International West Mercia
Guides from West Mercia at Our Chalet, Switzerland
The arrival of Girlguiding's Centenary helps us to remember our humble beginnings 100 years ago with Robert Baden-Powell and a group of strong minded girls who wanted Scouting for girls. Over the last 100 years Girlguiding has spread around the world, giving us today opportunities that those first Girl Guides would have only dreamt about.
These opportunities are available to everyone, and if you think about international guiding only at Thinking Day (a day in February celebrating the birthdays of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell, the founders of the Guiding and Scouting movements) then you need to think again! There are so many ways to enjoy international guiding with the varied resources and badges available. These can be adapted for all sections and enjoyed individually or as a unit, and you don’t even have to leave your meeting place!
The Guide Friendship Fund helps overseas Guide associations by funding projects that benefit girls and young women and their wider community. The GFF has a resource pack with activities for the unit and this could lead on to a unit fundraiser.
There are international camps in the UK, which provide a taste of guiding in other countries. This could give you the chance to work towards a qualification on the outdoor scheme. However, if you are itching to get the passport out then taking a group abroad may be the one for you. You can travel with your own unit or take a county group away. The choice is yours! You can then, if you wish, work on the international module of the outdoor scheme.
Each year an International Opportunities (INTOPS) weekend is held, which gives a chance to find out more about international opportunities on a larger scale. If you’re aged between 18 and 30 years old you may want to go for selection for a Guiding Overseas Linked with Development (GOLD) project which involves voluntary work in developing countries working on community projects. The selection for these opportunities form part of the INTOPS weekend.
Keep an eye open on the Girlguiding UK website for details of the next INTOPS weekend.
Visits to our World Centres are very special and memorable trips. World Centres are run by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), and there are four across the world: Our Chalet in Switzerland, Sangam in India, Cabana in Mexico and Pax Lodge in London.
These above are only a taste of what’s available. Please contact the International Adviser for any help with forms and ideas on getting started. Keep your eye open for forthcoming workshops on international guiding and taking your unit away.