h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Kochanski,
I am a Guide Guider. I read about your Brown Owl situation. It is very difficult when you have a strong leader who seems to know better! I agree that some of the traditions of Guiding are essential. It is what makes it different from a Youth Club, especially when they get to 10 and up.

When I started with my Guide Unit, one of the existing guiders was the immediate past County Commissioner! I was very apprehensive and didn't feel I could suggest anything as an improvement really. Anyway, after I had helped out for a term, she filled in my warrant application form and put my prospective appointment down as Guider! I then had a term of trying to come to terms with leading the group, whilst still aware of not treading on her toes! Anyway, I am running it now, with a new assistant Guider and am just implementing a Parent Rota to cover absence as I have to travel a lot with my work.

Regarding keeping girls interested, this is where your Brown Owl is mistaken in not running the six system. Once they get to 9 they should start to make decisions for themselves, with a lot of help and input of course. Girls of this age want to be helpful and influential in what happens to them. It can be quite a shock to find such independent little beings, and of course you will have some that are not at that stage, but it is part of the growing up and will help prepare them for Guides. If you can't persuade your Brown Owl to implement the six system for the whole unit, try persuading her to set up a little group for the older brownies, where they can plan a little bit of meetings occassionally either for themselves or for a slightly bigger group. You could volunteer to supervise this group.

Contact the Guider for the Guide Unit you are feeding (if there is one). Perhaps they could invite the older brownies for a taster evening. We normally have a mock camp fire or themed evening once a year so all the girls who will turn ten in the following year can come and meet us. If there is just one or two brownies at this age, there may be at least one meeting at Guides which would be suitable to invite these Brownies to. The key is to have an exciting but not overwhelming visit, otherwise you can put them off.

Also you could give more mature Brownies opportunities to help ease the younger ones in (traditionally a sixers role). The sense of responsibility keeps most of them.

Anyway, I'd love to hear any bright craft, games, outing or meeting ideas, so let's keep the channels open. There must be more of us on h2g2 somewhere, we just have track them down.
Keep smiling, and just remember you're in it for the girls

Hello!

I cannot believe I just got your reply - you wrote to me in July and have probably forgotten all about it now, but I'm the Brownie Guider with a weird Brown Owl. She's still weird and I'm still biting my tongue, but I do appreciate your support and would like to share ideas for activities so do get in touch again.

Kochanski

PS Guides, huh? Too many hormones for my liking!!!!