Membership Spotlight highlights the work of our member organisations and outline how other individuals and NGOs can support them. Below we shine the light on Girlguiding Scotland during #VolunteersWeek. We hear from Elaine, Scottish Chief Commissioner and Girlguiding Volunteer, focusing on the importance of volunteers and that the impact they have on the next generation.

Girlguiding Scotland helps all girls know they can do anything. We are the leading organisation for girls and young women across Scotland, and help girls to explore, to have fun, and to belong. We have our Rainbows aged 4 – 7, Brownies aged 7 – 10, Guides aged 10 – 14 and Rangers aged 14 – 18. Our diverse and action-packed program allows girls to try anything from canoeing on rivers, to experiencing their first international trip, to learning First Aid and campaigning on issues that matter the most to them. Our program is generally split into six central themes: know myself; express myself; be well; have adventures; take action; and skills for my future. Girlguiding Scotland is part of the wider Girlguiding UK organisation and World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

As an organisation, we raise the voices of girls and young women through our research, policies and campaigning – influencing decision makers in creating a safer and more equal world. In 2020, we commissioned the ‘Girls in Scotland’ survey to offer a snapshot of the most pressing issues affecting young people in Scotland, such as their wellbeing, community connections, future careers and the environment. We have used research like this to inform consultation responses on Free Period Products in Scotland, on campaigns to challenge gendered stereotypes in the media and improving the safety of women and girls in public spaces, and to engage with groups like the National Advisory Council on Women and Girls or Gender Equality Taskforce in Education and Learning.

None of this, however, would be achieved without our network of almost 9,000 volunteers across Scotland. Our volunteers are the very heart of Girlguiding. Our volunteers make a difference to the girls’ lives and help us to deliver our program in communities across Scotland. Our volunteers help us build up the confidence of girls and young women, empowering them and supporting their development. This Volunteer’s Week is all about recognising and celebrating the impact of our volunteers and to encourage everyone to be the change that they wish to see in the world – to help inspire the next generation of changemakers too.

It is difficult to overstate the integral impact that our volunteers have on our organisation nor on facilitating girls getting their voices heard and advocating for their rights. Our Speak Out Lead Volunteers, for example, work closely with our youth advocates (known as Speak Out champions). Our champions are selected to act as spokespeople for Girlguiding Scotland and take a direct role in influencing our organisation’s advocacy and campaign work, supported by the Lead Volunteers.  The current campaign created by our champions focuses on improving safety in public spaces by presenting policy proposals to key decision makers, creating a challenge pack for our Girlguiding members to learn more about advocating for safe spaces, and by engaging with other external stakeholders to include more gender mainstreaming within town planning. The Lead Volunteers organise skills-based workshops and brainstorming planning sessions for our champions, encouraging their participation and celebrating their ideas for what issues should be campaigned on and the best way to approach these.

Our volunteers are also central to the very conception of our program, with our latest ‘Out and about’ challenge created by a team of volunteers. From deciding the theme of ‘Make a splash’, to designing the activities and collaborating on our badge details. This is in addition to the essential role that volunteers play in organising our national and international-level events, such as our successful Wander the World trip to Blair Drummond Safari or the international wide-game Dart to Dublin.  Our way of working at Girlguiding Scotland is very much focused on partnership – permanent staff and volunteers working in tandem with each other to deliver and facilitate the best experience possible for our girls.

There is a plethora of opportunities to get involved as a volunteer in Girlguiding Scotland. From volunteering to run activities and training with our girls, to supporting with behind-the-scenes admin or empowering other volunteers, through which they run safe, fun and meaningful sessions on issues that affect young women today such as on building body confidence, challenging stereotypes, and supporting mental wellbeing. Our Rangers can also work toward their Young Leader qualification as they take an active part in running a Rainbow, Brownie or Guide unit. All these different ways of volunteering not only make a massive difference to the girls we empower as young as 4, but they also make a difference to the volunteers directly by boosting employability skills and developing their confidence.

Currently, we have over 7,000 girls on waiting lists across Scotland and we are unable to offer them space due to not enough volunteers. We want to provide girls across Scotland with exceptional and empowering experiences, an opportunity to advocate for themselves and to learn skills for life, and to make an impact to policy that affect girls and young people, but we cannot do this without more volunteers.   

Any commitment, big or small, makes all the difference to our organisation and to our girls. Volunteering is incredibly flexible, and we will make sure to support you in building the skills and knowledge that you need to then support girls in turn.

If you are interested in finding out more, check out the information at www.girlguidingscotland.org.uk/for-volunteers and register your interest today!

If your organisation was an animal what would it be and why?

Led by our volunteers, our organisation would be an African Elephant. Herds are led by the matriarch, who guide the young with their wisdom and strength. African elephants have so much life experience when they take on the lead of the pack and use that to take charge when protecting their young.

Get Involved with Together

• Are you a Together organisational Member and would like to collaborate for a Membership Spotlight? Email: caitlin@togetherscotland.org.uk
• Would you like to find out further information about joining Together’s Membership? Find out further information by opening this hyperlink.