Calling all Brown Owls...come and tell me about it please

[ThisBoyDraculaDrew]

I know that you have your own thread being that I am just a mere sparrow (parent of a pair of brownies) I felt that I would be intruding.

Our unit is under threat of closure - and we have been asked if we know anyone that would be prepared to "go into uniform". I am thinking about it, but have a few wuestions which I would like answering honestly please.

1. What does "training" entail? Duration, hours? content?
2. What is the actual time commitment required? Obviously there is the couple of hours on a brownie night. What about planning - how long does that take? What about area "meetings" and "other things"?
3. What attributes would one need? I am crafty and imaginative....erm don't know about much else
4. What else do I need to know?

bump

Hi, you called!

Feel free to join us on the Guider's thread-it's quite safe .

In answer to your questions:
(1) Most of the "training" to be a Guider will take place as you are working with the girls at the weekly meeting. To become a qualified leader you will need to attend one training session in relation to Brownies and a First Response (First Aid) course.

(2) Time commitment depends on what other support you have in the Unit and how the jobs will be shared out. As a rough guide allow at least another evening a week (Guiders - stop laughing.) There'll also be a District meeting about once every two to three months and possibly planning meetings for larger events.

(3) Fine qualities for a Brown Owl - you also need to be bordering on insane.

(4) Once you're in you'll find it very hard to leave!!!!!!!

Any more questions, please shout.

Great advice from Brown Owl 18 there.
I'll be honest, I probably spend at least five or six hours a week on Brownie stuff - admin, planning etc. You need to keep accounts, registers etc up to date - there is quite a bit of paperwork to grapple with.
The leadership qualification is really a matter of documenting what you do as you go along and having it signed off by your mentor - make sure you get one of those - and doing the first aid course.
Try to go to any training days that come up as they are very valuable.
On the other hand, there are lots of resources out there and so you never need to be short of interesting ideas for your unit - and much as I hate the admin side of things I just love the planning the meetings, and I love my Brownies. Go for it, just make sure you get lots of support from your district commissioner, that you get a helpful mentor and set up a parent helper rota quickly so that you have adult helpers you can rely on.

Thanks guys,

I am just worried about how much I can commit to it.

I work 4 days per week.

It can be hard not to get overwhelmed sometimes BUT you don't have to do everything and you can say no. (A lot of Guiders struggle with that word - me included).

I have more than one Guiding "job" so it can be quite a time commitment for me some weeks - others not so much.

If it's any help I work full-time outside the home, have three DCs and a very understanding DP.

Excellent advice from BrownOwl and LadyGlencora already.

Would you inherit any helpers, such as Young Leaders (usually Guides)? I would say go for it, but do make it plain to the other parents that you expect and need them to pitch in. Even better than a parents' rota, I think, is finding a few parents who will agree to be unit helpers (look at the jargon on the guiding website) and who will take it in turns.

The keys to success, I think, are learning to say no and roping in your friends to help. It is harder work if you are the only guider, so try to find someone else who will do the leadership qualification with you.

How long would it be until your younger daughter had finished Brownies? That might set a limit if you felt you couldn't do it forever.

Thanks,

TBH I think that another parent has already shown some interest and is currently being trained in some capacity (Brown owl was telling her to bring CRB type documents last week) - so I think that if I volunteer I would be the assistant/tawny owl/snowy owl/whatever.

Oh I don't know. I don't want to do it half heartedly...

Well, frankly, that sounds like an even better deal. If there are at least two of you, you know you won't be the only one doing all the admin etc and if you're doing the training/leadership qualification together you can help each other along.

Why not give it a year's trial, to see how it fits in with your other commitments?

I've been both a Brown Owl and an Assistant Guider - I love Brownies but enjoyed it most when I wasn't running the whole show I must admit.

It's lovely when you have a team because you will all inevitably complement each other and the activities that you suggest and run.

I did it for ten years before taking a break when I had DD (husband works v long hours, have no-one who can regularly look after DD while I go to weekly unit meetings) but I will eventually go back to it. It's great fun and it's lovely to see the girls growing up.

I did all of my training 'on the job' with the occasional first aid or other training at the weekend. Our planning was done at the pub over dinner once a term and there was a weekend thing to go about once a term - but you of course don't always have to go.

I used to spend a few hours at weekends getting crafts shopped for and a demo made, plus the few hours of the meetings. So about four hours a week.

I think that the main attributes you need are liking children, wanting to have fun and being willing to put in the time. But you honestly do get back more than you put in

Oh and this is a great year to get involved because it's our centenary and there are loads of parties going on . You'll find that, whatever the age, all Guides love a good party!

cakeywakey - I know a little boy who's an honorary Brownie because he's gone every week since he was a baby!

I did think about taking DD along, but was worried about the ratio aspect and also that I should be concentrating on the Brownies, not on DD.

One of my fellow Guiders used to bring her DS years ago and may as well have not been there. I didn't want to be that person

I agree, taking a tiny baby or toddler to Brownies isn't ideal by any means (I only used to do it if dh couldn't get back from work in time) but it was the only way my friend could get there. DD used to run around the room, age 2, calling "Brubbies! Brubbies!"