About Guiding
Who can be a Guide?
Membership of Girl Guides is open to girls from 5 to 17 years of age (depending on which State association), and women 18 years and over. Each girl and adult member makes a promise which shows their commitment to the principles of Guiding and is her link with the 10 million other Guides world wide.
Girl Guides is for girls of all cultures, faiths and abilities.
At Guides you are able to
- experience exciting challenges with friends
- have lots of fun
- join a Guide Unit of similar aged girls
- meet for 1-2 hours in a local hall most weeks during term time
- have a different experience every week
Guides get to
-
try a wide range of activities appropriate to their age, abilities and interests
- discover, decide, plan, do and evaluate their program with the guidance of a trained adult volunteer Leader
- choose to challenge and extend yourself
- earn a wide variety of badges and a great sense of achievement
- do the Queen's Guide Award and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, if they are 14 years or older
- develop life skills,confidence to think and act for themselves, respect for the environment and a sense of community
The best part is you get to choose with your friends what you can do whether:
- it is an outdoor adventure like canoeing, archery, abseiling, skiing, hiking, camping, cooking damper over a fire or just sitting around a campfire singing, chatting and sharing a joke or two.
- or indoor activities, the range is up to your imagination, maybe a special recipe, being creative, working as a team planning your next adventures, exploring another culture and faith, achieving your goals.
You may have heard people talk about being a Brownie, Girl Guide or Ranger and joining the Girl Guide Association. Since 1996 all members have been referred to as Guides. The younger girls (formerly Gumnut Guides aged 5-6 years and Brownie Guides aged 7- 11 years) love being known as Guides and having the opportunities to choose the name of their Unit. In some areas girls have decided to keep the name Brownie or Gumnut or Ranger as a tradition in their Unit name while others have chosen names such as the Dolphin Guides, Bilby Guides, Junior or Senior Guides. Unit names will usually contain the name of the area as well.
To become a member contact your State Guide Office to find your local Unit.
Alternatively, if it is not possible for you to attend regular meetings, it may be possible for you to join a Lone Guide Unit in your state.
What are you waiting for? Join now!