GOLD

Guiding Overseas Linked with Development (GOLD) enables young women to develop their potential and make a difference in the world

Improve your skills, experience new cultures and make a long-term impact.

GOLD empowers young women to work in partnership with other guide associations around the world. It's great for our GOLD teams, who have fantastic adventures, and it's great for our partner organisations too. 

GOLD has been working with member countries of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) for 30 years. So far, we've given over 1000 members of Girlguiding an adventure of a lifetime. 

Transforming GOLD 

We’ll be using what we’ve learnt from recent pilot GOLD programmes to shape our next adventure. From now until 2025, we’ll be looking at how we can transform GOLD to better meet the needs of Girlguiding UK and our partners around the world.   

Our vision is to create a model that is even more impactful, more inclusive and more equitable.   

To make this a success, we will be pausing GOLD for one year in 2025. This will give us the time and space to redesign GOLD.   

As there will be no GOLD projects in 2025, there will be no Go for GOLD (our current selection event) in 2024. Applications for the re-launched programme in 2026 will open in 2025.   

Projects that make a lasting difference 

Past GOLD projects have travelled to more than 41 countries including Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Malawi, Peru and Sri Lanka. Each project is tailored to the local needs of the partner guiding association.  

These projects range from leadership skills training to delivering advocacy programmes to young women. Designed in partnership with other guiding organisations, these sustainable projects make sure that the positive impacts of GOLD are still felt after everyone has gone home – so they make a real difference! 

What happens on GOLD? 

We put together teams of six members – five participants supported by a leader with previous GOLD experience. Teams work with a member organisation of WAGGGS on a specific area of developing guiding. They might run leadership skills training, develop a recruitment strategy, set up a new section or lead workshops on body confidence. 

On a GOLD journey, you can: 

  • Make friendships that last a lifetime 
  • Make a real difference to communities and guiding overseas 
  • Learn about new cultures and meet new people 
  • Learn new skills – great for you and for your CV 
  • Bring back your newfound skills and experiences to local guiding 

What will GOLD look like in 2024? 

There will be a mixture of face-to-face and virtual GOLD projects in 2024. 

Members taking part in a face-to-face project, may travel to their partner country for 3 weeks with their team to work with their members on the ground (travel and Covid-19 restrictions permitting). 

Members taking part in a virtual project will be part of exciting collaborations with partners around the world. They'll deliver between 10 and 20 hours of content with their partner organisations over a 3 month period.

In 2024, we’re also introducing an exciting opportunity to take part in a GOLD project in the UK. We’re partnering with the Greek Guiding Association to deliver sessions for Girlguiding UK members on international leadership. Members taking part in this project will travel around the UK for 3 weeks with their team and Greek guiding members. This GOLD project will reach more UK members than ever before and bring the excitement of international guiding home. 

How to apply

Applications for Go for GOLD 2023 are now closed. As GOLD projects will be paused in 2025, there will be no Go for GOLD in 2024, but watch this space for future events and announcements.