Types of unit
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Joint Units and Joint
Groups
Where it is not possible to form separate units for members of
Girlguiding UK and The Scout Association, a Joint Unit may be the
only way of offering Guiding and Scouting in a particular area.
A Joint Unit is open to members of either Association for girls
and boys who wish to become members. For Explorer Scouts and/or
members of the Scout Network working with members of the Senior
Section, collaboration and joint activities are encouraged, but
formal establishment into a Joint Unit is not appropriate. This is
due to the significant differences in structures, management and
support.
Further details are available from Membership
Support Services.
Joint Groups
A Joint Group can be formed where units of Girlguiding UK and
The Scout Association consider it appropriate to form a single
organisation. The units do not hold unit meetings together. They
follow the programme appropriate to their Association and section.
However, due to local circumstances, they may benefit from coming
to an arrangement about issues that affect them both, eg:
- shared premises, which may or may not be jointly owned
- sharing the same sponsoring body which agrees to the formation
of the Joint Group.
Sponsored and open
units
There are three types of unit:
- open units are open to all and not linked to any other
organisation
- open sponsored units have links with bodies such as a religious
community, local school, college, hospital or business, with no
restriction on membership
- closed sponsored units are formally sponsored by other bodies
and are only open to girls and young women with an existing
connection to that body.
Most units are open, and Girlguiding UK endeavours to ensure
that there are enough open units in an area to enable all girls to
become members, regardless of their faith or of the school they
attend. In places where there can only be one unit, it should be
open to all girls and young women, willing to make the Promise, who
wish to join it.
A unit that meets in premises belonging to an established
organisation is not necessarily a sponsored unit.
There are very few closed sponsored units; they may be sponsored
for example by a residential school.
The form of sponsorship varies according to the amount and type
of support the sponsoring body is able or prepared to offer.
Support could include the provision of:
The terms of the sponsorship should be discussed by the
sponsoring body or its representatives and the District
Commissioner. The sponsoring agreement should be drawn up and
signed by both parties before the unit is registered.
The agreement should be reviewed regularly, and in particular
when there is a change of personnel (such as Unit Leader, head
teacher, leader of sponsoring body).
Membership
Before a sponsored unit is registered, the District Commissioner
should discuss the proposed membership of the unit with the
sponsoring body or its representative. A sponsored unit which will
include girls or young women from inside and outside the sponsoring
community (eg a village unit sponsored by a church) should be
registered as an open sponsored unit.
Occasionally, however, a unit may want to restrict its
membership to girls or young women from a particular community, eg
a school, hospital or religious community. In this case, the unit
should be registered as a closed sponsored unit.
Where a unit is to be formed in a place where it is the only
unit in the area, it should be open to all girls or young women
willing to make the Promise who wish to join it.
Responsibilities
The normal responsibilities of administering the unit, its
finances, programme and records remain with its Leaders and members
as appropriate. The sponsoring body and its representatives may not
interfere with any of these matters. A sponsored unit is part of
the guiding District and its Leaders and girls take a normal part
in District life. Girlguiding UK's policies apply without exception
to a sponsored unit. However, Salvation
Army units need to comply with the Orders and Regulations
for Leaders of Salvation Army Affiliated Units in the
United Kingdom.
Page last updated: 12/23/2011