Email Subscription
-
Recent Posts
Talk to us on Facebook
Get the latest on Twitter
Error: Twitter did not respond. Please wait a few minutes and refresh this page.
Join the fun on Instagram
No Instagram images were found.
Category Cloud
- advocacy
- badges
- book club
- brownies
- camp
- camping
- challenge
- community service
- cookies
- crafts
- diversity
- eco citizens
- environment
- female role model
- female role models
- friendship
- Girl Greatness Awards
- Guider
- Guides
- Guiding history
- inclusivity
- international travel
- leadership
- meeting ideas
- National Service Project
- new guider
- NSP
- Opening the Vaults
- parent
- pathfinders
- rangers
- Sangam
- Scouts
- self esteem
- service
- sparks
- special days
- STEM
- travel
- violence
- volunteer
- volunteering
- WAGGGS
- women's health
- World Thinking Day
Archives
Author Archives: Girl Guides of Canada Blog
Why letting girls lead was the best thing to happen to our Guide unit
Last year, the Guiders of the 26th Orleans Guides stopped leading the horseshoe, the campfire, or organizing games – and it was the best thing we ever did. We had started our year with four Guiders and a productive planning … Continue reading
Smart. Funny. Confident. Why this Girl Guide should be your new role model
“Kinley is smart, funny, and kind. She also happens to have Down’s syndrome.” That’s how we were first introduced to 11-year-old Kinley in her 2017 Girl Greatness Award nomination. Kinley received an award in the Confidence category after being nominated … Continue reading
Posted in Girls' Guides
Tagged confidence, Girl Greatness Awards, Girl Guides, inclusive, inclusivity
Leave a comment
How I turned up my confidence as a twentysomething in Guiding
Let’s face it: becoming an adult is all kinds of exciting and terrifying all at the same time. There are so many new things to learn and do – but it can also feel like just so much new all … Continue reading
Posted in Volunteering
Tagged Link, networking, professional skills, skills development, university, volunteering
1 Comment
Why Guiding is the ULTIMATE Choose Your Own Adventure
There’s nothing like a Guiding trip to empower girls to see the world – and themselves – in a whole new way. Bonus – it’s a pretty awesome way to find your global girl squad, too. With applications closing Monday, … Continue reading
Posted in Global Guiding
Leave a comment
The world may be divided, but the girls of the world are not
I am one of a kind. And I am also one of 10 million. I stand together with the 10 million girls and women in Guiding around the world who are making our mark and fighting for gender equality. Attending … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
Wonder how much pressure teenage girls face? Just ask them
Too girly. Not girly enough. Too smart, too dumb. Too skinny, too curvy. Too anything. For girls, the mixed messages they get about how they should act, look, and think are confusing and demoralizing. The sad reality is that girls … Continue reading
Adventure. Confidence. Leadership. How my daughters found it all in Guiding
Fact: Guiding has changed the life of my daughters drastically in the past five years. It all started simply enough. I registered my third daughter, Hari, in Guides. In just a few weeks, I noticed some positive changes in her … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
The Guiding year is starting and the excitement is REAL
Excited. Like really excited. That’s how girls, parents and volunteer Guiders are feeling about the start of the Guiding year. But don’t take our word for it (even though you can always trust a Girl Guide). Check out all the feels … Continue reading
From networking to chilling out: 5 reasons being a Guider is an A++ idea
We all know that Guiding empowers girls to learn, explore and find their place in the world. And as I discovered, volunteering with Girl Guides as a university student also pays off in a big way – both for the … Continue reading
How a Girl Guide trip helped me find my #globalgirlsquad
Travelling as a teenager to another country can definitely be a little bit scary – but also super exciting and amazing at the same time. This summer, I was part of a Girl Guide trip to Ireland and it’s no … Continue reading
Posted in Global Guiding
Tagged Girl Guide trips, international Guiding, rangers, travel
Leave a comment
These girls put the POWER in empowering by mastering how to use a drill
Learning how to drive a nail and use power tools are empowering skills that can make girls feel strong and fearless. Meet some Girl Guides who mastered how to swing a hammer while learning about female entrepreneurship along the way. … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities
Tagged activities for girls, confidence, girls' skills, power tools, resilience
Leave a comment
Why giving girls a little bit of freedom in the great outdoors is a recipe for awesome
Think Sparks are too little to cook their own meal or set off on an adventure? Think again. As this Guider writes, when girls get outdoors and have the chance to discover just what they can do on their own, … Continue reading
5 retro camp pics way cooler than anything on Instagram
Who needs Instagram to give their camp photos a nostalgic vibe? At Girl Guides of Canada, we’ve got lots of classic camp pics with that hazy look that can only come from the 1970s and 1980s. More permanent than Snapchat … Continue reading
Posted in Camping & Outdoors
Tagged Girl Guide camp, Girl Guide history, Opening the Vaults, outdoor cooking
1 Comment
The moment this Guide learned to ride a bike will give you all the feels
Have you ever had a fear of trying something new? Not this Girl Guide, who tackled learning how to ride a bike. Continue reading
This Sparks pj party will give you the warm and fuzzies
Pajama party checklist: PJs? Check. S’mores? Check. Campfire? Check. Giving back to your community? Check. To celebrate the end of the Guiding year, the 73rd Toronto Sparks put on their finest and fuzziest to celebrate with a pajama party. But … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities
Tagged Action on Poverty, community service, National Service Project, NSP, sleepover, sparks
Leave a comment
Six Important Things I Learned from Six-Year Olds
There are so many reasons to volunteer with Girl Guides of Canada. And now that my second year of volunteering with Guiding is about to come to a close, here’s a list of what I’ve learned from a group of … Continue reading
How this shy, dinosaur-loving 8-year-old found her strong in Guiding
When you sign your daughter up for Guiding, there are tons of opportunities for her to shine. Let us introduce you to Ellie – she’s all kinds of amazing. She was recently recognized with a 2017 Girl Greatness Award. We … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
Move over Wonder Woman – these super hero Sparks are super every day
While Wonder Woman leaps into movie theatres across the planet this week, there are real-life female super heroes in our midst every day. We’re talking about Girl Guides. Super heroes like the 1st Valley East Sparks in Sudbury, Ontario, who … Continue reading
Who’s listening to what girls have to say? Girl Guides is.
National Council – your chance to be heard “Girl Guides really gets it! They care about our voices and they’re ready to listen.” That’s what I was thinking last year when applications opened for Girl Guides of Canada’s first National … Continue reading
Posted in Girls' Guides
Tagged national volunteer opportunities, National Youth Council, pathfinders, rangers
1 Comment
How girls created the MOST Canadian welcome for newcomers
Sometimes, the best ideas come to you early in the morning. You know, when there’s a crisp quietness in the air and the sun is just starting to warmly say ‘hello’ for the day. This particular idea – knitting a … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities
Tagged immigration, knitting, rangers, refugees, welcome
Leave a comment
Getting real and giving hope when everyone is watching 13 Reasons Why
For National Mental Health Week, we reached out to Kids Help Phone to develop some recommendations on how to talk about some of the serious subjects covered on the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why if they’re brought up in a unit … Continue reading
Posted in Girls' Guides
Tagged 13 Reasons Why, Mighty Minds, National Mental Health Week, suicide
Leave a comment
Three reasons why volunteering with Girl Guides is awesome
By Katie Dersch There is something for everyone Growing up in Guiding, I was able to try so many different things. From camping to robotics, I got to see for myself what I was interested in. Girl Guides helps you … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
Why I Volunteer with Girl Guides
By Christina Roberts I love volunteering with Girl Guides because providing girls with enriching experiences and learning opportunities is tremendously rewarding. For the past two years, I have led a Brownie unit. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting intelligent and … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
Thank you, volunteers!
As National Volunteer Week begins, girls in Guiding are sending a huge shoutout to our amazing volunteers.
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
Remembering Beyond Remembrance Day
On April 9, Canadians will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge. Guider Michelle writes how inviting a woman from the Canadian Forces helped her Guides explore their own leadership skills and the achievements of those who … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities
Tagged female role models, leadership, Remembrance Day, Vimy Ridge
Leave a comment
Lost and found in translation
I recently went on a two-week long B.C. Girl Guide trip to Peru. We toured over a dozen towns in Southern Peru as well coastal cities such as Lima and Paracas. We hiked Machu Picchu, explored the floating islands on … Continue reading
Posted in Global Guiding
Tagged Girl Guide story, international, Peru, rangers, travel
Leave a comment
In Guiding, I’m not alone
When I was growing up we didn’t talk about mental health and mental illness. It wasn’t something we talked about at home. It wasn’t something we learned about at school. And it certainly wasn’t something we discussed at Girl Guides. … Continue reading
When the pieces click together
At university, they say the first semester is the hardest. To say I was nervous was a bit of an understatement: on top of delving into my specialization degree in Immunology and Infection at the distinguished (and somewhat menacing) University … Continue reading
Posted in Girls' Guides
Tagged balance, Edmonton, Girl Guide scholarships, Guider, STEM, university
Leave a comment
Pamela Rice: Why Feminism Is Not a Dirty Word
Nesta Ashworth is the kind of hero that girls today would have no problem relating to. In the early 1900s, she saved her pocket money to buy an axe and build a fort in the woods with her friends. When … Continue reading
The courage to start
Every day across Canada, girls in Guiding are accomplishing great and amazing things: overcoming obstacles, realizing their goals, and contributing in positive ways to their communities. I know this personally because I have seen it first-hand over the 13 years … Continue reading
Posted in Girls' Guides
Tagged climate change, courage, Girl Greatness Awards, rangers, STEM
2 Comments
We are #STEMinists
As the world celebrates the best in cinematic achievement this weekend, all eyes will be on Hidden Figures, the Oscar-nominated film about female African-American mathematicians who played a vital role at NASA in the 1960s. This film has inspired many … Continue reading
Posted in Girls' Guides
Tagged engineering and math, Hidden Figures, science, STEM, technology
1 Comment
Opening the Vaults – World Thinking Day and the Intangible Spirit of Guiding
When we look through the collection in our national archives, we’re often inspired by the intangible spirit of Guiding that shines so bright in many of the images. For this World Thinking Day, we have pulled together a selection of quotes … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Global Guiding, Guiding history, Opening the Vaults, World Thinking Day
Leave a comment
A positive egg-sperience in responsibility
Warning: Some eggs may have been cuddled in the making of this post The theme for one of our recent unit meetings was understanding responsibility. The girls brainstormed ways to be responsible in Guides, create kit lists and set goals for … Continue reading
Sparks sparkle – and so do new Guiders!
A few months ago, an email arrived announcing that the national office would be hosting our own Girl Guide units. It read: “Are you looking for a little more glitter in your life? Looking to connect with nature and possibly … Continue reading
Lost: One camp blanket
My camp blanket is gone. I’d feel better if I’d left it behind at camp, or accidentally swapped it with another Guide, or if it had been the victim of a flooded tent (kidding! I don’t actually wish that). The … Continue reading
It’s more than OK to be myself
I like being a Pathfinder. I’ve made so many new friends and they’re really inclusive and accepting. They make sure I always know that it’s ok to be myself. Through Pathfinders, I also get to do a lot of things … Continue reading
Shining a Light on Mental Health on Parliament Hill
Girl Guides in Ottawa came to Parliament Hill to celebrate the launch of Mighty Minds, our new mental health program. Girls had the chance to try some of the activities from the program, while meeting Members of Parliament, Senators and … Continue reading
Posted in Girls' Guides
Tagged Maryam Monsef, Mighty Minds, Parliament Hill, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau
3 Comments
What girls have to say about mental health
“I think mental health is more normal than people think. If more people talked about it, it would become normal.” – 10-year old Guide Girls have a lot to say about mental health, and we’re giving them the space to … Continue reading
Posted in Girls' Guides
Tagged girls' mental health, Guides, mental health, Mighty Minds, pathfinders
3 Comments
Experts in the house!
This week, Girl Guides of Canada staff returned to the office after the holiday break to start work again on all things awesome and amazing for Guiding. And a few staff members brought their personal ‘in house experts’ with them … Continue reading
When Girl Greatness spreads to the office
“It is better to do good than be good.” – Lord Baden-Powell Every day we challenge girls to go out and make a difference, to go over-and-above to make their communities a better place to live. And every time, they … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Action on Poverty, National Service Project, service, Shoe Box Project
Leave a comment
Full STEM ahead
The overwhelming theme for our unit’s activities this fall has been science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). With Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada programming like Girls Count, and instant meetings like International Day of the Girl 2016, it’s been … Continue reading
All in the family – sisters and role models
Daring. Courageous. Risk-taker. These are all words that can be used to describe Viola Desmond, who’ll be featured on the new Canadian $10 bank note. In 1946, the Nova Scotia business woman refused to leave a whites-only area of a … Continue reading
Posted in Opening the Vaults
Tagged $10 bill, Guiding history, Viola Desmond, Wanda Robson, women's history
Leave a comment
Ending violence: The power of girls
Geneviève Bergeron, 21 Nathalie Croteau, 23 Anne-Marie Edward, 21 Maryse Laganière, 25 Anne-Marie Lemay, 22 Michèle Richard, 21 Annie Turcotte, 20 Hélène Colgan, 23 Barbara Daigneault, 22 Maud Haviernick, 29 Maryse Leclair, 23 Sonia Pelletier, 28 Annie St-Arneault, 23 … Continue reading
Feeling Safe
I’ve been thinking a lot more about safety and inclusivity lately. Just the other day, at work, in a room full of peers, superiors, and contractors, I was forced to justify some very personal choices and reveal a part of … Continue reading
How low ropes taught me how to be a better Guider
Earlier this fall, I attended a large fall camp for 500 Guides and Pathfinders at Camp Wyoka, a phenomenal Girl Guide property near Minto, Ontario. I was an assistant for the first session of low ropes, an obstacle course that … Continue reading
Posted in Camping & Outdoors, Girls' Guides
Tagged camping, girl empowerment, girl engagement, low ropes
1 Comment
Say No to Violence – end of discussion
16 Days of Action to Eliminate Violence Against Women started on Friday, Nov. 25. We’re highlighting girls’ voices on social media throughout the 16 Days. Check out what Rishi has to say: Living in Canada, we often believe ourselves to be … Continue reading
Posted in Girls' Guides, Uncategorized
Tagged 16 Days of Action, gender-based violence, rangers, Say No to Violence
Leave a comment
Work hard. Be kind. That is all.
“You’re not good enough.” “You don’t try hard enough.” “You don’t fit in.” These are messages that girls hear not only from society, but often from each other and themselves as well. I volunteer with a Guide and Pathfinder unit … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities, Girls' Guides
Tagged Be You, body image, Guides, pathfinders, Quebec, self esteem
Leave a comment
Bringing the Sangam Spirit to your Unit: Ideas for a Sangam-themed Meeting
This fall, the Sangam World Centre is celebrating its 50th anniversary! To mark this milestone, we’re re-posting this blog with tips on helping girls feel connected to Sangam and the global sisterhood of Guiding. Though Sangam is far away, you … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment
Spicing up the program
At a recent unit meeting, we tapped into our Guides’ creativity by having them design and market their own potato chip flavours. I made a trip to the store to buy all the spices and flavourings and went a little … Continue reading