Talk to me about volunteering with girl guiding please!

[Hippymama]

Hi, as the thread titles says talk to me about volunteering with girl guiding. I was a brownie, guide and ranger when I was younger but haven't been involved in guiding since.

However, I've been thinking about volunteering now and would like to know what that would entail and what people's experiences of it have been. Am I mad for even considering it?

Hi, I've been a Brownie Guider for almost 4 years now. I started because I was good friends with my old Brown Owl and knew she needed help as her Tawny was leaving! Then she moved and I took over within a year if starting!

Then we moved and I joined a new pack a couple if weeks after moving and am now main leader there!

In my exoerience A lot depends on who you come up against. There are a few old school Guiders still about who wants things done how its always been done and can make life difficult for new volunteers. However my experience has been overwhelmingly positive and I enjoy it. The girls themselves are great fun and we try to give them a good time and make it interesting. If they are happy it makes for a good evening.

I'm on phone ATM but I'm happy for you to pm me and I can tell you more of my experience later if you want (but won't be offended if you don't )

You called?

I'm a Brownie guider and a Guide leader, too, it would seem I got back into after having worked my way from a Rainbow to Guide then having a few years break. I love it, I love finishing work and going to see these 30 delightful, funny and unruly active girls. I can't actually remember how I got the name of the division commissioner, who put me in touch with a local pack.

I should do about 2hrs a week, but being me I end up offering to do all sorts of stuff for them, so at the moment I'm doing about 8 hrs a week. I'm not a Brown Owl, just an assistant leader, so I help organise rather than properly taking charge. A pack's personality depends a lot on the leaders. I'm a big advocate of finding the right pack for you, and not being afraid to move on to a different pack if you find it's not working it for you.

I've done the Adult Leadership Qualification, but only because I wanted to, you don't have to do that to help out. There's differences between Unit Helpers, to Leaders to the Leaders in Charge, so you can find the right level for you

Fab, thank you for your replies :) I have filled in the enquiry form thing on the guiding website so hopefully will hear something back :)

I have a young son who is one year old. My husband would be able to look after him 99.9% of the time, but if he's not able to because of work would that be a real problem if he had to come with me? It would only be very, very occasionally but I know we have no childcare here :( I wouldn't want that to be something that would be a problem as it would be the only thing that would stop me volunteering!

I have 4 and due to my dh being made redundant earlier this year and finding work 250 miles away, I often have to take mine. Again it's down to your unit and the other adults there but I would suggest if it is a problem, it's probably not the right unit for you

Oh, that's a relief :) that was what I was worrying about. Quite excited now, hope they get in touch :) I'm not working at the moment (well, very part time only) so I have a lot of free time and as I don't really know anyone here I thought this would be a good way of getting out and doing something in the community :)

None of our leaders have young children atm, but in the past when we have they've all come along at various times when childcare has fallen through

Another Owl wading in to say Hello and Welcome! :-)

We've all got young children in our unit and we have all had to bring them along at some point. So long as it's not too often and it does not impact on the activity, then it's fine.

My one tip for you - don't say yes to too much too soon. Start as a 'Unit Helper' before you let your arm get twisted into Leader training... oh and we need a Treasurer ...and there's the annual outing to sort out ... and the Pack Holiday ... etc!

It is so much fun. I have had a whale of a time with my girls and while I might gripe about snotty parents and admin at times, I do love it and could not contemplate not doing it.

Fast forward to your son turning 5 3/4 and joining Beavers and they say "Could you possibly..."