Innovate is Girlguiding UK’s Forum for Young Women – but what does that really mean? Simply, Innovate is:

• one open and inclusive weekend.
• 150 dynamic Senior Section members.
• a lot of hard work.
• even more fun.

What happens at an Innovate weekend?

As the voice for Girlguiding UK's Senior Section, one of Innovate’s key functions is to discuss and explore current issues in guiding. We do this by running Association project workshops that provide feedback to Advisers, committees and departments of Girlguiding UK. Participants commit a lot of energy to these workshops and have produced many radical and fresh ideas. Over the last five years we have proved that the future of Girlguiding UK is in good hands!

Innovate is run by Senior Section members, for Senior Section members. It works on the basis of “giving through working on Association set workshops” and “getting through gaining lifestyle and career skills in personal development workshops”.

Personal development workshops offer participants the chance to have some fun by trying a new skill or learning about something unusual. In recent years we’ve tried everything from graffiti art and t’ai chi to Fair Trade and turkish baths. In terms of entertainment, the famous Innovate “Saturday Night” is always fabulous. Since 2002 we have fundraised for a charity and themed the night accordingly – the outfits get wackier every year!

No wonder participants describe Innovate as “tiring” – but they also describe it as:

• “inspirational”
• “informative”
• “thought-provoking”
• “eye-opening”
• “friendly”
• and above all “fun!”.