The Girl Guides, Brownies and Rainbows

In 1907 Sir Robert Baden-Powell formed the Boy Scouts. Revered as a general in the army Baden-Powell came up with the idea of introducing a training scheme for young boys that would instil in them not only discipline and respect but would also help prepare them for life as adults.

In 1909 at the Scout’s inaugural rally at Crystal Palace a small group of girls came to protest and show their desire to join the Scouts or to have a group of their own; this was something that Baden-Powell already had in mind and so the Girl Guides was born.

The Girl Guides is split in to four sections:

• The Rainbows
• The Brownies
• The Guides
• The Senior Section

Rainbows

The Rainbows are the youngest age group of the Girl guides and range from five to seven years of age (except in Northern Ireland where a girl can join on or after their 4th birthday). The Rainbows promote learning, friendship building and play and are intended as a means of instilling confidence in small children so that they bond and play together on an equal without barriers or prejudice. They will take part in games and activities that all come under the banner of the ‘Rainbow Jigsaw’.

Brownies

Having successfully completed their Rainbow stage the girls move onto being a Brownie. Being a Brownie involves being part of a pack referred to as ‘Sixes’. This is designed to ensure that all of the girls in the group have a unit of ‘ready made friends’ and can interact and mix with those around them, which helps to build up confidence.

Guides

By the age of ten a girl is ready to join the guides and with that comes the opportunity to progress her communication skills and also to build up her skills set that have already been taken to a particular level. Guides form patrols in a similar way to the Brownies before them with their ‘sixes’ but these ‘patrols’ are encouraged to plan their own activities and elect their own patrol leader, who will be instrumental in helping plan activities and also act as a mentor for the others in the group. This role – and the role of the others in the group – is designed to help the girls build confidence and also build up their ability to plan and take control of their own lives – skills which will be invaluable in adult life.

The Senior Section

Young women between the ages of 14 and 26 can join the senior section of the Girl Guides and can embark on outside activities such as award schemes and the guides’ own Look Wider Programme. The Look Wider Programme encourages these young women to consider their lives as adults and also to help those around them – or indeed those girl guides younger than them. They are also eligible to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, which can lead to qualifications, and skill sets that might have otherwise eluded them.

The Girl Guides – just like the Boy Scouts – is designed to help self-confidence blossom and individual’s bring their personalities to the fore whilst all the time interacting with others and forming long term friendships.