About Guiding
Why girls only?
Why is Guides female only?
The mission of Girl Guides Australia is to help girls and young women grow into confident, self-respecting, responsible community members.
We believe strongly that Australian girls are best served by a program designed specifically for Guides, and facilitated by women. These women are role models who encourage the girls to challenge themselves and achieve. Girl Guides Australia provides girls and women with the opportunity to experience leadership and management positions from a young age.
In Guiding, females do it all and do not feel the pressure society traditionally places on them to look to males for decision-making. Women and girls take positions of leadership, use their talents and abilities in planning and policy-making, and are encouraged to take these skills into their lives. This allows them to build their self-esteem.
Guides provide a unique girl-only environment, vital for personal and social development. It's a safe, inclusive space where girls can be comfortable just being themselves. Guiding offers a unique opportunity for girls to acquire leadership skills, to become self-reliant, to enjoy the friendship of other women and girls, and to develop a sense of well-being and self-worth.
There is plenty of research to show that girls and boys realise a greater degree of their potential if they spend part of their time in a single-sex environment.
Why is Guiding for your daughter?
You would like your daughter to be independent, self-confident, and have every opportunity to experience life.
Life is very busy and you can't always spend as much time with her as you would like for her to experience a variety of opportunities. Besides, she would probably prefer to be with her friends. And you may not have the skills or time to take on the adventurous activities that many young girls like to do.
When your daughter becomes a Guide, she joins a Unit of girls of a similar age and interest. The Unit works with a Leader who is interested in girls and trained to understand their needs. The Unit will probably meet each week for 1-2 hours during term time, or perhaps for a whole day once a term. If you can't get to a Unit, as a Lone Guide her meetings may take the form of letters, emails or chat. Together the girls and their Leaders will decide, plan and take part in a range of activities almost as unlimited as their imaginations. In a safe environment, your daughter will develop her leadership and decision-making skills, improve her confidence, and have opportunities to try the kinds of activities she may only have dreamed of.
Just as importantly, your daughter will be having fun with friends who may not go to her school, while she's learning skills for life.