Brownies (Scouting)

Brownies are the section in the Girl Guides (or in the United States, Girl Scouts) organisation for girls aged seven years old to ten years old. Exact age limits are slightly different in each organisation.

History

Brownies, originally called Rosebuds, were first organised by Lord Baden-Powell in 1914 to complete the range of age groups for girls in Scouting. They were first run as the youngest group in the Guide Association by Agnes Baden-Powell, Lord Baden-Powell's younger sister. In 1918, his wife, Lady Olave Baden-Powell, took over the responsibility for the Girl Guides and thus for Brownies.

Originally, the girls were called Rosebuds, but were renamed by Lord Baden-Powell after they complained that they did not like their name. Their name comes from the story "The Brownies" by Juliana Horatia Ewing, written in 1870. In the story, two children, Tommy and Betty, learn that children can be helpful brownies instead of being lazy boggarts.

In November 2022, the Girl Guides in Canada announced by January 2023 that they would rename this section of Guides, as it was deemed "a barrier to racialised girls and women" and to be more inclusive. In January 2023, the name Brownies was changed to Embers.

Italy

In some scouting associations in Italy, the term was maintained and extended to boys, coexisting with Wolf Cubs.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, Brownies were originally called Rosebuds. Rosebuds was started in 1914 and was originally for girls aged 8–11. Rosebuds was renamed to Brownies in 1915. In 1937 Princess Margaret became the first royal Brownie.

Brownies is the second youngest section of Girlguiding in the UK, catering for girls aged 7–10. A group of Brownies who meet together is called a unit. Brownies work in small groups called sixes: each six is named after either fairies or woodland creatures. A six is led by a Sixer and has a Second who acts as deputy. The Brownie programme is called the Brownie Adventure. It is split into 3 parts: you, community, world.

Girlguiding UK launched a renewed programme in the summer of 2018, which consists of six themes that all sections work on at different levels. Brownies gain theme awards by working on specific skills, completing activities in unit meetings and interest badges. The themes encompass adventures, social awareness, history, creativity and developing skills such as first aid and life skills.

Before the major programme update there were 57 interest badges for Brownies. These could be done in meetings with the unit or at home or in clubs such as swimming. Brownies could also work towards Adventure badges which were gained over a period of time and required girls to complete many different activities.

There are a few Brownie songs that some packs sing at the beginning of the meeting:

This is usually sung as each six skips under the brownie bridge and into the circle. It is often followed by the next song:

There are slight variations of the songs.

Some packs also sing one of the traditional songs to end a meeting, to the tune of the Cambridge Chimes:

The UK headquarters of Guides and Brownies is on Buckingham Palace Road in London.

Motto, Promise and Law

Australia

In Australia (where girls of all ages are now called Girl Guides) the Guiding Promise is:

Prior to 2012, the Promise was:

The Brownie Guide Law, prior to 1996, was:

The Brownie Promise 1990:

I promise to do my best, to do my duty to God, to serve my Queen & my country, to help other people and to do a good deed every day.

Motto 1990: "Be prepared."

The Brownie Guide Motto, prior to 1996, was:

The Guide Law, Promise and Motto, which are followed by all ages of the guiding movement after 1996, are the Laws, Promise and Motto relating to the guide age group.

Canada

In Girl Guides of Canada, the Brownie Promise is:

The Canadian Brownie Law is:

The Canadian Brownie Motto is:

Old Promise:

The old Brownie Promise is from the 1950s

The English Brownie
Law is:

The English Brownie Motto is:

On 2023, the term Brownies was changed to Embers over concerns the name was racist.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, the Brownie Promise is:

The Law is:

Ireland

In Ireland, the Brownie Promise is:

The word 'God' can be replaced by the word 'faith' according to one's spiritual beliefs.

The Irish Brownie Motto is:

Singapore

The Singaporean Brownie Promise is:

I promise to do my best, to do my duty to God, to serve my country, and help other people, and to keep the Brownie Law.

The Singaporean Brownie Law is:

The Singaporean Brownie Motto is: Lend a hand

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the Brownie Promise is:

After a wide public consultation in spring 2013, the promise wording was changed for all sections.

The Brownie promise before September 2013 was:

The Brownie Guide Law is:

The Brownie Guide Motto used to be "Lend a hand" (LAH). With the introduction of the new programme in the United Kingdom, the motto was dropped for Brownies.

United States

In the United States, Brownies use the same ''Promise'' and ''Law'' as the other age groups of the Girl Scouts of the USA.Girl Scout Promise and Law
accessed 9 November 2014.

Girl Scout Promise:

Girl Scout Law:

References

External links

Girlguiding UK


by Juliana Horatia Ewing, 1870, from Project Gutenberg

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Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting