As time progresses and the Girlguiding movement advances following the patterns of societies changes, we can’t help but wonder what the future holds for such a powerful movement which uplift young girls and women each and every day. Through this article I will be discussing some of the methods used by the Girlguiding movement to follow the movement of times and changes in society as well as various ways the movement could progress into the future.

 

 

One of the first changes we have seen throughout history to the Girlguiding movement is the adaptation to the responsibilities and the guiding programme.Upon the creation of the girl guiding movement,amid the world wars, the sole responsibility of a young girl guide was towards social action. During the wars the young girls had various jobs such as acting as messengers for confidential information etc.However, during the 20th century there was the creation of the programme which was used as an encouragement for the girls to challenge themselves. Finally in 2018 Girlguiding launched their new programme for all of the members- from Rainbows to Ranger. This was seen as the organisations “biggest refresh of badges the programme had ever seen”- a quote taken from the girlguiding website, and an article explaining the history of the movement. This new programme saw the introduction of over 800 new badges and 6 themes for members to enjoy. This adaptation of the programme and the responsibility of the young girl guide showed the progression of the movement following the times and changes in society showcasing the ability to keep moving with the times and ensuring avid supporters and lovers of Girl guiding that it wasn't going anywhere- it would keep moving forward.

 

 

An additional change to the girl Guiding movement is its showcase of the progression of female rights. As time moves forward and feminism and female empowerment leads to the increased power and rights of young women, young impressionable girls are taught that women have a voice and a right in society to do what they want to do- and this has been positively reflected through the girl guiding structure. As they turn from girls to young women(through the move up from Brownies to Guides and Rangers) the girls have a lot more power to dictate what they are doing as part of their programme. As someone who is currently a Ranger, at the beginning of each term we are able to create our own programme focusing on the badges and experiences that each individual girl is interested in. This allows for everybody to feel included in their programme as well as girls to be able to enhance their own skills and practise things that they are solely passionate about and interested in.This has not just positively reflected the changing role of women in society and their empowerment- this has taught the Girl Guides responsibilities- they create a program that must be abided by and followed, as well as ensure everyone has something that they will enjoy and are interested in. Therefore the movement doesn't just show progression due to the changes in society, it shows the changes to the foundational skills it desires to teach our children- one of the main ones being responsibility.

 

A final way that I have seen the Girl Guiding movement change through time is the young girls and women being able to experience more and more things. When I was a Brownie and a Guide, I did have my fair share of amazing experiences, my favourite being my trip to the Natural History Museum where I slept over for the night. However, these once in a lifetime experiences were a lucky treat and this was a rarity that we would be able to experience once a term, at most. However, during my time spent with the young Brownies, I learnt that these amazing experiences for them have become something that is much more common. Many of the girls highlighted to me some of the fantastic trips they have been on and the things that they have learnt just in one term (things that I would have done during my whole time as a Guide or Brownie they have done in a few terms). This highlights that not only the programme expands for the new young girls, their ability to experience more and more things, something I deeply treasure from my time as a Girl Guide, is becoming even vaster than it already was. Trust me when I say that some of the memories I have from my time as a Girl Guide will stay with me forever.

 

To conclude, my experiences as a Girl Guide has been everchanging portraying the movements interest in continually adapting themselves to fit the progression of time, beliefs and standards and showcasing their longevity and awareness of what people what and how they want it. Some of the changes to the programme that I wish to personally see in the future is the introduction of even more experiences for the young girls- this allows them memories for life and most of the experiences that they are opened up to are things that no one else would ever think of doing- therefore this allows the girls to see new things and complete rare activities that enhance them as people and their experiences. Another feature that I would like to see implemented more into the movement is more freedom and independence for the girls- when I moved into being a Guide and a Ranger, I felt the changes in responsibility I had and this reflected into many different ways I felt to live my life as a young woman and conduct myself. I believe that if, from young, girls are given the ability to have independence and power they learn the importance of this and this can progress them as a person deeply.