How we sound

Glossary

of common terms

You can use this glossary to check how we write common Girlguiding terms and words.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

A

1st response

Not First Response (our first aid training scheme)

1 team

Number 1 then lower case on team

5 essentials

Number 5 then lower case for our 5 guiding principles

activities

Use in relation to the programme only

activity theme

Lower case

adviser

Not advisor. Lower case for role

advocate panel

advocates (people). Lower case for both

Anglia region

Girlguiding Anglia region is 1 of 9 countries and regions in Girlguiding. Initial capitals for place names. Lower case on ‘region’. Region can be dropped where appropriate

annual subscription

Lower case

area

Lower case (a broad term for our districts, regions, counties, countries and divisions)

a safe space

Lower case - if this might be confusing in a sentence, use a more straight talking word like training or resources. Write levels in lower case: level 1, level 2, level 3

assistant leader

Lower case for role

award

Lower case when referring to awards in general. Capitalise the names of specific awards, but not the word award itself: Laurel award role

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B

badge

Lower case when talking about badges in general and when describing specific badges: active response badge

BAME

Avoid this term – say people of colour instead. As much as possible, refer to ethnic groups individually, rather than as a single group, such as Black Caribbean people.

be well

Lower case for the programme theme

Beaver Scouts

Beavers

Initial capitals (Scouts 6-8-year-olds)

Big Gig

Both words capitalised for the name of this event

board of trustees

the board

Lower case

British Overseas Territories

Girlguiding British Overseas Territories is a county within the Girlguiding North West England region

Bronze award

First word only capitalised

Brownie

Brownies

First word only capitalised. Initial capital when referring to the 7-10-year old section

Brownie buddy

Brownie helper

Brownie holiday

Initial capital on Brownie only. Not Brownie pack holiday.

Brownie unit

Not Brownie pack

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C

chief commissioner

Lower case

chief guide

Lower case

climbing and abseiling scheme

Lower case

code of conduct

Lower case in running text. First word only capitalised at the start of a line (on the title page, for example)

commissioner

Lower case

cooperate

Not co-operate

coordinator

Not co-ordinator

county, country

Lower case, even when referring to the Girlguiding area

Covid

Not Covid-19 or COVID-19 or coronavirus

Cub Scout

Cubs

Initial capitals (Scouts 8-10-year-olds)

Cymru (Wales)

Girlguiding Cymru (Wales). Initial capitals for place names. Always use Cymru when referring to this country. 1 of 9 countries and regions in Girlguiding.

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D

DBS check

disclosure check

Either use the abbreviation (stands for Disclosure and Barring Service check) or the simple term. Only the abbreviation uses capitals

disabled girl or person

Instead of girl or person (living) with a disability

district district assistant district commissioner

Lower case

doing our best

Lower case – if this might be confusing in a sentence, use a more straight talking word like standards or checklist

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Name of award is capitalised in line with DofE style.

After the first mention, can be abbreviated to DofE


E

ecard

elearning

email

enewsletter

Without hyphens

emergency file

Lower case

Explorer Scouts

Explorers

Initial capitals (Scouts 14-18-year-olds)

express myself

Lower case for the programme theme

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F

fair trade

Lower case and 2 words when describing the general movement

Fairtrade

1 word with initial capital to refer to the official trademarked name

first aid

first aider

Lower case

founders

Lower case. Used to refer to our founders, Robert Baden-

Powell and Agnes Baden-Powell

Free Being Me

Each word capitalised for this module from the peer education programme

fundraising

Lower case

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G

Girlguiding UK

Use only in a global context

Girlguiding qualified trainer

Lower case to refer to someone who delivers training and has their trainer qualification

Girlguiding shop

We can also refer to this as our volunteer shop. Don’t use the term trading to refer to the shop.

Girlguiding’s strategy or our strategy

Lower case on strategy. We no longer say strategy 2020+

Girls’ Attitudes Survey

Initial capitals. Don’t use the abbreviation GAS externally

GO

Capitals for the abbreviation of our membership system (Guiding Organiser)

going away with licence or scheme

Lower case

Gold award

First word only capitalised

good turn

Lower case

government

Lower case

Guide

Guides

Initial capital for our 10-14-year-old section. Use only in relation to the members of this section – when referring to everyone say ‘all girls in Girlguiding’ not girl guides

The Guide Association

The legal/financial entity – only use when necessary: for example, ‘please make cheques out to The Guide Association’

Guide camp permit

First word only capitalised

Guide law

Only Guide capitalised

guiding

Guiding is what we do (verb). Lower case, except when it’s in a sentence with Scouting (Guiding and Scouting) or a global context (World Guiding)

guiding magazine

Lower case

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H

have adventures

Lower case for the programme theme

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I

ICANDO

All capitals for our activity centre in London

innovate

Lower case for skills builder topic - see skills builder for more info

Inspire

Use Inspire if the context is clear and if not use Girlguiding Inspire. Initial capitals for our community for 18-30-year-olds

interest badges

Lower case: fitness interest badge, book lover interest badge

International Scout and Guide Fellowship (ISGF)

Spell out with initial caps at first mention then use upper case abbreviation

International Women’s Day

Initial capitals and apostrophe before the ‘s’

internet

Lower case

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J

jamboree

Lower case, unless referring to the name of a specific one: Jamboree Denmark

joint unit

Lower case

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K

the King

Always capitalised. We can initially say His Majesty The King, then HM the King or the King on other mentions

know myself

Lower case for the programme theme

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L

large bus permit

Lower case

leader

Lower case for role

leader in training

Lower case

leadership qualification

leadership team

Lower case

lend a hand

Lower case

LGBTQ+

The acronym we use for lesbian, gay bisexual, trans, queer + communities

local authority

Lower case

London and South East England region (LaSER)

Girlguiding London and South East England region is 1 of 9 countries and regions in Girlguiding. Initial capitals for place names. Lower case on ‘region’. Region can be dropped where appropriate. Often abbreviated to LaSER

Long Service award

Name of award capitalised (but not the word award)

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M

Magic and Mayhem

Capitals for the event name

marketing team

Teams are lowercase

members

Lower case. Avoid using externally: say volunteers and girls and young women instead

members’ area (on the website)

member organisation (of WAGGGS)

Lower case with apostrophe

Lower case

mentor

Lower case for the role

mentoring

Lower case

Midlands region

Girlguiding Midlands region is 1 of 9 countries and regions in Girlguiding. Initial capitals for place names. Lower case on ‘region’. Region can be dropped where appropriate.

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N

no one

No hyphen, 2 words

North East England region

Girlguiding North East England region is 1 of 9 countries and regions in Girlguiding. Initial capitals for place names. Lower case on ‘region’. Region can be dropped where appropriate.

North West England region

Girlguiding North West England region is 1 of 9 countries and regions in Girlguiding. Initial capitals for place names. Lower case on ‘region’. Region can be dropped where appropriate.

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O

online design centre

Lower case

online shop

Instead of web shop

order code

Lower case. Girlguiding order code, not trading service order code. Put code before price when describing items

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P

parent and carer

Lower case. Always use parent and carer together, not parent and guardian.

patrol

patrol sleepover

Lower case

patron

Lower case

Pax Lodge

Capitalise place name

peer education

Lower case

peer educator

Lower case for role

peer group residential events

Lower case

people or person of colour

We don't use BAME. As much as possible, refer to ethnic groups individually, rather than as a single group, such as Black Caribbean people

programme

Lower case

promise

promise badge

promise sign

Lower case

promise celebration

Lower case. Not enrolment

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Q

Queen’s Guide award

Name of award capitalised (but not the word award)

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R

Rainbow

Rainbows

Initial capital for our 4-7-year-old section

Rainbow helper

Lower case for helper

Ranger

Rangers

Initial capital for our 14-18-year-old section

region

Lower case

residential

Lower case

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S

Scotland

Girlguiding Scotland is 1 of 9 countries and regions in Girlguiding. Initial capitals for place names

Scouting

Scouts

The Scout Association

Always capitalised. In sentences that refer to both, guiding always comes first and is upper case: Guiding and Scouting

Scout Network

The Scout section for 18 to 25-year-olds

Scouts

The Scout section for 10 ½ to 14-year-olds

second

Lower case when referring to the deputy leader of a patrol or six

section

First word only capitalised

Silver award

Name of award capitalised (but not the word award)

Silver Fish award

Name of award capitalised (but not the word award)

six

Lower case. Brownie units can have smaller groups known as a six. Lower case for this Brownie grouping

sixer

Lower case when referring to the leader of a six

skills builders

Lower case

skills for my future

Lower case for the programme theme

Sparkle and Ice

Initial capitals for the name of the event

social services

Lower case unless referring to a specific body: Hertfordshire Social Services

South West England region

Girlguiding South West England region is 1 of 9 countries and regions in Girlguiding. Initial capitals for place names. Lower case on ‘region’. Region can be dropped where appropriate.

survival skills

Lower case for the unit meeting activity topic

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T

take action

Lower case for the programme theme

task and finish group

Lower case

Theme award

First word only capitalised

they

Use as a gender-neutral third-person pronoun

trainer

Lower case for role

trainer qualification

Lower case

trans (adj)

Lower case, preferable to transgender.

trading team

Lower case

travelling abroad training programme

Lower case

trefoil

Lower case

Trefoil Guild

Initial capitals for the name. Lower case when talking generally about individual guilds

trustee

Lower case

tweet

Lower case (for verb and noun)

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U

UK, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Avoid saying ‘this country’ or ‘this nation’ when you mean the UK. Don’t say ‘the capital’ or ‘the national anthem’ without specifying which one

Ulster

Girlguiding Ulster is 1 of 9 countries and regions in Girlguiding. Initial capitals for place names

unit

Lower case

unit helper

Lower case for role. We don’t say ‘occasional helper’

unit leader

Lower case for role. We don’t say ‘guider’

unit meeting

Lower case when referring to the activities in general. Lower case for topic names: survival skills

unit meeting activities

Lower case when referring to the activities in general. Lower case for topic names: survival skills

unit meeting activity cards

Lower case

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V

volunteer

Lower case

volunteer shop

Lower case – we can also say Girlguiding shop

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W

WAGGGS

Acronym for World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts

webpage

1 word

Wellies and Wristbands

Capitalise this event name

world badge

Lower case

World Centres

These are; Our Chalet in Switzerland, Our Cabaña in Mexico, Pax Lodge in the UK, Sangam in India and Kusafiri in Africa

world chief guide

Lower case for role

World Conference

Capitalisation following WAGGGs convention

World Flag

Capitalisation following WAGGGs convention

World Guiding

Guiding has an initial capital in this context

World Thinking Day

Capitalise event

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Y

young leader

young leader development programme

Lower case for role and training programme

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