Adventure as a mindset

Adventure is at the heart of Girlguiding.

Creating safe spaces for girls and young women to try new things, be curious and bold, and move into spaces where they feel brave, underpins everything we do.  

This month we’re exploring how girls and leaders are showing that at Girlguiding adventure isn’t just the activities you do, it’s about how we choose to live our lives as a mindset.  

This article was originally written for our Friends of Girlguiding magazine. Find out more about becoming a friend of Girlguiding.

Living adventurously

Building resilience, being flexible, curious and bold

At Girlguiding we know that adventure helps children build resilience and confidence and become comfortable with the unknown. We’re dedicated to providing girls with safe spaces, where they can take chances. And these experiences have lifelong positive effects on our young members. 

Trying new things

Speaking to the brilliant East Yorkshire Guideacres volunteers who organised a ‘jingle all the way’ Rainbow adventure event at the end of last year, this idea that adventure can help us in how we see and approach the world, starts from girls aged 4 and up.

[Rainbows are] the perfect age to introduce adventure at a basic level,’ they said ‘…because they’re up for trying anything. And it’s a great foundation for them to be even more adventurous as they grow older.’  - East Yorkshire Guideacres volunteer

Flexibility and an eagerness to try things is key to an adventurous mindset. When young people see the positives from taking a chance, they’re more likely to be open to another one that comes along, building confidence.  

Building confidence

Sussex Central assistant Brownie leader Amy notices this in her unit. ‘Girls get confidence doing adventure,’ she says, believing that they then take this into their everyday lives.

We see our new Brownies and they’re super shy and quiet and by the time they’ve done their 3 years in their unit, they’ve got so much confidence and like meeting new people and doing new things.’   - Amy, Brownie leader

Being expansive

For LaSER Brownie leader Mila, doing adventure with her girls is about expanding their horizons. ‘Adventure is about exploring new places! The world is there to explore and we love helping the girls get out there to see it.’ This doesn’t have to mean a trip abroad, it can be in previously unexplored areas outside of your town, she says.  

We can all benefit from an adventurous mindset

And within Girlguiding it’s not just girls who are benefiting from practicing adventure as a mindset – adults are too. Following a leader training event in South West England Kathryn, a volunteer, nervously took the plunge. ‘It was my first residential event in guiding, and I came not knowing anyone,’ she says. ‘But there was nothing to worry about. Everyone there wanted to have fun, everyone was smiling and friendly and warm – it was like going to a festival!'  

By being brave and trying new things her confidence in providing experiences for her girls has grown:

‘It’s amazing just how many activities I’ve managed to experience in one weekend. I feel inspired to take things back and feel confident to even lead an activity or two myself.’  - Kathryn, South West England volunteer

Girlguiding as a community for change

Girlguiding parent Leysan, who trekked for 10 days to Everest basecamp fundraising for Girlguiding last year, puts it beautifully ‘Girlguiding is more than just an organisation. It’s a community where girls grow, learn and thrive.’ And it’s a place where adventure can mean more than a climbing wall, it can help produce a confident and expansive mindset.

Thank you

A huge thank you to all the volunteers, parents and carers, who are creating spaces where girls can develop an adventurous mindset. As we move through 2025 and into 2026, let’s all aim to be as adventurous as we can every day, together.