Guiders Staff Room Part 3

Arse, have had to cancel a Rainbows trip next week to the garden centre to meet the reindeer. I'm in the middle of a relapse of MS, and walking is more of a challenge than it needs to be. Gutted, I've never had to cancel anything before. The meeting last week in the hall was tricky, and it's got worse since then.

Just hoping I'm back on my feet properly before Brownie holiday in March.

Enrolled two new girls last night, it was actually rather lovely, the one who has mild ASD decided to make up her promise but I started her again and said it phrase by phrase for her.

Then I came home to an email saying the oldest girl has decided to leave Guides, very afraid her bestie will be leaving too, we were already in single figures!

They also were very silly over plans for next term (usually I can rely on them to write some sensible text on a graffiti wall type thing, even if the ideas are not all practical - this was all just rubbish). But the rest of the meeting went well (we had a visitor so that was a relief).

I'm vacillating at the moment between "why am I doing this, I'm not enjoying it any more" and "wow, it's really worth it".

I also got my first EVER present from a parent (apart from one bottle of wine after a residential once - same parent actually - the Brownie leader who knows her well says she always buys lots of presents - this is the kind of parent we like!)

Oh no, hope you feel better soon

Now that is wicked. Hope they sleep!

Planning our Christmas challenge badge. Trying to do it on a budget, because I'm terrified of what census will do to my accounts.

We managed a fairly decent horseshoe! I had to get one of the Guides to shout the instructions though

And nobody burned the kitchen down when they were cooking, which is always a bonus...

Fair enough - hope it comes through soon!

Wish me luck ladies, I'm just hearing back to our hall to run Guides, first time with the big ones their leader is away with work and the DC due to step in is down with a nasty bug. Gulp...think we'll give horseshoe a miss this week

Rue I've requested to join but don't have my members number just yet so cannot be accepted into it.

Sounds good to me.

I have a few regular promise related activities depending on how many new girls I have at the time. One is 2 sets of laminated promise words/phrases that they have to collect and rearrange into the right order - do it in a relay as a race, or just use one set and have the Rainbows hold them up while one or two older one(s) has to rearrange them into the right order without speaking. Another is a set of balloons with bits of the promise written on, again they have to collect the balloons in a relay, but then blow them up (at least enough to read the words on them) then put the balloons in the right order.

Are you on Facebook? If so, there's a Rainbow Leaders group on there which is really useful and frequently has promise activity ideas posted, PM me if you need the link.

Rainbow promise activity, I've been looking on line as we have decided to do our promise party at our Christmas party so we need to do a promise activity with the 10 new girls. What's the best sort to do? I was thinking a game liked what time is it mr Wolf but I promise to keep my room tidy, I promise to eat a rainbow and then after talk about promises that can be kept and ones that cannot be. Does that sound OK?

Wow!

We are doing these next time - it's a big packet so sharing with the Brownies and the Rainbows (none of the units are huge). We're crossing our fingers the Rainbows will cope with lots of help!

New leaders have to do Safe Space training (already qualified leaders can do it online but new ones have to attend) so it depends how often training is locally.

I took 3 years but only because i didn't get round to the paperwork for it

Just seen a tutorial for a funky fleece scarf. Probably have to do the cutting out in advance for my Rainbows but Brownies and Guides could do the whole thing themselves.

You can run a unit without your LQ, so long as you have DC approval. I did, that's why it took me so damn long to get my shit together and hand everything in!

Welcome, soon. The LQ isn't difficult, there's two or three courses that are needed, but the rest can be covered easily. I was in a similar situation, and did it in 3 months.

The leader of the group I'm at is not sure what the future holds for the group so I'd like to get it completed asap so I can continue the group if she cannot. Is it possible to complete in 4.5 months if I work full time too?

Welcome :) Following info is on the assumption that the ALQ hasn't changed massively in the last 2 years...take it with a pinch of salt :o

It's not a "course" in the way you might be expecting - it's a list of clauses, in 4 separate modules, to complete. You can do them in your own time but 6-12 months is pretty standard I took 3 years

Most of the stuff in there you will cover by regularly attending unit meetings, and taking an active part in running meetings. Planning, coming up with ideas, runnings games etc. Actual "courses" I think are only safe spaces, first aid, and sectional training (which I don't think is compulsory but is v helpful!).

Module 4 is about running accounts for a unit, you don't have to complete that one if you're not intending to run a unit yourself. Best to get it out of the way though if possible.

Hiya all. I'm starting my training for leadership on Thursday. How long does it take to complete the course- what's the quickest it can be completed?