Growing together
How we've worked with the Scouts to develop a closer partnership and learn from each other
Growing together
How we've worked with the Scouts to develop a closer partnership and learn from each other
Over the last three years, we’ve been collaborating with the Scouts on Space to Grow Together to grow and diversify our organisations. Funded by the Pears #iWill Fund, a partnership fund of Pears Foundation, the National Lottery Community Fund and the Department for Digital, Media, Culture and Sport, the project saw volunteers and staff develop closer partnerships by working together and learning from each other. Some of our stand-out successes included giving almost £40,000 in grants to help 83 new units open and supporting 148 units to stay open that were at risk of closing because of the pandemic. Over £60,000 in grants helped these units continue guiding. We also recruited 353 volunteers and created 1,644 spaces for girls.
Illustrations: Hikimi/agencyrush.com
We spoke to some of the people involved to find out how they benefited from Space to Grow Together, what they learned and the tips and advice they have to share.
Leader Louise Watts teamed up with leaders in her area to run their units together.
Supporting units through Covid-19
Volunteers in Croydon faced falling unit numbers of girls and volunteers as guiding moved online. Those who were able to continue volunteering decided to bring some units together.
Leaders Louise Watts, and Kim Nicolls, a unit leader and Fairfield Division Commissioner (Croydon), teamed up to run the 1st Croydon and 4th South Croydon Rainbows and the 10th South Croydon Guides. Louise also runs the 5th Croydon and 8th South Croydon Brownies.
They were able to move to online meetings from summer 2020 and the leaders arranged activity packs for girls to do at home. Funding from Space to Grow Together has since helped to keep them going.
Louise said: ‘There have been some memorable moments over the last year. Seeing the girls - some of them for the first time - when they came to pick up activity packs, watching them have the same enthusiasm and growing in confidence each week on zoom. We had an amazing sleepover weekend with other Rainbow and Brownie units and the girls loved being part of it.
‘My paid job is full on and I sometimes work in excess of 50 hours a week. The zoom sessions and volunteering are my de-stress time. It’s been lovely to have some normality and something to look forward to each week.’
Once the units re-start face-to-face meetings, Louise expects many of the girls to re-join and plans to separate the units again if they have enough volunteers.
‘I’ve really enjoyed the zoom sessions and it will be good to do some online sessions in the future. It would be something different for dark nights when no-one wants to leave home!
‘The advice I’d give to others is share the load if you can. Take turns to do activities instead of doing it all.’
Growing guiding through a pilot
To grow guiding in Fleet District, growth and communities coordinator Jenni Davis worked with Guide leader Lois and a Brownie leader to set up a new Brownie unit. They adapted the Scouts four-week challenge, inviting potential members – both girls and adults - to join a new unit for a four-week trial, to get a taste of what guiding is all about.
They put up posters, delivered flyers and advertised on social media to spread the word. They created 1st Stone Brownies and started off with five girls in June 2019. Over the four weeks, the girls tried activities from the programme while the adults were able to find out what it’s like to volunteer. By the end of the month, they had a group of 12 girls and a leader. Sadly, lockdown stopped the group from meeting, but they hope to return to face-to-face soon.
Jenni has this advice for anyone thinking about setting up a new unit.
‘This approach can work if you want to test out if a unit is needed in an area, and how much interest there is. It’s also a good way to involve parents from the start.
‘Existing volunteers need to have the capacity to support the volunteers beyond the four weeks so build a network of support around the new unit.
‘It can take a while for the unit to grow after the pilot, which may leave the unit low on funds. Apply for local funding; local councils often have schemes to support new youth provision. Talk to your commissioner to find out what support there is from district, division, or county. In Kent West, for example, the county funds the rent for the first three months for new units to help them get established.’
Jenni Davis adapted the Scouts four-week challenge to invite new members.
Julie Mutton-Hughes, 6th Rainham North Brownies leader was asked to shield.
Volunteers supporting each other
Through the course of the project, we heard many stories about volunteers helping each other. One of these was 1st Rainham North Rainbows and 6th Rainham North Brownies leader Julie Mutton-Hughes, who was one of the millions of people advised to shield.
Julie moved her units online and stayed in touch with the area’s growth and communities coordinator. She’s now part of a newly formed growth and retention team in Kent West.
Wanting to support other units to continue guiding, she posted on social media in June 2020 offering her help to units in need of volunteers.
A leader at the 382nd Liverpool Brownies responded and since then Julie has been volunteering for them from her home in Kent, running activities including making musical instruments, going on an online sightseeing tour of Liverpool, and joining a magic themed county event.
She says she’s pleased to see the stability the girls have had from meeting every week.
‘When everything else was upside down, Rainbows and Brownies has been constant every week on zoom. Leaders have managed to let their hair down as well and play silly games, leaving the worries of the pandemic behind for an hour and a half. It has helped all of us when it comes to our mental health.
‘I was on a very strict lockdown, not even allowed out in my garden for well over a year, even now the garden is the furthest I can go. But with guiding I have been able to escape these four walls and travel to Liverpool, Scotland, South Africa, Australia, America, Ireland, France and more.’
Julie plans to keep volunteering for the Brownies in Liverpool until they start meeting face-to-face again.
‘I’ll miss them dearly and I’ll be ready if they need to go back on zoom. As leaders we’ll definitely keep in touch. We’re friends for life, which is truly wonderful as we haven’t even met in person yet but there are plans to when the time is right.’
To find out more or if you have any questions about Space to Grow Together, email fundedprogrammes@girlguiding.org.uk
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