Girl Guides: Reading as a Recruitment Strategy

Ok my Guide and Girl Scout friends, have you read this book?  How the Girl Guides Won the War by Janie Hampton?  If you haven't, take my word for it - read this book.   Primarily focused on Girl Guides from the UK, it also has several mind blowing chapters on Guide and Brownie Units in internment camps in China, Scouts in Poland, Holland, and France, as well as occupied Jersey.  The determination, sacrifices, and drive that Guiders and young women in the Guide/Scout world during World War Two is amazing and inspiring, and at times heartbreaking.  

Reading about young girls who had been traumatized by the war, unable to speak, or evacuated to countries where they didn't speak the language, who saw Guides in Uniform and raised their hands and made the Guide sign brought tears to my eyes.  Seriously, teared up several times reading their stories. 

I'm pretty sure reading this book is the main reason I decided to take on a second Unit this year.  As in many communities around Canada and likely around the world, the demand for Guides is high but finding women to run the units is difficult.  In my district alone there are three units with girls registered but no leaders to Guide them.  Other Units have wait lists.  So, inspired by all the leaders in this book I'm taking on this extra Unit.  I defy anyone to read How the Girl Guides Won the War and NOT want to do more!  We should be giving this book out to anyone who even seems remotely interested in helping out with Guides and Scouts (there's my recruitment strategy tip for the year).  

The local public library brought this book in at my request, so anyone in St. Albert who wants to read it, it will be back in the library tomorrow.  After you've read the book, please let me know.  I'm going to need a couple more inspired Guiders to help me run this Guide Unit.  And, if you can't come out full time, just get in touch with me - I know you all have special talents and passions and I can arrange for you to be a special guest for a meeting or two!

For those of you who have read this book, how many of you have taken to wearing your Guide badge under your jacket/shirt lapel like the Guides in the book did?  I'm thinking of starting to do this!

 

 

Comments

[craft]

if the 3 units without Guiders don't get Guiders in the fall why not suggest that the girls join Lone Guiding until such time as you do find Guiders?

We have one Lone Unit for each Branch with a Lone Guider where the girls from sparks to rangers can continue with their program earning badges, etc. They can transfer back to a local unit at any time of the year.

And yes this is a super great book - all Guiders should take the time to read it - very inspiring.

Craft
a Lone Guider for 3 AB Lone Units