Guiders Staff Room Part 3

We pay from the same account for R/B/G and I think it's over £700 (we were told we couldn't possibly have one bank account but I'm so glad we did, saves finding new signatories 3 times over when one leaves, we also kind of swap round when necessary for meetings so most of us are not section-specific - I think only two of us don't have more than one section on our ALQ out of 5 or 6).

AG has had some ideas about recruitment, I am reluctant to tell her they have not worked in the past but I did say don't bother with bring a friend as Guides won't even bring them (Brownies will but few join and Rainbows bring them but then we have no space!)

I have decided I'm going to subtly see how far along my AG is towards finishing her ALQ and then make a move back to Rainbows but taking it in turns with the R & B leaders (who should be up for it - Brown Owl has an older Brownie daughter for example) to make up an extra body at Guide meetings which shouldn't mean too much extra time at meetings and not so much planning. Rainbow leader has an enormous waiting list and if we have more Rainbows it means more Brownies then more Guides (and if they have sisters etc. it could be sooner rather than later).

That's crap Gingers. Last week my were in their sixes to start, bit busy talking and not stopping. Wise Owl ran out of calm, blew the whistle 3 times and we did a fire drill! Afterwards warned them that if they can't pay attention they'll be doing lots of fire drills- a great threat in winter, not so effective in summer!

I have no ideas about recruitment. You're guides sound great, I get twitchy about dd1s guide unit, they don't do much, and they lose a lot who are bored. Equally compounded by the ones coming up from my unit are used to a varied (full of crazy ideas that have Wise Owl going grey) programme.

My census is £31.50 p/h. Nothing for district, they rely on the shops profits. Will be writing a cheque for £825.50 and swooning. My years rent is less than £80, and includes hearing so I'm quite lucky in that respect. Have to be out on time for the yoga ladies, but can't really complain.

And yes we do a lot of what I think are great activities. Last summer we did a very popular tented village camp. Animation workshop last term, plus a couple of things (disposable cameras, and a couple of deaf lads coming) that they were fascinated by, and a panto trip. This term they've asked to go to a water park so we've decided they can plan it for their World Traveller badge. Next term Brown Owl is supposed to be booking a joint PGL holiday (but has not got her act together as far as I can see).

They are leaving altogether. Mainly before Guides (but we do a lot of joint stuff, joint residential etc so they know what they are getting).
We've got a few strikes against us recently, a horrible situation with the complaint over the summer so several left, then sisters and friends of them left Brownies, one of the other leaders hardly wants to show her face at school let alone do publicity as the Queen Bee mums have been slagging her and the unit off.
So 5 have left due to being busy or outgrowing it but we were barely in double figures anyway.
This is with a background of another unit locally having 50.

DrSpouse, are they going to other units or leaving guiding altogether? Our nearest Guide unit gets about 50% though to BP but I think that the leader must be jumping though hoops to keep them interested. It's just a stage where they have suddenly so much going on that there comes a point where something has to give. Plus, here at least, the guides tend to be the 'accomplished' girls who also do music or sports or whatever, and by 13 they are being pulled in all directions. My youngest DD is 12 and still a Guide, but even she wouldn't go if her friends weren't there, and if it were too stressful: quite often the patrol times seem very (almost too) relaxed but I think it's what they need and the leader has it right: she gives them amazing opportunities and activities that they want to stay for and then tolerates a ridiculous amount of laziness/cheekiness which to me (as a Brownie leader) would be intolerable....but it works for her and she is running a huge (54) and popular unit. It is variable though: I remember when my eldest went through Guides they were down to 6 at one point, so your numbers may yet rally.

...which is a ridiculously longwinded way of saying that sometimes even if you do everything right, the girls just have other priorities so don't take it to heart. How many Brownies can you move up, or could you run a joint unit for a while?

Oh that's rubbish Gingers.
I could easily carry on with the same unit - my AG, and the Rainbow leader, come from just as far (not far at all).
It's a question of who I'm actually doing it for - if two girls turn up it's really depressing.

Gingers that's crap. I hope next week goes better.

drspouse Is it possible to continue at your unit from where you're moving to? I know lots of people who travel to be at units they've set up or been with for a long time when there are closer units to where they live! I dont have any suggestions about upping numbers though, with a unit of 30+ my new guides dont have that problem!

My evening went really badly this week. Guides wouldn't listen and we only did half of what I'd spent a week planning and organizing, including days spent cutting, laminating, making a ton of jelly and custard and covering sprouts and grapes in chocolate Even more frustrating though was that i know half the unit from when i was a leader with rainbows and brownies before uni, and the rest from helping on camp and occasionally over the last few months, and they showed no respect for me as a leader. I know it can take a while to get used to someone new, but I'm hardly a stranger! I just wanted to cry when I got home. They've been warned by the unit leader though that if things dont improve we'll have to cut the number of guides, so that helped! Hopefully next week will be better (fingers crossed!)

I am just wondering what is the way forward here. We are also moving - less than a mile - but it's my unit! Opened Brownies as there was a need. Then Rainbows. Then Guides. The units near the new house are all someone else's and some don't work for me with day/time either.

Email to say another two Guides (sisters) are leaving. We did loads of recruitment last term (though my AG promised to do more and didn't). Just feeling a bit despondent.

I read that thread about sub's just after having a rant at DH about non sub's paying parents In my case I know the parent well and she can pay, just doesn't see it as a priority. Other clubs, including my DDS school ones, don't stand for non payment. If I didn't pay for swimming then my daughter couldn't go. Why is guiding viewed so differently? Its like we are seen as a given but with all the responsibilities of a private organisation.

We aren't paying at Division or district so I think a lot of ours being higher is the county/region costs. That being said we get great service from both County and Region HQ offices and having been involved with projects at Region office I know how much they have to try and do with their money so am happy to pay.

Ours is £29.50, but district hasn't added any and division only gets £1. Will have to give district a cheque, usually it's only for £10 or so though.

Thanks for the link, off for a look once I can turf the kids off my laptop.

How much is your census per person? Ours is £31.50 which I think may be on the higher end but we have a well staffed region office and a full time county member of staff.

www.girlguiding.org.uk/what-we-do/our-programme-and-activities/activity-finder/

It seems to return pretty much nothing if you put cost in as 0 but if you bump it up a bit many of the activities need no special equipment.

My census isn coming out at just under a grand.

I'm not going to lie, it's a little ouch but we get loads for it.

Wow, I've just received a £200 cheque from an ex-Leader as a donation to our unit funds!

I've cancelled the subs of our girl whose mum is struggling to pay, and will put the rest towards census (£500, gulp!). Gives us a nice bit of leeway for the rest of term. And I'm pleased to say that I'm not the Rainbow leader in question - we meet on a different night, for a start!

Pine cone bird feeders tonight - lard and bird seed and 5 year olds, what could go wrong?! I'm wondering how many will suddenly announce that they're vegetarian etc despite nothing being on their forms - I have latex gloves for them to wear though...

Millicent where's that activity finder, just on the website bit? It sounds great, I'm going to have a hunt for it.

I know Sparkly. Really hope there are not a bunch of Rainbow leaders across the country now thinking 'oh God was that me'?? And I'd love to be able to talk to parents in private about things but it's very difficult. I have to unsubtly usher them away into a corner!

Eek Millicent, can you imagine being that poor leader and spotting that?

I had a very similar Facebook rant about me once, except this mum was offended I'd sent her daughter in and taken mum to one side, because she felt like a naughty child. I wasn't even sneery, I was all "ok, thats fine, if you struggle in future please do let me know so I can help."

Has anyone been using the new activity finder on the GG website? I think it's great. Loads of 10-30 minute ideas. I'm putting together and laminating some of the 10 minute ones so I can hand them over to my unit helper and brand new LIT and get them to choose and run.

Sparkly - the 5 minute fillers were my old Guiding mentors mantra....
must remember those to add those to your list
She could fill a whole meeting with fillers.
Thanks for your suggestions so far!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2837609-dds-rainbows-leader-has-just-made-me-cry-and-not-in-a-good-way

To be fair many poeple defending us and the Rainbow leader in question may have been a bit snappy but it does make me want to sigh. A lot.