New Girlguiding Programme - an index of skills builder cards and unit meeting activity cards

With the launch of the new programme comes a plethora of 'activity cards' for the prescribed Unit Meeting Activities that must be done, as well as for the prescribed Skills Biulder Activities.

With 12 UMA cards per pack (3 packs available), and 5 Skills Builder Activity Cards per level, per topic, per theme, we have a LOT of A4 cards to 'scan' through when planning.

Skills Builders:

There are 6 stages (levels) -
* Rainbows = 1,2
* Brownies = 2,3
* Guides = 3,4,5
* Rangers = 5,6

Each of the 6 themes has 2 topics at each level, and 5 activities to complete at each level

This means for Level 3, we have 6 themes x 2 topics x 5 activities = 60 cards at level 3, and the same at level 4, and level 5.

OR if you think if it in themes, we have
Express Myself theme, has 2 topics "Communicate" and "Innovate"
* Communicate stage 3 has 5 activities
* Innovate stage 3 has 5 activities
* Communicate stage 4 has 5 activities
* Innovate stage 4 has 5 activities

* Communicate stage 5 has 5 activities
* Innovate stage 5 has 5 activities

On top of that there are compulsory Unit Meeting Activities (a guide must do 5 hours of these per theme, in order to get the theme award, as well as the SB level and an interest badge).  

So, all in all, a LOT of different activities to try and fit in over a 2-3 year rolling programme. It feels like a planning nightmare, trying to ensure that 24 girls at 3 different stages, cover all elements required for the badge, as well as ensuring the programme is sufficiently girl-led (despite the prescriptive approach of the new activities), varied, and caters for the individual.

To try and help with this, i've collated key information from each activity card into a summary index spreadsheet which tells me what the activities at each level and topic are, the timing/duration, what resources are required, what space (indoor or outdoor) is needed, and any comments or concerns I have. 

If you want to have a look at my efforts, you can download the SB and UMA Index spreadsheet from here - be warned, it's not pretty and contains many typos.

Over the coming weeks and months, I will be adding information about the minimum number of girlrs required to run each activity, and whether a leader is required (many activities DO need leader input and DO need larger numbers, despite the blurb on the GG website telling us these are brilliant for small groups, and designed to be self-led.  

If you've got any suggestions or corrections, plesae do let me know!


DOWNLOAD LINK: SB and UMA Index spreadsheet 

UM 12: And we're off! A new year.

Our first week back after Christmas, and another new guide to join us, bringing our numbers up to 29 on the books.  A stark change from when my own daughter joined 3.5 years ago and there were only 9 girls in the unit!  It was lovely then, and is lovely now - just very different!

Our first week back is usually when we try and get the routine tasks out of the way and give the girls chance to catch up after their break from school. Our girls are split over 7 or 8 different schools, so it's futile to expect to not want to spend the whole time nattering on the first week back.  Tonight was no exception.

This evening, we spent time in the horseshoe remembering what our Unit Guidelines are (as set by the girls in September), we talked about what the Baden Powell Award involved for the older guides and introduced our newest guide to the unit.  There was much 'talking-over-the-top' going on...but again, that's par for the course on the first week back.  I've long since discovered when they're in this kind of mood, there's little point fighting it.  With reminders that if they carry on interrupting/talking that they won't get to play games (and following through on that), they generally get the idea after a few minutes.

We were also treated to a presentation by one of our BP girls who had done a fantastic poster and fact presentation sheet about Global Warming. The girls listened attentively to her, and the presentation was well-researched and well presented.  That's one more clause signed off!

Over the course of the evening, I asked the girls to give their suggestions on four topics - Trips Out, Games, Activites and Badges/GFIs.  Each patrol was given a stack of post-it notes, and four A3 sheets were pinned around the room (one for each topic).  They were to write their preferences/suggestions on the postit note and stick it on the appropriate posters.

Then it was on to some patrol time.  Nothing too difficult this week, and really an opportunity for the girls to chat and renew their friendships.  They all made a Guide Law Folding Thingy (thankyou to the wonderful 2nd Kingsbridge Guides) each patrol was asked to write down 4 or 5 important qualities of a good patrol leader or patrol second.  Mostly they chatted though.

After that, a quick tidyup, then time for a silly game. They got into pairs and we did the Body Parts game.  I shout out a number, and a body part, e.g. "3 feet" or "4 hands" or "two tummies" - and as a pair, they need to ensure that they ONLY have those body parts touching the floor.  So, two girls standing up would be "4 feet", or two girls lying with their feet in the air would be "2 backs".   There were some inventive approaches from some, and it was a good giggle game that required little or no preparation or organisation into teams etc. Everyone could join in, and it can last as long as you want.

At this point, our visitors arrived!  We had invited along our District Commissioner (who was also leader of this unit until a year ago), our Division Commissioner (who runs our feeder brownie unit), and our Division President (who runs a feeder Rainbow unit), so most of the girls knew them all.

The reason? We had a Baden Powell Award Presentation to do!  One of our older guides worked independently to complete her BP, and managed to get on her Adventure Weekend at the end of last year.    Our District commissioner made a fantastic cake (as well as some delicious chocolate maltezer tray bake), and our BP girl gave a short talk to the unit about what she had done as part of her BP award, and what the BP Adventure Weekend was like. She had had a wonderful time - she said the 'best weekend ever' and had made lots of new friends.   As leaders, we were thrilled with this achievement, she had worked independently and been self-directed throughout. And as a result of the Adventure Weekend she now wants to look for a Ranger Unit to join -  fantastic news!

UM6 Another GFI activities week

End of Term, GFI sessions and big patrols

The guides had another GFI evening tonight, where they had were supposed to have chosen activities to last most of the evening.

It was the last week of term - many of them in new high schools - and we found an interesting mix of over-tired, hyper, exhausted, stroppy and slightly-off-colour girls. So, probably not the easiest of nights, and also perhaps not the best for a GFI night when they are required to listen to each other, follow instructions for activities they have chosen, think for themselves, and work together.  

Note to self: Don't do GFI sessions at the end of a half term!

Our Young Leaders were tired and off-colour this evening too, and not up to their normal level of help, so spent much of their time just chatting. They were both tired and had come straight from school, so we didn't push them too much.  

By and large, the girls seemed to enjoy their activities, but these were some of the things that, as a leader, I thought didn't work quite so well.

• One patrol finished much earlier than any of the others. They then spent time wandering round the room distracting other girls.  They had other activities to do, but raced through them, and needed constant 'entertainment' to stop them  interrupting other patrol's activities.  
• One of the patrol chosen activities was to play Captain's Coming with the whole unit - but that required all the tables to be put away, and the whole unit available to play with them, when others were doing their own activities.  
• Our 'big' patrol of 8 were doing cooking, making cheese puffs. While this worked well as an activity and they were all very pleased with their results, it was hard work with 8 very lively girls in the kitchen.  In future, I'd try and ensure this patrol has at least 2 activities, then split the patrol in half, and swap over activities half way through.
• The 'cooking' group had failed to tell us that they needed flour, rolling pins.  We only got half the information on their planning sheet. They just assumed it would all be there.
• Without an extra parent helper, I struggled to keep track of what activities the girls were doing and whether they'd actually done what they had chosen (or whether they were just sitting nattering).
• We definitely had a problem with girls not listening to simple instructions, walking off/talking when leaders were speaking to them, not paying attention, and leaving other people to do the hard work (our newest guide ended up doing all of the washing up for her big-8 patrol when they did cooking. Despite us asking them, the other girls all just disappeared or messed around.  There was a lot of cleaning and tidying to do by the leaders afterwards.
• One patrol had to make a play up, which apparently consisted of them using the side room to screech at each other and roll around the floor...

That said, the Guides' view afterwards was that they had enjoyed the evening, and I do think they appreciated having a less structured evening where they could just chatter, lark around, and be kids.  It just felt harder work than normal for the leaders.

So, what to do to improve this?  I think there are some fairly simple solutions

1. Our Big-8 patrol - split in two for activities - this would make it easier to focus instructions to the individuals, hopefully reduce them shirking out of tidying up, and reduce the messing around....and give them all more access to the equipment/activities they are using. Win-Win.
2. Kitchen work - no more than 6 in the kitchen at once (see first point!)
3. At GFI Planning session:
1. check the chosen activities should last long enough to fill the time allocated
2. stress that the equipment and resources that they need leaders to provide MUST be written on the form - otherwise it won't be there!

Baden Powell Activities

Also tonight, our BP girls took themselves off to try and plan a collaborative games evening together. We talked briefly about what 'collaborative games' are and they bounced some ideas around.  Not quite sure what they are going to end up with, but i'm not absolutely convinced they really understood 'collaborative games' as i think they had football and netball on the list (30 girls in small church hall....ahem).  We will see!

That said, I am really impressed with their enthusiasm to organise the evening (and for the BP challenge clauses in general), and that they really got on and had a brainstorm about what kind of things they thought the other Guides would enjoy doing.

UM3 - Go For Its and Patrols

Unit Meeting 3

This week, the aim was for the guides (in patrols) to choose a Go For It to work on this term, and plan which activities they wanted to do from their chosen GFI, and ensure they were happy in their new chosen patrols.

We were lucky to have two parent helpers this week, plus two of our Young Leaders, so one 'leader' to sit with each Patrol.

Go For It!

In the past, the girls have sometimes had problems deciding as a group and learning how to compromise, and also, in actually getting their plans down on paper in any sensible time frame.  It really helped to have one dedicated adult/YL sitting at each table, to help and encourage them through the process.  

I also wanted to encourage the girls to try some different GFIs, and particularly to do some that covered some aspect of Global or Community Awareness. As such, I highlighted a number of GFI's in different colours and this week said they could choose from any of the GFIs highlighted in green.  These were:

• Be The Change
• Blast from the Past
• Breaking Barriers
• Grrreeeen
• Globalistic
• Peace
• Take Action
• With a Splash

Patrols

We also re-jigged the patrols again!  I already knew there was at least one who wanted to change) asked them to come to me after the horseshoe and let me know if they wished to change - but with the limitation that patrols must have a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 8 in each.  We had 8 wanting to move!  They juggled themselves around - two patrols of 8, one patrol of 5 and one of 6.  Looking now, I like they way it has worked out. One of the 8's now has all 3 BP girls in it, and while they are working on BP activities, the patrol will have five girls (and not all young ones).  They all seemed happy with their choices.

Games

After all the choosing and planning was done, we had drinks & biscuits, and half an hour of games.  We played these games:

• Yes/No - Move Left/Right game - sitting on chairs in a circle, facing outwards.  Leader shouts out statements with yes/no answers (e.g. I have brown hair, I'm wearing a blue top, I like football, I've got a brother).  If the girl's answer is 'yes' she moves one place to the right. If the girl's answer is 'no' she moves one place to the left. Can end up with several girls sitting on one chair.  This went OK, but they prefer games with more running and shrieking.
• Changing Chairs game - sitting on chairs in a circle facing inwards, one less chair than the number of girls, and one girl in the middle. One girl in the middle shouts out a statement that is true of themselves (I have long hair, I play a musical instrument, i ate sausages today).  Anyone who also says yes, must stand up and run to another chair, and the one in the middle must try and get a chair.  Girls cannot move to a chair immediately next to them.

Other Stuff

• Handed out uniform to our four new guides (just missing a polo shirt each for KF & SM)
• Took in money and consent forms for November camp. 15 places taken so far out of 22. I suspect some may be disappointed.
• Handed out letters about challenge badges

For next week/another time

• New patrols need to agree on their PLs and PS
• Need time to talk to the BP girls and really get them started on their tasks.
• Look at YL folders with the YLs
• Use whiteboard and post-it notes to get ideas for 
• Games to play
• Craft Activities
• Other Activities
• Visitors In
• Trips Out
• Badges
• GFIs

UM1 New Term, New Guides and Patrols

Unit Meeting 1

Our first week back at Guides, and a new year for us all.  We have 4 new starters, taking us up to 28 girls in total - our largest unit size for some time.  The new girls all seemed to settle in really well.

Patrols and democratic republics
Tonight the girls re-arranged their patrols - with encouragement to keep the numbers fairly equal and an explanation of why this was to their benefit (equal time on equipment when shared equipment during patrol time, same amount of time per person to complete tasks during patrol time, etc).  They organised themselves, but I sensed that there may still be some who aren't happy with how their patrols have now changed.
The girls voted for, and chose, their new Patrol Leaders and Patrol Seconds, with Panda patrol voting to remain as the Democratic Republic of Panda.

Unit Guidelines
In their patrols, we asked the girls to come up with the unit guidelines they wanted to see, and at the end, each patrol read out their chosen guidelines.  Surprisingly, all patrols agreed on nearly all of the rules (even the ones that they aren't very good at following):

1. Listen to others; don't talk if others are speaking
2. Hands up, shut up
3. Always be fair and kind to others
4. Have biscuits and drinks everyone
5. No phones or ipods in the meeting
6. Be sensible (With the older ones adding the traditional 'No Blood on the Walls'!)
7. Have FUN and Join In!

Two patrols also added the five Cs

• Be: Caring, courteous, cooperative, considerate and commitment.

I was pretty impressed that they came up with this all themselves. Let's see if they follow them!

Feedback, self-management and choosing the programme
We used a new method of asking for the guides' suggestions for activities. Our young leader put 3 large A3 sheets around the room with the following titles:

• Badges I'd like to do
• Ideas for activities next term
• Ideas for camp activities or themes

Throughout the meeting, the guides could write their ideas for each category on post-it notes and stick them on the appropriate banner. This resulted in lots of suggestions and resolved a problem we had encountered when asking for feedback and ideas before.

Previously, guides were asked for feedback and suggestions in patrols. Several complained that only the loudest got their opinions written down, or the person holding the pen didn't write down the opinions of everyone, especially if some people in the patrol wanted 'more craft' and some wanted 'less craft' for example.  The girls wanted to each give their *own* suggestions, and not have them filtered by others in their patrol.

This seemed to work really well. We had LOADS of suggestions, all sorts of things, on all the boards.

Games

We played several silly games which both worked well

• Me too! Chairs in a circle facing in, one person in the middle. Person in the middle makes a statement about themselves. Anyone else who matches that statement shouts ME TOO! And runs to swap place with another person. The one in the middle must also try to get a chair.
• Moving Chairs - chairs in a circle facing outwards, one chair not enough, people move along chairs left or right and the one girl on the outside must try and run round to get an empty chair as everyone is moving around.