For this term’s Weekly Programme, to see what Badges we are planning to do, for more information about other activities/events we have planned, click on the What’s On drop down menu at the top of this page.
The Five Essentials
Girlguiding believes in the value of learning by doing. This is put into practice through a method with five interlinking elements, known as the Five Essentials of Guiding:
- working together in small groups
- encouraging self-government and decision making
- a balanced and varied programme
- caring for the individual
- sharing a commitment to a common standard
We start our meetings by singing a Brownie Song and saying the Brownie Promise and Law together and end with a farewell song. We also have Pow-Wows (discussions) when the girls are asked for suggestions on what they would like to do, suggest names for new helpers or ideas for a venture etc.
Old Brownie (Adventure) Programme:
A current Brownie programme was launched in Summer 2018 and the old Brownie Adventure programme was phased out over a 12-month period. Here at 1st Waddington (RAF) Brownies, we finished our work on the Adventure programme in May 2019. Although the Adventure Book is no longer an official part of the Brownie programme, we think its a smashing resource with 154 pages filled with lots of activities, crafts, quizzes plus lots of valuable information about Brownies. Therefore, we will continue to give out these books (for free) and use them as time fillers between official activities and for the girls to work through at the very start of every meeting when we split into smaller groups to do our Gardening and the Tweenie sessions.
The Current Brownie Programme:
Girlguiding have designed a Brownie programme to be as easy to use as possible for leaders, offering a pick-up-and-go programme with a range of mix-and-match activities. The programme is structured around six core themes, which together provide fun and stretching experiences that make up the package of skills girls have told us they need. Within the six activity themes, there are a wide range of topics to choose from, which will be different in each section – so although the overall themes will be the same, the subjects covered will not. Here at 1st Waddington (RAF) Brownies we introduced this programme in January 2019 and completely converted over by September 2019; we aim to complete one Skills Builder badge and associated Unit Meeting Activities (UMAs) each term plus complete UMAs from different themes so our programme remains varied.
There are 3 Awards which can be achieved by completing 2 or more theme awards. Skills builders and UMAs are completed in the meeting place but Brownies do need to complete the Interest badges at home (though we will aim to include an Interest badge during our Brownie weekend holidays).
Bronze – girls need to complete all 2 themes / Silver – girls need to complete 2 additional themes
Gold – girls need to complete all 6 themes plus an extra Gold Award activity.
Any Brownies wishing to work towards any of the Awards should speak to Daffodil so we can help them achieve this goal. More information on each aspect of this new programme can be found here.
