“I promise to do my best,
to do my duty to my God* and my country,
to help those at home everyday,
and to obey the Brownie Guide Law”.
*The word “God” can be replaced by the word “faith” according to one’s spiritual beliefs.
When a Brownie makes her Promise she holds up three fingers of the right hand, keeping the thumb and little finger bent so that they touch. The three fingers represent the three parts to their Promise – “to do my duty to God and my country”, “to help those at home everyday” and “to obey the Brownie Guide Law”.
“A Brownie thinks of others before herself and does a Good Turn every day.”
“Lend a Hand”
Brownies may use the left handshake, in common with all members of the Guide and Scout movements worldwide.
Brownies wear a yellow sweatshirt and/or polo shirt with the IGG logo, a navy neckerchief with black woggle, a navy badge sash with a navy tracksuit bottoms or skirt.
The initial stage of the programme when a girl joins Brownies is that she prepares to make her Promise. She becomes part of a group called a Six. She learns all about Brownies including the Song, Story, Promise, Brownie Law and Motto. She also begins to wear her uniform and uses her Brownie Smile. Once she has completed these tasks and has been attending meetings for a minimum of eight weeks she is enrolled as a Brownie and will receive her first badge – her Promise Pin.
The Brownies follow a three-year programme that capitalises on this age group’s love of adventure and challenge. Brownies are detectives, discovering new things about themselves and the world they live in as they complete Interest Badges and collect their three Journey Badges – Detect, Investigate and Explore. Activities aim to develop team-building and problem-solving skills while promoting inclusion and empathy. Growing independence is reflected in opportunities for Brownie overnight holidays and camps.
Each Brownie will have the opportunity to earn a number of Interest Badges during her time in Brownies. These badges show that a girl has developed a skill, knowledge and/or interest in a particular area.