CARA ON TOUR 16th European Guide & Scout Conference
PLUS INFORMATION ON: National Cygnet & Brigin Outdoor Day National Guide Skills Day And more!!
2019 Vol. 4
Guider’s Link
Contents Chief Commissioner's Message 3 Noticeboard 4 European Conference 6 Health Promotion 12 Development 14 Cygnet Section 16 BrigĂn Section 18 Guide Section 20 Ranger Section 22 Website 24 Training 26 International 28 Outdoors 32 An Interview With... 31 Around Ireland 44 Contacts 47
Don't forget to send your photos and articles for the Guiders Link to: guiderslink@girlguidesireland.ie. Closing date for the next issue is 6th January 2020 2 Guiders Link Vol. 4
Chief Commissioner's Message Hi Everybody
the conference.
Welcome to another edition of the Guider's Link and can you believe it's the Christmas edition, where did that year go to? At this stage you are all well settled back into Guides and I hope you are enjoying working with your various Sections, Units, Regions and of course those of you who work at National level.
The strategic team have been meeting and by the time you are reading this will have presented the new Strategic Plan to the residential meeting of the National Executive Board and we will soon be rolling it out to all of you. We are starting to work on our Implementation Plan and you will start to see this being reflected in your Regions. Many thanks to the strategic team for all of their work.
I always get a thrill when I go back to Guides in September, that anticipation, will they all come back, will we have new members, will they still be as excited as they were going home from summer camp and full of enthusiasm for the coming year. Thankfully they were all of those things and that makes me very proud to be a Guider in this fabulous organisation of ours. So, since the last edition I and a lot of Guiders have been very busy and these are a few of the highlights of the work that is going on in the background to keep the wheels of CGI moving so well. I was delighted to travel along with Suzanne, Michelle and Trish to the 16th European Guide and Scout conference in Croatia this year. We were part of the CIGA delegation along with Jenna, Jenny, Amanda and Dara from IGG. We were then joined by representation from Scouting Ireland as part of the full Irish delegation to the joint conference. I was very happy to see how well Ireland is thought of on the European Guiding scene and the important part we play in European Guiding. It was great to meet people I had met in Prague last year and I look forward to seeing them again in Uganda next year at the World Conference. You will see the full conference report elsewhere in the Guider's Link but I will tell you about the fun bits. Some of the most common comments from the conference were “it's so hot” 38 degrees during the day and no less than 27 at night time, and no AC, the things we do for Guiding. “it's touching me" -again a reference to the heat and our clothes and “Do they not know who we are?"– a reflection of our own self-importance and our ability to laugh at ourselves. But the most important thing is we laughed and enjoyed ourselves, thank you so much to Suz, Trish and Michelle for the laughs and support. Conference is hard work but so interesting, the different things that are so important to other Guiding associations, our carbon foot print, the impact that Guiding has on the life of young women, sustainability, all so important and maybe things we need to put more importance on. During the various roll calls it struck me that countries that we normally only hear of in the news with war and death are carrying on the normal activity of Guiding and Scouting. Israel and Syria being two of those countries, so good to hear this and to have them in attendance at
A fabulous experience and once again I would encourage everyone to apply for international opportunities
Well done to the joint Guide and Scout committee in Cork on another very successful Ventact. Great to see our Rangers taking part in this event. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it down this year but look forward to next year's Ventact. I’m looking forward to seeing our Rangers in Castle Saunderson at the National Ranger Weekend and hope to see Rangers there from all over the country. When you are reading this, we will be well into the interviews for the Chief Commissioner awards, I am looking forward to meeting all the girls and to finding out how they took on and hopefully enjoyed the award. Well done to them all for deciding to do the award and to their Guiders for supporting them in the pursuit of this award. Don’t forget, as well as the CCA there is the Oisin Award and this is a fabulous award for our Ranger and Storrow age group. Did any of you use the GAB -Guides Against Bullying resource? We would love to hear about it and any recommendations or ideas you might have for the resource. Many thanks to all the NEB members who attended the residential board in September. We covered a colossal amount of work and you should have heard all about it at Regional level. The world we live in is changing and CGI needs to change in line with the changes, we are looking at our Governance, the way our Regions are run and the role of people on the Board to mention but a few items we covered. Exciting times ahead for all of us and we hope you are all looking forward to joining us on this journey. So just to finish best wishes to you and all your families for a Happy, peaceful Christmas and a Healthy and exciting New year. I look forward to seeing you at many events over the coming months. Yours in Guiding, Emily McCann Chief Commissioner chiefcommissioner@girlguidesireland.ie
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Noticeboard Upcoming National Events CCA Interviews Registration Due NEB CCA Applications Closing Date NEB Health Promotion Day for Guiders CCA Ceremony
Throughout November 15th November 2019 23rd November 2019 10th January 2020 11th January 2020 12th January 2020 25th January 2020
GRANT FORMS Reminder When applying for grants from the Education Training Boards (ETB's), a copy must be sent or emailed to the National Office. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) fund these grants, and the National Office have to complete Statements of Assurance annually for each ETB.
NOVEMBER 15TH REGISTER EARLY For a chance to be entered into a draw aw aw to win €50 CGI Gift Vouchers that ca can aann be used by your Unit to help pay for National Events, Training and Shop Items. tteem ems ms. ms. 4 Guiders Link Vol. 4
fi t t er €500 GGifch er 5 € u cfht o VVoGui er h € c u Vo
xx xx xx xx x x xx xx r: xx be xx um xxxx n r er : he uc mb Vo r nu e xxx h uc xxx Vo xxx : xx
CHIEF COMMISSIONER AWARD Do you have Guides aged 12 or over by the 31st of December 2019? Have they completed or will they have completed their Bronze CHOICES Award by 31st of December 2019? Are they up for a challenge?
Then the Chief Commissioner Award is only a few steps away.... Make sure to apply, directly to the National Office, for their CCA pack by the 10th January 2020, please send one application per company. The application form is available on OGM or can be posted out upon request from the National Office. Cost is â‚Ź10 per participant. Closing date for completed projects to be submitted is 25th September 2020. No late entries will be accepted. Successful candidates will be awarded their certificates and pins at the Award Ceremony
Please note, the challenges involved in the award can change each year so please ensure to follow the new booklet supplied upon application. For more information on the requirements, rules and what is involved in the award, check out the Guide Section on the CGI website, via About Us > What We Do > The Chief Commissioner Award
Upon successful completion of all sections, the award will be presented at bronze, silver and gold levels.
If you have any questions regarding the Chief Commissioner Award or would like to link up with another group who have previously taken part to find out about their experience, please get in touch and we will try to help you out. Contact the CCA team at cca@girlguidesireland.ie
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the 16th European Guide and Scout Conference Split, Croatia 24th – 28th of August This event was attended by Emily McCann, Chief Commissioner and Suzanne Lenihan, International Commissioner as delegates, and Michelle Finnerty, Assistant Chief Commissioner and Patricia Derwin, National Commissioner for Ranger Guides as observers. We arrived in Croatia in the early hours of the 23rd August at Split University where the conference was being held. The rest of this day was free, and we got to spend a little bit of time exploring Split itself.
Saturday 24th August was the beginning of the sessions. In the afternoon we had an Orientation session, which Suzanne and Emily went to as our delegates, and a session on Exploring the Leadership Model, which is the new model of leadership that WAGGGS are going to roll out, Trish and Michelle went to a short session on this by Manuela and Mel from WAGGGS. Emily and Suzanne also met with Guilia, who is our country representative at WAGGGS. Afterwards, we had the official Opening Ceremony in a Fort in the city centre. The ceremony was attended by various Croatian government officials and dignitaries.
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Sunday 25th August was the beginning of the joint sessions, an official welcome and opening of both the WAGGGS and WOSM meetings. There was a short section where the candidates for election were introduced and then the meeting split up so that everyone could go and speak to, or question, the candidates of their choice. After lunch we had the opening of the WAGGGS sessions and some presentations by members of the World Board. We then had the international evening and Europe market, and everyone had fun in the end.
Monday the 26th August began in the WAGGGS room with a reflection from Marin Miletic the Chief Scout of the Croatian Catholic Scouts, who are actually in a similar situation to Ireland, in that they have two different scouting organisations in the country and are looking to join WAGGGS as a Federation of two. After the reflection we had a session discussing the proposed motions, and we had a presentation from the World Board. In the afternoon we had the Forum, where we could choose between several different sessions taking place at the same time. Michelle and Trish attended a session called: Social Return on Investment in Volunteering. Suzanne and Emily attended the Leadership model session which discussed the new WAGGGS model for leadership. The new leadership model is a model of leadership practice. That evening we were taken by bus out to Kliss Fortress, which is famous for being 8 Guiders Link Vol. 4
used in Game of Thrones, apparently, and we had a Croatian evening there; exploring the fort and listening to local singers and a demonstration of different fighting techniques.
On Tuesday the 27th August we once again began with a Reflection, then we had a session to Meet the Nominees for our WAGGGS Regional Committee, we then had some Regional Consultation. We had a discussion on why young women under 30 are not in decision making roles in WAGGGS and whether people thought there were barriers to young women taking up positions. We then had a discussion on the barriers to young women taking up positions and some of the comments included, from a number of country delegations, that it’s difficult for women in their 20s and 30s to commit the necessary time to such a position as there is so much change and uncertainty in their life at this stage, with college, finding first jobs, perhaps moving city or country, finding themselves in a first serious relationship. In the afternoon, we again split up for the Forum sessions. Michelle attended Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming Europe Region, which was very interesting. Trish attended Working towards SDG 17 – partnerships which was presented by IGG. Suzanne attended Taking Action on Body Confidence which was very interesting. This programme is a follow on to Free Being Me and meant for the older girls and young women. For the last group of sessions Michelle and Trish attended Engaging with Girls and Volunteers from all backgrounds.
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Wednesday the 28th August was the final day of the conference. We began with another reflection, then we went on with voting on motions. This session took much longer than expected because they were trying out a new app-based system which apparently lots of people had difficulty with, we eventually returned to the “hand in the air� method of voting and concluded the session only two hours late. Some of the motions included raising the cost of the European Voluntary Contribution which was increased despite some opposition and many amendments to the motion. Also voted in was that there would be a youth led event held in conjunction with the next European Conference. We then had the election of new committee members and close of the WAGGGS only session. We then went back for the final sessions of joint conference, votes and elections. When the gavel fell for the final time, we all went outside for a group photo and then it was time to head into the city centre for the closing ceremony and dinner.
All in all, we all thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and it was made more enjoyable by the company. It was a very busy conference and by the end of it we were all exhausted and headed home for a rest.
Suzanne Lenihan International Commissioner
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Leadership
While at the 16th European Guide and Scout conference I attended a session on Leadership mindsets. This opened an entire new way of thinking for me so I thought I would share some of the WAGGGS thoughts on modern day leadership with you all. But first do you know who and what WAGGGS is and what part we play in this World Association? WAGGGS is the largest voluntary movement dedicated to girls and young women in the world. This diverse movement that we belong to represents 10 million members from 150 countries. WAGGGS and us as a member of this Association and as members of CGI offer girls a safe space to practise courage, caring and curiosity. Isn’t that a lovely space to offer girls, an opportunity to practise courage, caring and curiosity. So never under sell yourself this is what you do at every meeting, at every weekend, every day trip, you are a provider of this space. And how lucky are we to be able to offer this wonderful opportunity to girls and young women. All of these programmes are delivered in 5 Regions, Europe of which we are a member, Africa, Asia Pacific, Western Hemisphere and Arab Region. I am looking forward to seeing representatives from all of these countries at next years World conference in Uganda.
“For WAGGGs Leadership is a shared journey that empowers us to work together and bring positive change to our lives, the lives of others and our wider Society A good leader is a lifelong learner who consciously deepens their understanding of different contexts, draws on different wisdoms, and uses that learning to collaborate with others to make a difference “ We as Guiders are constantly setting girls on a leadership programme, developing their lives and setting them on a life-long path of learning and discovery. Girl Guiding empowers girls to be all they can be from the age of 5 onwards. But WAGGGS still wants to do more to help girls develop their full potential in the current world we live in. So, they have designed a new leadership offering for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world. The new leadership development programme will
resilience and confidence • Keep the leaders of our organisations united, thriving and girl-focused, so they can offer the most relevant, exciting and accessible leadership development experience to their members. • Support the leaders of our Movement to raise the voices of girls and young women in the global arena, and to champion a diverse and sustainable Girl Guide and Girl Scout Movement. The new leadership model is a model of leadership practice. Leadership practices are the daily behaviours you choose to engage in to put your values into action and create positive change. The WAGGGS leadership model uses a system of 6 mindsets as the main tool to make leadership practice conscious. Leading yourself Leading in context
Leading relationships
Leading for girls empowerment
Leading for innovation Leading for impact
The 6 mindsets are • Leading Yourself- Reflective Mindset • Leading Relationships -Collaborative mindset • Leading for innovation – Creating & Critical thinking mindset • Leading for Girls empowerment – Gender equality mindset • Leading in context – Worldly mindset • Leading for impact – Responsible action mindset Now this model is an entire new way of thinking and the information I have given you above is only a very small introduction to it and is taken from the WAGGGS booklet -Leading for Her World. In this booklet you will find much more information on the meaning of each mindset and how we add them into our style of leadership.
• Inspire girls with the values, attitudes, behaviours, skills and knowledge they need to be leaders, changemakers, entrepreneurs and advocates.
If you would like to learn more about this style of leadership and need help to change your mindset please contact myself or Suzanne our International Commissioner and we can look at arranging a training on same.
• Empower volunteer leaders as inspiring, empowering role models who create safe spaces for girls to be themselves, take the lead in their lives and develop
Emily McCann Chief Commissioner chiefcommissioner@girlguidesireland.ie www.girlguidesireland.ie 11
HEALTH PROMOTION DAY
SUNDAY 12TH JANUARY 2020
MARINO INSTITUTE, DUBLIN 10.30AM TO 4.00PM COST: €10 CLOSING DATE: FRIDAY 6TH DECEMBER 12 Guiders Link Vol. 4
In January 2019, CGI ran a Health Promotion Survey. The results of the survey were taken on board and now we are pleased to announce that there will be a Health Promotion Day exclusively for Guiders and Adult Helpers within CGI. The main requests from the survey were for CGI to provide information/ workshops on:
STRESS MANAGEMENT
MEDITATION
OUTDOOR/ PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
RESILIENCE
SELF ESTEEM AND APPRECIATION
RELIEVING GUIDING PRESSURE/ SUPPORT WITHIN CGI
LEAVING TIME FOR ME
SUICIDE AWARENESS
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS
BUSY PEOPLE/ TAKING CARE OF OURSELVES
PHYSICAL/ MENTAL/ EMOTIONAL
CARDIAC HEALTH
IT’S GOOD TO TALK
RECIPES FOR BUSY GUIDERS
Guides… It’s a healthy thing
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DEVELOPMENT STORROWS PROGRAMME What have we been up to?
#GUIDEWITHPRIDE 2019 What a summer it has been for Guiding with Pride with CGI participating in three National Pride Parades in; Dublin, Belfast and for the first year Cork. On Saturday 29th June Pride Parade began for the CGI Storrows when Leaders and Rangers from both the Eastern and Northern Regions met to walk in Dublin Pride 2019. At the beginning of the parade we joined up with Scouting Ireland and we walked through Dublin city centre together having a campfire en route. The parade ended at Merrion Square with a festival concert, food and events for all to enjoy! The next Pride parade for the CGI Storrows was in the Northern Region on Saturday 3rd August where Guides, Rangers, Leaders from both the Eastern and Northern Regions joined CGI parents as we Guided with pride through Belfast City Centre. It was a momentous occasion in Belfast this year with three uniformed organisations (CGI, Scouting Ireland and Scout Association of Northern Ireland) walking side by side past Belfast City Hall which flew the Pride flag for the first time. After the parade everyone enjoyed a fantastic BBQ in the Northern Region HQ which included the obligatory s’mores and a campfire in true Guiding style. The final Pride parade for the CGI Storrows for 2019 took place in the South Western Region on Sunday 4th August. This was our first year to participate in the Cork parade and we are looking forward to many more to come. The Storrows and Leaders met up with members of Scouting Ireland as we proudly #GUIDEDWITHPRIDE through Cork city Center together. The Storrows wish to thank; Erica Tyndall (ER), Alison Devlin (NR) and Alison Dowling (SWR) for their organisation and co-ordination of their respective parades this year. Also huge shout out and massive “Thank You” goes to them for all the hard work on the design sourcing of this year’s CGI’s Pride neckerchiefs and woggles. We were certainly the envy of the Scouts in all the parades. On behalf of the CGI Storrows and all the participants in the Pride Parades this year we want to extend a special thank you to two very dedicated Guiding parents, Sharon and Phil who made our rainbow Pride neckerchiefs for everyone this year! Thanks also to the National Office and Michelle for the organising the co-ordination of our woggles and banners. 14 Guiders Link Vol. 4
Storrows Adventure to Killarney An Óige During the summer as part of CGI's Partnership with An Óige, we were given the opportunity to take part in the Youth Travel Campaign. On the 23rd of August six of us headed to the An Óige International Youth Hostel in Killarney to bond, eat, walk and eat some more. We arrived as darkness fell and straight away we were in love with the hostel. Set in a period house it felt like arriving at a slightly less glamorous Downton Abbey. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful as we all fell in through the door, worn out from travelling. Room keys were handed out swiftly along with fresh linens and there was a charge for the stairs. Following a quick trip to town for a pizza dinner it was lights out and sweet dreams. We arose the next morning and enjoyed a lovely continental-style breakfast for the princely sum of €4. Bellies full, we decided a walk into Killarney National Park was in order so we set out in a cloud of enthusiasm. Flash forward 6 hours and we had walked nearly 20km! We freshened up and hit the town for dinner. The next morning we were sad to see the back of the hostel but we took a fabulous boat ride, making friends with our boatman and enjoying stunning views. All good things must come to an end and it was with heavy hearts that we all returned to our various counties. Killarney, we’ll be back!
Studying Away from Home Blog After finishing their Leaving Cert exams in June, two of our Storrows, Shauna Whelan Buckley and Megan Dempsey, will be leaving their homes in Wexford behind and heading to college. Megan is off to UCC to study World Languages while Shauna will be in Maynooth to become a Maths and Science teacher. With the two girls pursuing different paths far from their Unit in Summerhill Wexford, they will keep us up to date on all their hopes, fears, adventures and challenges as they share their college experiences in monthly blog posts. From what to bring and managing money to making friends and staying involved in CGI, Shauna and Megan will fill you in on their full experience. If you are in the same boat as the girls or will be soon, this is a must for you to check out! Feel free to get in contact and keep an eye out on the CGI Website, Storrows Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages for more updates!
Storrows on the Wall of Women at WAGGGS European Conference 2019 Fantastic to see members of CGI Storrows on the "Wall of Women" at this year’s WAGGGS European Conference being held in Split, Croatia 2019. Emily our Chief Commissioner and members of the NEB were attending the conference on behalf of CGI.
Information on the Storrows programme will be released to all members of CGI for anyone who wants to learn more about the new programme. If you have further queries, questions or if you want any more information this can be sent to us directly at storrows@girlguidesireland.ie where a member of the team will get back to you. Why not follow us on our public social media platforms to see what we get up to. storrows@girlguidesireland.ie
CGI Storrows – Members Only
CGI_Storrows – Public Platform
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Cygnets Hi all. I'd like to introduce myself as the new National Commissioner for Cygnet Guides
Colour me in
My name is Carina Burke. I'm Unit Leader and in Cygnets in Kilmuckridge, in the South East Region. I have been part of CGI for a few years now and love it. If anyone is interested in considering becoming part of our support team I'd be delighted and if you have any questions or ideas I'd be more than happy to hear them. Yours in Guiding, Carina Burke National Commissioner for Cygnets
Colourful
star
Why not make something simple but colourful for your tree this year? Materials Needed: Pipe cleaners Coloured beads What to Do • Shape pipe cleaners into star shape
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•
Add as many coloured beads as you like in as many colours as you want
•
Hang from your tree and admire your work
Halloween lantern What you need: •
2lt empty bottles
• Scissors • Sharpie • Stickers •
Battery operated tea lights or string of Battery lights
What to do: 1.
Wash and dry well the carton
2.
Use scissors (may ask a Guider) cut a small enough square on side of carton to put lights in
3.
Decorate carton in chosen way
4.
Insert tea light/ battery lights and you are Ready to Go
ES V A E L E E IS
(to
“When the the tune of
arching in”)
Saints go m
s I see leave und n the gro They ’re o s I see leave . he ground t n o e ’r y The olours c y n a m e ves ar Falling lea orange , d e r , n e e Yellow, gr n and brow
CYGNET SUPPORT TEAM Anyone who would like to join our Cygnet support team, we would be grateful for your expertise and ideas. From ideas, badges and organising of events, no matter how big or small, your time and support would be greatly appreciated. We provide fun and laughter in our group chats. Please contact cygnets@girlguidesireland.ie.
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Brigíní Hi All, ‘Tis the season to be jolly!’ Tra la la la la la
Competition
The elves are busily working on the new Brigín programme and have a special request for all the Brigíní. The new programme will feature two new characters ‘Tara’ and ‘Orla’
Hope you all have had a great, exciting, challenging year so far filled with lots of great memories.
Tara is 9 years old and is an experienced Brigín Orla is 7 years old and has just joined Brigín
I would like to thank you all for the hard work and commitment you give to the Brigíní, all those little happy faces would be lost without you! Wishing you all a happy peaceful Christmas and joyful new year!
We are looking for the Briginí to design what they would look like. The chosen ‘Tara’ and ‘Orla’ will feature in the new Brigín Programme.
Yvonne Murphy National Commissioner for Brigin Guides
Entries can be submitted via email (scanning) brigini@ girlguidesireland.ie or via post to National Office. Closing date for entries 31st January 2020.
Christmas Clothes Pegs Equipment Required:
• 3 Wooden Clothes Pegs (Leader remove the metal spring) • Green Paint • Glue • Pipe cleaners • Pom poms • Glitter Star • Ribbon to hang the Clothes Pegs Instructions 1. Glue the three pegs together. 2. Paint the pegs 3. Decorate with pipe cleaners, pom poms and add the star at the top. 4. Attach a ribbon on the back to hang
RUDOLPH RACE
What’s Needed: Red poms , spoons, vaseline , and Rudolph poster How to Play: Have a red pom pom for each Brigin and a spoonful of vaseline. Brigins have to race to put a red pom pom on Rudolph’s nose (make sure to put a bit of vaseline on his nose as well) on the other side of the room. (can be one poster or poster per patrol). Brigins must dip their nose into the spoonful of vaseline then get the red pom pom to stick to the vaseline on their nose. Once the red pom pom is on their nose, they must move across the room and stick it to Rudolph’s nose. The catch? They can’t use their hands at any time. 18 Guiders Link Vol. 4
Elf on the shelf Donuts Ingredients • Cheerios • Sprinkles • Powdered Sugar • Cocoa powder • Damp paper towel or towel • Water • Toothpicks
Instructions Chocolate sprinkled donuts: 1.Mix cocoa powder and a little bit of water until it is just a little bit thick (easy for dipping). 2.Dip a Cheerio into the cocoa powder mixture then into the sprinkles 3.Use a toothpick to clear the center of the “donut” Powdered donuts: 1.Press a Cheerio into a damp paper towel 2.Dip the Cheerio into powdered sugar then use a toothpick to clear the center 3.Serve to your resident elf!
5HLQGHHU +RNH\ 3RNH\ (Tune of Hokey Pokey)
You put your antlers in You put your antlers out In Out, In Out, And you shake them all about You do the reindeer hokey pokey And you turn about That’s what its all about! All Reindeer Hokey Pokey All Reindeer Hokey Pokey All Reindeer Hokey pokey Knees Bent Hooves Out RaRaRA Hooves Fluffy Tail Red Nose
Brigin Badges Thank you for all the feedback and suggestions regarding the Brigin Badges. Exciting plans ahead!
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Guides 0HOWHG 6QRZPDQ 7HD /LJKW 2UQDPHQWV
Materials Battery powered Tea Light Ribbon 1 piece White, Brown, and Black Cardstock Paper Glue stick/hot glue gun Black sharpie Snow glitter Scissors Glitter glue, pom poms, colored paper, etc. (Optional) Instructions Cut three circles out of white cardstock paper; large, medium, and small size making sure they will fit around the tea light. (Optional: Use a sharpie and lightly go around the edges of the circles to make them stand out more) Poke the circles through the middle of the tea light. Draw eyes and dots for a mouth around the smallest circle using a sharpie. Cut out 2 brown arms and glue them on the biggest circle. Cut out a black hat or a colored pom pom hat and glue on the small/medium circle. Using a glue stick, put it all over the snowman. Shake the snow glitter on and dump excess. Cut a ribbon and make a "V" with hot glue around the light switch on the back. Attach the ribbon and hold for a few seconds. Hang on the Christmas tree and turn on the light!
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INTER PATROL CHALLENGE Rules: Every member of the patrol must do at least 1 challenge. Use the different skills and talents in your patrol to make the best team.
1.
Tie a reef knot behind your back
2.
Do 10 good quality press ups
3.
Sing a campfire song
4.
Fold a flag properly for flag break (you may have someone with you to help with this one) – a pillow case works well for this challenge.
5.
Do a friendship knot
6.
Balance on one leg with your eyes shut for 20 seconds
7.
Do 2 types of bandages
8.
Juggle for 1 minute with 3 balls/beanbags without dropping them
9.
Recite the Guide law ( 2 Guides may do this together, but 5 extra points will be given if one Guide recites it)
Practice for 10 minutes before the challenge begins. 10 points for every challenge completed.
WAGGGS n o t Ba h g li
es dg
Spo t
GOOD LUCK!!!
SURF SMART BADGE Although most of the girl experience in Girl Guiding involves being in groups, away from screens and often outdoors, the reality is the same girls are increasingly online at school and at home. WAGGGS wants to ensure that when they are online they are safe and that they learn to be global citizens online. The resources for this badge are available to be downloaded on the WAGGGS page and badges may be bought from the WAGGGS shop.
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Rangers Hi everyone, I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and a great new year. I hope that 2020 will be a very successful year for the Rangers Section. We need to keep this Section growing for the future of CGI. If you have any ideas or suggestions for the Ranger Section please let us know. Give your Rangers a voice, let us know their ideas by sending them to rangers@ girlguidesireland.ie. Trish Derwin National Commissioner for Ranger Guides
PROGRAMME IDEAS Looking for programme ideas for your Ranger company? Why not take part in the Oisin Award with CGI and also receive your Gaisce Award. This is a great opportunity to link up with other Ranger groups in your area or even at a National level. If you require any further information on any of these programmes please email me at rangers@girlguidesireland.ie
Catholic Guides of Ireland
Oisín Award
Don’t forget there are also plenty of ideas in the Ranger Programme ‘Get with it’. Why not let the Rangers earn badges that they missed out on during their time in Guides.
Easy Decoupage Christmas Ornament PREP TIME 10 minutes ACTIVE TIME 5 minutes TOTAL TIME 15 minutes Materials • Glass Ornament Ball • Map (or a Christmas picture of your choice) • Mod Podge (you can also use PVA glue with a little water added) • 2" Circle Cutter • Santa's sleigh buttons or stickers (optional) Tools • Foam brush • 2 inch Circle cutter Instructions • Using your circle punch, cut 2" circles from your map (or picture) • Use a foam brush to paint your ornament with a layer of glue. • Place your map circles on the glass ball. • Paint more glue over the top of the map circles. • Smooth the map circles with your fingers. • Let dry for at least one hour. • Optional: thread the buttons so they don't look like empty button holes. • Lastly glue the buttons or stickers on to the glass ball. 22 Guiders Link Vol. 4
Christmas Quiz 1.
Beginning with the letter G, what is the name of the character who stole Christmas?
2.
What word, beginning the letter A, means 'the coming'?
3.
What Christmas related animal is known by the Spanish word 'Reno'?
4.
What is the name of Kevin's eldest brother in Home Alone?
5.
Which fabulous Christmas character was created by Robert L. May: a) The Grinch, b) Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, c) Scrooge, d) The Snowman?
6.
Can you fill in the missing words from these famous Christmas song lyrics: Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, .... ..... nipping at your nose?
7.
Which famous Christmas movie features a character called Jack Skellington?
8.
Which of the following birds is not mentioned in The Twelve Days of Christmas song: a) Partridge, b) Calling Bird, c) French Hen, d) Pheasant?
9.
Can you complete the words to the following famous Christmas song lyrics: A beautiful sight. We're happy tonight. Walking in a ...........?
10.
Which famous girl band achieved Christmas number one songs in the UK with 2 Become 1, Too Much, and Goodbye?
11.
How many Sundays occur during the period of Advent:a) 4, b) 3, c) 2, d) 1?
12.
What is the missing word from the following Christmas movie title: The ...... Express: a) American, b) Polar, c) Orient, d) Daily?
13.
What gift did France give to America in 1886: a) The Empire State Building, b) The London Bridge, c) The Statue of Liberty?
14.
In the olden days, what was traditionally hidden inside of a Christmas pudding: a) A coin, b) A carrot, c) An apple, d) A toy?
15.
Can you unscramble the following words to reveal a type of sweet eaten at Christmastime: DNYAC ANCE?
Answers 1. Grinch 2.Advent 3.Reindeer 4.Buzz 5.b) Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer 6.Jack Frost 7.The Nightmare before Christmas 8.d) Pheasant 9.Winter Wonderland 10.The Spice Girls 11.a) 4 12.b) Polar 13.c) The Statue of Liberty 14.a) A coin 15.Candy Cane
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HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE YET?
EARLIER THIS MONTH OUR NEW WEBSITE WENT LIVE Your brand new CGI website is now live for all to access! The new website is a big step up for CGI as it is far easier to navigate to get exactly the information you are looking for. Also, it is bang up to date with the latest news and events going on in CGI. In the modern day and age many people access information via their phone or tablets, the new website is also mobile responsive so as to make it useful while on the go. Keep checking back to see what new updates and events there are in CGI! 24 Guiders Link Vol. 4
National Resources Folder All our programme information and policy documents are now available via OGM. The National Resource Folder on OGM now contains forms, policies, and Guider Resources for you to download. You can find things like advice, programmes and activities. You can access OGM from the home page of our website. Also all our policies are available directly from the website via Support>Policy documents.
www.girlguidesireland.ie
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Training CGI’s vision is “A world where all girls and women are valued, safe and treated equally and our Mission is “ to provide challenging and accessible Guiding opportunities……..” As an organisation we are constantly working to make sure these statements are true but as a trainer in an all-female organisation I wonder if we are doing enough to encourage our Leaders to attend training opportunities. Two words jumped out at me: valued and accessible. I know we do value our members but could we do more to make training more accessible for everyone? Do we need to move with the times and change the way we deliver our training? When I speak to trainers and Leaders about low turnout at courses there are recurring themes:
•
Childcare for Leaders with young children
•
More Leaders are having to work weekends
•
Leaders who are studying and just don’t have the extra time to give
The evaluations that everyone, including myself, hate filling out are so important to trainers when we are given constructive criticism. As a result of the feedback that we’ve been given we are going to be overhauling our training a few courses at a time to provide a range of training options. We are hoping to design more flexible training so that it will fit into your busy Guiding lives. As trainers we will be consulting with those who have more expert knowledge to see if as well as our usual in-person training, we could also include Webinars and e-learning. This is not going to happen overnight if we are to do it properly and the change will be a challenge to leaders and trainers alike.
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The trainers cannot do it on their own so here’s the challenge for all our Leaders-
HOW CAN YOU HELP? •
Tell me what changes you’d like to see.
•
Are there parts of our training that you think could be done online?
•
What changes to the Challenge Booklet would you like to see?
•
Contact me directly on training@girlguidesireland.ie
IN THE MEANTIME……. To be a Leader in CGI the following courses are compulsory and must be completed Guider Training - Step 1 CPA Training There are absolutely no exceptions. If this training isn’t done you will not be allowed to work in a Unit. To provide as wide a range of training opportunities as possible we need more trainers. You don’t need to be a teacher, lecturer or someone who is used to standing up in front of people. In fact this year would be an ideal time to join the national training team as we will all be learning new skills and working on the content together. You might turn out to be more expert than some of us who have trained for years. Again please contact me directly if you have any interest in training-training@girlguidesireland.ie This will be an exciting year for training but in the meantime the Regional training teams will be running courses as usual and I would like to thank them for all the time and effort they put into training our leaders Yours in Guiding Eilish Smyth National Commissioner for Training
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International Hope you have all settled back into Guiding and are looking forward to Christmas - how time is flying. In this issue we are starting a new feature on WAGGGS countries and their Associations. This issue features Japan and includes a Japanese craft and game. Watch out for details on next years' Thinking Day event which will be held in Regions with everyone doing the same programme. Would be great to see as many as possible attend the day Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas and a wonderful new year. Suzanne Lenihan International Commissioner international@girlguidesireland.ie Our Chalet Summer Trips For Summer 2021 Our Chalet will be offering three different event packages. Explore and Adventure events are designed for Guides and Scouts aged 1218 accompanied by a limited number of adult leaders. While Discover events are open to Guides and Scouts aged 11-18. Leaders must be sure that all participants in their group are socially and emotionally capable of participating in an active week with peers aged 11-18 accompanied by a limited number of adult leaders. 11-year-olds are not permitted to take part in Explore or Adventure events.
Camps for Girls It’s never too early to start planning for next year so why not consider one of the following for your forthcoming adventure;
• 24th – 30th June • 23rd – 29th July • 19th – 25th August The Adventure event will take place on the following dates: • 1st – 7th July • 30th July – 5th August For more info see https://www.wagggs.org/en/ourworld/world-centres/our-chalet/events/2021-eventscalendar/
All three events offer:
Camp Brave
• Six night stay • Pinning ceremony • Guided tour on arrival evening • Four day programmes • One free day to plan your own activity • Four evening programmes The Discover event will take place on the following dates:
2nd to 8th of August 2020. Open to Guides, Girl Scouts and Rangers from around the world ages 10 – 18 (inclusive)
• • •
17th to 23rd June 12th to 18th July 11th to 17th August
The Explore event will take place on the following dates:
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Takes place in Dalkeith Country Park, Midlothian, EH22 1ST. Scotland, United Kingdom Only 20 minutes from Edinburgh Airport • Fully catered camp with a full programme of activities to include a trip to Scotland’s historical capital city, Edinburgh • Free camp t-shirt and neckerchief for every participant • Amazing camping site • Hot showers & flush toilets Further details can be found at www.CampBrave.scot
Action on body confidence Action on Body Confidence is a new WAGGGS programme following on from FREE BEING ME. It is a 5-session programme for children and young people aged 7-10 and 11-25. Through age-appropriate activities including games, creative activities, surveys and discussions, you will uncover the problems that low body confidence causes children and young people in your society, and you’ll plan your own Action Project to make change happen. After you’ve taken Action, you can share what you did online with Girl Guides worldwide, to inspire others and become part of the global body confidence movement. Your group will earn the Action on Body Confidence badge, available from the WAGGGS online shop
Four Challenges
You should complete each challenge to gain your Action on Body Confidence badge. As a guide, WAGGGS have suggested the number of sessions you will need per challenge, however you are encouraged to do the programme at your own pace.
Challenge 1: See the change Challenge 2: Plan the change Challenge 3: Make the change Challenge 4: Share the change
Where can I find the programme? https://free-being-me.com/downloads/ I would like training on this programme -How can I receive this training? There is an online training course for leaders on the GLOW platform. https://glow.wagggs.org/course/index.php?categoryid=12
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Guiding Around the World
Japan
Girl Scouting was first introduced to Japan by Miss Muriel Greenstreet, a British missionary teacher, in 1919. The Movement gradually spread and in 1920 took the name Nihon Joshi Hododan (Girl Guides of Japan). In 1928 Japan became a founder member of WAGGGS. Unfortunately Girl Scouting was banned by the Government during World War II, but its spirit remained. The Movement was restarted in 1947 and officially recognized as Girl Scouts of Japan (GSJ) in 1949. GSJ’s Mission is to enable girls and young women to think and act as responsible citizens. Their Promise is very similar to ours:
I promise to: Do my duty to God (Buddha);
Their sections are •
Tenderfoot
•
Brownie (grades 1 through 3), around
•
Junior (grades 4 through 6), around 9
•
Senior (grades 7 through 9), around 12 to 14 years; green neckerchief
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Rangers (grades 10 through 12),
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Adult Leaders (age 18 and over);
(from 1 year before 1st grade), around 5 years old; a creme yellow neckerchief.
6 to 8 years; red neckerchief.
to 11 years; brown neckerchief
Be responsible for my community, My country and the world; Try to be helpful to other people; and Live by the Girl Scout Law
around 15 to 17 years; navy neckerchief
light blue neckerchief
They currently have over 28,000 members. Japanese Game Lanterns The players sit on the floor in circle formation. The game is started by one player putting hands close together and saying "Big Lantern." The next player says, "Little lantern," and puts hands far apart, and so on the game continues. It is very amusing when quickly played. Interest in the game may be increased by having players drop out of the game when they fail to follow the leader, the winner being the last player to move his or her hands incorrectly.
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Japanese Craft Kurakura Habondanma - Bubble Spinner Materials:
Step 4:
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8x strips 4mm x 15mm of hologram paper (we cut ours from origami paper)
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4 hole reinforcement stickers
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bamboo skewer 20cm long (you might want to blunt the point)
Thread a hole reinforcement sticker onto the skewer and stick it to the back of the sticky tape flower.
•
small piece of tape
Step 5: Now thread the strips onto the skewer and stick the ends of the strips onto the sticky tape flower, do as before sticking strips at 12 and 6 o'clock first, then 3 and 9 o'clock and finish off with the ones in between. Step 6:
Step 1: Lay a reinforcement hole, sticky side up, attach the strips around the hole, it is easiest to put the strips at 12 o'clock and then 6 o'clock, then 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock, once you have them in place it is easy to add the others. Step 2: Stick another reinforcement hole over the top, so the ends of the strips are sandwiched in between the two.
Once all the ends are stuck down, put the final hole reinforcement sticker on the top. Step 7: Roll the skewer between your fingers, children might find it easier between the palms of their hands, as it spins it looks like a bubble, kids of all ages seem to be fascinated with it.
Step 3: Take a small strip of sticky tape, and attach it to the end of the skewer. Carefully make small cuts along the edge of the tape. Now wrap the tape around the stick, folding the cut flaps outwards like flower petals
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OUTDOORS
Getting your group hiking! Why? The physical benefits of hiking are well documented. Even a short hike regularly can reduce your risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure and prevent type 11 diabetes as well as improving cardiac fitness and building core muscles. Additionally, hiking is invaluable for good mental health helping to clear the mind and reduce stress. As Girl Guides we recognise the importance of getting outdoors as a key component of a healthy lifestyle and this should be reflected in your program planning for all age groups. Start yourself off with a hike around your neighbourhood or you could choose to meet somewhere special like a local park/trail system.
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Before your hike use your meeting time to do some preparations; • Discuss what a ‘hike’ is- can vary in length, terrain. • Discuss the leave no trace policy and ensure everyone respects nature; Don’t pick flowers, don’t break off branches, stay on existing paths, take only memories etc. • Discuss proper footwear • Outdoor clothing (try some experiments to see which material stay dry, warm etc • Snacks to pack (Learn about the best types of food for active bodies) What to wear/ pack; Appropriate footwear (laces tied), suitable clothes for weather, small backpack on back with hat, snack, water, flashlight, personal first aid kit and raingear. See complete list later on. Remember to use the bathroom before you depart and make sure someone knows where you are going, for how long and who is with you. GUIDERS • Try the route before so that you can return on time or to check with someone who has taken the hike. • Guiders should submit relevant forms as required. • Make sure it is appropriate for the girls you are leading Ways To Spice Up Your Hike Hike 1Scavenger Hike: Before the hike go along the trail and leave some things to be found and some natural ones already there. Make a list for the girls; for older girls let them go in groups; they check off the things they see and at the end of the hike compare the lists to see who saw everything. The things to be found can be in order as they are on the trail or put in random order. Hike 2 Take Cover: This is a game of camouflage. The girls walk along behind the Guiders. At various points along the trail where there are places to hide, the Guiders calls out “Take Cover”. The girls take 12 steps off the trail and hide. The Guider is counting to 12 while they do this. The Guider then turns around and without moving tries to find the girls, calling their names when she does and they come out of hiding. After a few minutes the others are called out and the hike continues until the Guider calls “Take Cover” again. Hike 3 Tree Identification: Give each girl pieces of paper (half sheet size) and a crayon. Along the hike call out names of trees and have the girls find it and then make a bark rubbing. Hike 4 Colour Hike: Gather some colour chips from a paint store. In groups of two or three have the girls look for things along the hike that are the colour of their chip. OR give each group of girls a coloured donut (circle of coloured paper with a round hole in middle) to place over the natural object they find of that colour to compare shades of colour. Hike 5 Camera Hike: Have the girls bring along cameras and take pictures of unusual natural shapes, trees, other girls, fun antics and, of course, the Guiders. Hike 6 Alphabet Hike: As you go along try to find things in nature that complete the alphabet form A-Z. Hike 7 Star Bright: Don’t be afraid of the dark. Take a starry hike from your meeting place or at a local park. Why not ask someone with a passion for astronomy to come and help you learn about the stars and how to get your direction without the sun. Ready to Try Something Longer? Once you have completed several mini hikes it is time to challenge yourself and the girls. Try an afternoon or day hike. Not sure where to go? Check out hiking blogs on the internet or contact a local hiking club for appropriate trials for your group. Prepare the girls by discussing what they
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will need to pack that will be different from the short hikes. Items such as rain gear, moleskin, additional snacks and/or packed lunch, and extra water may be required. Want to Challenge the Older Girls? Option 1 Borrow or rent some lightweight backpacking stoves and pack a meal. My favourite ideas are one pot macaroni and cheese with pre-cut veggie sticks, or pack your buddy burner and grilled cheese sandwiches. Have each girl carry a piece of the group meal/equipment. Plan your hike route so that there is a safe spot to stop and cook your meal. Remember to have the girls bring dishes/ utensils with them. Option 2 Have the girls work in smaller groups to research and plan a hike. It could be a hike for your Unit or for a younger Section. Let them plan the kit list and menu if applicable. Remember to double check it to make sure everything has been planned for. DAY HIKE GEAR LIST In selecting a daypack, ensure there is space for extra clothing, water, lunch and snacks. To keep your gear dry, line your backpack with a plastic bag. On a short outing, only a basic ‘be prepared’ kit is needed. When on a more adventurous hike with older girls, everyone should carry the 10 essentials (listed below) and know how to use them.
Autumn/Spring
Summer
What to wear:
What to wear:
What to bring in a small backpack:
What to bring in a small backpack:
• • • • •
• • •
• •
Food: • • •
long pants t-shirt long-sleeved shirt windbreaker footwear(socks, running or hiking shoes or hiking boots) pair of warm gloves or mittens warm hat warm sweater (to wear over a long sleeved shirt) raincoat (waterproof ) rain pants or wind pants
• sun hat • shorts • t-shirt • long-sleeved shirt • footwear(socks, running or hiking shoes or hiking boots) • • •
sweater raincoat (waterproof ) rain pants or wind pants
water in a leak proof water bottle high energy snack - granola bars, dried fruit; avoid salting snacks as they increase thirst lunch
Miscellaneous: • • • • •
cleaning wipes sunscreen insect repellent sit upon (optional) camera (optional)
Be Prepared Gear (10 Essentials) • • • • • • • • • •
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map and compass sunglasses and sunscreen extra food and water headlamp or small flashlight first aid kit fire making kit (lighter or matches, fire starter, strike paper in a waterproof container) extra clothing (toque and gloves) knife foil emergency blanket or large orange or yellow rubbish bag Whistle
OUTDOOR AWARD A lot of companies will have attended camps and Outdoor days over the Summer. Did you know you may have earned your Outdoor Award as an individual but also as a Unit? The award is worked on the same principle of our CHOICES programme so you can take part in the award and earn Bronze, Silver or Gold. You can earn one, two or all three of the awards over your years in your Section. The award for your Section can be completed over the time you spend in your Section. The aim of the award is to introduce the outdoors to our youth members from Cygnet up to Guider level. Yes, there is a badge for Guiders so make sure your entire Unit is Welcome to CGI Outdoor Award! “Out and About with CGI” Cygnet Award • Bronze: take part in 2 outdoor events with your company or Unit • Silver: take part in 3 outdoor activities with your company or Unit • Gold: take part in 4 outdoor activities with your company or Unit, to achieve gold you must do one of the activities as a community project, see list of suggested community projects. Brigín Award • Bronze: take part in 3 outdoor events with your company or Unit • Silver: take part in 4 outdoor events with your company or Unit, to achieve silver you must take part in a community project, see list of suggested community projects. • Gold: take part in 5 outdoor activities with your company or Unit, to achieve gold you must take part in a community event and also participate in a weekend event (can be indoor holiday or outdoor camp but must be two nights duration). Guide Award • Bronze: take part in 4 outdoor events with your company or Unit and at least one night away (indoor or outdoor) • Silver: take part in 5 outdoor activities with your company or Unit, to achieve silver you must take part in a community event and also participate in a weekend outdoor camp. (must be minimum two night’s duration). • Gold: take part in 6 outdoor activities with your company or Unit, to achieve gold you must take part in a
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community event, participate in at least two weekend events (one can be indoor but at least one must be outdoor) or take part in an outdoor camp (must be tents or tented village ) of at least 4 nights duration. Ranger Award • Bronze: take part in 5 outdoor events with your company or Unit and at least two nights away (indoor or outdoor). • Silver: take part in 6 outdoor activities with your company or Unit, to achieve silver you must take part in a community event and also participate in a weekend outdoor camp. (must be minimum two night’s duration). • Gold: take part in 6 outdoor activities with your company or Unit, to achieve gold you must take part in a community event, participate in at least two weekend events (one can be indoor but at least one must be outdoor) or take part in an outdoor camp (must be tents or tented village) of at least 5 nights duration. Guider Award • Bronze: organise at least 4 outdoor activities for your section or Unit and take part in them • Silver: organise at least 6 outdoor activities for your section or Unit and take part in them, take part in an outdoor camp of at least two nights duration. • Gold: organise at least 8 outdoor activities for your section or Unit and take part in them, Take part in an overnight outdoor camp must be at least four nights duration. Special Unit Award • At least 60% of your Unit must take part in an outdoor event, it should include all Sections. The event can be a community event, outdoor day trip, hike, weekend or day event. Photos and a write up of the event to be sent to the National Outdoor Commissioner so the award can be verified and awarded. The aim of this award is to foster good Unit relations and to get your full Unit Out and About with CGI. Special Unit awards will be presented at National Council each year so award needs to be submitted no later than 15th March each year. Community projects These are some suggested community projects but any activity that involves you in your community will also be eligible for the award. • Tidy town clean up • An Taisce spring clean • Beach clean • Community garden • Garden in old folks home • Sponsored walk • Sponsored run or swim or hike • Help at Special Olympics event • Help out at organised charity walk or run • Suggested outdoor activities • Hike • Walk • Camping • Archery (outdoors) • Canoeing /Kayaking • Hill walking • Beach walk /hike • Orienteering • River rafting • Sports day/evening • Bird watching • Visit to wildlife sanctuary • Star gazing • Climbing • Breakfast in the park 36 Guiders Link Vol. 4
• Teddy bear picnic • Bivouac • Heritage Park visit • Cycle • Water games • Nature walk/hike • Tree planting • Cycle safety course • Obstacle course • Treasure trail • Bubble fest • Fishing • Campfire • BBQ • Rafting • Horse shoes • Backwoods cooking • Banana Boating • Outdoor sleepover (use your imagination) • Outdoor scavenger hunt • Rock climbing • Water activities These are only suggestions, there are many more outdoor activities you can take part in so make sure you get out and about.
LARCH HILL TRANSPORT
- Ask CGI to arrange your transport: €15 per person - Book transport for your group and have CGI pay the invoice: €15 per person - Arrange your own transport: No fee to be paid to CGI To book places please send a completed Event Booking Form and payment to the National Office.
BOOKINGS WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY 21ST FEBRUARY 2020 www.girlguidesireland.ie 37
WHAT IS T O E?
An activity weekend camp that is run jointly by the Scout Association and the Catholic Guides of Ireland
WHEN AND WHERE??
Friday 26th to Sunday 28th June 2020 in Crawfordsburn Scout Centre, Crawfordsburn, Co. Down
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
£60 Guides/Scouts and £30 for Leader/Staff. (All Leaders are expected to help out on the weekend as staff). This includes all meals and a chance to take part in a wide variety of activities on Saturday including water based activities such as canoeing, swimming as well as archery, climbing, assault courses and much more. On Saturday evening we have the famous TOE disco, the fun continues on Sunday at the Village Fete with all money raised going to a local children's charity.
WHO CAN ATTEND T O E?
The camp is open to any Guide Company/Scout Troop. A total of 700 places are available.
HOW CAN I BOOK PLACES?
All bookings must be made online via the following link https://toe2020.membersportal.co, we will be accepting online payments this year. Bookings will open in November and will close on 25th February or whenever all the places have been allocated. (Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis) Please note that bookings are not confirmed until we have received payment of a £10 deposit (non transferable) per person. All payments should be made in Sterling.
Bookings Open
20th November 2019
Bookings Close
25th February 2020 (Or whenever all the places have been allocated)
Final Payments
30th April 2020
Return of Health forms
30th April 2020
Camp
26-28 June 2020
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NATIONAL CYGNET & BRIGIN OUTDOOR FUN DAY LARCH HILL, CO. DUBLIN 21ST MARCH 2020 TRANSPORT - Ask CGI to arrange your transport: €15 per person - Book transport for your group and have CGI pay the invoice: €15 per person - Arrange your own transport: No fee to be paid to CGI To book places please send a completed Event Booking Form and payment to the National Office.
BOOKINGS WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY 21ST FEBRUARY 2020 www.girlguidesireland.ie
39
Another achievement of mine was being made Chief Commissioner in 1988. At the time it was a huge challenge finding a way for our Northern members to become members of WAGGGS. This was a huge challenge and many tears were shed, but we managed to pull through in the end.
An interview with.... Dolores Farnan was the first winner of our Lifetime Achievement Award this year at our Oscars at National Council. I recently spent some time with Dolores, and asked her some questions; some lighthearted and some thought-provoking. But Dolores is a woman that is ever-prepared, so while I came armed with some questions, Dolores upped the ante and came with a short piece already put together herself. We sat down for a cuppa and a chat in Dolores’ kitchen and we agreed that she would read me her piece first, and then I’d ask my questions. Dolores entitled her piece “On My Honour” This is mad – me receiving this award, but it presents me with an opportunity to transfer it over to you all in Guiding and dedicate it to all the leaders who have selflessly given their time to the thousands of children in our Association. Our reward is the enjoyment the children receive, the fun and friendships, and memories, that is what it is all about. No money, no awards would ever repay us. We all have lifetime achievements, all different. And my award, at the top of my list, must go to my husband Michael. We’ve been married for 54 years, with four children; three sons and one daughter, and ten adorable grandchildren, all giving me special memories. I owe them my grateful thanks for the wonderful support down the years, I could not have survived without them. Guiding is a huge part of my life. Guiding, for me, started in 1955 at the age of 11 in Buion Padraig in Eastern Region Head Quarters, Harrington Street. Ten years later, in 1965, I was sacked (for getting married) and I was given a picture of the Sacred Heart as a wedding present from the Exec. In 1969 I was reinstated in Buion Cecilia Leixlip, and my Guiding continued.
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Three trips to Africa, and the music lifted the spirits, as did Mexico and Argentina. Again, the children won the day. We walked 250km in Kenya and raised £7,000 for cancer, St Luke’s in Dublin, it nearly killed us but Padre Pio was with us every step of the way. Mexico was another adventure, I remember climbing the pyramid and being unable to go any further, but Maria Kidney of IGG helped me reach the top (sisters in Guiding). We helped build a school in South Africa, which is also something we’re proud of. There are many more stories of different events all involving song and dance, particularly in Africa. What keeps me going are the two Cs: Challenges and Choices, and the three Es: Enthusiasm, Encouragement and Enjoyment. These, along with love, fun and friendship are the very bedrock of Guiding. The aim of Guiding is the same as it was when I joined 65 years ago, to develop the whole person to the best of their abilities. And we need to remember, and appreciate, that we all have different skills, talents and abilities. If we keep our Promise active in our every day life, then we make Guiding a way of life. When she finished her piece, I began by asking Dolores her first memory of Guides? Fernhill, she said, without skipping a beat. “I was 11 years and 1 day old. The enrolment ceremony in the company was brought forward so that I could go on camp”. Dolores, like so many of us, has many fond memories of trips to Fernhill over the years. She laughed as she recalled the fact that was the first place she’d ever seen metal bunkbeds. So Fernhill was her first memory of Guiding, but what was her best? Again, she was ready with an answer, undoubtedly when she was made Chief Commissioner in 1988. Dolores has many memories, and stories, of the work she put into her term as Chief, but as we’re constrained by space here we can’t write them all, perhaps we’ll do another article to hear some more! Something I was keen to hear her opinion on was what does she think CGI do best? Friendship and Fun was the immediate answer. Dolores went on to say that “the friends you make in Guiding are true friends, we share the same core values and we’re friends for life”. Dolores told me that she was part of a 12-person training team back some 30years ago and that this group of ladies still meet up regularly. How many of us can say the same about groups of friends in any other walks of life? Dolores pointed out how she valued her time in Guiding, and that as a wife and
mother this became her time, it was something for her alone as none of her family were involved in Guiding and so it was a sense of freedom and independence for her. And still today, with the Le Chéile section, the fun and friendship theme continues. Dolores is an active Le Chéile member and wants everyone to bear them in mind. If there’s a Le Chéile group in your area why not join them? They’re open to everyone over 18 and who wants to stay involved in some way with Guiding. There are groups all over the country, and if there isn’t one near you, why not consider setting one up? Everyone is welcome in Le Chéile. The next thing we spoke about was what did she think, or regret, that we’ve lost? Our spiritual dimension. In an ever-increasingly secular world it’s hard to hold onto this, but Dolores believes that our Promise needs to be valued more in our Units; that we need to stress its importance from when children join the organisation and that it should mean something to us, not just that it’s learned by rote to perform at an enrolment ceremony and then not thought about again. So what then would she change about that, if she could? A very simple change, it would be to simply add the word “by”; so instead of having a list of things that you promise to do: serve God and his Church, help other people at all times, be a responsible member to the community and to keep the Guide Law. If you add in the word “by”, it totally changes the meaning of the promise. It now says that you promise to serve God and his church by: and then the list is how you fulfil the promise. She feels that we should really think about our commitment to our promise, and if we can do that, that we’ll fulfil our aim as an organisation. Given that Dolores had obviously put a lot of thought into this I then asked if she felt there is something that we should stop doing? Her answer was a definitive “No”. However, she does feel that we’ve almost lost our connection to ICCG (International Catholic Conference of Guiding). She feels the ethos of ICCG is one of reaching out to others, to those less fortunate than ourselves, and surely that’s part of our Guiding Promise and that this a worthy thing to be involved in, so maybe we should think about this relationship some more? Dolores told me that she had joined CGI in 1955, some 65 years ago and I asked if she thought we’ve changed for the better, or the worse? She had to think about this one for a while, but she feels that as an organisation it seems that we don’t really like change at all, and as a result that we are slow to embrace it. It was almost time for me to wrap up our conversation, so I asked a question that I really wanted to know the
answer to, is there something that you think we should bring back? There was a simple, and instant answer, one word: Beanbags! And who can blame her, who doesn’t love a good game of beanbags, and who doesn’t remember the games competitions where some of the leaders were even more competitive than the girls themselves. So as a final question I asked what is your hope for the future of CGI? Where do you see CGI in the future? Dolores surprised me at this point by saying this is something she has been thinking about for quite a while, and in fact she had written a Vision Statement of her own. Dolores’ Vision is a Federation between CGI, IGG and Scouting Ireland, with each Association maintaining control of its own internal affairs. The aim of the Federation Board would be: 1.To provide for youth – scouting for boys, guiding for girls and mixed scouting when requested, with a strict leader ratio policy. 2.To provide joint new policies on programming, training and development, PR etc, focusing mainly on the safety element of its members, and equality for all. The general idea would be for the Federation Board to act as an umbrella body with the three Associations continuing to operate as normal. In five to ten years’ time hopefully a single Movement, only if desired by all, would evolve, working in cooperation with, and never in competition with, each other for the good of all our youth members. So that is Dolores’ vision for the future; not the immediate future; but she finished our chat with a nod to the past. Dolores has never forgotten a piece of advice she was given by Maureen Sloan, then Chief Commissioner, on the occasion of her Appointment. Dolores was appointed to a small Unit, and having come from a much larger one, she questioned this, but Maureen said to her “Remember that one child is as important as many, if you can reach and impact just one child, it has been worth it”. Dolores was profoundly impacted by those words and never forgot them. I’ll close this piece with a quote that Dolores had on a notebook in her kitchen “Do it because you want to, not because you have to” and I think it’s clear to see that though Dolores never had to take on any positions within CGI, or to stay true to her promise throughout her life, that she has done so with grace and good will, and not because she had to, but because she wanted to. And as an Association, we’re all the better for it, for her, and for the many other women like her. Michelle Finnerty Assistant Chief Commissioner www.girlguidesireland.ie 41
N O
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GUIDES OF IR IC E OL
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REJUVENATE REGENERATE GROW
THE DETAILS
WHAT TO DO
We are piloting a new idea, limited edition non-uniform clothing. Once printed the designs are gone as there will be no extra runs on each design. To start with we are having a zoody and a T-shirt.
Send a completed order form to the National Office by email admin@girlguidesireland.ie. The order form is available on OGM. Please see Order Form for full details of postage costs.
The zoody will be navy and emblazoned with the phoenix design from this years Registration badge on the back, and our badge on the left breast on the front of the zoody.
Payment for these items will be taken UP FRONT prior to ordering as we will only print what will be ordered, there will be no spares.
The T-Shirt design is on an Orange T-Shirt with a camp hair disaster printed on the front
Get your orders in by November 22nd. No orders will be taken after this date
ORDER AND PAY BEFORE
NOV 22nd
CGI ZOODY / T-SHIRT
PRE-ORDER
PRICES Child Zoody
€17*
Child Zoody (12 upwards)
€20*
Adult Zoody
€25*
Child T-Shirt
€5*
Child T-Shirt (12 upwards)
€7*
Adult T-Shirt
€10*
*PLUS POSTAGE AND PACKAGING
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Communications We’ve had a great start to our new Guiding year with the weather being quite mild and many Units have been taking advantage of it and getting out and about. We’re all looking forward to the next edition of the Guider's Link where we'll see what you’ve all been up to, and just how National Ranger Weekend went, and we hope that everyone had a great time. Time stands still for no one, and so we’re already looking towards Christmas and ultimately the New Year, so I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your time and dedication to CGI throughout this calendar year, and to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Yours in Guiding, Michelle Finnerty National Commissioner for Communications pr@girlguidesireland.ie
Around Ireland sOUTH west Region Ventact 6th- 8th September 2019 Our first event back of the Guiding year and one of our favourites… VENTACT! We arrived on Friday night, checked in and headed to our campsite “Frontierland”. The legendary campfire was where we headed next, followed by the famous ticket swap for the activities on Saturday. Oh, what a stressful time! The four of us all managed to get tickets for West Cork Secret so we were all delighted. 7:30 Saturday morning and we wore awoken by the Ventact classic ‘Good Morning Vietnam’, how else are you meant to be woken up when camping? We packed our bags and headed for the bus pens ready to depart for our activity. We thoroughly enjoyed our day. When we arrived back to the campsite there was some onsite activities including a rebel brass band which really got everyone in the mood for the disco later on. As always, the disco was fantastic with DJ Aaron Stanton playing all the classic songs. Sunday morning once again we were woken up by Good Morning Vietnam at a later time of 8:30, so we had a little bit of a sleep in. We got up and packed away our tents and tidied up our campsite, we then gathered by the bus pens again to take the Ventact 2019 aerial picture. There were some more onsite activities to pass the morning away. The time came to say goodbye to our friends, some old and some new, as we headed for home, tired, defeated but after having an amazing time at Ventact 2019, and looking forward to Ventact 2020 already! Erin, Gabriela, Sarah and Tara – St. Theresa’s Guide Unit 41, Passage West, Cork
Caherdaniel Brigins In July we decided to erect a plaque by our plum tree in memory of Maureen O’ Donoghue and Betty Donnelly our two founding leaders. Cara made the beautiful plaque which was unveiled on the 28th July with both families, and past and present leaders present. We enjoyed refreshments in the parish hall afterwards.
South East REgion Summerhill Relay for Life
First Aid Kit Donation
Summerhill Leaders and Rangers took part in Relay for Life and the total raised in Wexford was €130,000 for the Irish Cancer Society.
"Hassett's Allcare Pharmacy kindly donated First Aid Kits in the South East Region. "
EASTERN REgion On 14th July members of Buíon Muire na nDolas and Buíon Naomh Brendán took part in the East Wall Festival Parade and funday. Despite the disappointing weather we had great day. We were there early in the day and set up all the stalls we would use for the games after the parade. Then we made our way round to the start and we were very honoured to get a place at the very front of the parade, just behind the Lord Mayor! After parading all round East Wall we returned to the community centre where we ran the games for the rest of the day – we had Bucket & Ball, Limbo and Hook-a-Duck. The girls also got to take part in the other fun activities of the day
www.girlguidesireland.ie 45
BRIGÍN, GUIDE, AND RANGER CAMPS 2020 We would love to offer you a Camp Package that you and your Guides will never forget. We will work with you to create a package that suits your group. The packages are as follows: ACTIVITIES High Ropes Jacobs Ladder (Not suitable for Brigíní) Crate Stacking Raft Building ** Kayaking ** Kayak Safari *** Archery 1 Hour Team Challenges Battlezone Archery Challenge Course
DURATION 1.5 Hours
RESTRICTIONS 130cm Minimum Height Restriction
1 Hour 1 Hour 2 Hours 2 Hours 1 Hour
130cm Minimum Height Restriction 120cm Minimum Height Restriction
1 Hour 1 Hour 1 Hour
OPTION A
OPTION B
OPTION C
OPTION D
2 Night Stay & 1 Activity
2 Night Stay & 2 Activities
2 Night Stay & 3 Activities
2 Night Stay & 4 Activities
€35pp
€45pp
€55pp
€65pp
ADDITIONAL COSTS
Sixa cre, Ta goa t, Co. Wexford, Irela nd
w w w.IO AC.ie
• If Leaders wish to camp only, the cost is €7 per night per person, however if Leaders wish to participate in the activities the packages above are the charge per person. • Shower Tokens are available at reception and have a 10-minute run, there is a €2 charge per token. • *** Kayak Safari is a kayaking experience that takes place on the River Slaney. There is a €10pp additional charge for Kayak Safari. If you do not have your own transport with you, you will need to arrange transport to and from the kayaking starting point. We can provide contact details for local bus hire companies if required. • ** If you choose Raft-Building OR Kayaking on site as an activity there is a €5pp additional charge.
AVAILABLE EXTRAS WITHIN THE CAMPSITE • Within the International Scout and Guide site there is large open space which can be utilised for your programme. • We also have a large stock of Pioneering timber available to all groups. • Within the Guide campsite we have a designed area for backwoods and another area for shelter building all of which can be utilised by your Guide group allowing for you to create a full Guide programme. • We also have a tuck shop on site which your Guides can avail of.
CONTACT INFORMATION We require a deposit of €10 per person to secure your booking, you can pay this via Cash, Card Payment, Cheque or EFT. If you have any further questions or queries or you wish to book the dates and the activities, please do not hesitate to contact us on info@ioac.ie or on 053 9189022 46 Guiders Link Vol. 4
Contacts NEB Chief Commissioner Assistant Chief Commissioner National Secretary National Treasurer Cygnets Brigíní Guides Rangers International Communications Development Training Outdoor South-Western Region Eastern Region South-Eastern Region Northern Region North-Eastern Region
chiefcommissioner@girlguidesireland.ie assistantchiefcommissioner@girlguidesireland.ie secretary@girlguidesireland.ie treasurer@girlguidesireland.ie cygnets@girlguidesireland.ie brigíní@girlguidesireland.ie guides@girlguidesireland.ie rangers@girlguidesireland.ie international@girlguidesireland.ie pr@girlguidesireland.ie development@girlguidesireland.ie training@girlguidesireland.ie outdoor@girlguidesireland.ie s.west@girlguidesireland.ie eastern@girlguidesireland.ie s.east@girlguidesireland.ie admin.nr@catholicguides.org.uk n.east@girlguidesireland.ie
Child Protection Eastern Region 086 2710953 Clare O’Brien South-Western Region Alison Tanner-Howe Maria Dowling South-Eastern Region Barbara Ryan Aideen Moran Northern Region Josephine Higgins Martha Mc Grath Sarah Mc Manus Maire Mc Grath
086 2710941 086 2710950 086 2710958 086 2710952
07581644947 07581644899 07581645481 07581639739
Staff
National Office Coordinator Erinn Dunlea Administrative Assistant Eoin Hamilton Communications Administrator
Nicola Toughey
nicola@girlguidesireland.ie admin@girlguidesireland.ie communications@girlguidesireland.ie
www.girlguidesireland.ie 47
CGI National Office 12 Clanwilliam Terrace, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2 Tel: (01) 661 9566 • Fax: (01) 676 5691 Email: admin@girlguidesireland.ie CGI Northern Region Office St. Francis De Sales, 55 Beechmount Drive, Belfast BT12 7LU Tel: 028 9031 3639 Email: admin.nr@catholicguides.org.uk www.girlguidesireland.ie Charity Number: CHY 7958 Reg. Charity Number: 20018689
Funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the National Lottery.