Guiding Star award

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

Girlguiding members can nominate exceptional volunteers 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:

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

You should include evidence of any significant contribution and impact on guiding when you send us an application. If the award application is based on an incident or emergency, this 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.
• Include a fully completed awards application form. If you need a nomination form, contact [email protected].
• Be accompanied by a copy of the member's guiding history report.
• Contain 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.

When you’re filling out the application form, think about:

• What makes you think the member as a potential recipient?
• What makes them stand out from other young members?
• What has been their impact on her peer group and on her leaders? Can you give examples?
• Even though the award often links to things beyond guiding meetings, this is a Girlguiding award. Explain how Girlguiding links to the main reason for the application.

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.

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.

Writing citations

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

Think about what each person can say about your nominee that shows off what the member does.

There needs to be a cover sheet that tells the awards committee who the citation writers are and what part of a nominee’s life they cover. In a citation, often less is more. A few well-placed quotes from girls or adults involved with the young member can really help.

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.