Young leader

It’s time to take the lead and inspire girls!

If you’re aged 14-17 and want to level up your leadership skills, get a qualification and have an amazing time, then being a young leader is the perfect role for you. Don’t worry if you haven’t done any volunteering before - you can jump right in and we'll support you all the way.

Take the first steps to becoming a young leader and register to volunteer. 

What's it all about?

You’ll be part of a team of volunteers who plan and run weekly meetings where girls explore new ideas, gain new skills, build friendships and have lots of fun. You could be showing 5-year-olds how to start a campfire, creating a mini festival for 8-year-olds or helping 12-year-olds start an upcycling revolution. Find out more about our programme.  

How can I get involved?

It’s entirely up to you. Choose where you want to make a difference: 

• Rainbows (4-7), our youngest members, are full of energy and love discovering new things  
• Brownies (7-10) are funny, creative and have a great sense of adventure
• Guides (10-14) are becoming more independent and are up for a challenge    

Or you can volunteer at a mix of groups. Whatever works for you! If you’re not sure, you can visit a couple of groups and see what suits you.  

What will I do?

Being a young leader is a wonderfully varied role but you will:  

• Go to weekly unit meetings and help girls to do activities from the Girlguiding programme 
• Get weird and wonderful ideas from the girls that you can bring to life as activities or events 
• Plan and run fun activities and games, adapting them to the needs of the whole group 
• Make sure everyone feels welcome and support less confident girls to get involved 
• Share your own skills, experiences, and ideas to inspire others 
• Attend and help organise exciting events, from day-long trips to sleepovers or whole weekends of fun 
• Be a role model for younger girls – someone they can look up to, and who can bridge the gap between the adults running the unit and the young members taking part.   

You can do almost everything that the adult leaders in the group do. 

You can also choose to join millions of people across the UK and the world and make your Promise as a young leader. This shows that you’re part of a global movement changing the world. 

Who can do this role?

Any girl aged 14-17 can become a young leader. You can join after you’ve finished Guides, come back after having been a Brownie or Rainbow, or join us completely new without having been involved in Girlguiding before.  

You need to enjoy working with children or young people and be able to go to meetings on a regular basis.  We understand people get busy so if you need to take a break have a chat with the unit leaders about how much time you can give.  

Why should I do this role?

It’s great experience working with children and young people, plus you’ll make positive impact on others. Or you might want to give back to an organisation that has given you a lot.  

You’ll get to spend time with some amazing young people who’ll make you laugh, boost your confidence and change the way you look at the world.  

You’ll also develop loads of skills that look great on your CV, UCAS application or personal statement, such as: 

• Planning
• Organisation 
• Delivering activities 
• Communication 
• Behaviour management 
• Inclusion 
• Teamwork 
• Taking responsibility for yourself and others

Our community of Girlguiding members make a difference in the world. You can meet new people and build new friendships that will last a lifetime.  

It’s also great fun – you can take a break from the stresses of school and exams to be silly, play games, get messy, try new things and create amazing memories. 

Game player, team player, glitter cleaner, smile creator, being a young volunteer in guiding is all of these things and more!' -Young volunteer

How do I get involved?

If you’re a Guide or Ranger speak to your leader and they’ll help you to move to being a young leader. If you’re not yet 14, you could be a Rainbow or Brownie helper instead. If you want to be a young leader at your previous Guide unit, we recommend that you have a short break (4-6 weeks) before returning, to help make the transition to being a leader easier.

Not already in Girlguiding? Sign up online and a local volunteer will be in touch. If you already know the group you want to help let them know and they’ll get you started.

Once you know which group you’ll be volunteering with, arrange to go along and see what you think.

How will I get the right skills?

You can use our welcome resource to help guide you through your first term. It contains a handy checklist about the key things you should find out when you join a unit, as well as explaining how to keep yourself and others safe.

There’s tasks to help you get involved with your new unit, and some reflection questions to think about when you come to the end of your first term.

Download the welcome leaflet for young leaders.

This welcome resource is the first part of our new young leader offer. If you have any questions or feedback about how it works, you can email the young leader team at [email protected]

After your first term, you can continue to develop your skills by completing the young leader qualification.

Who will support me?

Don’t worry, as you’re under 18, some of the responsibilities will always sit with other people. You won’t be asked to have the responsibility of girls completely on your own.

You can ask the other volunteers in your unit for help, and for any extra information. You may also be able to contact your local commissioner or young leader coordinator for support. Ask your unit leader to help you find out who they are.

What can I do next?

As a young leader, there are lots of other opportunities for you:

• Help with planning activities and get involved with events and trips.
• Set new goals, push yourself out of your comfort zone, try new experiences and gain more responsibility.
• Become a – learn how to deliver sessions for other groups in your area about important topics like self-esteem, mental wellbeing and challenging gender stereotypes.
• Join Rangers – this is for girls aged 14-18. Love the badges and activities that the girls in your unit do, and want some of that for yourself? Find out if there is a Ranger unit in your area and get involved.
• Join a national youth panel – have your say on how Girlguiding is run, our offer for young volunteers, and important causes close to your heart. Our youth panels recruit once a year at various times, so keep an eye out on the opportunities page on the website for more information.
• Complete the Queen’s Guide award (from age 16) – this is highest award you can achieve in guiding if you’re up for the challenge!  
• Countries and regions events – there are many opportunities for you to get involved in events, international trips and youth forums in your local area too.
• When you turn 18, you can take on an adult role, such as a unit helper, train to become a leader, or join our Inspire network for 18-30-year-olds.