As a Girlguiding volunteer I have been selected to participate in a GOLD (Guiding Overseas Linked with Development) project in Guyana, in South America.  The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) is the world’s largest organisation for girls and young women with ten million members in 145 countries, and has been partnered with the United Nations for over 60 years. Through its Member Organisations, including Guyana and the UK, and through working directly with girls and young women, WAGGGS delivers high quality non-formal educational programmes and international opportunities that provide girls and young women dynamic, flexible and values-based training in life skills, leadership and citizenship.

Our GOLD project will be working on training programmes and support networks to recruit and retain leaders to allow Guyanese girls and young women the opportunity to benefit from membership of the WAGGGS association on a larger scale.  In addition, the project aims to help the Guyanese leaders to develop national resources, similar to the UK Guide handbook, and badge syllabuses, but ensuring they are culturally relevant and appropriate to Guyana.  I'm incredibly excited about facilitating these goals with the help of my team and the Guyanese association.  Our ultimate aim is that all girls and young women in Guyana have access to Girlguiding and its opportunities

We have to raise around £2000 to cover our flights, accommodation and subsistence whilst in Guyana, as well as training resources, and briefing weekends before we travel in the summer.  Don't worry, this is definitely NOT a holiday!  We'll be training on fifteen days over three weeks, and if you read about Guyana, you'll discover it's not famous as a tourist hot-spot!  Anything you can donate is appreciated, or your support to help me with my other fundraising activities will be gratefully received!

A key part of our project is its sustainability.  The project goals are chosen by the host country who put forward a proposal to the UK Girlguiding Central Headquarters.  The Guyanese and UK representatives then work together to develop an achievable project plan.  Crucially, the projects are time limited to five years, which ensures that the focus is on sustainability.  Additionally, the projects are adapted by the host country in partnership with the UK on an annual basis to ensure that the project goals are still relevant and appropriate year on year.  In previous years the Guyanese project emphasis has been on helping young people to bring about a positive change in society; namely to increase environmental awareness and action.  As leaders themselves have been trained to develop similar environmental programmes, it was felt by the Guyanese team that in this, the fourth year of the partnership, an emphasis on growing the Guyanese Girlguiding association should be the main goal.

In the UK, Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women.  It has approximately 575,000 members, of which 100,000 are volunteer leaders.  Girlguiding is an inclusive girls only space allowing members to discover their full potential and be a powerful force for good.  Women, and Amerindian women in particular, are among the most economically, socially, politically, and culturally marginalised groups in Guyana. Unfortunately, there are currently only around 1100 Guyanese members of Girlguding, which means there are thousands of girls and young women who are not able to benefit from the empowering opportunities Girlguiding can offer.  

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