Young women have a massive role to play!

Over 60 young women joined together today to experience the young women's event and complete the leadership challenge. There was variation in experience and knowledge, but a clear sense that everyone wanted to get stuck in and have their say to change the world! Together with the other 10 million voices we can make that change and have a positive impact on the world- no challenge is too large!

The day started discovering a little more about the conference and a chance to ask questions of Nadine and Nicola, chair and vice chair of WAGGGS board. This really started to demonstrate the vast diversity we had in the room, some delegates were at a national level of their organisations with massive responsibility for finding out more about the motions, and others were really there to find out more about a World Conference.

What we were all excited about was our leadership challenge, especially after the teasers on our Facebook group over the past few weeks (it did make exciting reading for me at work though!). So in our groups of 8 we were given an envelope with possible venues to visit- a temple, charity, tai chi, and female business leaders were ours (others had cable cars with the Great Buddha amongst other things). We planned our route and off we went- 8 countries and and 4 regions amongst just us 8 people! Off to the temple we went chatting away (and almost missing the signs for the train!) and finally arriving at the temple. A quick (almost run) around the temple we had to leave to get to an important meeting with females in businesses. One ran a textiles company, and the other a fishery, both amazing women who were at the top of the their game with very little gender issues experienced. Questions were fired from all sides of the room to allow us to gain a better understanding of their journey and challenges they faced to equip us with knowledge to reach our goals and dreams within our own professional journeys. All of us picked up some advice which hopefully we can put into practice. What I took away was know where you want to get to and map out how you're going to do that, make those changes to ensure you are on the right track, but also that timing has to be right.

(My group outside the temple) 

With little time left we returned to the hotel (well airport!!!) for the last section of our exciting day without getting too lost in the process :-). We discussed what we learnt about leadership, and any questions we had. For myself having being in so many leadership positions in the past it was unusual to reflect on what I had actually learnt, but with 8 new people being made into a group and then let loose in Hong Kong I definitely learnt something! It was surprising how quickly we all learnt about each other's characters and the roles we played in the group; a route planner, time keeper, group checker (important so we didn't loose anyone!), and facebooker! An unusual situation as well with all of us being leaders in our countries- what type of person leads leaders? It's so easy to follow everyone, what makes you stand up and want to make your voice heard? A question which I'm sure differs according to group dynamics, experience, but most of all personal confidence. For me wanting to make the most of the experience (and not wanting to be a sheep, as there aren't any in Hong Kong as far as I'm aware?!) I made sure I led in the ways I could to ensure we worked together and everyone had a positive experience.

Inspirational individuals then greeted us and described their pathways to where they are today within WAGGGS and professionally. Members of the Confefence procedural team to members of a region Committees to lead volunteers in their Member Organisations. Many had overcome barriers, but all wouldn't change the journey they had been on and were glad they seized opportunities to get to where they are. A lot to learn from them, particularly as in the room there are likely to be sat future board members and Chief Guides- an amazing thought.

The day quickly come to an end, but as young members we really are paramount in helping pave the future of WAGGGS and our member organisations- without us there is no future as we are future (and current) leaders. We know better than anyone how we can make WAGGGS relevant to today's girls and young women and support them in what is needed. 

So my motto for today and forever more is TOGETHER WE CAN do it, and TOGETHER WE WILL! Let's not forget we are 10 million strong and working together for the benefits of girls and young women around the world we can make a difference, it only takes a few conversations with delegates at this conference to realise that.