Local guiding: counties, divisions and districts

Local units are part of districts, which are part of divisions, which are part of counties

Counties

Each country or region is divided into counties. These guiding counties don't necessarily correspond to local government boundaries, but are created to meet the needs of guiding in that area.

The county commissioner

Each county has a commissioner who is the lead volunteer for that county. As part of their role they:

• Chair the County Executive committee
• Can invite one or more assistant county commissioners to support them
• Can invite individuals to be a secretary and a treasurer
• Are encouraged to create a team of specialist advisers/coordinators to help with specific aspects of guiding in the county

County teams

County teams are led by the county commissioner. The team also includes all division commissioners in that county, or if there are no divisions then all district commissioners would be part of the county team. This sometimes happens in smaller counties. In divisions or districts where there is no commissioner, a representative of the team attends county meetings.

How counties are run

Most also have an executive committee with its own constitution or terms of reference. This group supports the county commissioner and are responsible for running guiding in that county.

Counties may also have a Junior Council, forum or panel, which should have its own constitution or terms of reference.

In some counties, the county team may be supported by professional staff.

Divisions

Most counties are divided into divisions. Division teams are encouraged to work together to meet the needs of guiding within a given area and provide strategic support to the county commissioner.

The division commissioner

Most divisions have a division commissioner who:

• Chairs the Division Executive committee meeting
• May invite an assistant division commissioner to support her
• Can invite individuals to act as a division secretary and a treasurer, and other people with appropriate skills to provide administrative support
• can create a team of specialist advisers/coordinators, in consultation with the appropriate county adviser/coordinators.

Division teams

The division team includes the division commissioner and all district commissioners and advisers within the division. In divisions or districts where there is no commissioner, a representative of the appropriate team will attend division meetings.

Districts

Most divisions, and some counties, are divided into districts. Units of two or more different guiding sections may be grouped into districts led by a district team who work together to meet the needs of local guiding.

The district commissioner

Most district teams are led by a district commissioner who:

• Chairs the district meeting
• Is encouraged to create a district team to support her, which could include an administrator, a secretary and treasurer

District teams

As well as the district commissioner, district teams include all of the leaders, young leaders and district assistant(s) in the district. Any additional members of the district team must:

• Be members of Girlguiding
• Be willing to support the aim of Girlguiding and to abide by its policies
• Be invited to join by the district commissioner
• Undertake a role for a term that does not extend beyond the finishing date of the district commissioner's (except unit helpers) but may continue immediately in the same role or in another capacity if invited to do so

In districts where there is no commissioner, a representative of the district team will attend meetings.

Titles and administrative areas can vary from county to county. Some counties don't have divisions or districts and some divisions and districts don't have commissioners.