Girlguiding UK sees spike in new members
Nicole Weinstein
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Record numbers of girls and young women have signed up to join Rainbows, Brownies and Guides in the past year prompting the charity to launch an appeal for more volunteers to keep up with demand.
Girlguiding UK has reported a 20 per cent increase in new members and the highest number of young member enquiries recorded since 2015.
Since March 2021, 51,246 new members aged four to 18 have signed up to become Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers and 184,000 people have made membership enquiries.
Angela Salt, chief executive of Girlguiding UK, said: "We are really excited to welcome more girls and young women.
“After a challenging couple of years for everyone, it is really great to see the opportunities Girlguiding offers acknowledged through the significant increase in those wanting to join us in the past year.”
To mark the launch of Volunteers’ Week (1 – 7 June), the charity has put out an “urgent” call for more adult volunteers to meet the demand so that they can continue to offer girls and young women a space where they can “be themselves, build brilliant friendships, gain valuable life skills and make a positive difference in their communities”.
Volunteers have the opportunity to meet new people, share and gain skills, do something rewarding and empower girls to realise they can achieve anything, the charity says. They can also volunteer on a flexible basis, helping at weekly unit meetings or in supporting roles, such as administration, finance, photography or as a shop manager.
For those keen to progress, there are specialist volunteer roles, such as trainer coordinator, outdoor activities adviser, admin support communications and PR adviser.
Emma, assistant region chief commissioner in north west England and a Brownie leader, aged 21, said: “Volunteering at Girlguiding has been so rewarding for me. My journey with guiding goes back to when I was a Rainbow myself and I got to experience all the fun and adventure of being a Rainbow, Brownie, Guide and Ranger.
“While a Ranger, I began volunteering at the Brownie unit I had been a part of. I also volunteered as a Girlguiding Advocate and as a Girlguiding Action for Change Network Coach. I am now the youngest Assistant Region Chief Commissioner, and I am still so passionate about Girlguiding.”
She added: “My volunteering roles and journey throughout the organisation has helped me to discover confidence and self-belief that I didn’t know I had. By volunteering, I ensure that as many young women as possible benefit from the organisation in the same way I have.”
For more information visit: girlguiding.org.uk/get-involved/become-a-volunteer/register-your-interest/
