Stepping into volunteering with Amplify and Pioneer
Hear from members of our youth panels, Maddie, Fatimah and Niamh, on what it's like to be a volunteer
At Girlguiding, volunteers are at the heart of everything we do, that's why we encourage young adults to get involved.
This Volunteers’ Week, we wanted you to hear directly from former young members on their experiences, what they love about their roles and what it’s like to be a young volunteer.
Meet Maddie, Fatimah and Niamh – 3 chairs shaping the future of Girlguiding from the inside, through our girl voice groups Amplify and Pioneer.
Tell us about your girl voice group
Fatimah and Niamh: Amplify is Girlguiding's girl voice panel. It’s made up of 30 girls, aged 12-18, from across the UK. We were both members of the group before stepping into our current roles.
Amplify gives young members the chance to have a say in decisions and make sure that Girlguiding is designed for girls, by girls, because they are the experts! Sometimes this means sharing our thoughts when leaders are considering changes to the programme, and sometimes it means being involved in activities like interview panels for HQ staff. What we really love about Amplify is that it feels like one big family – everyone is so kind, friendly and welcoming.
Maddie: Pioneer are a group of young members from all over the UK who meet monthly to share feedback, and our opinions, with Girlguiding on all things adventure and international. So far we’ve been involved with Big Gig, Cityscapes Adventure, the accessing adventure fund, lots of badge designing and more! I have the awesome job of facilitating youth voice and making sure our young members are heard.
What’s your role and what do you do in it?
Fatimah: My role is co-chair of Amplify and I think of it as being a bridge between the young members on the panel and the staff leadership team. It's not really a one-size-fits-all role, as there are lots of different tasks and opportunities involved
I helped with our social media efforts for recruitment this year, as well as planning last year's induction. It's a role that involves organisation and responsibility, but also a lot of creativity and fun!
Niamh: As co-chair alongside Fatimah, we have monthly planning meetings with Katie, the girl voice project coordinator, where we discuss upcoming opportunities for our members and reflect on how previous projects have gone.
We also take part in our monthly calls with members – taking the register and gathering their opinions on projects we are planning. So far we have been involved in recording a podcast with our members, planning our triannual social calls and the activities our members will take part in at our summer induction camp, among other things.
Maddie: I’m Maddie, but I go by Pumbaa within Girlguiding, and I’m thrilled to be the chair of Pioneer. I run the monthly meetings alongside my staff partners and make sure we have a warm and inclusive environment so our young members can show up as their best full selves.
What is it like to be a volunteer and what are some highlights from your experience?
Fatimah: One of my biggest highlights was attending the WAGGGS Academy in Greece, where I met people from different backgrounds and learned how guiding runs in different countries. The weather was great too!
Another highlight was going to Buckingham Palace for the centenary celebrations this year. Opportunities like that can come up unexpectedly and make you realise how many exciting experiences you can have through volunteering. I’m really grateful for everything this role has brought me.
Niamh: A highlight for me was the first time Amplify members met in person at HQ in London in November 2022. It was so exciting to meet people I had only seen through a screen before, and I’ve loved seeing that same excitement each year when new members meet for the first time at Induction weekend.
Another standout moment from this year was being part of getting Amplify members involved in recruiting the next chief commissioner of Girlguiding Ulster. They were a tough panel to interview for, and it really showed how girl voice can be regionally embedded in the organisation.
Maddie: It's really fulfilling being a part of Pioneer. I love this volunteer role as I’m super passionate about the power of the outdoors and new experiences. One of the most brilliant parts of volunteering is being part of a whole network of adults who are all trying to make our communities a better place – it's an immediate point in common when making new friends within the organisation.
My time volunteering has led me to several international opportunities: working at Girl Scout summer camps in the USA, being part of a GOLD project in Madagascar and being a leader on a trip to our chalet in Switzerland, through all of which I have made incredible friendships. One of my highlights closer to home is our annual in-person induction – a summer camp of our own adventures, training and connecting with each other as a team.
What does Volunteers' Week mean to you and why is recognising volunteers important?
Fatimah: To me, Volunteers’ Week is a chance to pause and appreciate the people who quietly give their time every week. I think it's about recognising volunteers who often do not realise the impact they have. Recognition helps volunteers feel valued and appreciated, and helps create a culture where people feel seen.
Niamh: I find Volunteers' Week a time to reflect on the valuable work being done by volunteers around us. It is the perfect time to thank our leaders for the fantastic work they do and to learn a bit more about all of the other volunteer roles within the organisation, and how we all work together to continually improve our members' experiences.
Maddie: Volunteers' Week may only be one week of the year, but the impact of volunteering is felt all year round. Through all the relationships I've built, I am lucky enough to feel recognised and supported as a volunteer throughout the year.
What advice would you give to young people who are thinking about getting involved in volunteering?
Maddie, Fatimah and Niamh: Just give it a go, even if you feel nervous – volunteering can be a great way to build your confidence!
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start and it's something you learn by doing. It can give you so much real-world experience, like leadership, teamwork and communication skills. Don't be afraid to speak out and take it as an opportunity to learn something new yourself.
Your kindness, time and effort can go much further than you realise, and everything you do helps shape girls’ futures in a positive way.
