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Girls wear their Irish Girl Guides’ uniforms to school to help expand the movement
Ireland, 22/02/2017 – The 12,000 members of Irish Girl Guides are today joining 10 million Girl Guides in 146 countries across the globe in taking action to ‘grow’ the Guiding movement.
Of the 800 million girls around the world today, 10 million are Girl Guides or Girl Scouts. It is hoped to increase that number so that even more girls have a safe space in which to grow and develop to their full potential.
World Thinking Day [22 February] is a day when Girl Guides across the globe give thanks for the international friendships they enjoy through the Guiding movement and raise money to deliver life-changing opportunities for girls in underprivileged communities in developing countries. This year’s World Thinking Day theme is ‘Growth’.
Thousands of girls have been wearing their Irish Girl Guides (IGG) uniform to school for a day this week or last week in an effort to raise the profile of the organization and encourage more girls and young women to join.
IGG Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said: “We believe that every girl should have the chance to grow, learn and reach her full potential. By joining Ladybirds (age 5-7), Brownies (age 7-10), Guides (age 10-14) or Senior Branch (age 14-30), girls and young women can grow in confidence and independence while developing teamwork, leadership and other essential life skills.”
Ms Concannon said that involvement in Guiding also helped girls and women develop a social and environmental conscience and discover how they can make a difference in their local communities and in the wider world. “Teenage members and young adults also have exciting opportunities to travel and experience different cultures as they mix with Guides from other countries,” she said.
“Guiding provides a safe space where girls can grow and we hope to see the Guide movement grow in Ireland and across the world. We promote fun and friendship and personal growth and, as members of the largest voluntary movement dedicated to girls and young women in the world, the opportunity to take action to promote equality and justice locally and globally.”
Shannon Harkin (age 11) of Seashell Guides, Ballygarrett, Co Wexford, enjoyed wearing her Guide uniform to school. “Some of my friends thought it was nice and they were asking about the badges and what they were for. It was nice to be able to tell them what we do in Guides,” she said. “I like that we get to choose what we want to do and learn lots of new skills and I like that you get to meet different groups of Guides.”
Eva Casey (age 11) of Seashell Guides, Ballygarrett, Co Wexford, said she especially enjoyed camping and day trips. “You become more independent and you get a lot of confidence as you do new things. You always come out of Guide meetings in a happy mood.”
Irish Girl Guides welcomes new members from age 5+ and volunteer Leaders from age 18-80. To find out more, see www.irishgirlguides.ie or telephone 01-6683898.
ENDS
Contact:
Fiona Murdoch, Communications Officer, Irish Girl Guides
Tel: 085 8570565
Email: communications@irishgirlguides.ie
Notes for editors:
Irish Girl Guides has approximately 12,000 members. Guiding started in Ireland in 1911 and operates throughout the 26 counties with 1,800 volunteer leaders providing an informal educational programme of fun and challenging activities that foster confidence and leadership skills in girls and young women, enabling them to develop to their full potential and to become responsible citizens. Girls from age 5+ can choose to earn a wide range of badges, including Community Action, Cultural Diversity, Disability Awareness, Drug Awareness, Online Surfer, Science Investigator and Global Traveller.
World Thinking Day has been celebrated by Girl Guides and Girl Scouts worldwide since 1926. It is an opportunity for girls to appreciate the international friendship they find in Guiding, to raise money to help grow and share Guiding with more girls and young women around the world, and join together to take action on global issues.