Girl Guides
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is the international governing body of the Girl Guiding/Scouting movement, which comprises the largest international youth organization for girls and young women, involving more than 10 million members in 144 countries. "Girl Scouts" redirects here; this is the name of the organization's United States branch.Girl Guides was founded as the
female counterpart of
Sir Robert Baden-Powell's boys'
Scouting movement, in
1910 with the assistance of his sister
Agnes Baden-Powell. In September,
1909, a number of girls had turned up to the first Scout Rally at
the Crystal Palace, calling themselves Girl Scouts. Baden-Powell set up the Girl Guides as a parallel movement for them, run by his sister
Agnes Baden-Powell. While Agnes played a major role until her death, Baden-Powell's wife,
Lady Baden-Powell, became Chief Guide of
England in
1918, and World Chief Guide in
1930.
In
1914 a junior branch,
Brownies of Girl Guides, parallel to
Wolf Cubs in Boy Scouts, began.
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Polish Girl Guides by the Monument to Small Partisan in Warsaw |
The Girl Guides were named after the famous corps of guides in
India. Baden-Powell thought that to call them Scouts might alienate the boys, as well as the girls' parents.
Guides have come a long way since they were founded after the Crystal Palace rally and the new programmes for all sections reflect modern values and interests. the UK branch of the organisation (
Girlguiding UK) currently has around 50,000 girls on its waiting lists, indicating that the problems reside not in attracting the girls but in persuading adults to give their time to the organisation.
Individual national or other emblems may be found on the individual country's Scouting article, and/or at Gallery of Scout and Guide national emblems.The Scout uniform is a specific characteristic of Scouting, in the words of
Lord Robert Baden-Powell at the 1938 World Jamboree, it "hides all differences of social standing in a country and makes for equality; but, more important still, it covers differences of country and race and creed, and makes all feel that they are members with one another of the one great brotherhood".
The symbolism of the WAGGGS World trefoil: The three leaves represent the three duties and the three parts of the promise, the two five point-stars stand for the promise and the law and the vein in the centre represents the compass needle showing the right way. The base of the trefoil stands for the flame of the love of humanity and the colours blue and gold represent the sun shining over all children on the world.
Scout shops sell uniforms, Scouting literature, badges, and other items such as camping equipment for local Scouts, and Scout souvenir items for visiting foreign Scouts. The shops are usually located at the local branch office of the Scout organization and may be run professionally or by volunteers.
The Guides are split up into age groups. Rainbows are 5 to 7 year olds. Brownies are 7 to 10 year olds. Guides are 10 to 14 year olds. The Senior Section is for young people aged 14-26, and covers a wide variety of opportunities, from Young Leaders working with a younger age group, Guiders (18+), Rangers, member of a Look Wider group, member of a Senior Section unit participating in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, lone Senior Section member, In4mer (peer educator), Guide member of SSAGO, female member of LINK, appointment Holder or member of the Trefoil Guild.
Canada is one of the many countries that take part in Girl Guides. In French, it is called Guides du Canada. In Canada, the levels of Guiding are:
Sparks: Sparks dress in pink. The correct uniform is: pink shorts/leggings/sweatpants, and a pink t-shirt/sweatshirt. A pinny to wear badges on is also part of the uniform, and the pinny is pink. Every level of Guiding has a special promise recited at meetings. The Spark's promise is: I promise to share and be a friend.
Brownies: Brownies are the second level, and they wear orange shirts/t-shirts, blue pants/shorts/skirts, and white ties with orange leaves. A navy blue badge sash is worn, or a navy blue badge sash. The brownie promise is: I promise to be true to myself, my god, and Canada. I will help other people and keep the brownie law.
Guides: Guides are the third level. They wear pale blue shirts/t-shirts, navy pants/shorts, and white ties with blue leaves. The navy blue badge sash is also worn. The promise is similar to the brownie promise. It is: I promise to do my best, to be true to myself, my god/faith, and Canada. I will help others and respect the guiding law.
Pathfinders Considered to be the last juvenile level, Pathfinders come fourth. They wear green and white t-shirts/white long sleeved shirts, navy pants/shorts, and white ties with green leaves, and a navy badge sash is worn. The Pathfinder promise is the same as the Guides' promise.
Further details and history of the Girl Guides can be found in the article on
Scouting.
*
Boy Scouts*
List of World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts members*
Olave Baden-Powell*
Scouting*
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
