News
Scottish News 2007 January - March
- Countdown to Tartan Gig Begins! - 26/03/07
- Queen's Guide Awards - 25/03/07
- Playing through time - 08/03/07
- Girls Shout Out! - 26/02/07
- Thinking Day campaign - 16/02/07
- Get Wise campaign - 03/01/07
Scottish News Archive
Countdown to Tartan Gig Begins
The countdown to the Tartan Gig featuring the Guiding Star Scottish final has begun! Glasgow hosted the last regional final of the Scottish Guiding Star this weekend. The talented winners will join finalists from around the country at the Tartan Gig in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Saturday, 9th June.
Guiding Star is an exclusive X Factor style competition for ten to 25-year-old members of Girlguiding UK and it is now nearing its climax. It's been a fantastic opportunity for members of Guiding to develop their musical skills, make new friends and have lots of fun.
Since it was launched, girls across the country have entered either on their own or as part of a group. The standard has been brilliant and songs have ranged from showstoppers from musicals to the latest pop hits!
County heats led to regional heats and as the numbers have dwindled the remaining performers have taken a step closer to the wonderful prize: the chance to perform at the Big Gig in Manchester. The Big Gig is an amazing annual pop concert organised by Girlguiding and, in previous years, it has played host to stars like Girls Aloud; Lemar and Shayne Ward!
All the Scottish regional finalists attended professional workshops, before taking to the stage in front of specially invited judges that ranged from BBC broadcasters to the father of the MacDonald brothers!
Excitement has grown with every heat and the Scottish Regional winners will perform at the Scottish final at the Tartan Gig on Saturday, 9 th June. 2000 Guides and leaders will gather in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall to cheer on their favourites whilst a panel of celebrity judges have the hard task of choosing a Scottish winner. They will then go on to the National Final in Sheffield where the UK winner will be crowned and given the opportunity to perform at the Big Gig. More details on celebrity judges and on the line up for the Tartan Gig coming soon!
Read the exciting details of some of the regional heats that have taken place around Scotland, here.
26th March 2007
Queen's Guide Awards
Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex presen
ted two young Scottish women, Lorraine Dougan and Kirsty Renwick, with the Queen's Guide Award - the highest award attainable within Girlguiding Scotland - at a prestigious ceremony held at Gibson Hall, Bishopsgate, London on 15th March 2007.
The Queen's Guide Award recognises and rewards outstanding skills and commitment and encourages young women aged 14 to 25 years to play an active part in their local and wider communities.
Lorraine from Cambuslang and Kirsty from Kilwinning are both involved with Guiding in Ayrshire North.
Kirsty explained how achieving the award has impacted on her life: "The award has given me the opportunity to experience other cultures and lifestyles. It has given me more confidence and made me more appreciative of what people have to offer."
Primary school teacher, Lorraine added: "Completing my award has given me the opportunity to lead and manage people. This has given me the confidence to think about becoming a principal teacher in school and I have recently started an university course to help pursue this."
The Queen's Guide Award is equivalent to the Duke of Edinburgh Gold, and is gained over three years of involvement on five key elements of the guiding programme; these include practical participation and organisation of local and regional guiding activities, Community Action, involvement in two community projects on a chosen topic over a year, and an Outdoor Challenge, demonstrating leadership skills when organising an expedition or exploration. On completion, members are presented with a certificate bearing the Queen's signature and a silver brooch.
Lorraine's main focus was on improving lifestyle and healthy living. She became a walk leader in her local village, encouraging local children to walk, jog or run. She also gained her badminton coaching certificate.
Kirsty led a group of Guides on a trip to France and was the only Scottish representative to participate in a Japanese Cultural Exchange.
Altogether 76 girls nationwide were presented with their Queen's Guide brooch and addressed by The Countess. Lorraine was honoured to be chosen to give the vote of thanks to the Countess on behalf of all the young women
Liz Pitcairn, Girlguiding Scotland Chief Commissioner, who attended the presentation in London, said:
'Girlguiding Scotland is incredibly proud of the outstanding achievements of Kirsty and Lorraine. They have made a wonderful contribution to guiding and their local communities. They've undertaken some huge challenges and learnt many new skills whilst hopefully having a lot of fun!
'Completing the Queen's Guide Award gives young women an amazing sense of empowerment and confidence at a time when they are making serious life choices and shaping their future careers. 'The presentation of the Queen's Guide Award is a very special event. Since taking up office, our President has personally presented every Queen's Guide with her brooch, which shows how highly she regards their achievements. Meeting the Countess of Wessex will be something the girls will remember forever.'
25th March 2007
Playing through time
Popular Girlguiding Scotland book, 'Guiding through Time' has formed the basis for new interactive jigsaw games available exclusively on Girlguiding Norfolk's website and here at Girguiding Scotland's website!
The book, which was produced in 2004, provided a colourful and comprehensive history of Brownie and Guide uniforms. When Girlguiding Norfolk decided they wanted a game to launch their new website and teach members about the history of guiding, 'Guiding Through Time' was the perfect choice.
Helen Green, Assistant County Commissioner of Girlguiding Norfolk said:
"We researched various aspects of our heritage, and one that the girls were particularly interested in was uniforms. 'Guiding Through Time' is
beautifully illustrated, informative and fits in perfectly with this theme. We were absolutely delighted we could use some of the images.
"I am sure sales of the book will increase, because there is nothing quite like being able to lay your hands on a book
with full colour photographs and shiney paper!"
Maggie McShane, Girlguiding Scotland Marketing & Communications Manager, said:
"The game will help the book reach a new audience. We're grateful to Girlguiding Norfolk for allowing us to reproduce their game on our site."
Play the jigsaw game
Find out more about 'Guiding Through Time' (available from Girlguiding Scotland shops and mail order)
Visit Girlguiding Norfolk Heritage site
8th March 2007
Scottish Girls Shout Out!
Their Views - The UK's largest youth organisation, Girlguiding UK, unveils the results of its first ever UK-wide survey of its members' views.
Scottish girls and young women involved in guiding have been shouting out their views on a variety of issues from equality to careers. New report Girls shout out! launched by Girlguiding UK today (26th Feb) , represents the opinions of over 3,200 girls in guiding, aged from five to 25, including 472 from Scotland.
The new report is one of the most extensive surveys of girls' and young women's views conducted by any organisation in recent years. It signals Girlguiding UK's commitment to making the views and voices of its half a million members heard in the debates affecting young women today.
Girls shout out! finds Scottish young women in guiding to be ambitious, career-minded and optimistic. But they also describe inequalities, pressures and concerns across many different areas of their lives. As they strive to reconcile their aspirations with the challenges they face, they place huge value on friendships and the ability to spend time with other girls without any boys being there - building their self-confidence and their self-esteem.
Key Scottish findings include:
- Over half 16-25 year olds (55%) say equality has not been achieved for UK women
- Four out of five aged 16-25 (80%) believe young women are stigmatised for behaviour that young men would not be criticised for
- Two fifths aged 16-25 (42%) worry their careers will suffer if they have kids
- Almost a third aged 16- 25 (30%) say they got different school career advice because they are girls.
But:
- Nine out of 10 aged 16-25 (91%) and 10-15 (89%) believe women can do any job they choose
- Two thirds aged 16-25 (65%) say they won't depend on their partners financially
- The majority - rising from 65% of 5-7 year olds to 100% of 16-25 year olds - like to spend time together without boys being there
- And one in ten 5-10 year olds (9%) wants to be the Prime Minister…
Announcing the report, Liz Burnley, Chief Guide said:
"As the UK's largest youth organisation we are proud to provide a safe girl-only space. Girlguiding UK has a unique responsibility to help girls and young women speak out about the issues affecting them most today. At a time when young people are too often stereotyped, criticised and denied a voice, we hope that our report Girls shout out! will be an opportunity for young women's voices to be heard."
Scots urged to think about volunteering on World Thinking Day
On World Thinking Day (22nd February 2007) Girlguiding Scotland is urging Scots to think about volunteering with the movement that has 70,000 members across the country.
Members of Girlguiding Scotland will be hosting special activities and events for World Thinking Day, joining more than ten million girls and young women from around the world celebrating the diversity of Guiding. In Scotland, Girlguiding is also making a special plea to encourage more adults to become involved.
Thinking Day is the day when members of Guiding think of their counterparts across the globe reflecting on different cultures and traditions. Most units take the opportunity to learn more about Guiding in a different country. Girlguiding Scotland is marking this important date by hosting an national event 'Set Your Imagination Free', from 16th to 18th February at Netherurd House, West Linton. Girls and young women from across Scotland will gather to learn yoga, drumming, Cuban dancing and lots of other activities from different countries.
The event at Netherurd is one of many taking place across the UK where members will discover how the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts has enabled women and girls to develop leadership skills and self-esteem, make new friends, speak out on issues that affect them and their peers - and raise money so that Guiding can continue to empower girls and young women across the globe.
Liz Pitcairn, Scottish Chief Commissioner, commented:
'This is an exciting event at Netherurd which will help the girls and young women to try out activities which they may never have experienced before.
'Guiding spans more than 140 countries with over ten million members, and our World Thinking Day celebration will help the girls and young women to learn more about the cultures and traditions of our members not only here in the UK, but also worldwide.
'On this Thinking Day, we are also appealing to Scots to think about volunteering with Girlguiding Scotland. There are lots of different options available from working directly with the girls in units, to setting up IT systems and helping organise unit finances. As a volunteer you have the opportunity to use your talents, learn new skills, develop existing expertise and make new friends! Also to put something back by helping, encouraging and promoting young people today.
"50% of women in Scotland were members of Girlguiding. They will remember the significance of Thinking Day and what better way to mark this event than to help girls and young women across the country gain the same opportunities they did? Committing only 12 hours per year would make a massive difference."
Guides get wise about sex, drink and mental health
Girlguiding UK launches 2007 peer education programme.
Girlguiding UK has today announced its new 2007 peer education programme - Get Wise.
Get Wise will cover health and mental health issues, helping young women work together to tackle some of the most sensitive and challenging issues they face growing up.
Get Wise will see young women between 14-25 educating their peers about the following topics:
- Get Wise About Eating Disorders
- Get Wise About Stress Management
- Get Wise About Binge Drinking
- Get Wise About Sexual Health
- Get Wise About Beating Bullying
Over 100 new peer educators will be trained in 2007, reaching more than 2,000 girls and young women, inside and outside guiding. The scheme encourages girls to get out into their communities - in schools, other youth clubs, and directly reaching out to disadvantaged communities - to deliver training to young people.
Get Wise is part of Girlguiding UK's ongoing drive to enable young women to learn from each other about issues directly concerning their welfare, particularly those often not handled well at school. Young women themselves chose the Get Wise topics.
Vicky Willis, Chair of the peer education programme said ' Guiding allows girls and young women to devise and enjoy their own programme - developing a huge number of beneficial skills. Get Wise empowers young women aged between 14-25 to work positively on behalf of their peers by allowing them the opportunity to devise, plan and deliver trainings on some of the most important issues faced by young people. The programme also encourages peer educators to reach out to young people outside of guiding allowing people from many different backgrounds to benefit from the scheme.'
Get Wise is part of Girlguiding UK 's wider peer education scheme, '4wards, 4 self, 4 others', which has been running since 2003. The new Get Wise peer educators will be trained by young women who are already working within the peer education programme, during a weekend residential.
Get Wise will use teaching techniques that include role-play, scenario planning and debate. The young women will be trained about all angles and arguments of the issue at hand, using in-depth briefing materials provided by Girlguiding UK .
3rd Jan 2007