We caught up with her to find out more about her Girlguiding journey so far, why she’s excited to take on this new role and what she’s got planned for the future…

Q. Tell us a bit about your Girlguiding Scotland background…

A. It’s fair to say I’ve grown up with guiding. When I was 7 years old I joined the Brownies and this year marks 21 years since I started volunteering with Girlguiding Scotland. I love my weekly unit meetings where I speak to so many inspiring young women. Previously I was an international adviser, as international guiding is a big passion of mine.

Q. What made you want to become a volunteer?

A. I love the fact there are endless opportunities for girls to try new things and learn more about themselves along the way. Seeing girls have fun while developing their knowledge and skills is a huge motivation. Through volunteering I get to see girls grow in confidence on a weekly basis, and in such a positive environment. I know our girls will go on to change the world!

Q. What does being part of Girlguiding Scotland mean to you?

A. Knowing there’s space for girls where they can be themselves. I’m proud to volunteer with an organisation that’s so focused on equipping girls with the tools to be resilient in an ever-changing world. I believe that young people are our future and guiding has given me the opportunity to nurture and encourage girls to reach their full potential in a space where they can be themselves.

Q. Share your most proud volunteering memory…

A. I’m constantly seeing girls going from being very shy to leading a team, and sometimes they go on to become volunteers themselves, so I feel proud all the time! I love how guiding cares for the individual and champions their achievements.

Q. How has lockdown been for you and your girls?

A. Lockdown has been really challenging but a lot of volunteers have said that continuing unit meetings online (and now outdoors, sometimes indoors) has been a welcome distraction. Through virtual meetings we’ve been able to catch up with our girls and find out how they’re getting on. From enjoying a Think Resilient session to help boost their mental wellbeing to taking on the international-themed Window on the World Challenge, the girls have had a blast!

Q. What made you decide to go for the Guiding Delivery lead volunteer role?

A. I was already a member of the Guiding Delivery team which helped broaden my horizons and forced me to think more strategically, and on a long-term basis about what direction we want to go in. The more I learned through being part of the team, the more inspired and the more involved I want to be!

Q. What are you most excited about doing in your new role?

A. I have first-hand experience of the impact that Girlguiding Scotland has so I’m looking forward to strengthening our support network for the different counties and help them grow.

I’m excited that we’ll be working closely with the Growth and Communications teams to bring a unified approach that will make future events and trainings the best they can be. By working coherently across the board with these teams we can create a real impact.

Find out more

Get more information on who the other lead volunteers are and the overall structure of Girlguiding Scotland here!