to be stunned at the waiting lists for Rainbows/Brownies/girl guides

[Gigantaur]

I have been speaking to the county guides co ordinator.
Apparently there is such a shortage of adult volunteers to help out with the clubs that the waiting lists are huge!
she said that there are currently something like 50,000 children on the waiting list around the country.

She said that she has heard of people registering their daughters onto the list at birth. and that at one branch locally she has a girl aged 14 months on the list!
She told me that the chances are that I wouldn't get dd (5.8) into rainbows at all and instead she would just about get a place at brownies aged 8.

luckily I managed to get Dd a place at an almost local branch but still. Its such a shame.

it made me wonder why there is such a sudden shortage. Do you think it's because women are too busy juggling work and homelife to have time to spare? are people scared of being branded a "peedo"?
or is youth work simply not a fashionable hobby?

either way, im glad DD got a place, but i feel sad for those that can't.

What?? Where did you get this official guidance from?can you link to it, or tell us where to find it?

DD has joined rainbow 3 weeks ago and is only 3 (4 in november) she is very forward for her age and Brown Owl agreed that so long as i stay with her then they are insured and its fine. As the weeks passed i found myself - a former guide in my teens wanting to get involved more and so i have asked to train up to be a group leader - the group she go's to is a mixed group of rainbows, brownies and guided and after DD's 2nd visit i bought her a full uniform as none of the groups wore one. now all the others are asking there mums to get them uniforms!!! i hope this is the start of lots of new work at the group and who knows they may even start to earn bagdges!!!