How to host an unforgettable promise celebration
There are so many ways to make it special
The promise is what brings everyone in guiding together. It’s a shared commitment that every member of Girlguiding is invited to make. And it links us to other Girlguiding members and the million people involved in guiding across the world.
‘I promise that I will do my best, to be true to myself and develop my beliefs, to serve the King and my community, to help other people and to keep the (Brownie) Guide law.’
We also have a shorter version for our youngest group, Rainbows.
‘I promise that I will do my best to think about my beliefs and to be kind and helpful.’
Making the promise is a special event for Girlguiding members. Celebrating it with the whole unit and friends and family is a great way to make it feel fun and memorable. Learn more about the promise and law.
If you’re thinking about planning a promise party or celebration, here are some things to think about.
When to throw your celebration
All Girlguiding members are invited to make their promise when they’re ready. It’s optional for girls and volunteers – you don’t have to make your promise to be part of our community, although you do have to make the promise to complete your leadership qualification. Girls working toward their Gold award will also need to make the promise to achieve their award.
What do we mean by ‘when they’re ready?’ It will look different for every girl, but generally lots of units invite girls to make their promise after they’ve been in the unit for a full school term or a half term. By this point, they’ll probably have experienced a range of different guiding activities, and will likely feel a bit more settled. They might have had the opportunity to watch other girls make their promise as well. Just make it clear that it’s totally optional, and that they can do it in whatever way works best for them.
Planning a great promise celebration
Promise celebrations don’t have to feel like a formal ceremony – although they can do! It should feel like a special celebration of a girl or a volunteer’s commitment to guiding, and there are lots of ways to do that. A promise celebration can happen anywhere - over the years, we’ve heard stories of units who made their promise underwater, on rollercoasters, and even at weddings! And, of course, it can happen in your regular meeting place.
1. Ask the girls in advance
The best way to host a great promise party is to involve girls in the planning ahead of the celebration. Each unit will hold an in-unit promise celebration differently. Some have girls in a circle, some in two lines and some even sing a song before they start. This is your unit's chance to really make it yours.
‘My guide promise, back in 1990, was made on the river Thames, standing up on the front of a canoe, with my fellow Guides rafting up their canoes next to me. I managed not to fall in the river, well, not then at least!’
- Tanya, Brownie leader
You could get your girls into small groups and ask them to design how they would hold an in-unit promise ceremony. Give them the time that they would be allowed, space and anything extra - you may have a unit tapestry or mascot that could be part of it.
Get the groups to share their celebrations. Is there one that everyone likes or can you mix in elements from all of them? Or try out each of the celebrations and all vote at the end for your favourite.
We’ve also created activity sheets for every section to help girls think about the promise and what it means. For Rainbows and Brownies, this includes a blank section where they can plan their dream promise party – their imagination is the limit. It might be a challenge to make some of their wilder dreams a reality, but there’s often a way! If they want a party in a treehouse, you could get the girls involved decorating your unit meeting space with hanging strings of leaves and flowers. Or you can literally take a trip to the treetops at one of our activity centres! You won’t be the first member to make your promise on a treetop course or a zip line.
Guides and Rangers may not need as much of a steer as younger sections to help them contribute their ideas, but you can still provide some structure if that’s helpful. Could you ask around leaders in your area for ways they’ve hosted celebrations? Share some of your favourites with the girls and chat through what they think the limitations might be. You could set up a pot of suggestions that girls can contribute to in their own time over the space of a few weeks.
2. Think about how to include everyone
‘My daughter was too scared to make her Brownie promise in front of all the other girls and leaders, so her leader supported her with one-to-one support, and she made her promise away from others as not to draw attention to herself.’
- Brownie parent
Once you have your idea, make sure that everyone making their promise during the celebration is comfortable with the format. Not every girl may be confident making her promise in front of a large crowd of people. For example, girls who are neurodiverse may prefer things to be set up slightly differently to help them feel comfortable.
If your promise celebration involves a physical activity or experience, it’s important for it to be accessible to everyone. You can find detailed guidance on how to remove barriers for disabled members, adapt activities and make adjustment plans on our website. We also have guidance on how to learn to sign the Promise in Makaton.
No matter what adaptations they need, lots of girls may find the public speaking bit of the celebration a bit daunting, and there are lots of ways to help boost their confidence. They can have printouts of the promise to read from – you can find these on the promise certificates already. The unit could say the promise all together, or you could have their Rainbow or Brownie buddy say it at the same time.
3. Think about involving parents and carers
It could be a good idea to reach out to parents and carers to see if they’d like to watch their child make their promise. For many parents and carers it's just as special a time as it is for their child. It may bring back memories of their own time in guiding. If you're having parents and carers in the unit meeting space, make sure you follow safeguarding guidance and if they’re taking photos of other children, make sure you have the correct photo permissions.
4. Give everyone a role
Giving everyone a role or a task can help everyone feel involved. You could have different girls walk alongside the person making their promise. After they’ve received their promise badge, pass it around the girls and they can all take a silent moment to welcome the girl into our family.
They could also help out with remembering the words! You could give different girls individual words on large pieces of paper that they have to hold up at the right time. It‘s a great way to make everyone laugh, and keep a sense of fun.
We love hearing your stories about promise celebrations! Whether it’s something you planned for your unit, or fond memories of making your own promise, we’d love to hear your stories. Fill out the form to get in touch.
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