Arrival, TV appearances, and 'Wobble Technology'...

We awoke at Pax Lodge and were part of their flag ceremony after a hearty breakfast! Pausing to pick up a limited edition 25 year pin badge, we loaded up our huge bags and marched in the sun to the tube, beginning our day in London. Next stop was a quick explore of Girlguiding Headquarters in Victoria, and a pizza pitstop to fuel us for the travel ahead.

It was soon time to take the tube to Heathrow, making friends along the way! We boarded our first flight, and 8 hours later we landed in JFK, New York. Our 9 hour layover was spent trying to sleep on the airport floor, but loud announcements about taxi dispatchers prevented much sleep occurring! Before we knew it, we were boarding our final flight to Aruba...

Arriving in Aruba was surreal, and a big relief after a long journey to get there. We were greeted by wonderful women from the Aruban Guide board, and picked up our car from Hertz, before discovering our beautiful home in Savaneta for the next three weeks. Living on the beach, with pelicans and crabs for neighbours is certainly a fabulous base.

Our first morning in Aruba included 2 TV interviews and a journey to San Nicolas YMCA, which is an amazing Community building that supports up to 150 young people on a daily basis. This venue will be an incredible place for us to deliver training from, with large meeting rooms and a fantastic covered basketball court. 

What's coming next?
- First meeting with the board members tonight.
- Our first training with Guides will happen tomorrow!

Ridiculous moment
- Our 'Wobble Technology' Samsung washing machine, continues to only massage our clothes, despite 8 attempts to get it to wash them!

Mountain Top Moment
- Seeing the inside of a Guiding hut, and talking with Aruban unit leaders about our shared experience in Guiding in different parts of the world! 

All about Anne, our fab first aider!

 In volunteering, I have not had much interaction with other young women my age, and I felt GOLD would be a good opportunity to do this, whilst giving back. As an adult member of Girlguiding, I absolutely loved the Go for Gold weekend which was part of the selection process for GOLD. This was the first time I had participated in a Girlguiding event that wasn't for Brownies. The weekend was a  fantastic adventure full of different challenges, games and some unexpected twists and turns.

'this was the first time I had participated in a Girlguiding event that wasn't for Brownies'

I joined as a Rainbow with 30th Halifax St Jude’s and stayed through to Guides. For my Duke of Edinburgh I went back to my Brownie unit to volunteer, and I'm still here! I believe Girlguiding is special because it is truly an inclusive environment where every girl can be themselves.

As part of my GOLD fundraising, I held a cake stall in my town centre, and this was the first time I had promoted Girlguiding within the community. Some girls had very traditional views of Girlguiding; asking if ‘you had to get everything right’, and some parents seemed concerned about the expense of an extra activity. Some people are unaware of the fantastic opportunities the organisation offers at such an affordable price.

'GOLD has definitely taught me that you can't say yes to everything!'

Balancing GOLD with other commitments has been difficult. I unexpectedly became the Brownie Unit Leader in March, after the sudden death of our Brown Owl. This meant completing my Leadership Qualification and Pack Holiday Licence. Doing this, along with GOLD, University, and work has been pretty hectic! I have been late completing tasks and missed phone conferences, however, my team have been extremely understanding and supportive. GOLD has definitely taught me that you can't say yes to everything!

Top activity learnt through GOLD has to be 'Ride my Tuc Tuc', my Brownies love this game! I'm not even sure if we’re singing the song to the right tune anymore, but regardless they love it! We recently adapted it to our Harry Potter Pack Holiday theme, singing ‘Riding on my broom’

Guiding and self-esteem, the 3 sentence challenge...

A key training topic for GOLD Team Aruba is self-esteem, so each team member has written three sentences about the relationship between Guiding and self-esteem. We hope you enjoy reading them.

'With a severe eye condition from birth I have found it hard to make new friends due to embarrassment, but this wasn't the case with Girlguiding.  The leaders taught us all, from Rainbows through to Senior Section, that each person being unique was very important and you should never change who you are, and should be true to yourself.  Twenty three years on, I have travelled the world - on my own a lot – and am leader in charge of Guides and assistant leader to Rainbows.'

'In being asked to lead a GOLD project my perception of my abilities has improved no end. The affirmation of my GOLD Guyana 2013 team, family, friends and GOLD 2016 leaders believing that I am up to the job and past and present GOLD coordinators supporting me, has helped me learn to believe in myself. In turn, this has made me more confident at University, while on placement, among friends, in local Guiding and shown me that I am capable of much more than I often give myself credit for.'

'Being a student and a Rainbow leader has helped me to grow in confidence in a community that is bigger than the student bubble. Knowing I can positively influence a girl’s life, even by just providing an evening of fun at Rainbows, helps me to see my own potential for the future as a leader. Having girls who are happy to see me at a Rainbow meeting boosts my self-esteem because I am a part of their lives, especially when I don’t expect them to remember me!'

'It’s so important to grow up on positive messages, and in the face of too many negative messages I’ve certainly wrestled to try to create healthy levels of self-esteem and self-respect. Girlguiding gives me a network that actively welcomes and celebrates me, making me feel accepted and that I am part of something. I make a real difference to girls as they grow up, and that is one of the most healing activities I’ve ever been involved in.'

'Having volunteered for a number of years as a unit helper with Brownies, being asked to lead the unit has given me a huge boost to my self-esteem and confidence. It enabled me to realise I have the skills and abilities to lead an empower other young girls and women. I am extremely passionate about the ethos of Girlguiding and feel privelliged to be part of an organisation where I am enabling others to learn, explore and most importantly, have fun!'

'Before Girlguiding my friends were predominately male, and through blossoming friendships with other leaders, I have embraced female friendship and value how it is encouraging & supportive, whilst having adventures together. Girlguiding skills crossover into my work, such as teaching, facilitating learning, admin, etc., and by developing my skills as a Guide Leader I have become more involved in training on our new graduates scheme, increasing the number of people that I mentor. Joining Guiding in my late 20’s, it's not so much how Girlguiding has helped me grow in confidence, but instead how I can boost the girls’ self-esteem, and I have been able to value and recognise my own skills in challenging Guides to become very accomplished young ladies.'

Please take the 3 sentence challenge! We will be taking some of these comments to use in training on project in Aruba this summer, to help show the positive power of Guiding. We'd love to have some comments from different countries.

Our weekend in York!

              
Almost a year from our first application,
Once again time for another train station!
Time for 3rd briefing, in Wharram Le Street,
So much excitement, we can't wait to meet!

Arriving in York, get to know a new City,
Alexandra, our host, in a village so pretty.
Tour of the house, and yum, time for dinner,
Casserole, mash- always a winner!

We met our team Mascot, beautiful boy!

Cuddles and fuss for us all to enjoy.

Catch up and chat, then ready for sleep,

The comfort! No need to try to count sheep.

Early breakfast, so much to do!
21 tasks we must make our way through,
Unboxing uniform and 10 minute training,
All different, and fabulous ways of explaining!


 A most special guest, from Go for GOLD
Inspiring Guiding tales were told,
Never forget, what we are achieving,
In moments of doubt, keep on believing.

Lunchtime cheeseboard summons the crew,
A pit stop to refuel, admire the view.
Session plan blitz-attack, ideas are flowing,
So much to share, so much worth knowing!

Embedding leadership as a key theme,
Now innovate ways to boost self-esteem.
Well-being catch up, we're stronger together,
From strangers to sisters, bonded forever.

So much completed, out to the Fire,
BBQ treats, spirits couldn't be higher,
A game of Croquet before citrus tart,
Learning, laughing, GOLD love in our heart!


Laughter all evening, then darkening skies,
Early birds ready to soon rest their eyes,
Sleepover chats, then breakfast once more,
Girlguiding resources we need to explore!

Dividing up homework, Flesh on the bone,
Finding our flow, we're all in the zone!
Vegetable curry and ice cream for pud,
Trash and treasure, to reflect on what's good!


Beautiful gifts, so thoughtful, unique,
Small in size, great volumes they speak,
 Next time we meet, will be the big day,
But we've nothing to fear, It'll all be Croquet!

Journeying home, goodbye to the team,
With lots of GOLD Love, from Sophie Sunbeam.x

Zoë's path through Girlguiding to GOLD!

Favourite guiding moment?
Renewing my promise as a Guide at the top of Jungfrau, a mountain in Switzerland.


How many years have you been in Guiding?
Since birth! I was taken along as a child to various events, then became a rainbow at 1st Holme Hall Rainbows, a Brownie at 2nd Walton and a Guide at 1st Holymoorside Guides in Chesterfield. I trained as a leader at my local rainbow unit, 1st Holymoorside Rainbows, and became assistant leader at 1st Upton Rainbows when I moved to Chester for university. I also help at 1st Holymoorside Guides when I am back home. 


What is special about Girlguiding?
It provides a space for just girls to be themselves. It also gives me a reason to get out of the student bubble and stay in touch with the real world!


Why did you apply for GOLD?
I wanted to be part of a wider Girlguiding family than my local community, and to give something back, as Girlguiding has been such a big part of my life growing up.


Why is being a volunteer with Girlguiding rewarding?
Rainbows grow so much between 5 and 7! It is lovely to see them change, grow in confidence and get to know their personalities. It makes it all worthwhile sending a girl to Brownies and knowing they’ll grow so much more. 


How do you think Girlguiding is viewed?
I think it’s viewed by a lot of people as a part of childhood, and my friends are often surprised that I’m still involved and get so much out of Girlguiding. 


How do you balance studying and Guiding?
I have a very forgiving unit leader who understands that university work sometimes has to take priority. Thankfully, I don’t have to do much planning so I can use rainbows as a couple of hours break from university work each week. 


What has been the toughest bit about GOLD so far?
It’s been another time commitment to juggle, along with all the other things that I say yes to! Luckily, my team are very understanding and forgiving when I forget to do things, and I’m finished university now so I can really get stuck in to GOLD.


What has been the best bit about GOLD so far?
 Meeting some fantastic leaders and making friends with people from all over the country at different parts of their lives, but all having Girlguiding and wanting to give something back in common.


Don't forget to find us on Twitter and Facebook to keep in touch with all our progress whilst on project in August 2016!


https://www.facebook.com/GOLDteamaruba/
https://twitter.com/ArubaGOLDies16

What does GOLD mean for our local communities?

The months that have followed our selection to GOLD, have been packed full of preparation and fundraising. What has this meant for each of our communities?

Community Fundraisers: Helping to spread the word about GOLD and to challenge out-dated views of what Girlguiding is able to offer. Team Aruba have held table-top sales, a date lottery, afternoon tea, wine tasting and more. Alexandra used her wine tasting evening to help young professionals understand more about Girlguiding.

Visiting other units: As a Rainbow leader, I would never have had a reason to visit Brownies or Guides before GOLD. It's great for them, and grows my guiding knowledge! Steph has been busy visiting many units in Guernsey, and she has sold hundreds of our badges.

Inspiring Guides: Miriam has been sharing her GOLD journey with her Guides, and with university friends!

 'They were impressed that the trip wasn't about typical travel related things, but about equipping girls just like them to be leaders of the future. I think some were even a little jealous they couldn't come with me! People are always shocked how much Girlguiding offers adults.'

In this way, each GOLD project has both a local and an international legacy!

Say Cheese for Volunteers' Week!

 

Our wonderful team come from all over the country and we became involved with GOLD because we all currently volunteer with Girlguiding UK.

June 1st - 12th is Volunteers' Week so we wanted to share some photos of each of our team volunteering with Girlguiding! If you think you might like to volunteer, you can find out more here:

 

http://girlguiding.org.uk/get_involved/volunteer/why_volunteer.aspx