LATEST SCOTTISH NEWS
- One World One Beat
- Good Vibrations 3: Buzy Bees - Open For Bookings
- Wanted - Suggestions For New Girlguiding Scotland Website
- Guides Singing Auld Lang Syne to be Reshown on Hogmany
- National Scout & Guide Symphony Orchestra Course 2010
- Opportunity to Represent Girlguiding at YWWF
- Good Vibrations 2 ... Going Bananas!
- BBC Documentary on Guiding Reshowing
- Centenary Celebrations Launched
- UNICEF Seeking Volunteers
- Say No To Bullying
- 2008 Annual Review Online
One World One Beat
The Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, was alive with world song and dance over the weekend of 20/21st February 2010 when 3000 Rainbows, Brownies and Guides came from all over Scotland to the sell-out performing-arts event One World One Beat, to celebrate the annual World Thinking Day in an extra-special way during Girlguiding UK’s Centenary year.
The girls took part in a series of fun, energetic and educational workshops based around the themes of world music, drama and dance. Workshops ranged from street theatre, didgeridoos and active rhythmology.
The event culminated in a grand evening finale with the girls dancing, performing their Street Theatre, singing an emotive song about joining together and taking part in a Body Percussion Performance.
February 2010
Good Vibrations 3: Buzy Bees - Open For Bookings
The first ‘Good Vibrations’ weekend was held in 2008, followed by Good Vibrations 2: Going Bananas in 2009. Now Good Vibrations 3: Busy Bees! in 2010.
A team of enthusiastic Trainers would like to welcome all those working with Rainbow, Brownie, Guide and Senior Section to Good Vibrations 3: Busy Bees! from 24th – 26th September 2010 at NETHERURD, our Scottish Training Centre.
Good Vibrations 3: Busy Bees! will have a mix of section specific and cross sectional sessions covering a variety of topics, giving lots of ideas to help make the programme work for you and your girls. Plus a chance to make some new Guiding friends.
Where: Netherurd Training and Activity Centre
When: 24th-26th September 2010
Cost: FREE (This weekend will be fully funded and your deposit (cheque) will be returned to you at the weekend. However non-attendance at the weekend means your cheque will be cashed.)
To book, contact Netherurd: 01968 682208, bookings@netherurdhouse.co.uk
Download Good Vibrations 3 Flyer (Word Doc)
February 2010
Wanted - Suggestions For New Girlguiding Scotland Website
We are currently redesigning our website and want to know what you think it should be like. If you have any suggestions for features, content, accessibility, or anything else you think would improve our website, please email them to Marcomdesigner@girlguiding-scot.org.uk
We can't promise that all your suggestions will be implemented but we will give them all close consideration.
February 2010
Guides Singing Auld Lang Syne to be Reshown on Hogmany
The video for the Auld Lang Syne, featuring Guides from Dunbartonshire, will be transmitted on BBC2 Scotland on 31st December at 18.25. The video was first shown at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party 2008 to encourage the 100,000 strong crowd to sing-along.
The video was also used to promote Scotland as a visitor attraction as part of the Scottish Government’s ‘Homecoming Scotland’ campaign. It was shown at Burns’ Suppers across Scotland, to mark Robert Burns’ 250th year celebrations.
National Scout & Guide Symphony Orchestra Course 2010
Have you heard of this orchestra?
...Some say it is the “Best Kept Secret” of the Scout Association! The Orchestra has actually been in existence for over 30 years!!
Application forms will be available from the Scoutbase website to enroll for the 2010 orchestra course in Pudsey, Nr Leeds, West Yorkshire from November 2009.
A one week residential course with full board will be held from Saturday pm. 31st July – 8th August am. at a cost of £350.00.
Participants must be: 
- Scouts and Guides
- 13-25 years of age
- Proficient players of orchestral instruments (min. Grade 5)
A professional orchestral conductor and support by professional tutors. Intensive rehearsals are interspersed with varied sports and leisure activities.
NSGSO members gain not only orchestral skills to develop their creative talent, but also the fun and friendship which are integral parts of Scouting and Guiding.
Public Performances:
Wed. 4th August: Fusion (Girlguiding UK Centenary Spectacular)
Fri. 7 August and Sat. 8 August in Concert Halls in the area
The music to be played will be varied and challenging. Recent courses have included Holst’s Suite “The Planets”; Shostakovich’s Symphony No5 Op47; Grieg’s “Peer Gynt”; Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker”; Bizet’s L’Arlésienne Suites 1&2; Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man and Symphony in D minor by Cesar Franck.
The course is administered by the Scout Association in conjunction with Girlguiding UK.
Enquiries to the Organiser: E-mail: djnsgso@yahoo.co.uk
An Opportunity to Represent Girlguiding UK at the Young Women’s World Forum
We would like to invite you to participate in the first ever Young Women’s World Forum as part of the Centenary celebrations of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting. This is the first of three world forums for girls and young women taking place between 2010 and 2012, throughout WAGGGS’ centenary celebrations. The UK will have two delegate places and one of them could be yours!
The event is being organized and hosted by Girlguiding UK in cooperation with WAGGGS.
Date: 19 – 24 October 2010
Location: Oxfordshire
Cost: £400 (includes food, accommodation and all activities throughout the Forum)
Age group: 18 – 25 years
Other criteria:
- active members (but they do not need to have attended any previous WAGGGS events)
- Very good French, English or Spanish speakers, so you are able to contribute and benefit fully from the Forum.
- Committed to working actively with the results of the Forum within Girlguiding UK
- Awareness/understanding of chosen MDGs
The aims of this event are to engage Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from different countries and backgrounds to form a shared vision for girls and young women to make a difference in their community and to develop skills and confidence to action change.
Delegates will create a declaration outlining ways in which national governments, civil society and WAGGGS and its members can change our world. The programme will include opportunities to exchange with external experts; to develop new advocacy skills for example in campaigning and public speaking; and to develop personal action plans for change.
Delegates will gain an overview of all eight of the MDGs but will focus especially on “End poverty and hunger”, “Promote gender equality and empower women” and “Environmental sustainability” which have been highlighted by members of WAGGGS as being most relevant to them. This has been done through a survey available online and through the WAGGGS’ World Centres.
If interested in being a UK delegate please contact Harsha Kariawasam on harsha.kariawasam@girlguiding.org.uk. These must be returned by 11 December 2009.
If you have questions about the Forum please email worldforum@girlguiding.org.uk
Good Vibrations 2 ... Going Bananas!
This weekend at Netherurd certainly lived up to its title and was voted a great success.
There were lots of Leaders ‘Going Bananas!’ at Netherurd from 25th-27th September 2009. 35 Leaders from 12 different Counties, including two Lones and the Scottish Inclusion and Diversity Development Worker, arrived for a fun-packed training weekend. A third of the Leaders experienced their first visit to Netherurd.
The trainers had planned a wide range of activities to suit the level of experience, with warrants / appointments starting at two months up to 45 years and an equally wide age range of 20 to
60+ years.
Right from the outset on the Friday evening a friendly and fun atmosphere was established, which continued throughout the weekend, with many Leaders making lots of new friends. We even had a Leader celebrating her 63rd birthday on Friday with everyone enjoying a piece of cake!
The Leaders were split into ‘monkey’ groups and given inflatable monkeys – which for many were a source of great hilarity over the course of the weekend. However, as the title suggests, we also had large inflatable bananas as part of the weekend as well.
Saturday morning started with a session about ‘Using your Young Leaders’, which gave everyone an insight into how valuable our future Leaders are and how to best encourage and support them.
After coffee, we had some Monkey Business in the grounds, including a challenge at the Ropes course and a banana trail. Fortunately we had no Leaders swinging from the trees!
After lunch we had been invited to join the Friends of Sangam at the Garden House for a ‘Sangam Experience’, which included taking part in a traditional ‘Welcome Ceremony’, learning how to tie a sari, trying some Indian crafts and even some Bollywood dancing. Leaders also had the opportunity to buy items for Sangam funds from a wide range of items for sale.
Before dinner there was time for an informal discussion about the Adventure 100 Challenge and Flexible Guiding, as the room was set out like a café.
The evening gave way to some teamwork activities in their ‘Monkey Troops’, which involved activities like ‘Join Hands’ and ‘Jelly Baby towers’.
Sunday morning was themed ‘Banana Splits’, when we split into our sections and had a section specific session, which gave the Leaders ideas specifically for their section. After coffee the session topic was about Transitions/Moving On. This session gave some thought provoking points about how many girls do not move into the next section and how we might encourage them to make this progression.
A team activity rounded the weekend off and Leaders left after lunch having commented that they had lots of fun throughout the weekend while gaining lots of new ideas.
The training team had a great group of Leaders to work with and we thank them for taking the time to come to Netherurd. Many have been enthused and want to return!
A weekend at Netherurd is a great opportunity for fun and friendship while gaining lots of new ideas to take back to your girls. Make a visit in the near future – you’ll enjoy it!
BBC Documentary - '100 Years of Girl Guides' - to be Reshown
The BBC documentary, ‘100 Years of Girl Guides’, which was shown on BBC 4 in August, is going to be re-broadcast on Saturday 17 October at 9.00pm on BBC 4. If you missed it first time now's your chance to see it!
Centenary Celebrations Launched!
On Thursday 10th September Girlguiding Scotland launched its Centenary Celebrations at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, where a Scottish Parliamentary Debate was held. Hosted by one of Girlguiding Scotland's most active Ambassadors, Jeremy Purvis MSP, this event was attended by parliamentarians from across all political parties.
Our celebrations kicked off with a Centenary procession of 100 of Girlguiding Scotland's girls down Edinburgh's Royal Mile. We started at 3pm from Mercat Cross and proceeded down the Royal Mile to the Parliament, where at 3.30pm our VIP guests cut our Centenary cake then cheered the girls from Edinburgh and Lothian as they performed our specially commissioned Centenary dance: A Hundred Thousand Welcomes.
Watch the parliamentary debate (links to Holyrood website).
See pictures of the event on our Centenary page.
UNICEF Seeking Volunteers
Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child says that children and young people have the right to say what they think should happen on decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account.
UNICEF are looking to sign up four Article 12 Advisors, supporting UNICEF with an exciting new programme driving child rights across the UK. In this voluntary role, the Article 12 Advisors will influence and negotiate with many different people, from the top of organisations to young people on the streets.
UNICEF are looking for young people from across the UK who want to speak out on behalf of other young people. They will have a chance to make a real difference for young people, get training and support, meet new people and get great experience for their CVs! They will need to demonstrate a commitment to child rights and have the ability to speak to adults and other young people.
Candidates must be under 18 on the 31st August 2009, commit to this role for at least 12 months and be able to travel to London for meetings and training. The closing date is midday on 5th October 2009. Documents that provide further info and details of how to apply can be found here (opens in new window).
Say No To Bullying
Girlguiding UK's recent Girls Shout Out: Redefining Risk and Teenage Mental Health have identified that 28% of 10-18 year old girls have been bullied over the Internet. As a response Girlguiding has worked with the Mental Health Foundation and Kidscape to produce a guide to help girls deal with bullying and its emotional and psychological effects. The guide is called - Say No! To Bullying
Say No! To Bullying PDF
Teenage Mental Health: Girls Shout Out PDF
June 2009
2008 Annual Review Online
The 2008 Annual Review publication can be downloaded in PDF format.
June 2009