What's it all about?

I will never forget the moment that one of my Guide parents turned to me and said, 'Helen - I've realised what Guiding is all about.  I want to become a Leader'.  

Fast forward seven months and there I was, sitting in a room with 600 others, clapping and cheering that several member organisations (MOs) have become Full or Associate members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).  I have no personal connection with the countries which became Full or Associate members of WAGGGS, though I felt tears in my eyes as we worked through the proposals for the various countries. 

It is a big deal to become a Full Member of WAGGGS and represents a significant amount of work and commitment to meeting the requisite criteria.  

These MOs became full members:

Cook Islands - those who live here have New Zealand citizenship.  I know this because I met the Cook Islands contingent at the Girls' World Forum in 2012, one of whom is here at this event; 'I thought I recognised your voice', she said, across the table at the Opening Ceremony.  I think that was a compliment.   Last year in Rwanda, one of the members of my patrol was Tutai from the Cook Islands, with whom I am still in touch.  Welcome!!

Cameroon and Guinea - these countries, in francophone West Africa, both became full members of WAGGGS today.  Cameroon were dancing around the room - pure joy and celebration.

Mongolia - they also became a full member.  I took a module in 'Religion, Politics and Society in Mongolia' as part of my Theology degree at Leeds.  Whilst I can tell you all about the destruction of the Buddhist church in the 1930s, I can't speak a word of Mongolian.  What I can do is to congratulate Mongolia on their full membership of WAGGGS.  I interviewed two members of the contingent yesterday for the video project.

Armenia - is now a full member of Europe Region, so it was really exciting to welcome them to the Region.  I recognised one of their contingent from her stint at Pax Lodge in London.  Now they are Full Members, with full voting rights at this conference.

Finally, Myanmar rejoined as Associate Members of WAGGGS.  I have always been fascinated by this country since I did a project on what was then Burma when I was at school.  I won't share all the details here, but it was shocking to learn about the role of the military juncta.  It was an absolute pleasure to meet the three delegates from Myanmar and I wish their organisation every success.  Look back through my tweets and you'll see a picture of the delegation.

How wonderful to be present when these countries make history.  What a privilege to share in their joy and delight.

But despite all this, I still struggle to comprehend that less than 1% of the eligible worldwide population are involved with Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting.  We may be 10 million-strong, but there are millions more who have no contact with Guiding.  In the UK, we have a Growing Guiding strategy, the aim of which is to provide more opportunities for more girls and young women.  We are trying out all sorts of methods to try to reach more girls and more volunteers.  I will write a separate blogpost on this, as growth in Guiding is something which I feel very strongly about.  Too often, people are stuck in their ways and not prepared to embrace the idea of growth.  I am working to myth-bust and to enable Leaders to apply the principles of 'Growing Guiding' in the most appropriate way in their setting.  

Goodnight for now.