Girl Guides membership - our daughter cannot join?

Everhopeful09

Interesting thread! I'm a Brownie leader and just about remember the 'table' thing from guide camp when we ate outside sat on sitters/ground sheets.

On Brownie pack holiday we don't do the table thing but they have to remain seated at the table or ground if having a picnic until everyone has finished. It's more about good manners, it's amazing how many say they don't sit at the table at home to eat meals or can't use a knife and fork properly. We also ban electronic games, and mobile phones from pack holiday we're not boring we're both young leaders but want the kids to have fun in the outdoors and they are kept busy with other activities and games.


We are linked to a cathedral, the brownies go to a service about 2/3 times a year and it is optional.(I'm not religious) They also have a choice of writing a prayer or poem to read at the end of Brownies too and again it's optional.


At the end of the day it about the girls having fun and learning and experiencing different things in a safe environment, we do everything from disability awareness badge to rock climbing, brownie x-factor and so on the list is endless.


EH x

lolly_896

Looks like she isn't the only one

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4596343/Boy-banned-from-Scouts-because-he-doesnt-believe-in-God.html

pinkcandyflossprincess

it seems to be much dependant on whos running the group, i was a girl guide but fortuately for me my mates mom ran the group..there were threats that if you didnt attend sunday church then you were banned from upcoming trips but thankfully my mate chucked a temper tantrum if i wasnt allowed to come so i managed to avoid the whole church stuff:T..my poor mate never though:eek::rotfl:

i allways thought they were a christian led group but thought they tended to like to push you towards god by their teachings rather than blatently come out with "believe in god or you are out".
its seems some leaders are more zelous than others:(
personally i was only in it for the free tuck shop and trips:o

Svenena

Interested to see this thread has made it back up the board. I was a Rainbow, Brownie and Guide myself, but haven't been involved as an adult (now 29). For some reason, despite all the negativity on this thread, after reading it I went off and thought about it, filled in a form on the Girlguiding UK website and have now been along to a couple of Brownie meetings as a helper. I'm really enjoying it, and planning to stick with it. It's good fun!

But then, tied in with the original point of the thread, I am pretty gutted that as I am an atheist, I won't be able to become an official leader and do the leadership qualification (which I think would be really useful and interesting), because the promise isn't appropriate for atheists. I'm sure there are other potential leaders in my situation, and it's a shame that Girlguiding UK aren't willing to tackle this yet. Still, I live in hope And it won't stop me helping at the Brownie pack. But I'm not looking forward to feeling left out when the other new helper (who started same time as me, a couple of weeks ago) goes on to start the path to becoming an official Brownie Guider.

MothballsWallet

Perhaps the Scouts, Brownies, et al should be more mindful of Articles 1, 14 and 30 of the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child - text summary can be found here.

These allow children freedom of religious belief and expression, and the UK is a signatory to this document.

GlasweJen

I'm a brownie leader and an atheist.

When we talk about "my god" we can mean any god. I believe in people, that everyone has something to bring to the table regardless of age, gender, sexuality, religion or (dis)ability.

In the event that we have an atheist brownie I usually ask her to make a set of beliefs with her parents or a volunteer and we use that set of beliefs as god. The brownie knows what "my god" is referring to and all parents I've encountered so far are happy with this - but then we are a diverse pack and I do keep a stock of girl guiding head scarves and longer sleeved tops in my stash of "2nd hand uniform for kids that can't afford new".

lionheartedgirl

Hi all,

consultation on a new promise has opened today. This is open to the public as well as guiders/brownies/guides/rainbows etc.

http://www.girlguiding.org.uk/news/promise_consultation_now_open.aspx

will be interesting to see what the outcome is.

the line at the bottom of the Consultation FAQs is also very interesting. I'm a Brownie leader with no religious beliefs, and I wasn't sure what the exact stance was (but it seems to be very misunderstood and not universally applied!).


quote...


Is Girlguiding UK no longer a Christian organisation?

Girlguiding UK has always been open to girls of all faiths and none – we have never been a Christian organisation.