Guiders Staff Room Part 3

[Groovee]

Reconvening over here ladies.

Transfer is good. The fact that I no longer have details to contact people I mentor is bad. Fact that I no longer have any contact details for my Senior Section is pretty flipping rubbish as well. Am glad it's much faster now.

That bad Twist? Emergency contact list is my bugbear. The Facebook groups have been really helpful, are you on them?

I managed to transfer one on mine to a new unit (moved quite a distance away) that was a very good moment. Hopefully she can stay in Guiding, she is one who will really benefit.

You can't just click and email people, as far as I can see.

Anyone know where all the info is on the new programme? All I have are the sample packs.

That's most of the info that's out there right now! Plus the bit from the magazine last November.

Oh dear, dilemma.
I have v few Guides.
Rainbows needs help. And has a waiting list.
I can't do both (they run one after the other, would wear myself out).
Pros to running Rainbows: more girls would get a chance to do Guiding. I wouldn't have to struggle with recruitment. Meeting is shorter! My own DD will be starting in 2 years so I might end up running it anyway.

Cons: I don't find it as fun (and parents more annoying!). Rainbows would be awkward for family timing (DH really prefers me doing Guides). I'd be abandoning my tiny Guide unit (I don't think they'd go elsewhere TBH) as well as the 3-4 due to move up over the next year. Hence losing girls from Guiding.

We have been having this issue with the Rainbow leader being unavailable/out of contact while our Brownie leader has been harassed by school parents (as she is the only leader of the 3 sections who is a school parent at the local school).
I also feel she isn't that ambitious for things the girls do and has not really been open to offers of help (e.g. shall we do a joint outing that I and the Brownie leader run, but would be adventurous for the Rainbows). So I can see some struggles there. Though she is lovely and I hate saying negative things about her!
I've already been doing admin for her which is hard when she won't give me information (the DC has suggested we cut her off from that which the Brownie leader worries will lead to more complaints from parents!)

Dilemma as I say!

It is a difficult one. To me it sounds like you'd only be taking on Rainbows because you really feel you ought to and not because you really enjoy it like you do Guides. I strongly feel that we should get something back as volunteers as well because that way we'll enjoy it more and stick around longer.

Is it worth holding off for now and trying to recruit a new leader as part of the boot camp activities that are coming from HQ?

Yes our DC is supposed to be trying to recruit one (and I also feel that by trying to take the admin off me I can step back on this too - except that of course Rainbows become Brownies become Guides).

And you are right, I could probably grow to love Rainbows, but I do enjoy Guides. Except do I really enjoy it when I only have 2 at a meeting? Or when all but one are busy so I can't run the meeting?

(I'm just looking at the FB Guide groups and getting a bit sad at all these people's plans for their large units).

Right! Deus ex machina and all that - apparently there is a new leader willing to do Rainbows!

I am feeling more positive about being less involved in Rainbows admin but I have yet to persuade the Brownie leader! Need to have a chat with her about the whole thing.

Yay! Glad there is a new leader coming forward. And don't feel too down about Guides. I know it's hard with a small unit (am a senior section leader as well as Brownies), but you are making an impact on the ones you have (even though it might not feel like it sometimes :-) )

My current girls have said they like being a smaller unit (which leads me to suspect they are keeping Guides a secret among their friends).

Oh and if there's another leader with Rainbows, they can take all the girls from their waiting list meaning they will be more solvent (because more subs) and I can subtly persuade them they want to meet in the hall round the corner we've been offered (we actually overlap in timing slightly, in practice, which is annoying/noisy/inflexible for our meeting timing - so I'd like to boot them out... mean I know! I mentioned this before and the Rainbow leader wasn't keen but maybe we should push harder).

Good news about the leader.

I never thought 2 brownies would come to blows over the "developing my beliefs" part of the promise. Think next week may be about respecting others beliefs whether that be them being veggie/eating meat or what is important to them 😂

How many leaders would you want for 30 Brownies? Suggested is 1:8 but there is no mandatory number as long as there are two leaders present that seems to be the minimum guiding expect. (There would be three of us but one leader isn't happy about this, although we could get a parent rota, I struggle with delegation so find it hard to keep asking them to do things).
What are your thoughts?

We have 4 adult leaders and 2 YL's for 24. Depends on how good all the leaders are x

I am the only leader for 30 Brownies but I have 2 part time unit helpers and a parent rota.
It's not enough and I am closing the unit if we can't get more help. I initially said at Christmas but both the helpers will stay until Eater so I've decided to stay til then to squeeze in one more Brownie holiday.

Not been on here for ages! Have moved to a new area and a new unit, and I'm not loving being the new person. How long does it take to settle? I don't remember being the newbie in my old unit but I was there 8 years, so I guess it just comes gradually. I'm trying not to judge but the new county feels rather old fashioned and I just want my old unit back

Interesting times for you, Dr Spouse.

It's becoming clear that now her daughter has left our unit, Wise Owl is backing away. A real shame. It'll leave me, a parent who comes to support her daughter, and two YLs. Eeek-need to get a parent rota firmly in place.

Ratios - inside your meeting place is 1:12, outside 1:8 and overnight 1:6 for brownies, so 3 adults for 30 would be ok. Your meetings must get loud at times!

Squirrel I think it just does come gradually I'm afraid. Are you an assistant or LIC? Always harder coming in as an assistant to an established unit. I had to pretty much wait until most of the previous team had gone before phasing out things I didn't want. Like drinks and biscuits taking 20 minutes every flipping week. Bring a water bottle!!

Millicent in my old place I ran the unit, with a really strong team - so it was very much a joint effort. Here, the units seem to be struggling to attract girls so the existing units all have low numbers, I've come in to be part of a unit team with another leader who's been completely on her own in the unit for a while. She's younger than me so I don't know if I can wait til she goes ! I guess it is a gradual process

InflagranteDelicto

Ratios - inside your meeting place is 1:12, outside 1:8 and overnight 1:6 for brownies

The only section with mandatory inside meeting ratios are Rainbows. All other sections are suggestions although it is good practice to have at least two adults present. Mandatory ratios come into play for outside events and residentialsee.

Right, we had a lovely meeting this week with 2 Guides but I've decided it's just not sustainable and is interfering with family life so I'm going to try and gently move my Guides on to other units and turn myself into something like a District Leader for the next 18 months - at which point DD will be 5 and I will probably take over the Rainbows in our meeting place (the current leader is a student and will be leaving around then).

I may need to change time/day but I think we can manage that.

Sounds a plan then, DrSpouse. Sad in the short term, but hopefully more sustainable in the long term.

Slowly getting used to being the only guide my unit. It's hard work! Tomorrow I begin my licence weekend, exciting, but oh my goodness, it's taken over my life the last 2/3 weeks!