Whether this is your first Innovate or you’ve been before you’ll always have questions and here we try to answer as many as possible.

When/where will the next Innovate event be?	The next Innovate is Innovate Dalguise being held in Perthshire over the weekend of October 24-26 2008. Innovate events are held approximately eight months apart – the exact date depends on the availability of the venue. You can calculate roughly when the next Innovate will be by counting eight months on from the past one. Innovate has visited every Country and Region since it started in 2000. We’ve started off that journey again with Innovate York (North East Region) in 2007 and will work around the other Countries and Regions.We like to ensure we have a date and venue agreed and booked before publicising the event – as this saves confusion. As soon as it is confirmed we will update the webpages and let you know.
Why does Innovate happen every 8 months?	Historically, Innovate was held once a year. As popularity increased the Planning Team realised that several Senior Section members would not get the chance to have their say on Girlguiding UK issues.
What can I use Innovate for?	Innovate counts for several things; Look Wider The Queen’s Guide Award – Service in Guiding, Element 4 or the Residential Experience Clause. Your personal development and record of achievement!
Can my Senior Section group come to Innovate?	Unfortunately we don’t do group applications for Innovate spaces but your Senior Section group can all apply on an individual basis. There’s nothing to stop you fundraising as a group!
Does my County know I’ve attended Innovate?	We currently don’t provide participant names to Regions or Counties unless you tick the box on the application form to allow us to. However, it’s always good to let people know you are attending Innovate – perhaps they know some other people from your area who are attending so you could share travel? You could approach Counties or Divisions for financial help for Innovate costs and travel.
Can I get help to pay for my travel?	Innovate itself does not pay personal travel expenses but we know it costs a lot to travel from one end of the country to the other to attend. Why not ask your District, Division, County or Country/Region for a grant. If you're travelling alone and don’t know what to do when you arrive at the station/airport, don’t worry. For each event there is a Travel e-group where participants can get together to discuss travel possibilities – you may even find someone to travel with. We will provide you with directions, and where possible maps and timetables to make the journey to Innovate as stress-free as possible. If you need any assistance when travelling to the venue – please get in touch and let us know. If you haven’t received an invite to the travel e-group two months before the event please email Innovate@girlguiding.org.uk so that we can re-invite you.
What do I wear at Innovate?	Most participants wear a mixture of uniform, other guiding wear (for example, T-shirts from camps and events) and their usual clothes. It’s up to you! There will be items of Innovate clothing available, which will be individual to each event. These are only available to participants and have to be ordered in advance (you will receive the relevant forms). They cannot be ordered at the event.
Do we get a kit list?	As going to Innovate is all about new experiences, and developing as a person we feel that giving out a kit list would be a little prescriptive. However, you do NOT need a sleeping bag and it’s always sensible to bring some changes of clothes and a waterproof! If you do need to bring anything in particular for an event you will be informed.
What is a YDU session?	It stands for ‘Why Don’t You’ session – and this is your chance over the weekend to try something a bit different, to do something for you over the weekend. In the past we’ve had things like podcasting, scrapbooking, pampering sessions – even a Viking re-enactment.
What is an Association Project Workshop?	It’s your chance to have your say on Girlguiding issues, or issues that impact on Girlguiding. You’ll be in a workshop group with around 14 other participants. You will spend time looking at your issue, discussing and debating it then putting forward suggestions and solutions to problems. Each workshop is facilitated by a Planning Team member who will be writing a summary of the things discussed at the workshop and the suggestions/solutions that come from your group. This summary is then passed back to Girlguiding UK to feed into the development of polices initiatives, resources and much more.
What happens to the work at APW workshops?	Each workshop has a sponsor who provides the topic and information to the facilitator of that workshop. This sponsor will receive a written and/or verbal report on the workshop – and this work will be fed back into key streams of work being undertaken by Girlguiding UK. Sometimes the results gathered from an Innovate workshop are used as part of a wider membership consultation, for issues affecting the wider membership. Other times the results feed directly into Senior Section projects – it really depends on the workshop!
What are some examples of outcomes from workshops?	• Innovate workshops suggested the Reality Check topics of ‘Bullying’, ‘dealing with grief’ and ‘domestic violence’. • A rough version of the ‘Welcome to Guiding’ leaflet was developed. • An Innovate workshop suggested that Senior Section resource be available on CD ROM. • A succession planning workshop at Innovate recommended that CHQ level appointments should be advertised through guiding magazine. • The Contemplate series in guiding was a result of Innovate recommending raising members' awareness of different religious festivals. • Participants contributed to the ‘Employee Supported Volunteering’ leaflet.
Will I get a reminder as to my workshops before the weekend?	We send you a letter detailing which workshops you will be in for the weekend. This will let you know if there is anything specific you need to bring.
How am I assessed for my Queens Guide Award?	We need to know in advance that you are using Innovate for your Award. You should bring your record book to the weekend so it can be signed. The criteria you are assessed against can be found on this site. You should read the Award syllabus and notes carefully and bear the requirements in mind during your weekend.
Who are the Planning Team?	The Planning Team are all Senior Section members who have attended at least one Innovate as a participant! We are spread all around the United Kingdom and have a variety of roles within Guiding at our local levels. There are two Planning Teams who plan alternate Innovate events, once on the team you will plan and run one or two Innovate events (dependent on age) and be the ‘Shadow Planning Team’ at the two Innovates in between! Each Planning Team has a rolling membership – meaning that half the team are new and the other half of the team have had experience of planning and running an Innovate event.
How do I apply for the Planning Team?	To apply for the Planning Team you must have attended one Innovate event.  We’ve put a role breakdown on the site for you to have a look to see what it entails and the commitment that being on the team requires. Once you’ve decided you’d like to apply you’ll need to fill in an application form which is also on these webpages. We’ll need to know which Innovate you attended as a participant and that you will be under 26 before the Innovate you will be planning. Vacancies on the Planning Team arise after each Innovate, as of the rolling membership nature of the teams. We will be looking for new members for the Planning Teams after each Innovate so will collate all the applications we’ve had until that point to select the new team members. A timescale of every eight months was agreed on meaning that the date of each Innovate would be different each time. This would mean the event would be accessible to more people – and would fit in around different personal commitments (school, university, work etc).

Not found the answer you were looking for? Email:

innovate@girlguiding.org.uk

If you want to know, the chances are someone else does too!