With more than 600,000 members, Girlguiding UK is the largest organisation for girls and young women, in the UK. As part of a worldwide Movement, it enables girls and young women to fulfill their potential and to take an active and responsible role in society through its distinctive, stimulating and enjoyable programme of activities.

A girl or woman can be involved in guiding from the age of five. She can be a ‘Rainbow’ at any time between the ages of five and seven; a ‘Brownie’ from seven to 11; a ‘Guide’ from 11 – 14 and after that a ‘Senior Section’ member or a ‘Young Leader’. After 65 years of age, members can continue to support guiding by becoming a member of the ‘Trefoil Guild’.

Guiding began at the Scouts' first rally, at the Crystal Palace in 1909. Founder Robert Baden-Powell was faced with a small group of girls, representing hundreds of others, who insisted they wanted to be Scouts too.

In an age when skirts were ankle length and young ladies never ran, the idea of girls being involved in camping, hiking and similar activities received a mixed response. Angry critics denounced 'girl scouting' as a 'mischievous new development'.

However, the girls won and such was the enthusiasm for guiding that it soon spread worldwide. Today there are ten million girls and women in guiding worldwide.

Guiding has moved with the times, and Girlguiding UK is a modern organisation with contemporary values. Today the girls are being encouraged to take up activities such as football and DJ-ing for badges and Go For It! activity packs. The Association also holds annual pop music concerts featuring big named acts, annually (Geri Halliwell last year).

The Association is also encouraging girls career-wise, with its work-placed educational visits scheme: Take our Daughters to Work. The scheme encourages girls to spend the day at work with either a parent or an adult they know well, to allow them to get a feel for the different jobs that are available to them.

Although the Association is changing and growing all the time, there is one element that remains central to the ideas and ambitions of Girlguiding UK, the ‘girl’.

Further Reading

You'll find a lot more information about guiding in the UK and around the world in our Information & Media site.