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Girlguiding UK support

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A Young Leader helping a Brownie to rollerskateUK core volunteer roles

Girlguiding UK has a number of volunteer roles that provide core support and contribute to the decision-making process and development of the Association.
These roles may include the:

  • Patron(s)
  • President
  • Vice President(s)
  • Chief Guide
  • Deputy Chief Guide
  • Treasurer
  • Chairman of the Trefoil Guild
  • Chairmen of Committees
  • Advisers/Coordinators.
 

Administration

The main office for the administration of Girlguiding UK is the Commonwealth Headquarters (CHQ) and is situated in London. The professional staff and volunteers at CHQ support the Countries and Regions,
the Counties, Divisions, Districts and units, and administer Girlguiding UK on their behalf.

 

Decision making within Girlguiding UK

Girlguiding UK is a girl-led organisation and strongly encourages its young members to make their own decisions about what they do in guiding. Structures for decision making within units are appropriate to the age range of the unit members.

  • Rainbow Guides and Brownie Guides discuss ideas with their Leaders as a whole unit, through the Rainbow Chat or Brownie Pow-wow.
  • Guides have an opportunity to discuss ideas and suggestions among themselves during Patrol time; these ideas and thoughts can then be taken to the Patrol Leaders’ Council for discussion with other Patrol Leaders and the Unit Leaders.
  • Senior Section units may have a Look Wider Team or other team for communicating ideas and suggestions among the unit members and the Unit Leaders.

               Communication channels

Strategic decision making

Together, the Council, the Executive Committee, the Forum for Young Women and
representation from the Trefoil Guild form the strategic level of Girlguiding UK’s committee structure.

Feeding in to these groups are other groups representing the interests of all members of Girlguiding UK, the Association’s commercial interests and its staff.

 

The Council

As outlined in the Royal Charter and Bye-laws, Girlguiding UK is governed by the Council:

  • The Council is responsible for upholding the aims of the Association
  • It maintains an overview of the Association in relation to contemporary society, taking a considered view of broad issues outside the Association
  • It concerns itself with the future development of Girlguiding UK in the light of these issues.

Girlguiding UK’s Royal Charter and Bye-laws can be read here.

 

The Executive Committee of the Council

The Royal Charter and Bye-laws vest the management of the business of the Association in the Executive Committee of the Council. The Executive Committee is primarily responsible for matters of policy, finance, forward planning, direction setting and coordination of various Girlguiding UK events.

There are three categories of members:

  • ex-officio voting members
  • elected voting members
  • non-voting members.

The voting members of the Executive Committee are the charity trustees of Girlguiding UK. A member who is under the age of 18 cannot be a trustee and is not entitled to vote.

 

Forum for Young Women (Innovate)

The Association’s Forum for Young Women (known as Innovate) is a channel to promote the views of young women at all levels within Girlguiding UK.

It is also used as a sounding board by both the Council and the Executive Committee. Innovate is open to all members between their 16th and 26th birthdays, and enables them to participate in Association developments and decision making.

Page last updated: 10/28/2011