Tracy Foster on our 2025 Girls' Attitudes Survey

Launching our Girls' Attitudes Survey was the highlight of September.

September certainly was a busy month! I’ve attended a leadership weekend with senior leaders, a safeguarding, health and wellbeing conference full of insights, and a workshop session on neurodiversity. We also held a county commissioner induction and our annual trustee board overnight meeting, which included lots of reflection and planning.

But the real highlight was the launch of our Girls’ Attitudes Survey, with an event at Outernet London. This year we launched the report alongside our brand campaign against sexism and misogyny and we’re calling on the prime minister to act now to keep girls safe. Sign and share our open letter to show your support

At the event, 7-year-old Brownie Sophia, and 19-year-old advocate Aishah, spoke so confidently and did us proud. Our ambassador Ashley James hosted an incredible panel of speakers. With so many of our partners and supporters there, it was a great moment for our girls to really have a platform to use their voice.

For 17 years we’ve been giving girls and young women a platform to speak out on issues that matter to them through the Girls’ Attitudes Survey.  This year we ask over 2,500 girls and young women aged 7 to 21, both inside and outside of guiding, to tell us how they feel about their everyday lives. 2025’s report is as impactful as ever, revealing the many challenges girls are facing today. If you haven’t had the chance to read it yet, please take a look.   

This year a couple of findings stand out for me. 

• More than half of girls and young women aged 11-21 don’t feel safe on public transport on their own.
• 48% say they always avoid going out when it’s dark to keep themselves safe.
• And 1 in 10 girls aged 11-16 (10%) have missed school to avoid sexual harassment.

There many more findings in the report, and at Girlguiding we’re working to address them all the time.

What you do as a volunteer  helps girls have a safe space to be themselves, build their confidence and find their voice. I’m really proud we do this. We make such a difference, and this is a good time to take a moment to reflect on that. Whatever your role, we’re role models for our girls and young women.

You can find out exactly what girls told us in the full report. Please share it as widely as possible so even more people hear what girls have to say.  

As always, thank you for everything you do, take care and keep spreading the word about Girlguiding!

Tracy