Values Framework
Girl Guides Australia are pleased to share an exciting new Values project.
For the first time in our history, we are running a series of consultations to identify a set of national Values for our Youth and Adults across all States and Territories. Based on the insights from these consultations we shall identify what we believe in at Girl Guides. These beliefs will be captured and reflected in a new set of Values to help us achieve our Girl Guiding Mission and commitment to the Girl Guide Promise and Law.
In Term 4 2023, we will start this project with a youth-led consultation activity.
Why are we developing a set of Values?
These values will represent an Australian Girl Guiding experience which has existed for over 100 years. We are a diverse community, focused on the achievement of our Mission of empowering girls and young women to discover their potential as leaders of their world. To continue to deliver against this Mission, we need to evolve and transform to meet the challenges and opportunities that face us.
Girl Guiding is a powerful collective made up of lots of different groups: members, staff, volunteers, employees, parents and families and organisational partners. Whilst Members commit to the Girl Guiding Promise and Law, other individuals who deliver and contribute to the success of Girl Guides, do not.
Having a clearly articulated set of Values will help us articulate how we expect everyone to behave and act. This ensures everyone feels safe, comfortable and respected at Girl Guides. These Values are not designed to replace any existing components of the Australian Guiding Program, but instead strengthen and build upon them.
How we will identify our new Values
Our Values need to resonate with everyone at Girl Guides. A Values Project has been set up by Girl Guides Australia in collaboration with Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT to ensure genuine consultation with all Girl Guiding audiences to identify these new Values.
Stage 1 – Youth Consultation
The first consultation will be with our Youth Members.
As a girl-led organisation, we know how important it is to engage our girls in everything that we do. We need to create meaningful spaces for Girl Guides to speak up about decisions which impact them.
We will be asking our Unit Leaders to run a Unit-led youth consultation session with girls in Term 4 2023 and Term 1 2024.
This is designed to be a fun activity to help Girl Guides of all ages to have their say as we develop our Values.
They can be run in person or virtually depending on local contexts.
Once Unit Leaders have run this session, insights from these activities will be captured via a short online survey which can be accessed via the QR code on the back of the activity pack.
Youth Engagement Activity Pack
Leaders can find their activity pack here.
These packs contain everything a Unit Leader would need to run a short 20-minute activity or a full unit session. We will shortly share a youth consultation pack with all Adult Members, which includes a range of guidance, games and activities which can be adapted to suit Girl Guides of all ages and Units of all sizes.
Stage 2 – Adult Consultation
As part of our adult consultation, we will be inviting all Adult Members, Employees, Volunteers, Girl Guiding families and organisation partners to complete an online survey.
The outputs from Stage 1, along with insights from this survey, will help shape what our Australian Guiding Values should be.
What is happening next?
All Adult Members will receive the consultation pack through your State Girl Guide Organisation channels to assist you with championing this project in your SGGO.