Your thoughts about our programme

We've listened to your feedback, and we're excited to share what you think.

In July 2023, the programme turned 5 years old. 

Our programme promise 

When we launched the programme over 5 years ago, we promised to review it. We always want to know what your experience is like running the programme, what girls enjoy the most, what they want more of and how we can make the programme the best it can be for everyone.  

As part of this review, we asked thousands of members to have their say. We asked around... 

• 8,900 volunteers. 
• 3,922 girls. 
• 2,000 parents and carers. 

We did this by chatting to members in focus groups, interviews, group activities and a survey. We did this through the programme testing pool, insight and innovation pool and asking you to fill out our survey via Girlguiding news.  

We asked all of our members things like: 

• What’s your unit’s favourite activity and what would your unit like to do more of? 
• How are girls involved in the planning of your unit’s programme? 
• What makes an activity exciting and engaging or boring and dull? 
• Is your child having the experience you’d hoped for at Girlguiding? 

And much more. 

She was really proud to have her own meeting to attend. For myself it was great to see how well the Girlguiding team interacted with her and to witness that we really are consulting with all ages.'  - Parent of Rainbow about our interviews with girls.

What you think about the programme

Guiding is all about giving girls unforgettable experiences and making friends for life. We know true guiding happens in those magical moments when a Rainbow makes a new friend, a Brownie tries something new, a Guide finds their passion, or a Ranger takes on a new challenge. 

We hope our programme helps to make those special memories happen. It’s designed to be flexible and delivered however you and girls choose. 

Volunteers, girls and parents and carers said they highly recommend the programme and feel it has a big impact on girls. 

• Over 8 out of 10 girls, volunteers and parents and carers recommend the programme. 
• Over 77% of volunteers and 80% of girls say the programme is fun. 
• 82% of parents and carers report their child enjoys the badges and activities they do with their unit and say they appreciate the unit volunteers. 
• 70% of girls want to move to the next section to do more badges and activities.  
• 72% of Rangers want to be a volunteer in the future and give back to others. 

Both you and girls told us that your favourite activities to do as a unit are creative, active, social, practical and adventurous. And girls want even more activities and badges on offer.  

Girls also said they enjoy doing a variety of different activities and experiences across the 6 programme themes. 

Girls leading the way

Girls told us they love being involved in choosing and planning what activities they do and having opportunities to run and lead activities.  

It gives you freedom and helps you talk about what you want to do. Makes Guides more unique and personal.’ Guide 

'We look together at activity options and assign an evening to each group where they plan and deliver activities for the rest of the group across the term. Girls often choose UMAs and take the lead in running these, particularly game-based ones.’ – Unit leader 

The impact you have on girls

What came through really clearly in our programme review is how much of an impact you have as volunteers delivering our programme. 

Here's just a few things girls and their parents or carers said...

My leaders have made a big difference for me as I've grown up and I'd like to be able to do the same for other people.’ - Ranger 

'The unit was so welcoming and she does so many different things. They look forward to activities each week.’ - Parent 

'I want to give back as guiding has given me so many opportunities that I’m extremely grateful for.’ - Ranger

A big thank you!

Thanks to volunteers like you who give up their time to deliver the programme and everything else in between, girls get to have amazing experiences they’ll remember forever. Thank you, we couldn’t have the programme without you! 

Please keep an eye out for the update at the end of the month via Girlguiding news for more details about the future of the programme. But don't worry, no big changes will be happening. Instead, we'll be focusing on small things we can do to make it the best it can be for everyone.