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Girl Guides Australia (GGA) is the national
Girl Guiding A Girl Guide or Girl Scout is a member of a section of some Guiding organisations who is between the ages of 10 and 14. Age limits are different in each organisation. Girl Scouts and Girl Scout organizations already existed in Britain and ...
organisation in Australia. Its mission is to empower "girls and young women to discover their potential as leaders of their world". Membership is open to all girls and young women from all cultures, faiths and traditions. Guiding groups formed in Australia as early as 1909, and by 1920 Girl Guide Associations had been formed in six states. In 1926 the State Associations federated and formed a national
organization An organization or organisation (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English; American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), see spelling differences) is an legal entity, entity—such as ...
which became a founding member of the
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS ) is a global association that supports Girl Guides, female-oriented and female-only Guiding and Scouting organizations in 153 countries. It was established in the year 1928 in Parád, H ...
in 1928. It still operates as a federated structure made up of six state-based Guiding organisations. It has roughly 19,000 members (as of 2021) including adult and youth members. Over a million Australian women are or have been Guides. The Girl Guide emblem incorporates the
Commonwealth Star The Commonwealth Star (also known as the Federation Star, the Seven Point Star, or the Star of Federation) is a seven-pointed star symbolising the Federation of Australia which came into force on 1 January 1901, originally as a six-pointed star ...
.


Promise and Law


Guide Promise


Historically

For many years, the Guide Promise closely resembled that of
Girlguiding UK Girlguiding is the operating name of The Guide Association in the United Kingdom, previously named The Girl Guides Association, which was formed in 1910. It is the original Girl Guides organisation in the world and, in 1928, became a founding m ...
: I promise that I will do my best:
To do my duty to God,
to serve the Queen and my country,
To help other people, and
To keep the Guide Law. The Girl Guides Australia Board in May 2010, passed a recommendation that Members may opt to use an alternative to the current Promise:Promise and Law Review and Update
/ref> I promise that I will do my best:
to do my duty to God and my country;
to help other people; and
to keep the Guide Law. Other alternatives were also agreed for members of other nationalities.


Current Promise

In July 2012, the Guide Promise was updated, along with the Guide Law (as below), to better reflect modern society and the perspective of current day Guides. These changes were a result of comprehensive consultation with Girl Guides throughout Australia through the Promise and Law Review. Notable changes include the removal of explicit reference to God, instead replaced by "my beliefs", and removing reference to the Queen. This updated promise was ratified by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts on 3 July 2012 and now stands as below: I promise that I will do my best
To be true to myself and develop my beliefs
To serve my community and Australia
And live by the Guide Law.


Guide Law


Historically

The original and long-standing Guide Law, as established in 1910 was: A Guide is loyal and can be trusted.
A Guide is helpful.
A Guide is polite and considerate.
A Guide is friendly and a sister to all Guides.
A Guide is kind to animals and respects all living things.
A Guide is obedient.
A Guide has courage and is cheerful in all difficulties.
A Guide makes good use of her time.
A Guide takes care of her own possessions and those of other people.
A Guide is self-controlled in all she thinks, says and does.


Current Guide Law

As a part of the Promise and Law review, the Guide Law was updated in July 2012. This followed extensive consultations with Girl Guides and Leaders, with an emphasis on identifying those principles they felt best reflected the goal of modern Guiding. The updated Guide Law was ratified by the
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS ) is a global association that supports Girl Guides, female-oriented and female-only Guiding and Scouting organizations in 153 countries. It was established in the year 1928 in Parád, H ...
on 3 July 2012 and now stands as below: As a Guide I will strive to:
Respect myself and others
Be considerate, honest and trustworthy
Be friendly to others
Make choices for a better world
Use my time and abilities wisely
Be thoughtful and optimistic
Live with courage and strength.


State Guiding Organisations

Girl Guides Australia operates with a federated structure and individual members join their relevant State Guiding organisations. These are: * Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT * Girl Guides Victoria * Girl Guides Queensland * Girl Guides Western Australia * Girl Guides South Australia * Girl Guides Tasmania


Program


Historically

Prior to 1996 Girl Guides in Australia were organised into one of four youth sections based on age. These were: Gumnut Guides; age 5–7 years old Brownie Guides; aged 7–10 years old Girl Guides; aged 10–14 years old Ranger Guides; aged 14–18 years old


Sections

Since 1996, all youth members from 5–17 have been known as Guides. Units can choose their own name and can cater for guides of any age range between 5 and 18 years. Guiding resources, such as the Guide Handbooks, use the Girl Guides Developmental Stages of 5 –7, 7 – 9, 9 – 12, 12 – 14 and 14 – 17 to categories and organise resources, allowing leaders & Guides to choose as relevant for their unit. There is also a program specifically for young women aged 18–30, known as the Olave Program. Guide Leaders are adult volunteers aged over 18, and have hold various GGA Qualifications relevant to their position.


The Australian Guide Program

The Australian Guide Program is a non-formal educational program based on shared leadership and decision-making at all ages. It is organised around the Elements, Fundamentals and Process. The four elements of the Australian Guide Program are : * Physical * People * Practical * Self Theses elements are essential parts of every Guiding activity. The seven fundamentals of the Australian Guide Program are: * Promise & Law * Outdoors * Service * World Guiding * Guiding Traditions * Leadership Development * Patrol System A unit will plan their program around these fundamentals to include aspects of each in areas of the Guide's interest. The Australian Guide Program Process is used at various levels of program planning and implementation in order to fully involved Guides in leadership and decision making. The cyclical process is: Discover – Decide – Plan – Do – Evaluate


Girl Recognition System

The Girl Recognition System is the reward or badge system of the Australian Guide Program. Individual Guides, Patrols or whole units can choose to work towards appropriate challenges in a wide range of areas, though it is not compulsory. There are 4 main types of challenge badges (Explore, Create, Achieve and Discover) each pursued in a different way. Some allow Guides to set their own personal challenges, some have set criteria; some focus on a certain topic or skill, others cover a group of skills in an area, and some are based on a wide variety of different areas across the Australian Guide Program.


Major Awards

Girl Guides Australia has a number of major awards that Guides can work towards.


=Queen's Guide Award

= The Queens Guide Award is the peak youth achievement award in Girl Guides Australia. It provides opportunities for personal development and self-awareness, in addition to community service and a specific focus. The Award is made up of 3 parts. Part A: Gold Endeavour - Promise and Law, Guiding Traditions, Service, Outdoor, World Guiding, Patrol System and Leadership. Part B: Interest and Part C: Focus. Guides aged 14+ can begin their Queens Guide award, and all challenges must be completed by the Guides 18th birthday. It is a significant commitment, held in high regard around Australia, and can count towards high school graduation certificate in some states. The award is presented by the state governor at an award ceremony.


=BP Award

= The BP Award is open for Guides aged 10–18. Guide must complete 3 significant challenges in each of the areas of Promise and Law, Outdoors, Service, World Guiding, Guiding Traditions, and Patrol System. The BP Award is presented at significant awards ceremony.


=Junior BP Award

= The Junior BP Award is open for Guides aged 7–11. Guide must complete 2 significant challenges in each of the areas of Promise and Law, Outdoors, Service, World Guiding, Guiding Traditions, and Patrol System.


=The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

=
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (commonly abbreviated DofE) is a youth awards programme founded in the United Kingdom in 1956 by the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, which has since expanded to 144 nations. The awards recognise adolescents and ...
has three levels of Award – Bronze, Silver and Gold. Any girl 14 years and over can join Guides to participate in The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award. The guide can register through the State Girl Guides organisation and join a local Award Centre of girls the same age. Guides are provided with many opportunities to learn new skills, give service, participate in a recreational activity or expedition and take part in a residential camp – this could even be at a WAGGGS World Centre such as SANGAM in India.


=Commonwealth Award

= The Commonwealth Award is open to Guides in all
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...
Countries. In Australia it is open to Guides aged 14–30 years old. It includes challenges based on: * the history of Guiding, * knowledge of the Commonwealth and a Commonwealth Country other than the Guide's own, * community action * and two of the following areas: Health, Environment, Cultural Heritage, Fit for Life Out of Doors, Public Speaking/Debating, Creative Writing, Citizenship, Investigation


=Olave Baden Powell Award

= The Olave Baden Powell Award is the peak achievement award for members of the Olave Program aged 18–30. It involves a commitment between 2 and 6 years and involves completing personal challenges in each of the areas of Promise & Law, Our Community, Heritage and Traditions, International Guiding, Social Networks and Self Development.
The award is named after Olave St Clair Baden-Powell. Lady Baden-Powell was the first Chief Guide for Britain and the wife of Lord Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting and Girl Guides.


Girl Guide Biscuits

In 2020, a new range of biscuits was introduced to replace the previous product range which had been in place since 2016. The three flavours of individually packaged biscuits, manufactured by Snowy Mountains Cookies (SMC), are: * triple choc biscuits * ANZAC biscuits *
Gluten Gluten is a structural protein naturally found in certain Cereal, cereal grains. The term ''gluten'' usually refers to the elastic network of a wheat grain's proteins, gliadin and glutenin primarily, that forms readily with the addition of water ...
-free lemon, lime and coconut biscuits The money raised by biscuit sales is spent at a local and national level. Biscuits are now also sold online as well as in the community by individual Guide units. The new biscuit range are noted as being in line with Girl Guides Australia values, as they are more environmentally sustainable,
palm oil Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 36% of global oils produced from o ...
free, and use free range eggs. The previous range of biscuits, which came in traditional, mini-choc chip, and gluten-free buttery shortbread, were manufactured in Australia by Modern Baking Company.


Events


Jamboree

Every few years Girl Guides Australia organise a large gathering of Australian Girl Guides in a National or International Jamboree. Girl guides or girl scouts aged 10 to 17 from around the world may attend.


List

* 1997-98 - Koninderie - 1st Australian Youth Gathering held 31 December 1997 to 9 January 1998 at
Stanwell Tops, New South Wales Stanwell Tops is an exurban locality between the cities of Sydney and Wollongong on the New South Wales, Australia coastline. It lies northwest of Stanwell Park, New South Wales, Stanwell Park and southwest of Otford, New South Wales, Otford. ...
* 2001 - Odyssey - 2nd Australian Youth Gathering held 4–13 January at
Britannia Park (Girl Guides Victoria) Britannia Park is a campsite belonging to Girl Guides Victoria. It is located near Yarra Junction in Victoria, Australia. It is 72 km east of Melbourne. The site covers 42 acres (approx 10 hectares), although the original purchase was smaller. ...
* 2010 - Australian Centenary Event (ACE) International camp held 3–9 January 2010 in
Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung language, Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in Victoria, Australia, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River (Victo ...
* 2013 - Fantastic International Jamboree held 6–12 January 2013 near
Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk River, North Esk and South Esk River, South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River, Tasmania, Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, the Launc ...
* 2015 - Great Bunya Gathering International Jamboree held 25 September - 2 October in
Ipswich, Queensland Ipswich () is an urban centre within the City of Ipswich in South East Queensland, Australia. Situated on the Bremer River (Queensland), Bremer River, it is approximately 40 km (25 mi) west of the Brisbane central business district. Ipswich is ...
* 2018 - Sydney International Jamboree held 30 September to 6 October 2018 at Newington Armory in Sydney * 2023 - Kani-Karrung Girl Guide National Jamboree held 15–21 January 2023 in
Ballarat, Victoria Ballarat ( ) () is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Australian census, 2021 census, Ballarat had a population of 111,973, making it the third-largest urban inland city in Australi ...
with 1400 attendees. * 2025 - Girl Guide Jamboree to be held September 2025 on the NSW North Coast


Centenary

In 2010, Girl Guides Australia celebrated 100 years of Guiding across Australia. The centenary ran from September 2009 to February 2011.


See also

*
Irene Fairbairn Irene Florence Fairbairn, CBE (30 March 1899 – 14 March 1974) served as the Chief Commissioner of Guides Australia. She was a 1947 recipient of the Silver Fish Award, the highest adult award in Girlguiding, awarded for outstanding service to G ...
*
Eleanor Manning Eleanor Manning (21 March 1906 – 21 November 1986) was a member of the Women's Australian National Services and became the most senior officer of the Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) in the State of New South Wales. Manning was acti ...
*
Joyce Price Lady Joyce Ethyl Price (8 August 1915 – 19 August 2009) was an Australian philanthropist and a noted leader of the Guide movement in Australia and of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). Biography Joyce Price was bo ...
*
Scouts Australia Scouts Australia is a trading name of The Scout Association of Australia, which is the largest scouting organisation in Australia, with over 50,000 Youth Program Participants, and is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. It ...


References

{{WAGGGS, asia World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts member organizations Scouting and Guiding in Australia Youth organizations established in 1910 1910 establishments in Australia