Guiding Star award

The Guiding Star award is given to exceptional young members of Girlguiding, aged up to 19.

Girlguiding members can nominate a young member for a Guiding Star award by submitting an application.

Who can get a Guiding Star award?

The Guiding Star award can be given for 1 or more of the following:

• Acting as an exceptional role model.
• Demonstrating great resilience.
• Showing initiative in response to an emergency.

Applications should include evidence of the young member’s contribution and impact on guiding. If the application relates to an incident or emergency, it must have been within the last 6 months.

Submitting an application

An application:

• Must be submitted without the knowledge of the nominee or their family.
• Must include a fully completed awards nomination form (PDF, 683KB).
• Must be accompanied by a copy of the member's guiding history report. This can be generated by your country/region team.
• Must include letters of support from appropriate guiding and non-guiding people. The unit leader should write a letter reflecting on the nominee's membership of, or contribution to, their unit.

Applications can also include a video, voice note or any other creative way you can think to share their achievements.

Writing the application

Try and answer these questions when you write the application:

• What makes them stand out and in a position to receive a national award?
• What has been their impact on their peer group and on leaders? Can you give examples?
• How is the reason for the nomination connected to Girlguiding?

In some circumstances, an emergency application may be considered at short notice. If the award needs to be processed quickly, please contact your country or region office, who’ll contact the chair of the awards committee.

Letters of support

1 person should take the lead, but a small group of people need to be involved in writing letters of support.

Letters of support should:

• Explain how the writer knows the nominee.
• Describe their qualities and achievements with examples.
• Reflect different aspects of the nominee's contribution to Girlguiding.

You'll need to include a cover sheet that tells the awards committee who the writers are and what perspective they bring to help give a clear picture of the nominee's contribution.

The awards committee is made up of leaders from around the country. They won't know your local area. So, if you are describing the response to an emergency in a particular place, for example, please provide further information about the location. This’ll allow the committee to fully understand the impact the nominee has had.

The application process

Any member of Girlguiding may start an application for this award. The nomination needs to be discussed with the relevant commissioner.

Submit completed applications for the Guiding Star award to your country or region office for consideration. Applications are then submitted to the Girlguiding awards committee for the final decision.

The awards committee usually meets twice a year, in spring and autumn.

Need help?

If you have any questions, get in touch with us at [email protected].