clean up, make signs to put along the trail, talk to
town council, and so on. But they wanted to do something NOW! We talked about
how we could help educate people and they eventually came up with writing a
letter to the editor of our little town newspaper, which we did as a group. The
girls were thrilled to see their letter published and in print, and they felt
empowered to speak up about something that was important to them.”
There’s no doubt our world is facing some big challenges. Supporting girl leadership at GGC means they’ll have the confidence and know-how to meet these challenges head-on.
Guider storytelling
contest – enter to win…one last time!
This year, we’re celebrating the critical role Guiders play in girls’
lives! From January to May, we’re inviting Guiders to share their stories of
girl-driven Guiding.
In May, we’d love to hear your stories of the fifth girl-driven pillar: engage community. How have you supported girls in community engagement or service? How have girls thrived? What have you learned?
Contest details:
- Send your stories of community engagement in Guiding to delivery@girlguides.ca by Tuesday, May 28 for a chance to win a Guider self-care package – and a limited-edition girl-driven crest!
- Please include your name, mailing address, iMIS#, Provincial Council and the branch level of your unit
- Images encouraged (please ensure we have permission to share!)