Introducing our new inclusion advisers
This wonderful new team of volunteers are here to support you to make Girlguiding more inclusive.
In May, we introduced our diversity and inclusion strategic plan. This plan sets out how we will achieve our ambition for inclusion – to be a place where everyone is welcome, is free to be themselves, and has an equal sense of belonging – whoever they are and wherever they’re from.
If you haven’t already, you can read more information about the strategic plan on our website. This is the place to go to learn more about how we developed the plan, what we’re going to do and how we plan to change. You can also find resources that can support you as a volunteer.
Read our diversity and inclusion plan.
It’s a lot to take in, and if you’ve already read all this information, you might be thinking, ‘but what can I actually do as a volunteer to make Girlguiding more inclusive?’
There’s not one right answer to this question, because the needs of every unit and member are different. You might be faced with the challenge of needing to adapt unit meeting activities for different girls’ needs, or you might be thinking about how you can make your recruitment more inclusive to reach a wider range of girls. This is where our inclusion advisers come in.
What do inclusion advisers do?
Our team of organisational inclusion advisers support volunteers at all levels. They’ll answer any questions you have about how to support our diverse members.
Between them, they have a wealth of expertise and lived experience of different areas of inclusion, including disability, mental health, young carers, race, LGBT+ and faith.
They’ll be involved in developing training opportunities in their specialist areas for volunteers, as well as helping us create inclusive programme resources and activities. And they'll regularly get in touch with country/region teams, helping us all to work together to make Girlguiding more inclusive.
Sophie (she/her)
Race inclusion specialist
I’ve been in guiding since I was seven when I started Brownies and was a Guide and young leader in London. When I moved to Norwich for university, I started volunteering as a leader and completed my leadership qualification last year.
Being mixed race, I didn’t see a lot of leaders who looked like me growing up. I think it’s important for young members to see guiding is inclusive of everyone and that everyone can be involved in the organisation. I want to help make sure younger members of guiding have an inclusive environment where they feel represented.
“Being mixed race in a very male and white-dominated work environment, I’m used to standing up and making my voice heard.”
Margaret (she/her)
Young carers and disability inclusion specialist
I’m a Guide leader in Bath and a prospective (hope to be qualified soon) trainer. I grew up with a disabled younger brother and although I wouldn’t have said so at the time, I was a young carer.
I watched over him, wiped bums, rang ambulances, constantly worried about his future, and memorised many Thomas the Tank Engine episodes! Guiding was a great source of consistency and gave me the opportunity to do activities and go away to places we couldn’t as a family. But I always struggled for transport, worried about home, and experienced coming back from camp to go straight to the hospital.
Raising awareness around young carers is important, and I believe Girlguiding can provide a space where girls and adults can be treated and cared for as individuals.
Camilla (she/her)
LGBT+ inclusion specialist
I’m bisexual, I’ve been a Girlguiding volunteer for three years and I’m really proud to be an LGBT+ inclusion adviser.
To me, inclusion means genuinely listening to and learning from everyone’s experiences. There’s so much we can learn from each other if we just open our hearts and our minds to new possibilities. We all have amazing and valuable insights to share, which should be welcomed and celebrated.
Together, we can raise Girlguiding up even higher and make sure we’re truly an organisation that is for everyone!
“There’s so much we can learn from each other if we just open our hearts and our minds to new possibilities.”
Meg (she/her)
Disability inclusion specialist
As a police officer I acquired a lifelong and life-changing disability following an injury on duty. It was at this point I truly experienced and understood the challenges facing those with disabilities. I became even more determined to help provide a place and experience which empowers young women to grow, explore and reach their potential.
I want to challenge and dismantle the complex and wide-ranging barriers which exclude people from opportunities based on difference. I am truly honoured to be able to continue with what I love doing most on an organisational level - helping people and challenging injustice.
Sophie (she/her)
Mental health inclusion specialist
I’ve been involved in guiding since I was a Rainbow, but it was only from the age of 17 I learned about all guiding had to offer. Being an advocate gave me the opportunity to campaign and lobby for gender equality issues at a national level. My experience working as a special educational needs asssistant in a secondary school also challenged me to take action on the mental health crisis affecting so many young people around me.
In 2020 I worked with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to develop a resilience project and create a resilience toolkit. As an inclusion adviser I hope to provide women with support networks, so they feel valued and empowered to reach their full potential.
Jenny (she/her)
Faith inclusion specialist
From as early as I can remember, I’ve been passionate about inclusion and making sure those on the fringes are welcomed. When I’m not a Guide leader, I work as a Methodist Minister and this opportunity to work with the Inclusion team within guiding is a dream come true as it brings all my passions together.
Being mixed race in a very male and white-dominated work environment, I’m used to standing up and making my voice heard. Although I work for the Church, I was brought up in a Hindu household and have happy memories of growing up multiculturally, although there are still some English nuances which I find fascinating! I’m excited to work with the Inclusion team and help Girlguiding to be the best it can be.
Rachel (she/her)
LGBT+ inclusion specialist
Girlguiding has been a huge part of my life for the last 20 years, from Brownies right through to becoming a leader and current member of Inspire. I’ve been part of Girlguiding in multiple regions of the UK, and the experiences this has provided has fuelled my passion to be a part of the next step in Girlguiding becoming truly inclusive to all members.
Personally, I have sadly had some negative experiences that suggest there is still work to be done, but instead of letting those stop me, I decided to join this team to help Girlguiding move forward and make positive change.
Bethany (she/her)
Mental health inclusion specialist
I am a child and adolescent mental health nurse and a Guide leader. When I was a Guide and Ranger, I had my own struggles with my mental health. Being a member of Girlguiding gave me a safe space that was consistent and structured. It’s played a huge part in my life and got me to where I am now.
It’s a huge privilege to be part of taking the organisation forward in becoming a more inclusive place for girls, young women and adults who may be experiencing mental health difficulties, or supporting those who are, and to pay back what Girlguiding has done for me.
Bryony (she/her)
Disability inclusion specialist
I'm an occupational therapist and also live with a physical disability. I hope both my professional and personal knowledge and experiences will enable me to support and advise others. Inclusion within Girlguiding is important to me as I want to make sure all members are able to participate in the Girlguiding programme, no matter what their personal circumstances are.
Girlguiding has had a profound and positive impact throughout my life; I joined as a Brownie, and worked my way through to now being a Brownie and Guide leader.
Josie (she/her)
Network coordinator, lead volunteer for inclusion
My role combines my passion for inclusion with my love of guiding. In my professional life I'm a secondary school languages teacher which involves supporting children with disabilities and learning needs and those living in areas of deprivation, on a daily basis. I've also worked for a deaf children's charity which helped me to learn a lot about the challenges faced by deaf young people.
I'm so glad that I get to use my knowledge and experience to make Girlguiding as inclusive as it can be so that every member can feel safe and that they belong.
What you can do now
Now you’ve met the advisers, there are a few ways you can get involved with their work! If you have any questions for the network, please contact volunteersupport@girlguiding.org.uk As well as this team of organisational advisers, we’re encouraging division, county and country and region teams to recruit their own advisers who can support members on a more local level.
If you’re interested in this role, speak to your county team to find out if the opportunity might be available in your area. If you’re a commissioner and you think your local area could benefit from inclusion expertise, you can use the role description on our website to recruit the people you need.
Be on the lookout for more opportunities, training and resources around inclusion in the coming months! We know there’s lots of great work already happening on a local level to make Girlguiding more inclusive. We want to support you in that work and continue on our journey together.
Use the social media buttons below to share this article with your guiding friends