Girlguiding- have your say.

[averylongtimeago]

https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/what-we-do/events-and-opportunities/event-and-opportunity-finder/health-safety-and-welfare-policy-consultation/?fbclid=IwAR15d1wPMjN-kCVpi7vCT6EHqklp17bOHzLF1nFeEHztSNN_hzod4RxjL3E

Girlguiding are considering changing their rules on where to allow meetings, specifically they are considering banning the use of private homes and gardens for any meetings of Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers.
This will have a huge impact on many units, for example our group uses a field owned by a former guide's parent, for cook-out, campfires and outdoor games. We, and all the other local uniformed groups, have used this field for over 40 years- it's safe and private and allows us to do activities we can't do in the small garden at the back of the hall. Lots of groups have the same: a parent or leader will offer their field or garden, or a small group of Guides or Rangers meet at a leaders house to use the kitchen.

A lot of groups don't have access to a safe local park, or to outdoor space where they meet. For small groups of Rangers, halls can be too expensive.

Obviously whenever we meet, in the hall or elsewhere, leaders do risk assessments and are careful to keep the correct ratio of girls to leaders.

Aibu to ask you to have a look and fill in the survey? It asks for your role in guiding- there is a space for "other".

It says its for volunteers to answer, so I don't think I qualify.

When I was a ranger, back in the late 90s/early 00s we met in the leaders House. There were only about 5 of us so a hall wouldn't have made sense financially. Plus it felt far more "grown up".
Actually thinking about it, I used to go to Brown Owl's house as a Brownie for bits of badge work too.

I've filled in as a Brownie leader. Very odd.

I do think GG do things just for the sake of change sometimes.

It says its for volunteers to answer, so I don't think I qualify.

If you ever help at all, say occasionally as a parent helper, then I think this would come under the "other section".

Sadly I'm not involved at all since I left Rangers myself as a teenager. I say sadly, maybe I should look into volunteering!

Apparently Girlguiding hq say they didn't realise that meetings sometimes happen in these places.
The more people who tell them that bollocks the better, imo

I wonder what provision they will make for groups who can only meet in a leaders home?

@averylongtimeago they know full well this happens - or at least used to...
For religious and cultural reasons some units can only meet in those spaces...

I volunteered as a leader for years until I could take no more. Compared to scouting, guiding is stuck in its ways and has so many rules and regulations, some of which are basically just heresay that have been passed down in particular areas. We have one brownie group run by a 75 year old leader who do colouring every week. It’s shit. I’ve now moved to scouting as it’s much more fun and a trip to the local park doesn’t require so much paperwork and angst.

In Scouting I think there are no rules like this, But the leaders, volunteers and others present would have been cleared by the independent Safety organisation. The meeting would also be known about not a spontaneous event.

Occasional visitors like a farmer who allowed an activity on their land would not be there alone but other leaders would be responsible.
This seems impractical and very restricting.

I'm a Girlguiding volunteer and filled this in a while ago - I think a lot of leaders don't realise our DBS checks don't cover us for private spaces (especially if they only use private spaces in the summer for outdoor cooking, for example), and so Girlguiding is trying to work out how many people this affects, it's been brought to more people's attention as many venues weren't able to reopen during the autumn term when face to face Guiding was temporarily allowed.

@SunshiningBetty surely that means their insurance is invalidated?

@averylongtimeago

Apparently Girlguiding hq say they didn't realise that meetings sometimes happen in these places. The more people who tell them that bollocks the better, imo

GGHQ don't know their arse from their elbow IMO, so I'm not surprised.

Oh yes

@averylongtimeago

Apparently Girlguiding hq say they didn't realise that meetings sometimes happen in these places. The more people who tell them that bollocks the better, imo

Having looked at the questions, they also don't know that Berkshire isn't in the South West. I know I know. Hardly important in the grand scheme of things. But still.

[quote GrimDamnFanjo]@averylongtimeago they know full well this happens - or at least used to...
For religious and cultural reasons some units can only meet in those spaces...[/quote]
Well of course they know- and yes l and many other leaders would like to know as well.

@WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo Girlguiding is divided up into countries (Scotland, Cymru, Ulster) and England is divided into Regions - Berkshire is in Girlguiding South West Region.

@austenwildfell

In Scouting I think there are no rules like this, But the leaders, volunteers and others present would have been cleared by the independent Safety organisation. The meeting would also be known about not a spontaneous event. Occasional visitors like a farmer who allowed an activity on their land would not be there alone but other leaders would be responsible. This seems impractical and very restricting.

The rules about planning in advance, DBS checks etc are the same in guiding. All meetings away from the normal meeting place have to have parental consent forms, risk assessments, have notified the District commissioner etc.

[quote AlwaysInMay]@WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo Girlguiding is divided up into countries (Scotland, Cymru, Ulster) and England is divided into Regions - Berkshire is in Girlguiding South West Region.[/quote]
Ah thanks. I didnt realise that!

Berkshire is west of London, and of course London is the centre of the Universe as any fule kno!

Done. Interesting that they ask for membership no at the end.

There are activities I cannot do at my meeting place- the predictable camp activies especially because my hall opens into a public park, we have no enclosed space to use. As soon as I take the girls through the doors my ratio's change and extra parent helpers are needed.

We have used private gardens and fields since the movement began. Going to Brown Owls house for the end of term BBQ was always fun. We use the local " lady of the manors" garden for Brownie revels etc etc
They must have been spectacularly unobservant for over 100 years .
How very ,very sad.

[quote GrimDamnFanjo]@SunshiningBetty surely that means their insurance is invalidated?[/quote]
No. Scouting still have rules and forms and DBS etc. But it just seems a lot more streamlined than Guiding. Plus many of the scouting leaders are more adventurous. I mentioned doing some woodwork with the girls and the district commissioner had a fit of the vapours

Girlguiding allows male sex transgender teenagers to go on residential with girls where the girls & their parents wont know they are male sex.

I wouldn't let my daughter near it with bargepole. It's a doomed organisation.