Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Guiding need more help?

We have 50,000 girls and young women on our waiting-to-join lists. By volunteering as a unit Leader or helper you'll enable several of these girls to take part in guiding .

As a volunteer you will get a great sense of satisfaction from watching the girls and young women in your unit develop their confidence and skills, as well as have lots of fun. In addition, working to improve your community both directly with the girls and possibly outside the unit on community projects will give you a huge sense of personal achievement.

As a volunteer you’ll also gain from the experience by making new friends and learning new skills such as leadership and organisational abilities that you can use at work or put on a CV.

How can I become involved with Guiding?

There are many ways of helping out to suit people with different interests and lifestyles.

If you are short of time or are unsure if guiding is for you, you might like to take part in our 12 Hour Challenge. Find out more about the 12 Hour Challenge here.
Becoming a Leader of a guiding unit is a regular and long-term commitment but enormous fun and incredibly rewarding.
There are many other volunteer roles available within Girlguiding UK - the table below shows just a few of them.

	Uniform?	Age?	Female/Male?
Unit Leader	Yes	18-65	Female
Unit Helper	No	18-65	Either
Parent/Occasional Helper	No	18+	Either
Young Leader	Yes	14-18	Female
Camp/Pack Holiday/Outing Helper	No	18+	Either
Occasional Helper - Maintenance	No	18+	Either
Occasional Helper - Driver	No	21+	Either
Unit/District Administrator	No	18+	Either
Unit/District Gift Aid Coordinator	No	18+	Either
Commissioner	Yes	18-65	Female
Occasional Helper - Depot Assistant	No	18+	Either
District Secretary	No	18+	Either
Unit/District Treasurer	No	18+	Either
Relations Adviser	No	18+	Either
Trefoil Guild Member	No	18+	Either
Trainer	Yes	18-65	Either
Fund-Raiser	No	18+	Either
Specialist Adviser	No	18+	Either

I don’t have a background in Guiding? Does this matter?

No – you just need commitment to young people, enthusiasm and a sense of humour.

Can you spare 12 hours (or more) of your time to do something for girls this year? If so, you can take part in our 12 Hour Challenge.

There is no set agenda for the challenge so you have complete control over how you spend the 12 hours. You could do anything from helping a group of Brownies towards getting their Gardener badge to assisting a unit redecorate their premises. If you love cooking, why not share your skills with a group of Guides on camp or if you’re a whizz with numbers help out with a unit’s accounts?

Please call 0800 169 590 1 for more information or to register your interest.

My child is a Brownie, is there anything I can do to help?

Many units have a rota, where a group of parents, adult family members or other adult volunteers take it in turn to help at the unit meeting. Just once or twice a term, it's your chance to get stuck into a wide range of games and activities enjoyed by the girls.

If you are short of time or are unsure if guiding is for you, you might like to take part in our 12 Hour Challenge.

Will I get paid?

No, however, any equipment, food or other supplies bought for a unit can be reimbursed, as can administration costs and guiding-related travel. When you volunteer your local Commissioner will be able to tell you more. Many units will also pay for Leader’s uniform.

Do I have to wear uniform?

No. Many volunteer roles within Girlguiding UK don’t require a uniform. Only full members including Unit Leaders and Commissioners have to wear guiding clothing at meetings, although there is a range of casual guiding clothing for all volunteers if they choose.

Are there any age restrictions on helping out?

If you are aged 18-65 you are eligible to become a volunteer for Girlguiding UK. While Girlguiding UK recognises that many women are perfectly able to volunteer beyond the age of 65, there are others who are less capable of doing so. This is not to say that there are not valuable ways of staying involved - you may wish to join a skills group, help with a unit’s accounts or become an occasional helper.

Will I have to have a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check?

We take the safety of young people very seriously and therefore require all volunteers who work directly with young people to complete a Criminal Records Bureau check. It is an easy procedure and we will provide you with all the help and support you need to complete it.

What is the process for joining?

Click here to contact us and we will forward your details on to your local Commissioner who will be in touch with you shortly.