rainbows/brownies - what's it all about?

Woodcraft folk political agenda - it has links with the cooperative movement and the peace movement: from its website, this is how it describes its agenda:

The Woodcraft Folk?What's that?

We are a unique progressive educational movement for children and young people ? both girls and boys - designed to develop self-confidence and activity in society, with the aim of building a world based on equality, peace, social justice and co-operation. Find out more about our involvement in the peace movement. (They have a link there)

Through its activities, Woodcraft Folk tries to give its members an understanding of important issues such as the environment, world debt and global conflict, with a key focus in recent years being sustainable development.

What's the political agenda of woodcraft folk??
Please tell...

Not sure who it was who said they could just miss that bit of the promise out, but it's not the case.
the only people who cannot make the guide promise are those who firmly believe there is no spiritual realm - the guide promise is meant to include all forms of spirituality, though it was written and subsequently amended at a time when it was thought that 'God' and later 'my god' would cover everything, which of course now it doesn't, it excludes buddhists, for a start.
i have amended the promise to 'love the goddess' and 'seek the spirit' (neither of which i should really have done, but both of which stay within the spirit of the thing) - but you cannot leave it out.
the guiding ethos is threefold, and one part of that is spiritual.
if you as a family are 'not religious' - unless you are fiercely opposed to all forms of spirituality, it is reasonable to suppose that you would not mind your daughter exploring spiritual notions. If you do object, you should really not send her to rainbows. some units are totally, totally divorced from the original spiritual agenda, and some are actually way too tied in to an old tradtional connection - however, if the unit is an open sponsored unit (in which case it will likely be called 1st Anywhere (St John the Baptist) Rainbows , for example) they have every right to take part in all church activities, though not to put pressure upon any individual to join in those parts of the programme.
woodcraft folk is secular, but has a political agenda.

Our Rainbows, Brownie and Guide units say Christian prayers at the end of each meeting and mark major Christian festivals, both in their sessions and through occasional church attendance.

All of our leaders see it as part of their Christian ministry.

Same here with church parade. It's not compulsory but for similar reasons - we get the hall for free - we hope the girls will come to three a year.

I asked my District Commissioner about the Love my God bit in the promise, after someone on here was really against her dd saying it. She said that if the parents really didn't want them to say it, it could be left out. Can't understand why anyone who was dead against it, would worry about it though. Clearly, if they don't believe, they wouldn't worry about getting struck by lightening!

Can i just say though, and I don't know if this is true for other units, but we get very reduced rates on the use of the church hall and therefore, I do expect my Rainbows to attend at least 3 churchh parades a year, if only to show our appreciation to the vicar for giving us 'mates rates!' I therefore think that it is nice if the girls make their full promise, including Love my God.

Guiding is a fabulous organisation and it opens a lot of doors for any girl that gets involved and says involved and as clubs go, very cheap too!

don't forget
To Serve My queen and country

rainbows is good as is brownies. they can join beavers cubs if they wanted, but the boys cannot join rainbows

Mrs Weasley - respect!

Right back at you MadBadandDangeroustoKnow

I am a Brownie leader too but help at Rainbows it the leaders are stuck!

Good for you, Mrs Weasley.

We need more volunteers - there are 50,000 girls around the country waiting to join Rainbows, Brownies and Guides because we're short of volunteers and can't expand.

OK. Will nail my colours to the mast as a Brownie leader.

The Brownie Promise says

I promise that I will do my best, to love my God, to serve the Queen and my country, to help other people and to keep the Brownie Guide law.

There is much more information on www.girlguiding.org.uk. Guiding is not a Christian organisation - we promise to love our god, whoever that might be - but it has a spiritual dimension. We encourage the girls to think about their place in the world, the values by which they live and so on. Recently, our pack has been using the resource pack on children's rights, produced by girlguiding uk.

As Orinoco says, packs do vary in character. It depends on the experiences and interests of the leaders and what facilities or resources are nearby.

The Woodcraft Folk offers broadly similar activities in a secular environment.

I help at Rainbows and it is all about having a bit of fun they do say the promise but we have girls who beleive in different things. We do not make the girls do anything they dont want to do and "love my god" can mean lots of different things to different people ie being helpful, looking after the planet, etc. It is worded as love MY god to enable it to mean differnt things to different people.

They go from 5-7 years then if spaces available they go to Brownies.

Speak to the leader and ask if your DD can give it a try. Talk to her about the aspect of the promise that makes you uncomfortable but give her time to research and respond.

The important thing is that your DD wants to go IMO.

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yes it states NT god, not just God.

dd's sessions are held at the local church and they are encourgaed to go to special services there as well. we arent religious at all, but its something dd's enjoy and thyey are showing an interest in lots of different religions.

I think 'love my god' is quite inclusive tbh - if you don't have one it isn't going to hurt her to promise that - just explain it for people who do

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Rainbows is fun though! How much would a muttered promise really mean to your 5 yr old? My DD loves rainbows, they do lots of craft stuff go for walks play on the park, it gives her the chance to meet kids she wouldn't otherwise meet.

beavers is roughly equivalent to rainbows

cubs to brownies and scouts roughly the same age group to guides but I think for some reason the age groups are slightly different for girls and boys. I dont know why!

Also girls can join cubs and scouts if they are not wishing to be girly girls.

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