This is not what Girlguiding is for!

[averylongtimeago]

I've been involved in Guiding since I started as a Brownie in the '60's.
I've been camping, I've tried absailing, rock climbing, canoeing, learnt lots of useful skills, made friends, enabled girls to go on international trips, climbed trees, so many things- too many to list!

Guiding is not and never has been, a political organization. Or so I thought!

https://www.charityjob.co.uk/jobs/girlguiding/general-election-advisor/930045?tsId=6&fbclid=IwAR3kbgE97UilEgp-R1Fs90pLMZEwfO2UYoSlQHtO0syVpFh0g5aMMU0Y700aemAaI7b8y1SjOSSUC7vzuOBk4ri3fNf241HHDWSmmeot-AujtJFEhJnMhTJZONwI4buz0

This line stands out "The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive public affairs plan aimed at influencing the upcoming general election."

This is not what Guiding is for!

All the brilliant things they could do with £40k and they spunk it up the wall on that. Disappointing.

After they have closed BGO (British Guiding Overseas) without notice, put the Outdoor centers up for sale (they close for good after Christmas) and the subs paid to HQ are going up substantially in February!

So cross😡

If by influencing they mean lobbying for better conditions for organizations like the Girl Guides I suppose it would be fine. Helping a specific person or party get elected would not be fine at all.

influencing the outcome of the election is an extraordinary thing to say. Working with government on issues which affect girls would be fine.

I don't think it's unreasonable for an organisation like that to be concerned about government policy and how it affects them. I'd be amazed if they can appoint someone who can make a difference on that salary!

It really is, especially at ca £40k!! What do they mean?

As long as they are not supporting or targeting just one political party I think that's fine. It's not as though politics doesn't affect the lives of young people, why shouldn't charities lobby on their behalf? Are you seriously saying that the only organisations that should be allowed to influence political policy should be big business?

It's better they don't use euphemisms.

I didn’t mean it as a euphemism- I meant that potentially that would be a legitimate aim for GG

There is a difference between influencing policies of parties and influencing the result of a general election. Surely the former might be in remit, but the latter certainly isn't.

Where did op say that? Neither is OK imo

I can understand why they would want someone who can lobby government on behalf of the guiding association and talk on behalf of green issues, the countryside empowering women etc
I thought that is what the post was about. Influencing the outcome of the election is clumsy wording butt it could mean trying to get political parties to include those aims in their manifesto.
What does the detailed job description say?

I understand, but that's not what they meant, so if they phrased it that way it would have been a euphemism.

GG seem to be losing their way. I do not understand some of their decisions at all.

Selling off activity centres seems even more bizarre than closing the overseas stuff - it's like they've forgotten who they are there for.

I'm also confused by their trans stance - which I acknowledge is a tricky thing to get right, but I don't feel they have it right at the moment.

At the moment, I can see GG ceasing to be what it should be, and losing their membership to Scouting. I hope the volunteers fight to ensure that doesn't happen - girls having their own space is so important and is something worth fighting for.

maybe thats why theyve closed their activity centres. Rather than deal with the trans issue, theyve decided to stop offering the activities for the wider cohort

Ive just looked at the detailed job profile.

Overall purpose
• To lead the organisation’s comprehensive public affairs plan aimed at influencing the upcoming general election to support the organisation’s profile raising, strategic positioning, influence and collaboration.

Main areas of responsibility
Policy analysis and strategic planning:
• Develop and implement a comprehensive public affairs strategy aligned with our mission and objectives for the upcoming general election.
• Conduct thorough research on political parties, candidates, and key issues to inform the development of the strategy.
• Monitor and analyse election-related policy proposals and developments, providing insights to internal teams for informed decision-making.
• Develop guidance for staff and members on engaging with the general election that is nonpartisan and compliant with the law

Stakeholder engagement:
• Identify and establish relationships with key political stakeholders
• Seek opportunities to collaborate across the sector(s) and develop joint manifestos
• Collaborate with internal senior stakeholders to ensure consistent messaging and alignment

So it looks like its a bit of a clumsy summary that has been taken as the detailed bullet points are exactly more what i would expect. Especially the line about being non partisan and compliant with the law.

Link on the GG website is here: https://girlguidinguk.ciphr-irecruit.com/Applicants/vacancy/323/General-election-advisor

it may be to do with this - Campaigns led by girls | Girlguiding

They influenced women to vote in the last GE to get more women into parliament.

After they have closed BGO (British Guiding Overseas) without notice, put the Outdoor centers up for sale (they close for good after Christmas) and the subs paid to HQ are going up substantially in February!

We were given two years notice of the subs increase though. My units and district (i am DC as well as having my own units) have certainly been planning for it since it was initially announced. I agree its a shame but given how everything is increasing post covid, i feel less unhappy about the handling of subs in comparison is BGO and the TACs.

I think the girl guiding association has lost its way, of course they needed to evolve as all organisation do but they have changed in my view has not been good. The badges they offer for example are indication of this change, the way it changed the promise I could understand but I feel the way it approached the gender issues was again very disappointing. I think to be honest girl guiding has had its day which I feel quite sad about, many of the leaders still embrace the philosophy that I believe the organisation stands for but I am afraid I feel the core of the orgnisation has changed

Well it is one way of dealing with it I suppose!!!

Guiding used to be all about the girls- I'm not sure it still is.
Campaigning on issues which affect girls is one thing, paying someone over £40k to research party candidates and "influence the results of the election " isn't.

Guiding hq already has lots of very well paid employees- some on very high salaries indeed.
Perhaps that money would be better spent on, oh I don't know, here's an idea: activities for girls!

And what do you think "Political Influence" on GIRL Guides really means ?. Think about it. Start with asking Starmer what he thinks a girl is !.

What changes did they make to badges and the promise?

I think this goes to the heart of what Girlguiding is actually for.
Is it an organization which campaigns for the rights and interests of girls and women, or is it for providing activities and life experiences for them?

Of course it is possible to do both- but at the moment the actual girls and women leaders are at the bottom of the list of priorities. Where is the funding (or interest) from HQ for adventurous activities? For giving girls from less well off families the same opportunities? Why don't the adult members (who actually make guiding happen) feel valued and listened to?

And you think they could address all that w 40k pa? How? There's more than 300,000 rainbows/brownies/guides out there.