Growing Guiding.
Growing Guiding is an essential part of what we do.
We’d like as many girls as possible to join in, but we also need our amazing volunteers to make it happen!
There is lots of information and useful resources available on the main Girlguiding website, but sometimes it can be difficult to find what you’re looking for! So here we are highlighting some important parts of growth and retention, and signposting useful resources – as well as sharing some of our own.
Don’t forget to join in with our Chief Commissioner’s Growth Challenge. This has been designed to get the girls involved too and we’ve linked it to the programme, giving you lots of UMAs you can do to help Grow, Shout, Share…
Recruitment Resources
Girlguiding provide a selection of resources to support you in recruiting new girls and volunteers. We know these can be hard to find, so consider this your one-stop-shop for recruitment resources.
Warm Welcome
Encouraging potential new volunteers to express their interest is just the first step to growing our volunteer numbers. Ensuring everyone who joins receives a ‘warm welcome’ is an important part of ensuring they stay.
We have produced some regional resources to help you welcome new volunteers.
Transition resources
An important part of growing guiding is encouraging and supporting girls to move to the next section when they are old enough.
We have produced some regional resources to help you to support girls through this process.
Thanks and Recognition
We couldn’t do what we do without the dedication and commitment of our amazing volunteers, so thanking them is vital.
We have produced this booklet to give you some ideas about how to thank your fellow volunteers.
If you know someone who you think deserves a special award, there are various awards both at national and regional level that you could nominate them for.
Promoting Guiding
There is lots to think about when promoting guiding. Using the brand, making promotional resources, saying the ‘right’ thing…
You can contact your local PR Adviser for help or go to the Girlguiding website, where you’ll find lots of useful resources and information:
Membership Growth & Retention (MGR) Network
Our region coordinator for growth and retention holds regular meetings to share information and good practice around the region. The network meetings are attended by County Commissioners and county MGR leads, but are open to anyone who is interested in supporting the growth of our membership.
Contact your County Commissioner if you are interested in supporting growth and retention at a local level.
Let’s lead together
Girlguiding North East England’s youth network have produced this resource after reading the findings of Girlguiding’s 2024 programme review. Girls reported that they want more opportunities to run and lead activities but 41% of volunteers don’t involve girls in the planning and delivery of the programme. The ten activities within this guide have been tried and tested by the youth network. Download the booklet below.