Guiders Staff Room Part 3

[Groovee]

Reconvening over here ladies.

Apparently they have completely run out of the badges and will only be buying more if 1000 are ordered!

We had a County day today, good time was had by all but sad to think it was one of my last Guiding days for the moment. With my Guides being so small I actually just went to support our Rainbows and Brownies and it looks like Rainbows will be suspended as well due to recent issues.

That's a shame on both counts

Think I'll email hq. One more voice and all that.

Sorry to hear about rainbows. Sounds serious. Could you start with a new leadership team and take over?

I've gone round and round on me doing Rainbows but I don't think it's a goer for me at the moment (young DCs but neither is a Rainbow aged girl). We may be able to recruit new leaders if we change day or time so I've been tasked with investigating availability of a meeting place. There are a few who are looking for units (local uni students) but currently none can do their day/time.

Ah Drspouse that’s a real shame 😢 but don’t take on a unit just to keep it open x

Inflagrante and anyone else who missed out on badges, please email trading, they are planning to make more but they need to know just how many people were disappointed, being the one telling people we didn't have any badges was not a nice experience

I could handle the leaders that decided to take it out on me - coz you know, it was totally the volunteers selling them's fault trading didn't order enough, and being rude was definitely going to make me find some - but some of the girls did look really disappointed.

That's really bad that they were rude, that wasn't necessary. And how embarrassing for you. It's pretty poor of trading. I emailed straight after posting, because otherwise I'd have forgotten! Dd1's only 11, and timid when out of her comfort zone - which this definitely was! So I should have thought in advance, maybe.

Email back from trading, I have to ring and order one by phone for Dd1. Progress.

Hi folks,
I normally just lurk on here and pinch ideas but I'm really struggling with my guide unit and thought I'd ask for help/ advice. I'm considering closing my unit as I have 22 girls and am having to chase every single payment of subs, on top of this I have quite a lot of issues with the girls being quite nasty to each other. When I have separated them or done a meeting on supporting each other's and respect, I've had parents emailing me or just coming in and shouting at me that "it's not school, she comes to have fun not deal with my crap ?" I'm at my wits end as I took over from a leader who had broken every guiding rule but been around 30 years so there was hostility from parents. I'm just trying to help these girls but it's impossible.
Nb it's not that they don't have the money as I have advertised we can help with this and very affluent area. They also want to do wellies and wristbands next year but still not had any deposits or reply forms back & that's why I cancelled this years 2 possible camping trips.
Thank you for any advice

I would go totally hardline. Much better that you lose lots this way and then build up gradually again rather than close the unit.

I would tell girls that if they continually break guide laws they will be asked to leave. I certainly wouldn't tolerate abuse or critiscm of the programme from parents. I would repeat 'I am a volunteer' and 'would you like me to give your daughter the details of another unit' frequently. Assert yourself as the leader in charge.

What's your DC like - can she help?

Thank you for the reply, DC is stepping down as unfortunately the old leader is still about and has caused mayhem for 3 years although I sent an email saying I'd pretty much had enough to the other leaders in the area and would anyone be interested in taking over. Tonight I had 2 Leaders in training and 2 other leaders turn up to lead a hand ! It was so lovely I nearly cried, they agreed hardline on the behaviour and are helping knock up an email for parents laying down behaviour expectations and guiding law. I did have another parent launch into me tonight as his daughter cut her ponytail off during our making of wind chimes ! But the other leader stepped in and said at 13 we really don't expect that level of daft so we shall see apparently they will continue to help me until we can settle the girls down a bit.

That's great that you've got local support. Sounds like this old leader isn't popular in the district?

Have confidence in yourself - you are in charge and you don't have to put up with any shit.

Parent launches in to you repeat, I'm sorry you feel like that, do withdraw your daughter if you are unhappy.

Lottie sadly very popular with parents but not within guiding for reasons above!
Thank you I will use that line with parents and yes I think a smaller unit of it comes to it won't be so bad, we had 6 when I took over but have swelled to 30+ at one point, I was relived when it started to go down tbh. It's exhausting but I have always loved guiding until this last unit.

That sounds positive about the other the leaders stepping up. And I agree at 13 they know what they are doing so if the guide cut her ponytail off then that is her issue not yours. We often have preschoolers who cut their hair with scissors!

I was chatting to a leader friend last night and brownies came into the conversation. She's mentioned things before that don't feel right, combined with catching the LIC bitching about her to a third party. Anyway the I mentioned putting ink through my accounts and she began asking lots of questions. Then told me her lic uses a unit credit /debit card, and her suspicions that the lic is borrowing from the unit. I don't know what to advise, normally I'd suggest a chat with her DC, but she's reluctant to do that.

Is she a Leader /assistant leader in the unit or a helper/ leader in training?

If she is a leader she has legal responsibility for keeping an eye on funds too, so if she thinks there's a problem she needs to speak up now to the DC, next one up or to JQ.

if her proper job involves finances this could impact things like dbs if she doesn't use the proper procedures for reporting potential financial mismanagement.

Voluntary organisations have more problems with financial fraud by volunteers than any other safeguarding issue.

As a leader you also have an obligation to flag it now you know there may be a problem.

It needs flagging- now. If she doesn't feel happy with the DC for some reason she needs to speak to the Div comm (or you do!).

I'm just finishing up dealing with a case of financial mismanagement and whilst I don't suspect actual fraud (more wilful incompetence) the sooner it gets dealt with the better for all involved.

She's an assistant leader. But not allowed to be hands on with any of the running of the unit, waiting list, contacting parents, finances. This all came out of her comment that the LIC never reimburses her for printing- paper or ink.

There was an incident earlier in the year where she did have a word with her DC. That was one of the first times she'd met her DC, previously she'd been kept in the dark about meeting DC. District meeting- she's still not been to one!

It's been niggling at me all day. I will speak to her again, and talk about raising this with her DC. Don't get me wrong, my accounts are about a week or two out of date. But the petty cash tin owes me money. Not the other way round, and nearly everything spent has an original receipt or printed invoice. My DC is very approachable, so it could be I end up having a chat with her about it.

Lots of assistant leaders aren't hands on with waiting list/parents etc... but that doesn't means she shouldn't be getting her expenses. She shouldn't be spending money if her LiC won't reimburse her.

Even if she's not hands on as an assistant leader (mods 1-3) or leader (mods 1-4) she has a legal obligation as a formal trustee of the unit to ensure finances are well managed.

At the very least she should be seeing the summary of the books each term.

Seriously, this is an urgent situation and needs to be less about thinking of raising it and getting on with escalating to your dc and hers this week.

My DC emailed, and I'll talk further with her tomorrow.

Spoken to my friend and told her to escalate. Told her to cover her back as much as anything, because she doesn't want to get caught up in it if/when it blows up.

Ty for the advice.

drspouse that sounds serious with the rainbows. How are you getting on with exploring the alternative day/time?

Inflagrante that sounds serious too. I hope your friend does escalate to the DC, like she needs to. Financial mismanagement is very serious.

I've got my first District meeting on Thursday, and then a county training day in early November when I'll hopefully be doing the first aid and safeguarding training (I forget their official names). Does anybody know if I need a dbs through guiding or if the one I've got through work is transferable? My work one was done quite a few years ago, so personally I think guiding should be doing another one, but Brown owl thinks my work one will be fine.

Nearly finished my first half term, and I'm really enjoying it so far. I'm not enjoying having to rush so much to get home from work and feed dd2 so fast in order to get there on time. We do have a few girls who aren't as good at listening and following instructions as they should be, but nothing terrible. Brown owl "had a serious word" with those girls last week and they were lovely for the rest of the evening, so they're nothing we won't be able to handle.

Re alternative meeting place - not so much luck really - no answer yet from our current place (I think I have the wrong person) and the other possibility wants us to say which days we want seemingly a year in advance which is impossible as we're trying to get a room to then see which of the possible leaders can do it not vice versa.
Rainbow leader has ignored DC for 10 days and DC needs to talk to her before talking to the families. I've already told Rainbow & Brownie parents I'm taking a break (as there are sisters/9yos that need taking into account plus as I say I'm often left doing the admin).

MsAwesome you will need a new disclosure.

www.girlguiding.org.uk/making-guiding-happen/running-your-unit/membership-administration/recruitment-check-process/disclosure-checks/

Hit return too soon there. Checks are not transferable.