rainbows/brownies - what's it all about?

[jeangenie]

my DD can join rainbows if she wants...but I didn't grow up here and so have no idea what happens or what it's all about - is it religious for example? (we are not)

if anyone could bear to give me short precis I would be eternally grateful

she is not really a joiner inner so if she is enthusiastic I am keen to let her go, but not before I know a bt more...the woman who runs it is a vicar's wife and was talking about "promises" which tbh worried me a bit, but I am not really sure why

thanks

Same here with church parade. It's not compulsory but for similar reasons - we get the hall for free - we hope the girls will come to three a year.

Our Rainbows, Brownie and Guide units say Christian prayers at the end of each meeting and mark major Christian festivals, both in their sessions and through occasional church attendance.

All of our leaders see it as part of their Christian ministry.

Not sure who it was who said they could just miss that bit of the promise out, but it's not the case.
the only people who cannot make the guide promise are those who firmly believe there is no spiritual realm - the guide promise is meant to include all forms of spirituality, though it was written and subsequently amended at a time when it was thought that 'God' and later 'my god' would cover everything, which of course now it doesn't, it excludes buddhists, for a start.
i have amended the promise to 'love the goddess' and 'seek the spirit' (neither of which i should really have done, but both of which stay within the spirit of the thing) - but you cannot leave it out.
the guiding ethos is threefold, and one part of that is spiritual.
if you as a family are 'not religious' - unless you are fiercely opposed to all forms of spirituality, it is reasonable to suppose that you would not mind your daughter exploring spiritual notions. If you do object, you should really not send her to rainbows. some units are totally, totally divorced from the original spiritual agenda, and some are actually way too tied in to an old tradtional connection - however, if the unit is an open sponsored unit (in which case it will likely be called 1st Anywhere (St John the Baptist) Rainbows , for example) they have every right to take part in all church activities, though not to put pressure upon any individual to join in those parts of the programme.
woodcraft folk is secular, but has a political agenda.

What's the political agenda of woodcraft folk??
Please tell...

Woodcraft folk political agenda - it has links with the cooperative movement and the peace movement: from its website, this is how it describes its agenda:

The Woodcraft Folk?What's that?

We are a unique progressive educational movement for children and young people ? both girls and boys - designed to develop self-confidence and activity in society, with the aim of building a world based on equality, peace, social justice and co-operation. Find out more about our involvement in the peace movement. (They have a link there)

Through its activities, Woodcraft Folk tries to give its members an understanding of important issues such as the environment, world debt and global conflict, with a key focus in recent years being sustainable development.