Female empowerment is powerful.

And encouraging female empowerment at an early age is even more powerful.

Girl guiding achieves both of these things. It brings young girls from the ages of 5 to 18 together over weekly periods of time, where they can develop the skills and confidence that they need to reach their potential - as students, colleagues, friends and individuals - becoming the young women that they want to be.

I remember being a Brownie and a Guide myself;  I will forever treasure those great memories of horse riding, archery, rock climbing and other activities, which I may never have had the chance or confidence to do in my daily life.

Brownies took me on my first sleepover away from home and that taught me independence.

Guides took me on my first camping trip and that taught me the valuable lesson of teamwork.

To some, Girl guiding may seem like fun and games; and it is fun. Doing arts and craft, quizzes, talent shows and sports are what I call childhood because in some countries girls don’t have those opportunities, which we take for granted.

Girl guiding is more than just meet up with a bunch of other girls your age, it is a family and you always learn from your family. Girl guiding allows young girls to feel comfortable and empowered enough so that they can be open-minded to try new things because there is no barrier, no glass ceiling stopping them from being themselves.

Rainbows, Brownies, Guides are all quite similar to school, you have your leaders who are the encouraging teachers always trying to push their students to succeed and venture out of their comfort zone, and will reward their students with badges or group points. You may not learn about Maths, Science and English but you do learn about leadership, patience and self-resilience. Also, Girl guiding helps young girls engage with their communities, enabling voluntary opportunities at old people’s homes or hosting tea parties to raise money for charities.

I asked Sarah (also known as Tawny Owl) the Brownie Leader of the 5th Crayford Brownies Division, a few questions about the impact of Girl guiding on young girls lives:

Do you think that Girl guiding encourages female empowerment at an early age?

“I do think Girl guiding encourages female empowerment at an early age mainly by encouraging girls to have a voice and by instilling confidence in them to share their thoughts and ideas. They are encouraged to lead their peers on occasion during activities and older girls mentor their younger friends at meetings. There is a newly updated programme being introduced which is very girl led which I feel has been developed to keep up with today’s modern world of equality between men and women.”

Do you think becoming a Brownie leader has helped you become a positive role model for young girls?

“I certainly hope I am a positive role model for young girls. I try to encourage the girls as much as possible, by giving praise for their actions and activities and try to make our meetings as much fun as we can. I am kind and respectful towards the girls and try to instil in them the importance of treating their peers in the same manner.”

What are the benefits of Girl guiding?

fantastic Girls get to try many new activities they won't have tried before. There are days out and trips away they may not get to do with family. They meet new friends improving their social skills. We definitely see their confidence grow. They learn to work with different age groups. They are encouraged to take care of their community and respect their environment. They learn about different ethnicities and what is important to them. And just generally improving their creativity.” 

Do you think that Girl guiding has made a difference in young girl’s lives?

“I definitely think Girl guiding has made a difference in young girls’ lives. Being part of a group like it just helps them grow in so many ways as listed above in the benefits. It is all about having fun together, learning social and life skills. The development in confidence I see in all the girls is amazing, but most importantly to those with anxiety and special needs who have just flourished in their guiding family.”

It just goes to show that Girl guiding is truly an amazing experience, taking you on the adventure of a lifetime. Young girls are gaining life skills because what they do in guiding ...stays with them forever.