Best practices for girl programming

Transcription

1 Best practices fr girl prgramming A handy checklist t keep track f yur Guiding year! As yu partner with the girls and Guiders t plan yur year and cmplete fun, engaging and safe activities, this checklist can be used t help yu keep track f sme f the best practices fr girl prgramming. Unit prgram planning Plan a wide variety f activities that have a clear purpse and are girl-centered, creative, fun and age-apprpriate and that girls want t d. Use the Guider handbk and/r the girl prgram bk t help yu plan yur weekly meetings. Use Safe Guide as a planning tl t help yu plan prgram and ther activities that are safe, fun and adventurus. Make shrt term and lng term plans t help yu with meetings and utings happening in the current mnth and thse happening ver the curse f the year. Build in pprtunities t recgnize girls achievements thrugh ceremnies and badge presentatins. Find creative ways t build physical activity int every meeting. Cnnect with cmmunity members s that yu can use external resurce peple t build excitement and expertise int prgramming. Ensure all meetings and events respect cultural, spiritual, physical r ethnic diversity. Girl leadership develpment Ensure the meeting space is a safe space fr all girls t learn, grw and try new things. Prvide girls with the pprtunity t be invlved in decisin-making and planning as much as pssible. Missin, Visin, Values, Prmise and Law Ensure that weekly meetings reflect the Values f Girl Guides f Canada. Ensure that the Prmise and Law are integral parts f regular meetings. Build traditinal pening and clsing sngs and ceremnies int events and meetings. Celebrate Thinking Day during the week f February 22, cmmunity r cultural celebratins, birthdays and seasnal events. Cmmunity service Participate in at least tw cmmunity service prjects during the Guiding year. Envirnmental awareness Participate in at least ne envirnmental awareness activity during the Guiding year.

2 Camping and the utdrs Participate in tw utdr meetings that enhance an understanding f the natural envirnment. Participate in camping activities relevant t the branch. Wrldwide Guiding Prvide pprtunities t learn abut WAGGGS, ur Guiding and Scuting sister rganizatins and the Wrld Centres. Build internatinal prgram challenges frm WAGGGS and GGC int regular prgramming. Prvide Pathfinders, Rangers and Extra Ops with infrmatin regarding internatinal and natinal travel pprtunities. Girl Guide Ckies Participate in the Ckies Rising Badge prgram. Prvide tls and resurces fr girls t help them reach their gals fr Ckie All Stars. Bridging: getting tgether with ther branches Participate in at least ne activity with ther branches. Participate in ne activity with girls in the next branch f Guiding (i.e., Guides with Pathfinders) Guiding in the cmmunity Prvide at least ne activity that invlves the girls cnnecting with their cmmunity. Participate in bth annual ckie campaigns. Membership and retentin Prvide at least ne activity t increase membership (e.g., participating in the One Mre Girl Wnderful challenge). Ensure all girls feel accepted in the Unit and in Girl Guides f Canada. Administratin Maintain girls prgress recrds. Keep yur persnal and Unit imis prfiles up-t-date. Family invlvement Prvide pprtunities fr family invlvement. Ensure regular cmmunicatin with family. Guider training Take training including Orientatin t Guiding and Safe Guide in first six mnths (mandatry), current first aid training, and at least ne Guider Stream r Outdr Activity leadership. Make psitive use f resurce peple when a tpic is beynd yur expertise r the training available frm Girl Guides f Canada. Make psitive use f resurce materials (bks, manuals, vides, GGC website).

3 Best practices fr girl prgramming Hw t run great Guiding prgrams that girls will lve! Unit prgram planning Girl Guides f Canada-Guides du Canada (GGC) is cmmitted t delivering high quality prgrams fr ur girl Members, and we re here t supprt yu and yur unit as yu wrk tgether t create a great year f Guiding! Girl Guides f Canada helps girls t be cnfident, resurceful and curageus and t make a difference in the wrld thrugh prgrams that challenge them and help them learn essential life skills. The great prgramming yu will ffer in yur Unit this year will make a psitive difference in the lives f girls in yur cmmunity. Wrking with the girls and Guiders in yur Unit, yu shuld plan prgramming pprtunities that allw girls t discver, explre and be adventurus. GGC branch specific trainings and Guider manuals have tips and examples f hw t plan fr the year, but here are sme things that might als help the Unit plan a year f prgramming: Use r make a calendar highlighting the date f each meeting that needs t be planned. This culd be a small ne fr each Guider and/r girl r a large ne psted at yur meeting place. Think abut the different perids f Guiding either using the seasns t help yu plan r the schl calendar. Dn t frget abut all the ther Guiders wh have dne this befre! Check in with Guiders wh have wrked at yur branch level fr a cuple f years t see what tips they have fr yu. Make sure yu use shared leadership invlve all the Guiders, Junir Leaders and girls in the brainstrming, planning and running f meetings and events. Safe Guide is a wnderful planning tl that will help yu t ensure that all yur Unit's adventures are safe nes. Make sure t fllw its guidelines as yu plan yur year. Girl leadership develpment Many girls define a leader nt nly by the qualities and skills she has, but als by hw she uses thse skills t make a difference in the wrld. Each experience a girl has allws her t develp r gain skills that can help her t be a leader. Guiders can supprt girls effrts t lead by mentring them in the prcess. There are many ways that yu can encurage leadership develpment at any age: With the help f their Guiders, Sparks demnstrate leadership when they suggest activities; list the items they will need fr an activity; help their peers; wrk well with ther

4 Sparks; r when they ask lts f questins and make bservatins abut the wrld arund them. With the help f their Guiders, Brwnies demnstrate leadership when they suggest activities; lead simple activities and Unit functins; assist with Brwnie circle and Unit activities as Circle Leaders; listen t each thers pinins when making decisins; r describe ways t make grup prjects mre fun. Guides demnstrate leadership when they suggest, initiate planning and lead activities; lead Unit functins; assist with patrl and Unit activities as Patrl Leaders; apply strategies fr prmting cperatin within the Unit; r identify cncrete steps needed t effect desired changes. Pathfinders and Extra Ops demnstrate leadership when they suggest, plan and lead activities; lead Unit functins; act as rle mdels fr yunger girls; use psitive cmmunicatin and relatinship-building skills; r begin t address deeper causes f issues in their cmmunities. Rangers and Extra Ops demnstrate leadership when they are better able t independently suggest, plan and lead activities and Unit functins; act as rle mdels fr yunger girls; act cnsistently with a cnsidered and self-determined set f values; set challenging gals fr the future; r are able t prmte cperatin and effective team building. Being able t give feedback, evaluate prgram activities and have their vice heard is an essential part f leadership develpment. Girls in all branches shuld regularly be given the pprtunity t evaluate the activities dne in the Unit. Sparks and Brwnies can easily give feedback using the Tw Stars and a Wish frmat. (Yu can find a descriptin f this n page 77 f Sparkling Ideas: Prgram Ideas fr Spark Guiders and n page 121 f Let s Share Ideas: Prgram Ideas fr Brwnie Guiders.) Guides shuld be intrduced t reviewing activities as a learning experience, expressing their likes and dislikes, debriefing what happened and keeping ideas fr the future. Pathfinders, Rangers and Extra Ops regularly evaluate activities as part f their activity planning cycle, assessing whether bjectives were met, if things were frgtten r miscalculated and celebrating success. Missin, Visin, Values, Prmise and Law Missin Girl Guides f Canada-Guides du Canada enables girls t be cnfident, resurceful and curageus, and t make a difference in the wrld. Girl Guides f Canada is a Mvement based n the shared values expressed in ur Prmise and Law. Thrugh Unit activities and psitive rle mdeling, girls are given the pprtunity t

5 frm their wn beliefs and values, learn abut ethical actin and be cmmitted t making the wrld a better place. T accmplish this, Guiders and girls wrk t integrate the Prmise and Law; traditinal penings, clsings, sngs and ceremnies; and Thinking Day and ther celebratins int regular meetings and special events. Remember as yu plan yur year that the values f Girl Guides f Canada are incrprated int the badges, challenges and ther activities in the girls' prgram. These are nt extras that must be added n tp f everything else, but an integral part f the prgramming. Our values shuld cme ut thrugh everything we d. Cmmunity service Cmmunity service is an excellent way t build skills and abilities in girls and give them the pprtunity t speak ut, take actin and prvide service. It als is a great way t cmplete prgramming. Engage the girls in determining what cmmunity service prject the Unit will participate in. Envirnmental awareness Envirnmental stewardship is a big part f the Guiding traditin. These activities can ffer the pprtunity t learn smething new, t prvide envirnmental service r, fr lder girls, t teach thers. Engage the girls in determining what envirnmental awareness activity yu will participate in. Camping and the utdrs Camping is a great way t get tgether with yur Unit. Camping prvides girls with the pprtunity t wrk tgether in a new envirnment, take n leadership rles, learn new skills and gather an appreciatin fr the utdrs. It s als part f what makes Guiding unique as an extra-curricular activity. Each branch s prgram ffers many pprtunities fr camping and the utdrs. As a Unit, r as part f a multi-branch camp, girls shuld be given the pprtunity t participate in: All branches - tw utdr meetings that enhance an understanding f the natural envirnment Sparks at least ne vernight activity (sleepver, residential r tent camp) Brwnies at least tw vernight camping activity lasting ne r tw nights each (residential r in tents) Guides at least tw camping activities lasting at least tw cnsecutive nights each. At least ne shuld be in tents Pathfinders, Rangers and Extra Ops at least three vernight camping activities, tw f which are a minimum f tw cnsecutive nights in a tent r ther similar shelter

6 If yu are nt cnfident in yur ability t take yur Unit camping, ask arund there will ften be a number f ther Guiders wh are willing t help yu learn thse skills. Wrldwide Guiding Girl Guides f Canada is part f the Wrld Assciatin f Girl Guides and Girl Scuts (WAGGGS). Canadian Members have 10 millin Guiding friends and sisters in 145 cuntries arund the wrld. This prvides fantastic learning pprtunities fr ur Members. Girls in all branches shuld regularly be given the pprtunity t learn and participate in Thinking Day and WAGGGS related activities. Girl Guide ckies Girl Guide ckies is the fficial fundraiser fr Girl Guides f Canada-Guides du Canada. Ckie selling nt nly raises funds fr Guiding prgrams, but als prvides pprtunities fr girls t develp skills such as: Teamwrk, self-cnfidence, financial management, safety awareness, custmer service and cmmunity invlvement. Ckie prgramming enables girls t better understand hw ckie sales fund unit activities, allwing them t be financially resurceful. Simple activities such as having girls calculate hw many cases f ckies wuld need t be sld t cver the cst f an activity can be dne thrughut the year. In additin: Sparks learn abut the significance f ckie sales t the Unit, hw many times a year GGC sells ckies and what kinds f ckies are sld. A strng fcus is placed n the imprtance f being a safe ckie seller. Brwnies learn abut planning by brainstrming unique and fun ways t sell ckies t meet persnal and Unit ckie selling gals. A strng fcus is placed n building mney handling skills. Guides learn abut planning, gal setting (prgram and mnetary) and team wrk by setting persnal and Unit ckie selling gals and brainstrming fun ways t encurage each ther t achieve their gals. A strng fcus is placed n marketing and sales skills. Pathfinders learn abut their cmmunity by cnnecting with at a lcal senirs centre, military base r ther cmmunity service rganizatin and partnering with them fr a successful ckie campaign. A strng fcus is placed n skills needed fr public interactins. Rangers learn entrepreneurial skills by rganizing ckie selling events. With their planning, gal setting, team wrk, financial management and cmmunity cnnectin

7 skills, they can manage all f the tasks required t rganize an ver-the-tp event. A strng fcus is placed n prviding Rangers with the skills needed t run a ckie campaign. Bridging: getting tgether with ther branches Bridging is a great traditin in Guiding. It brings different Units and age grups tgether t share in the sisterhd f Guiding. Yunger girls get the jy f being with and learning frm lder girls, and lder girls get the pprtunity t practice their leadership skills with yunger girls. Guiders and girls shuld wrk tgether t create different pprtunities during the Guiding year t share in the sisterhd f Guiding. Membership and retentin Membership in Girl Guides f Canada ffers fun, friendship and adventure in a safe, accepting envirnment with diverse and exciting prgrams and activities. It ffers girls the chance t discver, explre and be adventurus with new friends. Increasing ur Membership keeps GGC and each Unit vital and strng and ensures that mre Canadian girls have the chance t experience Guiding. There are many things Guiders can d t increase Membership in yur wn Unit and thers. Make sure that all girls are accepted and feel welcmed in yur Unit. If yu cannt place anther girl in yur Unit, wrk with ther Units in yur area t find a spt fr her. Ensure that the girls currently enrlled in yur Unit are persnally invited back t the Unit fr the next year. If any girls are nt returning, talk t the girls and their parents t find ut why. Administratin The smth running f the Unit relies n Guiders wh are nt nly mentrs, but als administratrs. Mentring and administratin can be blended as yu give girls mre respnsibilities as they prgress thrugh the branches. While yu may nt be respnsible fr all f the administratin f yur Unit, every Guider in the Unit shuld knw what is happening in the fllwing areas. Necessary Unit administratin: Maintain girls prgress recrds (thugh these recrds belng t the girls and shuld be given t them when they leave the Unit) Maintain financial recrds that fllw the Financial Reprting Manual and submit them fr annual review Participate in bth annual ckie campaigns Ensure Unit Guider representatin at 80 per cent f District meetings Fllw prvincial guidelines fr managing frms Keep yur persnal imis prfile up-t-date, particularly keeping yur address current Family invlvement Prviding pprtunities fr family participatin (e.g., vlunteering, attending ceremnies) brings mre fun, friendship and excitement t prgramming. While including family can help yu bring

8 different skills and expertise t the Unit, it is mre imprtant t include them t build a sense f cmmunity and t get their supprt. Make sure yu build in regular cmmunicatin with families by starting the year ff with a parents meeting and then having regular newsletters, phne calls and/r s thrughut the year. Guider training Guiders are dedicated t helping girls and yung wmen develp their ptential, and Girl Guides f Canada is dedicated t helping yu develp yur skills and cmpetencies. Guiders must cmplete Orientatin t Guiding and Safe Guide training within the first six mnths f jining. These tw trainings are mandatry fr Unit Guiders s please talk with yur DC r ACL fr mre infrmatin n dates and lcatins. Because training teaches yu new skills, energizes yu fr the year ahead and gives yu the supprt yu need fr yur vlunteer psitin, Girl Guides f Canada als ffers its wn subjectspecific training and recgnizes training frm utside rganizatins. It is als recmmended that Guiders take current first aid training and at least ne Guider Stream r Outdr Activity leadership training frm Girl Guides f Canada. When girls want t d smething beynd yur expertise, share the lad and bring in an expert! Find resurce peple when a tpic is beynd yur expertise r the training available frm Girl Guides f Canada. Talk t peple in yur cmmunity and parents in yur Unit t find smene suitable. If yu can t find a persn t cme in, find and resurce materials like bks, manuals, vides and the GGC website, Member Zne. Talk t ther Guiders in yur area, check ut yur lcal library, r search fr resurces n the Internet. All f these great resurces can help yu prvide the prgramming girls want.