Residentials led by girls and young women

These changes affect the Guide camp permit, the Senior Section permit and our new offer for members aged 18-30. All changes will come into effect from programme changeover.

Guide camp permit changes

The main changes to the Guide camp permit are:  

• The Guide completing the permit must have camped out for four nights in total, on two or more occasions since they joined Guides (either with their unit or outside of it).
• The majority of Guides going on the permit camp will need Camp stage four skills builder.

The starting age and conditions around what kind of camp they can run will remain the same.

Any Guides who have completed the Camper and Camper Advanced badges before the end of programme changeover will still be able to use these to start their permit. Any Guides currently taking their Guide camp permit should carry on.

We’ll be creating a new resource Guides can use to record their permit to replace what’s in the G-File. This will be available to download from our website later in the summer. 

We’re also starting to look at updating the content and visual design of this permit and badge to encourage even more Guides to lead their own camping adventure. More information on this will be coming soon

The Senior Section permit changes

This will now be called the Lead Away permit, which will be available for Rangers and Young Leaders to complete. There will be a new, fresh resource for the syllabus and recording of this permit, along with an newly designed badge and certificate. 

The Lead Away permit will consist of seven challenges:

1. Plan a residential
2. Organise and administrate
3. Safety and security
4. Staying healthy
5. Catering
6. Organise the programme
7. Facilities (including looking after camping equipment)

We’re retiring module eight (lead a mobile expedition) and nine (international trips).

I’m working on my Senior Section permit now. What should I do?

It’s up to you. If you will be finished before the end of programme changeover you can keep going. If not, you can either swap and complete the Lead Away permit if you’re under 18 or plan a young adult residential if you’re over 18.

If you’ve got any questions on changes to the permits, please contact the Programme team on [email protected].

I’ve already got my Senior Section permit, can I still use it?

Yes. You can use the permit to run trips in the same way you have been doing, until your 26^th birthday.

How will these changes affect international trips?

If you’re planning to complete module nine of the Senior Section permit as part of an international trip, you’ll need to complete it before the end of programme changeover. If you won’t complete it before programme changeover, and you’re over 18, we will be releasing guidance for residentials for 18+ members in the summer.

If you won’t complete it before programme changeover, and you’re under 18, then you should speak to your leader.

If you have any questions on the guidance for international trips, please contact the international team on [email protected].

Residentials for young adults

The chance to organise residential events with other young women in guiding is an important part of our offer for members aged 18-30, so we’re piloting a procedure to help you plan safe, high quality events.

The pilot procedure for adult residential events will include guidance for planning your event, and a form to notify your commissioner that it’s happening. It will also be eligible for the Queen’s Guide Award Outdoor Challenge. 

We’ll be sharing more information soon, but in the meantime, if you have any questions contact us on [email protected].

Queen’s Guide Award Outdoor Challenge

This summer we’ll be making some changes to the Queen’s Guide award, including the Outdoor Challenge element one (which includes the Senior Section permit). We’ll make sure that the changes don’t cause current candidates any disruption, and it will also have a pathway for the young adult pilot scheme. We’ll be announcing more about this shortly.