“Look wide, and even when you think you are looking wide – look wider still!!” Baden Powell
Help to create a better world and a brighter future for the youth of tomorrow.” Olave Baden Powell
GUIDING, AN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH MOVEMENT
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) is an educational non-governmental organization that operates on a voluntary basis. It is founded upon universal values and is open to all, without any form of discrimination based on religion, race, nationality or other characteristics. Today, since its 31st World Congress in 2004, the London-based Organization has registered 11.200.000 members in 153 countries worldwide.
The objective of Guiding is to empower its members to develop their personalities, become responsible citizens, and contribute not only to their local communities but at a global level as well. Since its inception, Guiding has provided its members with opportunities to experience group dynamics and engage in activities and adventures that promote personal development and raise their awareness in Nature and social matters. These experiences are rooted in the Guiding Promise and Law, which express the fundamental principles guiding the Organization.
Today, the World Organization accepts the positions that have been set by its National Organizations-Members regarding co-education of girls and boys.
Guiding adapts to the social, religious and cultural conditions of the country it represents, in order to respond to the needs and potential of the youth of each community, without deviating from the above basic and universal principles. In this way, despite its international nature and the global connections of its members, Guiding manages to retain its national character. The essential aim of each National Organization-Member is to promote the objective of Guiding and the understanding of its fundamental principles, and to foster friendship among its members throughout the world.
Vision and Mission
Since the establishment of the World Organization (in 1928) to the present day Guiding :
- encourages and supports millions of members to act responsibly giving them greater opportunities in their family, social, cultural, economic and political lives, both in their own countries and around the world,
- raises awareness among its members on pressing global issues and fosters their deeper understanding and commitment to community and local development,
- contributes to a positive image of young women by developing their leadership skills,
- focuses on the deep-rooted cultural, institutional and political factors that reinforce stereotypes with the aim of fighting discrimination.
The work of the World Organization
- It organizes international meetings, trainings and seminars in the five World Guiding Centres, giving its members the opportunity to meet, discuss, exchange views and experiences and receive continuous training.
- It cooperates with the World Organization of Scout Movement (WOSM), the International Guiding and Scouting Fellowship and the United Nations and has an advisory role in their specialized International Committees, such as ECOSOC, UNESCO, UNAIDS, WHO and FAO, where it is represented by a group of UN representatives. It also cooperates with other international non-governmental organizations dealing with issues relating to youth, children and equality.
- It defines topics & programmes that are proposed for utilization or even included in the programmes of its National Organizations-Members, for a period on a triennial basis or longer.
- It trains on global basis. In 1990 the WAGGGS Training Scheme is established and it is a training system under which the training programme of all its National Organisations-Members is approved.
- It rewards its members worldwide with the following Awards :
- The Olave Award, in memory of the Chief Guide, to keep her belief in the spirit of giving alive. Each year, a Guiding Troop (or Patrol) is awarded in recognition of one year’s voluntary service to the community,
- Medal or the World Organizarion,
- Wonen’s Award for Outstanding Acts,
- World Citizenship Award.
History of the establishment of Guiding
Lord Robert Baden-Powell, widely known as B-P, is the visionary and founder of Guiding. He initially established Scouting for boys in England in 1907 and realizing the need for a similar movement for girls, founded Guiding just three years later.
The Movement was supported by Lord Baden-Powell’s sister, Agnes, and it continued to thrive after his marriage to Olave Saint-Claire Soames in 1912. Olave played an active role in the development of Guiding and assumed the title of Chief Guide. Her remarkable dedication and ability coupled with the girls’ desire for a purposeful and experiential life, led to the rapid expansion of Guiding across many countries inspiring countless girls and young women to lead meaningful lives and embark on new experiences. In 1928 the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) was established. Greece became a member of this international organization just 20 years later.
The Greek Guiding Association as a WAGGGS member
The Greek Guiding Association has been an active Regular Member of the World Organization of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) since 1948. As a member, it holds the privilege of participating and voting in World Congresses, international Guiding activities, and seminars organized by both the World Organization and the European Region, while members of the Greek Guiding Association have been elected to the World Council and its Committees multiple times, demonstrating their dedication and effectiveness in contributing to the global Guiding movement.
Structure – WAGGGS Procedures
The World Conference is the institutional body of the World Organization. It determines the policy and general principles of Guiding applicable throughout the world and approves the admission of New National Organizations to the World Organization as Probationary or Regular Members. The World Congress elects the World Board. The Secretariat of the World Organization is the World Bureau headquartered in London.
The World Organization is divided into five Guiding Regions:
- European Region : This region has a Committee (Europe Committee) elected by the European Congress and its own Bureau, the European Bureau, established in 1993 and headquartered in Brussels,
- Asia – Pacific,
- Africa
- West Hemisphere
- Arab Region
Like Europe, each Region is governed by its Council, which is elected by respective Congresses.
The Global Guiding Centers
The Global Organization owns five Global Guiding Centres, which are places for people to meet, interact and exchange ideas.
See more here.
