How Girlguiding is run

How Girlguiding makes decisions that benefit girls through our board of trustees and our council

What you need to know about how we're run.

Girlguiding is led by our Board of Trustees who make decisions and make sure they’re carried out. The Council, representing members across all Countries and Regions, can be consulted on major projects to make sure that decisions made reflect the opinions of members UK-wide.

The board of trustees

Girlguiding is a charity, so we’re led by our board of trustees who make sure we use our resources in the best possible way to deliver our vision, mission and Girlguiding's strategy. 

Find out more about what trustees do.

The council

The council represents Girlguiding’s membership. Members bring their own individual roles and views, as well as talking with people in local guiding to bring a range of input to consultations on our direction.

Find out more about who sits on the council and what they do. 

The Royal Charter

The Royal Charter is Girlguiding’s governing document. The bye-laws within it set out the rules for how The Guide Association (Girlguiding) must be governed. For example, it states how many trustees we must have and what the Council does, among other things.

The Royal Charter was updated in 2018 although the style is very much of the original legal document of 1922.

Download the charter in full to read it for yourself.