GAT community Action Pack- act to celebrate the centenary

Celebrate the next 100 years by doing something to change the world around you.

WAGGGS has a history of standing up for vulnerable members of society. For more than 60 years, volunteers have represented WAGGGS and its member at the United Nations. Through the Mutual Aid Scheme, Member Organizations support each other to implement community-based projects.

Participating in centenary activities that make a difference to your community is especially important: Will your contribution help to make our collective actions be remembered in 100 years’ time?

Throughout its history, the Girl Guide/Girl Scout Movement has been associated with service to the community. To help other people is part of the Girl Guide/Girl Scout Promise; ‘lend a hand’ is every Brownie’s motto. Service was one of Baden-Powell’s four signposts for the Movement. Over the years, giving service as Girl Guides/Girl Scouts has developed from the good turn to encompass local, national and international level projects.

Community action, in the form of community service and development projects and development education, is a way to achieve WAGGGS’ Mission to enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world. WAGGGS aims to provide girls and young women with opportunity for self development that will ultimately lead to a more peaceful world.

By helping others, Girl Guides/Girl Scouts develop a greater self-reliance and awareness and learn to accept responsibility for the future of their community. It is widely accepted that voluntary organizations contribute greatly to community development. Girl Guide/Girl Scout organizations have the capacity to enable young people to learn about their communities and take action on issues that affect them and their families.

Top Tips for Community Action

• Talk to your community: Find out what are the issues that affect your friends and neighbours. Focus on improving these issues. How do they want to change things and how will they get involved?
• Find your passion: Go for something that you have passion and enthusiasm for, otherwise you may lose interest.
• Do the research: Once you know what you’re going to work on, find out all you can about the topic. Has anyone done a similar project that you can learn from?
• Make a plan: Planning is essential to your project’s success. Make sure you know what needs to be done, by whom. Also define key deadlines and work out a budget.
• Enlist support: Find people and organizations in your community that might be able to help. These could be local businesses or charities that can help you with resources, volunteers and funds. Be sure to make use of any local support offered.
• Celebrate successes and learn from challenges: Make sure you have decided how you will monitor your progress and evaluate whether you have a achieved what you set out to do.

Doing a good deed, as part of your centenary celebrations, can be a small act of kindness or a big project that will benefit your community. Make your centenary celebrations a time to make a personal commitment to change your world and those around you!