Girlguides - is it a lost cause?

Maybe you could post HQs response here?

I looked at this person's twitter. Their profile states they are a Guide leader and their posts include various pictures of themselves in uniform at Guide events.

How can GG think that a Guide leader who tweets about her bra size, posts a close-up photo of her straining shirt buttons saying she needs some bigger tops and posts a picture of her cleavage with 'boobs - do you want to see more?' be considered a good role model for girls?

Oh hang on...

Hmm, blocked from that twitter despite never knowingly interacted with them. A shame, I suspect it would have been enlightening.

That person describes themselves as a mother? I wonder what the kids think about that

I wonder what the actual mother thinks about that

I can’t believe we can’t say it’s a massive safeguarding red flag that a male wants to be a senior leader in the girl guides. If Monica didn’t identify as a woman, nobody would think this was appropriate.

Monica also posts pictures of Monica in BDSM gear on social media. Not very appropriate.

I can’t state the bleeding obvious as I’ll be deleted, but come on!

District commissioner for Southwell, Nottinghamshire

Monica Sulley (@MonicaTetley) Tweeted: It's been a seriously shit few weeks for trans people in the UK. Here's approx 40 years of me, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, niece, musician etc.
I'm just a woman living her life the best she can t.co/Y3czDeiS2w

Now obviously I am in no way suggesting this specific person is a risk but GG is clearly no longer a single sex organisation when it comes to leadership. That in itself is also not a problem, scouts is mixed sex, but organisations should not be lying and saying they are single sex when they are mixed sex.

@Eggybrains mixed sex accommodation and toileting facilities. Being trained to accept mixed sex and call it and behave as though it was single sex. I think single sex activities are hugely beneficial to young girls/women for all sorts of reasons. The inclusion of confused and confusing young men in that space would remove much of what attracts me to it. It would mean being at odds with the adults allowing this nonsense and not participating in residential etc, so likely to cause my child to feel upset.

Also, there seems to be a lot more prescriptive thinking (not necessarily across the board but enough to make me concerned). There's been a couple of threads about girls only being able to do specific interest badges at specific times, mandated by the Guiders which to me restricts the interests and enthusiasm of the girls.

Sorry pressed post too soon!

Other concerns I have is the frankly rude dismissal of volunteers concerns by Guiding on social media and women like Katie Alcock being pushed out the organisation for raising concerns.

Pp's have mentioned poor training and support for volunteers and the pp (District and Division Commissioner) has mentioned many things where people are stuck in a 'I've always done it this way, it'll be fine' mentality.

Other more general concerns are the change in the programme and general feel of the activities offered to the girls which seems to have become much more sedentary and less empowering/interesting/exciting.

Also, from what I've seen from friends etc who are involved in Guiding, there's less and less volunteers and so more and more time and energy pressures put on the remaining volunteers.

I have quite a few -
Claiming that a single sex organisation is still single sex when it is not, it has become mixed sex. If Guiding wants to become a mixed sexed organisation (like Scouting), I think it would be an almighty shame for girls to lose their own space but at least then policies/procedures/risk assessing would be based on mixed sex concerns (sleeping arrangements when camping etc) rather than

As for the other concerns, girl guides expect so much from volunteers to run a unit. I do truly think those at head office think volunteers have hours and hours of free time. Support could be so much better.

I was a Rainbow, Brownie, Guide, Ranger, Young Leader and then was a Leader until my late 20's. Always assumed I would go back to Guiding and would send my girls as it had been such a big part of my childhood/young adulthood.

Not now. Just too many concerns about safeguarding, the new programme, risk assessing. A real shame.

I think people will vote with their feet as I did for my girls who would have benefited hugely from GG.

I feel that too many institutions/organisations are going the same way - continually pushing this agenda and just adding to this worrying trend. Children and young people are being encouraged to question this issue and in my view this constant pressure is not good

Thanks @MrsFin. Feel free to PM if easier.

And just for clarity, I know everyone gives up their time for free and has a good heart. I just worry that there’s things that aren’t being done right, and that doesn’t seem to be getting out right.

Hi Eggy

I'll reply to your post tomorrow. There's too much rugby i need to concentrate on this afternoon/evening, and you deserve a decent reply.

@MrsFin

I agree. When I took on the role of District Commissioner, then Division Commissioner there was a lot of Ill feeling because I refused to sign off residential authorisation forms and risk assessments that previous DCs would have signed off. Some were appalling! First aiders arriving several hours after the event had started, for example. I wasn't the most popular DC The general attitude was "I've been running events like this for years and I know it will be fine". Honestly, one of the other reasons for resigning (there are several!) was that when I became a DC I realised how badly individual units were run and felt powerless to make any changes, although I tried.

When I first volunteered, about 20 years ago, GG was a fantastic organisation, but it's really lost it's raison d'être in recent years.

No FirstAider present? WTAF? What did they think they’d do if someone was ill or seriously injured before the First Aider arrived?

Thank you for all you did to keep girls safe. I’m sorry you felt so powerless to make changes. Can I ask what you did to try to affect change, other than telling people that their risk assessments needed further work?

I think “I’ve been running... this for years and I know it will be fine” appears to be the attitude of the organisation rather than a few individuals. Having said that, I do want to say there are some totally awesome and dedicated volunteers (ie overwhelming majority of people running units), and this isn’t a dig at them.

Why do you think this happens? Do you think volunteers are given too much responsibility? Not enough time? Not enough training? Not enough assessment? Not any checking if there is a DC who’s signing off anything?

Did anything ever happen as a result of this laid back attitude to things like risk assessments?

I agree with the changes over the last 20 years. It’s changed beyond all recognition in terms of what I see, although I don’t know if this is repeated through the country and I’d be interested to find out.

I agree. When I took on the role of District Commissioner, then Division Commissioner there was a lot of Ill feeling because I refused to sign off residential authorisation forms and risk assessments that previous DCs would have signed off. Some were appalling! First aiders arriving several hours after the event had started, for example. I wasn't the most popular DC
The general attitude was "I've been running events like this for years and I know it will be fine".
Honestly, one of the other reasons for resigning (there are several!) was that when I became a DC I realised how badly individual units were run and felt powerless to make any changes, although I tried.

When I first volunteered, about 20 years ago, GG was a fantastic organisation, but it's really lost it's raison d'être in recent years.

They’re not in some areas, before sign off, and there’s no way of checking / accountability for that, until something goes wrong. Then, of course, some poor volunteer will get thrown under a bus.

My point was that GG is only effectively run at a regional/unit level. We all ignore the other stuff.
Those in ‘charge’ will soon be ousted and common sense will prevail

What do/would you put on your risk assessment if a male was present at a residential?