Guiders Staff Room Part 3

[Groovee]

Reconvening over here ladies.

Afternoon spent at the big gig with my daughters guides. Excellent fun (even if I did want to hoick those trousers up on the boys in one act)

Really sorry to interrupt, but there is a poster over here who needs you all

@BackforGood

You're welcome

This fell off my radar-how is everyone?

Drowning in paperwork is what it feels like. 3 trips with different children not going on some 🤦🏻‍♀️

Sorry to hear that. Paperwork is a bugger.

Finally got round to collecting the badge books for my newbies from the shop, and wrote their name /membership number inside. That night at Brownies one of my sixers tells me my twin newbies aren't coming back because they swim

May I suggest stickers?

Yep. That's my idea, I have a couple of roll ends from work. Also means I have all place for the ones of age on my waiting list come Jan.

Hi, may I join in please? Relatively new (less than 12 months) Brownie leader.

Welcome @MTBMummy

Welcome @MTBMummy

Thank you, just catching up on this thread, it's lovely to see people with the same thoughts and issues and some amazing ideas on here too.

Hello MTB. Welcome.

Yesterday I learnt that if you have cornflour gloop for a skill builder the YLs enjoy it more than the brownies. Also that if you substitute salt for play sand it's equally a bugger to get up off the floor!

When you've spent a meeting learning about PVG's (DBS's in Scotland) and you tell your leaders to use PVG glue instead of PVA

😂

To make matters worse my job share told the rest to use PVG glue with looks from them all 😂

Hi everyone. Some of you helpfully responded to my other thread where I asked for advice about whether to become a rainbows leader.

The good news is that it looks like it's going to happen.

There are going to be three of us running it, two training for qualification (me and one other mum) and another qualified leader. The qualified leader has just moved to the area and is very motivated but confessed that she has never been the main leader before.

We're going to start properly mid January. (There are a couple of other local leaders filling in until Christmas but it's been a bit chaotic).

We already have loads of ideas about activities and about how we are going to run things more smoothly but I am really keen to get your tips on how to manage the admin/banking/communications side of it all.

We need it to be as easy as possible and I'm keen to embrace whatever technology I can to make it easy.

I'm grateful for any ideas you can throw at me!

Thank you

Wow, congrats!

I have an email account dedicated to my unit. That means the other leaders can also access it without any compromise to my privacy. Its also easier to ignore emails if now isn't a good time! We (leaders) chat in a WhatsApp group.

Programme planning.... Remember less is more 😂 (I'm still learning that!) IF you've got time at the end, have a couple of games up your sleeve. Or colouring sheets.

And welcome

Do the new programme online training, visitna couple of other units and remember to leave space for other activities.

Programme planning needs a good spreadsheet!

There are rules about bank accounts - eg you need one that offers a dual mandate facility.

There is LOADS of information on the Guiding website, including a template to do your accounts. it's very helpful and you don't need a password.

Good luck, and thank you very much for volunteering.

Programming sounds serious !!!

Does anyone use an online account to keep parents details and manage communications?

I've found one called "Teamer" that is a free app in your phone. It records all members details and events and sends text and email notifications and collates responses. It also creates a website with space for blogs etc and a calendar listing all events. I've tested it out with some dummy data and it seems amazing!

It apparently also manages subs and processes the collection of subs if you link it to a bank account , but I'm a bit nervous about that.

Also slightly worried about storing all patents details on an online account. Only the leader can see the details but not sure from a GDPR point of view.

That is what the GO system is for, all the details are kept on there.

I have a column on my register for marking off who pays subs and Tawny Owl writes the receipts and then dates in it a carbon copy book when received. If paying cash I get them to put it in a named envelope.

DO NOT STORE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION ANYWHERE ELSE BUT GO!!

Seriously, you have no idea how secure that system is.

I haven't seen the GO system yet. Can you use it for text/email notifications and tracking?