To think this is a fair rule re interest badges in GGing?

[InterestBadgesForGG]

DD is 6, and does Rainbows but I know this is the rule throughout girlguiding locally with the interest badges.

Each girl has the opportunity to do 1 interest badge per theme. They are not stopped from doing any of the other badges, but their subs only cover 1 badge. After that parents/the girl is expected to pay 50p per badge.

The only exception is if girls can’t complete any of the interest badges in one theme due to disability or SN, they’re allowed to choose 1 other interest badge instead for that theme.

I think that’s fair enough. We’re a very middle class area where most girls have 2 working parents. Most girls around here seem to do all the interest badges in 1 theme as that’s what the girl wants.

I’m a single parent and it’s never been an issue if I say “DD wants to do this but I can’t afford the 50p until next half term” they’ve still let DD do the badge and given it to her and I’ve just paid it on the next lot of subs. Occasionally we’ll get emails asking if we can donate to interest badges as some girls want to do extras in a theme – and I have sent 50p or £1 if I can afford it so I assume there are things in place for girls/families who want to do more but can’t afford to

I was talking to a friend about it and she’s a guides leader in another district/area. She thinks its not on and that’s what subs are for, for any badge a girl wants to do.

For context our Rainbows and Brownies meet in a school hall (they have a display board and a cupboard for supplies) so I assume they pay the school for allowing them the use of the space so that’s probably what most of the subs cover (it’s £25 for a 12 week term, slightly less for shorter terms and slightly more for longer terms but never goes above £30)

I explained this to friend but she still thinks it’s not on. I didn’t ask her how much the subs in her area are to compare but it does seem fair to me to let them do 1 per theme and then charge for extras.

So WIBU? Me or friend?

YABU – Friend is right
YANBU – You’re right

As a guider of over 26 years I can see both sides here.

Yes in theory the subs should cover any badges the girls want to do.

However...rent, annual membership and insurance has risen exponentially in the last 10 years especially within schools (more so where academies have taken over) and subs barely cover this.

Also the new programme resources and badges are stupidly expensive for units to buy. They are not cheap to do either a lot of the time.

I am afraid I have left guiding now for a number of reasons (none to do with the trans issues) but this extortionate costs were one of the big reasons!

@Fallulah

I’m not familiar with the Rainbow badges but I know when we have had similar sports or craft type badges in Guides and the guide was disabled, we allowed a similar task that was comparably challenging for her or we changed the amount of repetitions\difficulty so that it was a challenge for her. Girlguiding is meant to be inclusive after all.

This exactly. She should still be able to get the badge and the Leaders come up with something - with your DD's input and/or yours, to enable her to do that. It doesn't have to be exactly what the book asks for in every circumstance.

Thank you @InterestBadgesForGG I've not had a rainbow with a muscle condition but agree completely with @Fallulah all the badges are adaptable so that all the girls can achieve them if they want to. I'd show her the badge criteria and see what she comes up with. The warm up/warm down could be a seated activity or gentle stretches? The obstacle course doesn't have to be bear grylls style. I'm sure her rainbow leader would be over the moon to see how your rainbow chooses to change it up.

I agree with the others about annual membership being particularly painful this year and everyone running their units differently.

I have 2 DDs who've been through Rainbows now and a third starting soon and we've had lots of fun doing the badges together. I think there are nice things in there and it shouldn't be chore. (But that's just my 2p worth as a parent)

I'm wondering if she might be able to build the obstacle course part for someone else/an animal and do the final part as a new skill or activity rather than sport, she can do the first part sat down

sounds great! The badge is part of 'Be well' with a nod to physical movement (whatever that would mean for each individual girl) being important for wellness. I immediately thought seated yoga but I'm sure there must be other things. I would speak to your rainbow leader. If she was my rainbow I'd love to hear all her ideas for it.

I don't think either of you is right or wrong. Different units do things differently. It seems fair that you pay for badges separately, rather than including them in subs, as some girls will do lots and some girls will do none so those will be "subsidising" the ones who do lots.

The subs that you pay will almost entirely go to cover rent and the annual subscription to girlguiding (which varies from 30 to 50 per girl depending on region). If the unit don't have a lot of money, those odd 50ps here and there could make a big difference to what they're able to provide.

@sweeneytoddsrazor

Those of you who are Brownie/Guide leaders, does the subs include the annual capitation or do the girls pay separately for that.? This year at £42 per girl, that takes up a very large chunk of their subs. We charge £2.50 a week, which just about covers rent with a small amount left over towards their capitation. Most resources are funded by myself and the other leader, unless we manage to get any donations or grants.

It varies. Some units charge for capitation on top of subs, and others have it included. If you and your leader are having to fund activities from your own pocket, you should increase your subs - why can't you make it £3 a week? Or alternatively, yes ask for the capitation as a separate payment - but I think most parents would rather pay 50p or £1 extra per week rather than £40 all in one go.

@sweeneytoddsrazor
My reply above was for you, sorry.

Also the capitation is going up again next year, so it might be a good idea to increase your subs soon to start saving for that.

For those of you who think 50p isn't a lot even if you are poor have obviously never been really poor where you count every penny and it counts towards food and eating/not eating.
I have been in that place and our brownie leader has let me have a break from paying subs and now I only pay for one daughter although 2 attend - otherwise I wouldn't be able to send my children and I'm so grateful to her for doing that.

@DockOTheBay

We are definitely looking at increasing subs, we are a very small unit at the moment most of our girls left during lockdown and the long time with no indoor meetings so just getting enough to pay the rent and capitation. Of course it will get better when our numbers build back up, but certainly for the moment we will be funding activities ourselves.

@InterestBadgesForGG As a guide leader (and a guide and cub parent) thank you for encouraging your dd to get her badges!

As a parent of a hypermobile and dyspraxic guide with poor motor skills - badges can absolutely be adapted for disability. Given your daughter has her silver and therefore will need either helper or recycling to gain her gold I'd encourage you to look at what she can do and get the adjustments made. I don't have the rainbow badge book, but a quick search says it is helping at home, helping in the community and help the planet.
To help at home could she for example pair socks after the wash, write down a shopping list - or help with for example sorting tins - we need 2 tins of beans this week how many do we have? I'm guessing without the book that things like washing up or hoovering are suggested - but she really can do whatever SHE is able to achieve to help.
Community is more difficult to suggest without the wording but - collecting milk bottle tops / taking a donation to the foodbank / clearing out and donating old toys?
Planet - switching off tap whilst brushing teeth, using reusable water bottles, turning off computer/TV when she's finished watching (or making sure someone else does for her).

The planet suggestions would work for the recycling badge too. How does this record stuff at school? Using a PC or a 'scribe' or videoing/sound recording her speaking is equally valid to writing. Could she build a model from recycling/stickle bricks other toys to gove a shape then describe it?
Inspiring others - I assume can be folks at home - recycling bin monitor (my cub when he was a Beaver loved being bossy over what went in recycling!!) Or could she design a poster (with whatever aids/assistance she usually has). Or do a video you share with friends...

As you might be able to tell I hate to see kids miss out on badges because of differing abilities. And I've had to fight for alot of adaptions for dd. However I thing the current Guiding programme is one of the better from that aspect. I know though with a disabled child to manage time is not always on your side!

On the badges front I think it is about the leaders knowing their area. If it is important to keep the costs very low then extra badges is a good (if seemingly a bit nitpicky) way of doing so - especially if girls who can't afford it do get funded elsewhere.

On the agility badge - does she have any physio or OT input? Could they help with ideas?

Obstacle course I'm sure could be for someone else... or could she do something a course she rolls a ball through or or things she can do - maybe putting on a hat, rolling a ball away or at a target I don't know. She will have her own ideas if she's not to tied down to what is says I'm sure.
Is there a 'sport' you could adapt? Ten pin bowling using a soft ball and empty pop bottles? Or something she can have a go at in the garden.
(So hard to advise without knowing the details of what she can do - but go with being creative! Follow the aim.of the tasks rather than working about the detail if it doesn't work for her.)

I’m a Cub Leader (and my son is a Cub) our fees are £35 a term and that includes badges however it’s VERY rare any of our boys do work outside of Cubs unless they’re getting ready to “move up” and need mandatory badges

My DDs are in scouts and subs are £10/month so you’ve got yourself a bargain there imho

[quote InterestBadgesForGG]@Rover83 Sorry 8 interest badges just counted them, I'd forgotten she'd done some extras[/quote]
I'd say that they're doing well badge wise. In the scouting/gg for our area they've achieved 1 badge in 7 months!
And the cost for our sessions are £4.50 for the 1 hour.
So I don't disagree with the badge costing and would rather be paying per badge at the subs cost that you pay!

[quote LittleOwl153]@InterestBadgesForGG As a guide leader (and a guide and cub parent) thank you for encouraging your dd to get her badges!

As a parent of a hypermobile and dyspraxic guide with poor motor skills - badges can absolutely be adapted for disability. Given your daughter has her silver and therefore will need either helper or recycling to gain her gold I'd encourage you to look at what she can do and get the adjustments made. I don't have the rainbow badge book, but a quick search says it is helping at home, helping in the community and help the planet.
To help at home could she for example pair socks after the wash, write down a shopping list - or help with for example sorting tins - we need 2 tins of beans this week how many do we have? I'm guessing without the book that things like washing up or hoovering are suggested - but she really can do whatever SHE is able to achieve to help.
Community is more difficult to suggest without the wording but - collecting milk bottle tops / taking a donation to the foodbank / clearing out and donating old toys?
Planet - switching off tap whilst brushing teeth, using reusable water bottles, turning off computer/TV when she's finished watching (or making sure someone else does for her).

The planet suggestions would work for the recycling badge too. How does this record stuff at school? Using a PC or a 'scribe' or videoing/sound recording her speaking is equally valid to writing. Could she build a model from recycling/stickle bricks other toys to gove a shape then describe it?
Inspiring others - I assume can be folks at home - recycling bin monitor (my cub when he was a Beaver loved being bossy over what went in recycling!!) Or could she design a poster (with whatever aids/assistance she usually has). Or do a video you share with friends...

As you might be able to tell I hate to see kids miss out on badges because of differing abilities. And I've had to fight for alot of adaptions for dd. However I thing the current Guiding programme is one of the better from that aspect. I know though with a disabled child to manage time is not always on your side!

On the badges front I think it is about the leaders knowing their area. If it is important to keep the costs very low then extra badges is a good (if seemingly a bit nitpicky) way of doing so - especially if girls who can't afford it do get funded elsewhere.[/quote]
@LittleOwl153 Thank you, the problem with recycling and helper is they both take a few weeks, and due to other issues DD has we may just not get time. She's 7 very soon so only has a few weeks left of Rainbows so may have not got her gold anyway, but I will discuss these with the leaders if I get a chance to.

@LittleOwl153

On the agility badge - does she have any physio or OT input? Could they help with ideas?

Obstacle course I'm sure could be for someone else... or could she do something a course she rolls a ball through or or things she can do - maybe putting on a hat, rolling a ball away or at a target I don't know. She will have her own ideas if she's not to tied down to what is says I'm sure.
Is there a 'sport' you could adapt? Ten pin bowling using a soft ball and empty pop bottles? Or something she can have a go at in the garden.
(So hard to advise without knowing the details of what she can do - but go with being creative! Follow the aim.of the tasks rather than working about the detail if it doesn't work for her.)

@LittleOwl153 We've already started Nature so if we don't get round to Agility she's still met the criteria for the theme, like I said she may not have got her gold anyway so it's not the end of the world if she misses out some badges.

I'd say that they're doing well badge wise. In the scouting/gg for our area they've achieved 1 badge in 7 months!
And the cost for our sessions are £4.50 for the 1 hour.
So I don't disagree with the badge costing and would rather be paying per badge at the subs cost that you pay!

@ChoiceMummy I'm really proud of her getting through so many given her difficulties.

She only has 4 left and has started 1 of those so if she doesn't get the other 3 I'm not too worried.

Brownie Leader here , mine have never paid for badges except where they have lost the original. That’s what subs are for and Guiders need to budget for them.