Catching up on a busy few days at The Academy

Apologies for the lack of blog over the past few days! The Academy has been jam packed and we haven’t found a moment to sit down!

So far we have done a huge variety of sessions: Leadership is Practice not Skills, Gender & Diversity, Leading Change, Risk Management, Volunteer Management, Building Capacity. 

A firm favourite so far has been “Monitoring & Evaluation” as it was eye opening into ways in which we can improve our evaluation methods to evidence our impact. 

Alison’s favourite was Strategic Planning for Success! She feels it was good to develop an understanding of the theory behind strategic planning and know how to use the tools to support others. 

In addition to the twice daily, three hour sessions there is an opportunity to go to short sessions of around half hour. Jo went to a session on icebreakers based around Gender and Diversity and Alison went to one on the Learning Journey 

Aside from our sessions, we’ve had plenty of time to network and make friends with Scouts and Guides from across Europe. We’ve been working on our challenges and building up a list of international opportunities for girls in our regions. Becky has been talking to Giulia from WAGGGS Europe about the development of GOLD and has been promoting GOLD to MOs who may be interested in building a partnership. 

We had an amazing time at the International evening. We had our own “stand” decorated with British delicacies to share with our international friends. Shortbread, marmite, welsh cakes and Everton mints featured heavily along with lots of little glasses of Pimm’s!! We also had opportunity to “visit” other countries. We tried moose from Norway, fruit from Azerbaijan and stroopwaffel from the Netherlands. 

We’re having an amazing time here in Slovenia and learning so much.

Zdravo from The Academy in Slovenia!

What an exciting first day! Most of our UK Delegation met each other at Stansted airport for the first time. We comprise of Helen (North West), Steph and Jo (South West), Becky (UK International team) and Alison (Scotland). 

Becky, Jo, Helen and Steph (minus Alison!)

After a quick 2 hour flight to Ljubljana we took a transfer to Kranjska Gora with the UK Scouts. We spent the evening getting to know delegates from the other WAGGGS/WOSM countries. We played lots of games including sharing our favourite vegetables, drawing portraits of each other and making up secret handshakes.

We have decided to set ourselves some challenges for the week. Helen got started on her challenge of finding an international camp within Europe for a region trip. She got talking to the Norwegian Chief Commissioner who extended an invite to Agenda in 2021, the Norwegian jamboree. 

Looking forward to getting started with the opening ceremony and starting our sessions tomorrow! 

Evenings of Culture, Fantastic Food and 'Game of Thrones' - 16th European Guide and Scout Conference

 

Visiting Klis Fortress

Michaela (a Rainbow Leader and Ranger) shares her experience of the Croatian culture as part of the UK delegation during the 16th European Guide and Scout Conference in Split...

Reflecting on a busy day of discussing motions and learning in forum sessions, it was about time to experience some Croatian culture. After a short bus ride to Klis fortress, we made our way up the rocky path towards the fortress.  For the Game of Thrones fans, you may be aware that the fortress is featured in Season 4, Episode 4 as the Pyramid of Meereen. We enjoyed traditional Croatian food that was served part way up the fortress path with a stunning view overlooking the city of Split whilst Croatian singers sang.   I think we can say that the Soparnik, a flat, savoury pie with spinach and garlic, was a hit among our delegation!

Croatian Flag

It was lovely to be able to explore such a beautiful country that is rich with culture and that is also the birth place of some everyday items.  I didn't realise that the Cravat (which goes by the English name of a Tie) originated in Croatia!  We learnt that Croatian ladies used to wear a head scarf that they would cry into when their husbands were going to leave.  The husbands would take this scarf with them and kept them round their necks, from this, the Cravat was born!  We also learnt that Dalmatian dogs originate from Croatia, specifically from the Dalmatia region.

As we continued up the fortress path the Game of Thrones theme became apparent as the theme music, played by a live band, grew louder as we got closer to the fortress.  We were greeted at the fortress entrance by Daenerys Targaryen, a princess from Game of Thrones, and had some time to explore.  Looking down over the city of Split was stunning; beautiful colours illuminating the sky as the sun set and the glow of the city lights in the darkness.  There was the opportunity to have a go at archery and to pose for a picture with swords before heading back to the accommodation after a tiring day.

The Closing Ceremony

Closing Ceremony

After five days of conference with  discussions, voting and elections, the only thing left was the closing ceremony.  It was quite an amazing feeling being part of the UK delegation and this is something that I will always be proud of.

Once again we enjoyed traditional singing which was performed by a well known Croatian soprano before tucking in to an alfresco buffet with lots of Gnocchi.  The closing ceremony took place in a local park which involved games using environmentally friendly balloons and music.  The atmosphere was super lively with people from all countries and delegations chatting and celebrating coming to the end of a fantastic conference.  We even managed to get some photos with the #GlobalGuiding frame! 

We are now looking forward to see what the next triennium has to offer!

Motion 32 - Young Women in Governance Study (16th European Guide and Scout Conference)

Beth (left) and Leah (right) at the 16th European Guide and Scout Conference

During the 16th European Guide and Scout Conference in Split, Croatia, we attended a session about understanding why there are fewer young women in decision-making roles. We caught up with Leah and Beth, two members of the group that are working on this project, to find out more.

Who are you?

Beth is from South West England. She first joined Girlguiding as a Rainbow and now volunteers with Rainbows and Guides. She is also an Action for Change Network Coach (https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/girls-making-change/ways-to-take-action/action-for-change-campaign/), as part of Girlguiding's advocacy network.

Leah is a research officer at Girlguiding HQ and has worked on the Girls Attitudes Survey (https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/girls-making-change/girls-attitudes-survey/). Her job involves trying to understand the lives of girls and young women across the UK, and using that evidence to make change in society.

Leah and Beth are both members of the Motion 32 project team.


What is Motion 32?

During WAGGGS conferences conference documents are released containing 'motions', which are proposals that are put out for member organisations (e.g. Girlguiding UK) to vote on.

Motion 32 was put forward at the last WAGGGS World Conference in India in 2017 (https://www.wagggs.org/en/about-us/governance/world-conference/36th-world-conference/). It centered around the lack of young women in decision making roles in WAGGGS, and the fact that there were no candidates under the age of 30 running for election for the World Committee in that year. The motion aimed to promote more age diversity within the highest levels of governance.

When the time came to vote, Motion 32 was passed.

Since this decision, the world board has been working to investigate why more young women aren't taking up decision making roles at a global, national and regional level within the Guiding movement.


 What is the Young Women Research Team?

The Young Women Research Team is a group formed of 2 young women aged 18-30 from each WAGGGS region - that is the Europe, Western Hemisphere, Asia Pacific, Africa and Arab regions. Leah and Beth are both part of the Young Women Research Team representing the Europe Region.

What are your goals?

The aim of the project is to develop a better understanding of any barriers stopping young women from taking up decision making roles. We want to hear from Girl Guides and Girl Scouts across Europe (and globally) so that we can suggest possible solutions. We hope these suggestions will see more young women take up decision making roles that are equal and meaningful.


How can Member Organisations get involved?

MOs (e.g. Girlguiding UK) can support young women to have their voices heard by encouraging them to complete our online survey on this issue: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/JYH9KZB

We also have a range of other surveys available for those who are not young women (18-30) but would still like to share their thoughts and experiences.

'Wall of Women' at the WAGGGS Europe Conference 2019, celebrating young women in decision making roles.

What are your next steps?

Leah and Beth presenting Motion 32

Our next steps include reviewing the opinions gathered during the regional conference from interviews, polls and workshops.

In December we will meet with the rest of the Young Women Research Team to share, compare and analyse our findings. We will then write a report which will highlight key findings and provide reccomendations on how to improve the situation. This report will be shared in July at the next World Conference, where Member Organisations across the five WAGGGS regions will meet to discuss Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting issues.


Getting In Touch

If you have any questions you can contact Beth and Leah at leah.widdicombe@girlguiding.org.uk

Arriving in Split - Our First Europe Region Guide and Scout Conference

Aileen top 4th from right, Michaela top middle

Hello! We are Aileen and Michaela, and this year we are taking part in the 16th European Scout and Guide Conference as part of the UK delegation in Split, Croatia. After a busy first day attending orientation, a session about the new WAGGGS leadership model and a wonderful Croatian opening ceremony, we thought we would take the opportunity to answer some questions about this exciting event, what we are doing and how we got involved.

What is the European Scout and Guide Conference?

Michaela

The European Scout and Guide conference is a conference that happens every three years where delegations from across Europe come together to elect the next European Comittee and vote on proposed motions. This sets the future for the next three years of Guiding and Scouting.

How did you get picked?
  
Aileen

Earlier in the year I stumbled across the information page about the conference and the open call for delegation applications on the Girlguiding UK website. Initially I thought that I didn't really have enough experience for the role, but I thought I would apply anyway as it seemed like a great opportunity. Not long after I received an email inviting me to a skype interview, and then after some time I received a phone call from the UK International Commissioner informing me that I had been selected along with Michaela.

What do you do in Guiding?

Michaela

I am a Young Leader at my local Rainbows unit and I am a member of Rangers.  I have also been on an international Girlguiding trip to Nepal with a group of girls of a similar age where we taught about menstrual health in local schools.  Nepal was both exciting and really rewarding as I got to experience a different culture whilst also knowing that the work I was doing would change the lives of many people for the better.

Aileen

I am a Brownie Leader in North Lanarkshire and I am also involved with Rangers and DofE at a county level. I was a Summer and Autumn volunteer at Our Cabaña last year so I have some experience in facilitating WAGGGS initiatives such as Free Being Me and Voices Against Violence, and WAGGGS' new leadership model 'Leadership Mindsets'.

What is it like taking on a decision making role?

 Aileen

I think taking on a decision making role, especially at a younger age, is a really empowering experience. It allows you to realise that you have a voice and can influence the outcome of important decisions that will affect young people in so many different ways. Often young women are underrepresented in politics and business and so getting the chance to be a UK delegate feels like a step in the right direction towards encouraging more young women into governance positions. When taking on a role like this you definitely feel a great sense of responsibility, but also pride in representing your organisation and helping it to be the best it can be.


What is attending the conference actually like?

Michaela

I initially thought that conference was going to be really serious and intense however very quickly after I arrived and got chatting with other delegates I realised that everyone was really relaxed and sociable.  So far I have found conference really exciting as there is a lively atmosphere where you feel very welcome.  Conference, so far, is a lot more relaxed than I thought it would be.  It is also very busy but I felt that was to be expected. So far I am really enjoying my time here.

Attending the English Conference Orientation

How can I get involved?

If you want to get involved with the conference, you can follow what we get up to on the UK International Guiding social media pages below:

https://instagram.com/ukintguides?igshid=1r1x74u2u6nyn

https://www.facebook.com/ukintguides/

https://twitter.com/ukintguides


We will be posting regular updates on our stories and also sharing a new blog daily. Feel free to tag @ukintguides in your tweets and make sure to use the hashtag #ERWconf19

Also - why not apply for the next European Scout and Guide Conference? It's a great opportunity to have an amazing international experience and work with other passionate WAGGGS members.

Croatian music during the Opening Ceremony

Representing Girlguiding at WAGGGS Growth Conference in Budapest!

By Brandi Lee Lough Dennell

My early morning flight from Edinburgh to Budapest, and bus to the city centre, delivered me to downtown Budapest in time for some sightseeing before I headed to my final destination. The weather was sunny and warm and I gleefully set out, with my detailed airport map and index card of key Hungarian words and phrases, to see what the capital city was like. Since I only had a few hours to find lunch and travel to the conference, I decided to leave indoor visits like museums for another trip, and instead walked all afternoon. Although I intentionally visited the largest synagogue in Europe and found a vegan food truck, just wandering the city with open eyes was great. The city is bisected by the River Danube, with a series of very busy bridges connecting traffic, and also has many parks and green spaces amongst the historic and business buildings. I was excited to see a lot of public art: I found a colourful ‘pop-up park’ with benches, tables, and games installed, and found statues, murals, and beautiful buildings every time I turned the corner onto a new street. Since I enjoyed exploring the city so much, I bypassed public transportation to get to the conference that evening and walked there via the Chain bridge, along the river, and through the more residential side of the city.

The conference

I checked in to the European Youth Centre and headed to find my room before meeting other conference participants at dinner. As I walked to my room, I reflected on how attending a WAGGGS event has been on my ‘to do’ list for a long time. Many years before moving to Scotland I joined Girl Scouts USA at the age of 5, was a member all the way through high school, worked as a camp counsellor at a Girl Scout Camp for 7 years, and was a leader for two Girl Scout troops. Now, I’m a Guide leader in Stirling and a member of Girlguiding Scotland’s Growth Group, which looks at how we can bring girlguiding to those who haven’t previously engaged and continue to support members to take up further opportunities within Girlguiding.

This conference was a three day event organised by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) for member organisations in the Europe Region to focus on growth and development. Not only was I excited about hearing how other countries are sustaining and expanding guiding, but I was also thrilled to be representing Girlguiding. At dinner, I met a handful of other participants and we spent the evening together talking about our member organisations, our home countries, and our observations about the world today.

Soon, Friday morning came around and brought with it the official start of the conference. As the 6 WAGGGS facilitators and 24 participants introduced ourselves, it was clear that we brought a range of experiences with us. Some of us were volunteers with specific roles for growth, volunteering, or an area of the organisation’s development, or even national commissioners for their whole member organisation, while others were paid positions with similar development roles. Some of us had been members of our organisations as children, others joined when their children become involved and others were fairly new to the organisation when they saw a role advertised. We represented 16 member organisations from 15 different countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Georgia, Germany, Ireland, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, and United Kingdom. What was clear across all these differences, was the commitment to the WAGGGS values that underpin our organisations and brought us together that weekend.

Throughout the conference, we took part in a range of sessions: speaking with the chair of the Europe Region Board about WAGGGS’s aims for 2020; hearing about a research project that took place in 9 countries; learning about a WAGGGS leadership programme being piloted; and, sessions on diversity, planning, branding, and reaching new volunteers to name just a few. One of the sessions that inspired me the most was on the first day when we each presented briefly on our membership organisations. My input on Girlguiding included the following:

• Our central membership database (GO), upgraded last year, which helps us understand the demographics of volunteers and members and keep track of badges or qualifications earned. 
• The new programme launched this autumn. 
• Focusing on growth of the organisation at a county level, with county growth plans to be informed by local factors. 
• Our annual volunteer recruitment campaigns. 

During this session, I heard about scouting and guiding across the 15 countries and was struck by the similarities in issues we’re all facing, like how busy lives affect the capacity to volunteer consistently or the general age range when young members often leave. I also learned about the unique social, cultural, and political circumstances that shape the way the organisations deliver their programme, including:

• Malta is so small that when young members begin studying at university, if they have remained in the country, they are still very close to their original units.
• In Belgium, they have a high percentage of young people involved in their organsation because their minister for youth and their king were both involved as children.
• Denmark has such a strong outdoor culture that it is easy for them to find local spaces for unit meetings with very young children in woodlands and parks that have access to indoor toilets and running water. 
• Recent political problems in Armenia and new regulations about outside organisations meeting in schools have meant that many guide units have had to close. 

Aside from the insight from session discussions and the hilarity of programmed games, the most memorable moments of the conference were the time we spent together in between sessions, at meals, and in the evenings listening to one another animatedly talk about inspiring work taking place, connecting over shared life experiences, taking in the beauty of Budapest at night on group evening wanders, or belting out songs together at the tops of our lungs. It’s hard to describe what it felt like to go to a foreign city with an unfamiliar language (although the conference was in English) and unfamiliar currency and have it feel so deeply like ‘home’ because of the people around me but that is the amazing thing about being part of Girlguiding, or any WAGGGS member organisation. No matter where you meet, if you meet another WAGGGS member, you’ll have quickly opened up a whole world of conversation and established a level of trust because we live by the same values. That’s the magic of guiding and it was wonderful to experience it at an international event.

What’s next? 

Now that I’ve had a chance to catch up with myself (I definitely prioritised hanging out with other participants over getting enough sleep) and typed up all my session notes, I will be sharing my learning with Girlguiding. I’ll also present on the conference at Girlguiding Scotland’s Growth Group meeting. From there, we’ll think about what information to share with local commissioners, leaders, and other parts of the organisation to make sure we are creating opportunities for every girl.

Get involved!

If you’re interested in getting involved in an international opportunity, there are many options available. You can take part in an international camp right here in the UK (like Camp Brave in Scotland during August 2020), with your unit abroad, or go on International Opportunities (IntOps) to other countries with members from across the country. If you’re 18-30, you might be interested in a Guiding Overseas Linked with Development (GOLD) trips. Read up on Girlguiding's international opportunities and start planning! There are also plenty of opportunities to get involved with international activities directly through WAGGGS, just scroll down to the bottom of their webpage.

Helen Storrow Seminar 2018

By Becca Rodgers

At the beginning of February I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel to Switzerland and take part in the WAGGGS Helen Storrow Seminar at Our Chalet. The Helen Storrow Seminar is an annual event where young women from around the world come together for a week to learn about leadership, change and the environment. It was founded in August 1986 and is named after Helen Storrow, and important figure in the early Girl Scout movement in America, and the founder of Our Chalet.

This year was the biggest seminar yet, with 42 participants, and 40 countries represented at Our Chalet. They have a tradition of putting the flags from all the countries present in a little flag log. They had to drill more holes into the log just for this event! For many of the participants it was the first time they had ever seen snow.

Throughout the week, sessions were held on the WAGGGS 6 leadership mindsets, examples of environmental leaders and change makers, as well as creating our own change plan to implement in our own community. It was great seeing the wide variety of change plans people came up with. They ranged from reducing trash on the streets and encouraging recycling to combating deforestation. I will be working on creating a badge to teach guides about environmental issues, and the changes they can make in their everyday lives to reduce their environmental impact.

As well as the seminar at Our Chalet, mini pop-up seminars were run throughout the world. During the seminar we were able to interact with some of these pop-ups via video call. It was inspiring to see what these other groups had been doing.

It wasn’t all work however. We also got to go sledging. It was great fun and a nice break from the more serious sessions. Every evening a session was run by the Our Chalet staff. These included a Swiss night, with a visit from an alpine horn player, an international night, with presentations and swaps from all the participants, and a “Who Wants to be a WAGGGS Millionaire” quiz. I also managed to find time to complete the Our Chalet Challenge.

It was an amazing experience I will never forget. It has given me a great group of friends from all over the world, as well as helping me develop my leadership skills and confidence.

Activate at Our Chalet 2018

By Roxy Thompson

In late January I was given the amazing opportunity to travel to Our Chalet in Switzerland to be trained in the WAGGGS resource “Voices Against Violence”. I have been interested in this resource since its launch and so was thrilled at the chance to learn all about it alongside new friends from many different countries. Four of us travelled from the UK to take part in the event.

I’m from Girlguiding Ulster, so of course it was inevitable that the first of my fellow participants that I met would be the delegation from the Irish Girl Guides! We arrived just in time for dinner, where we were quickly immersed in the international life of Our Chalet, joining volunteers from Zimbabwe, New Zealand and the USA for the meal. It was an early night after a long day of travel and an informative tour of the centre, and we wanted to be well rested for the start of the event the following morning.

Bright and early on Monday morning, we all came together in the conference room. An eclectic mix of participants from Ireland, Greece, Lebanon, El Salvador and, of course, the UK were joined by volunteers from Germany, Austria, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Iceland, Venezuela and Hong Kong! We created a code of conduct for the training, and then began our journey.

We began by learning about the Safe Space and how to challenge harmful views respectfully. This included having a go a few short activities from the pack to help start the conversation about stereotypes and Gender Based Violence. In the afternoon, each group was given a form of Gender Based Violence and asked to match its causes, consequences and harmful myths to the heading. We then presented this to the rest of the group.

After dinner we enjoyed the Swiss night. We began with a group of volunteers (including myself) acting out the story of William Tell, then sang a song in Swiss German, did a quiz about Switzerland and enjoyed some delicious chocolate fondue.

On Tuesday the sun finally appeared, allowing us to fully appreciate the beautiful surroundings in which we were training. Participants could often be seen pausing at windows, and when moving between buildings, to take photos of the snowscape. 

We spent the morning breaking down myths about gender and Gender Based Violence, hearing some shocking facts and figures about the treatment of girls and women around the world - some of these shocking figures came from our own Girls Attitudes survey! In our groups we explored and then presented the sorts of myths and harmful beliefs surrounding the forms of Gender Based Violence and ways to challenge and defend against these myths.

We then moved on to looking at Gender and Diversity, examining the difference between sex, gender and sexuality. Even the youngest among us learnt some new terms! 

After lunch we started to look at facilitation skills, such as the difference between facilitating, teaching and lecturing. We discussed the importance of the code of conduct in keeping groups under control and enjoyed some examples of the different teaching styles from our trainers. We then looked at group dynamics and how to recognise and deal with certain behaviours, as well as the typical ways that groups build relationships. Then we were split into groups to plan an activity from the resource to run with the rest of the group the following morning. We had the evening to plan and prepare a short 15 minute activity, with each of us given a specific age group and part of the resource to work from. 

Tuesday night was my birthday, and I was surprised at dinner with candles on my dessert and getting to hear happy birthday sung in 10 different languages - English, German, French, Spanish, Icelandic, Finnish, Arabic, Greek, Cantonese and Irish! 

Wednesday morning saw us back in the conference room ready to run our activities - activities that talked about diversity, stereotypes, human rights, sex and relationships and violence. This also gave us the opportunity to discuss how to involve boys and men in the activities, as the pack is intended for all young people - a daunting prospect for those of us from girl-only organisations, but as the UN’s HeForShe movement shows, women alone cannot end Gender Based Violence. 

After lunch we had a Skype call with Nefeli and Jean-Anne from WAGGGS, who spoke with us about advocacy within WAGGGS and how Voices Against Violence fits into the wider picture. We learned about how to set up an advocacy campaign and practiced planning the first steps of a campaign in small groups.

Then, enthused and ready to take on Violence Against Girls and Women in our respective countries, we headed for our final meal all together, before heading out to an international campfire in the snow! Participants from all countries shared their favourite songs, and we discovered that some of them are even the same! We spent one last great evening hanging out with our new friends, before we has to say goodbye, as some of us had a very early start the following morning.

Stephanie, Victoria, Sarah and I returned home inspired and enthused by our experiences at Our Chalet, and look forward to sharing what we have learned.

Day 3 - A walk across the Danube!

Hello, this is a blog take over by Kat (Midlands Region) and Becky (Lead Volunteer)

Today was the second full day of the academy! We were invited by the Irish Girl Guides to walk into Slovakia for a spot of breakfast! We found a lovely bakery and enjoyed the morning sunshine as we sat on a bench and ate our yummy treats. Visiting a different country before 9am got us excited for the day ahead and an unexpected country ticked off our lists!

Walking across to Slovakia!

One of the sessions today was entitled "In the shoes of the migrants: playing the 'game' of their journey to safety". It was an exciting and eye opening session which centred around a board game that had been created to help us understand the plight of the refugees. We learnt a lot of things about the refugee crisis and it's definitely a resource that can be used within our units when we return home.

Each day we are able to sign up to an optional 30 minute 'Points of Light' session and several of us chose "1 in 3 Voices against Violence". We learnt about the different types of violence, the warning signs of violence using scenarios and how we could use the resources to educate girls in our unit.

Today we were given a Hungarian Challenge to complete during our time at The Academy! We have to complete them before the closing ceremony on Saturday evening! The first challenge was to eat some hot chilli pepper sauce - a few of us stepped up to the challenge straight away, but regretted it!

Kat, Becky & Siân trying hot chilli pepper sauce

During the lunch break, a few of us had time to visit the city's Basilica which is the 3rd biggest Basilica in the world and the tallest in Hungary. As part of the challenge, we climbed an impressive 580 steps to the top of the dome - just for a selfie! It was a beautiful building and the sight from the top was well worth the climb.

After the afternoon sessions, it was time to get ready for the International Evening; a chance to showcase delicacies from around Europe and we didn't disappoint! Everyone made a great effort and showed a lot of enthusiasm. We created an 'afternoon tea' vibe with scones, jam, clotted cream and of course, pims and lemonade. The Scouts also complemented this with gin and biscuits from around the UK. Needless to say, our stand was extremely busy the entire evening! We all worked together as a great team and it was fantastic that even though we only met each other in person a few days ago, we pulled together and created a great stand!

The UK and Irish Delegation

Our afternoon tea stand

Day 2 - Let's get started!

Hello!! This is a blog take over by Jenny (North West Region), Emma (Ulster Region), Siân and Kat (Midlands Region).

Today was the first full day of The Academy! We attended two workshops, peer group sessions, had networking opportunities and attended the opening ceremony.

All four of us completed the “Influencing Youth Policy on National and Local Level” session. This was run by Elena, a team leader for external representation with the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM). We learnt how to develop a strategy via setting a goal, highlighting stakeholders, working with partners and identifying potential resources. Our facilitator then gave us time to create our own policy relevant to youth within our organisation. This allowed us to learn from other organisations from around Europe as well as focus on something Girlguiding relevant.

In the afternoon we split into different workshops: “Building Bridges between partnership organisations”, “Opportunities for Guides and Scouts on Political Platforms” and “Social Impact”. We were able to take away relevant skills to use in our local areas on our return to the UK.

Opening Ceremony

We were treated to a traditional Hungarian flag ceremony in the venue’s courtyard to officially open The Academy. The WAGGGS and the WOSM flags were raised to ‘Ode to Joy’, the Anthem of Europe. From here we went to the local restaurant to try a variety of Hungarian foods including their famous Goulash! This gave us an opportunity to mix with other Guides and Scouts from Norway, Romania and Italy. We celebrated 10 years of The Academy via a Stars Wars themed video of previous pictures and speeches presented by facilitators.... topped off with Happy Birthday and cake!

The UK Delegation

10th Anniversay Speech

We are looking forward to what tomorrow brings... more sessions, the start of points of light and special interest groups as well as International evening.

L to R: Siân, Rosie, Kat, Becky & Emily