Guiding's Archive Problem - perhaps crisis?

Guiding had great archives.  There was a national archive based at HQ, and tended by a full-time archivist, for many years.  In addition there were archives of varying sorts at each of the Training Centres, but especially at Foxlease, Waddow Hall, and at Broneirion.  In addition Countries/Regions had archives, often stored at their headquarters buildings.  Then many Counties had archives, some stored in County HQ buildings, and some in volunteers' houses.  So Guiding was well served for archives.

Until a decade or so ago, when things started to change.

The UK archives were put into storage.  And so far there is no confirmation of whether any items were added to them whilst they were in storage.  In the past couple of years they have been taken out of the storage for cataloguing, which is ongoing by an archivist who has been employed on a fixed-term contract.  But there is no confirmation of what will happen once either the cataloguing has been completed, or the archivist's contract comes to an end (whichever comes first).  So they remain inaccessible for now.

With the closure of the training centres at Foxlease and Waddow Hall, the contents of their archive rooms are to be transferred into the UK archives, and will then be in the same position as the existing content of the archives.  Items from have apparently gone into storage.  

With more County headquarter buildings closing and being sold, so many County archives have also been put into storage - again, with the risk that there will be a gap with no records being added to record happenings in the early 2020s.  In other Counties, where there is a tendency for the archivist role to be held by elderly ex-Guiders, there have been issues where said elderly ex-Guiders have died, and the County then has to approach their relatives (at a sensitive time) and try to come to agreement on which items in the house belong to the family and which to the County.  If there aren't clear records, then it comes down to goodwill on the part of the family - amongst all their other upset and stress at their loss and all that needs to be dealt with, are they in a position to make time for Guiding members to access the house, and to agree on what may be removed?  Or might they see that as a stress they can do without and hand everything to a house clearer?

So for anyone who wants to access an archive in order to look at aspects of Guiding history, the options are becoming few.  It's certainly a problem - perhaps even a crisis?

You'll do interest badges, or else!

The idea of interest badges in Guiding - is that they are badges which you can do if you are interested - and equally, that you don't do if you aren't interested.  So they are optional extras, non-essential.

One key aspect of higher awards is that they should require some kind of extra effort, if they are to have any kudos or value.  They shouldn't be badges which you pick up 'on the way past' just by attending unit meetings regularly and participating in whatever activities the Leaders happen to lay on.

This is why, although most of the requirements for the Theme Awards and the Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards should be covered by a girl who attends unit meetings regularly for two years or more, that doesn't and shouldn't cover all of them.  She also has to make some extra effort off her own bat.

The vast majority of girls, if they wanted to, would be able to do work on interest badges at home, during the school holidays if not during termtime.  And the badges have been carefully structured to ensure that there is at least one badge in each theme which can be done with little or no equipment or expense.  

But what of that minority of girls, the ones who wouldn't have facilities or any support at home?  Leaders can allow them to work on interest badges at the meeting hall provided a) that the girls are working independently, and b) that there is an attractive alternative activity provided for the girls who aren't working on an interest badge.  

This ensures that the girls are given the opportunity to work on badges in the way they want to - not in a way imposed.  And it also means that they are given the opportunity not to work on interest badges.  

Why does this matter?  

Firstly, I think for a 'highest award' to be worthy of it's name, a girl should be knowingly working to earn it - it shouldn't come as a total surprise and she should have some idea of what caused her to earn it.

Secondly, there are a number of ways in which a girl gains from membership of Guiding, developing the teamwork skills, the leadership, the decision-making, the independence, the self-reliance, and all the rest of it.  Badge-earning isn't the only way, and isn't necessarily even the most important or effective way.  

And finally - Guiding is meant to be girl-led.  So it doesn't matter a jot what ambitions we would like them to have, we cannot make them have those ambitions.  So we have to understand and accept that what matters is what they want to get from Guiding.  What they consider to be important, what they value.  It's natural that whilst some will want to pursue high awards, most won't consider that to be a significant driver.  And we should be willing to accept that.  Our role is to make sure all of the girls know what options are open to them and where they would lead.  But not try to fulfil our dreams of award-earning vicariously.

And that's why I consider that it is wrong for a Leader to turn round to the girls in her unit and say "Tonight we're doing X interest badge."

How we survived Covid

 Long time no post, but that was partly because long time no active Guiding.  Though we had hoped Covid wouldn't last long, it's really only this year that we are able to function normally, three years on from the outbreak.  

For most of lockdown, my units were only semi-functioning.  I was working all hours, which meant I wasn't able to hold online meetings or outdoor meetings as some were, what I could and did offer was a weekly activity, sent out via the facebook group for each unit.

We were able to resume meetings in Autumn 2021, albeit with the front and back doors of the hall open, each girl having her own pencil case, and a one-way system in the hall.  But of the 8 units we had had in the District, only three units were able to resume at that point.  And since then, a further three units have resumes - but two have not.  Not from lack of girls, by any means, but lack of Leaders.  Most of the units are reliant on Unit Helpers and DofE helpers rather than qualified Leaders or YLs.  Ant the existing units are full and have long waiting lists of girls already old enough to join

Programme-wise, things are getting back.  We've had some Brownie Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards.  We're hoping this year will see our first Guide camp and Brownie holiday since 2019.  This year sees both units have anniversaries - the Brownies their 90th, and the Guides their 60th.  Here's hoping for a great birthday year for each! 

Building Our Future

 It's out with the old.  In the past year, two city centre County Headquarters hereabouts have gone on the market, and it's been announced that our national Training Centre won't re-open after Covid, and will instead be prepared for sale.

It would be easy to be sentimental about these grand and historic buildings which have been owned by Guiding for over seventy years.  But although grand and historic and beautiful they were, for a charity they were also a bit of a problem - they were expensive to run, and expensive to maintain, and there were forthcoming large repair bills.  They also had issues around accessibility - most of the rooms were not wheelchair accessible, and listed status made that impossible to rectify, even if there had been large amounts of funding available to do it.

Once these buildings sell, it will leave a large pot of money, but also a purpose to fulfil.  The Guide Counties will still need a building to house their administrative functions, and access to meeting rooms for their committees.  The loss of the training centre means the loss of the training centre itself and also the campsites and holiday houses - so there will need to be investment in alternative training resources and outdoor facilities.

In other words, the loss of these twentieth-century facilities provides an opportunity to plan and deliver twenty-first century facilities.  We have a blank sheet of paper to consider what sort of premises a city County might want in fifty years' time.  We can consider what training for Unit Leaders might look like in fifty years time, and plan facilities to meet that need.  We can think about what Guiding residential events might be like in fifty years time, and consider what facilities that would entail.  

Every end is a beginning - how can we utilise the opportunity of a fresh beginning to serve the members of tomorrow?

A Hobby or a Job?

Guiding is a hobby. 

There, I've said it, attack me now. 

Because I can already hear the people saying 'Of course not, it's far more than a hobby!'  But it is just a hobby.  And the Founders stated several times that every Leader in Scouting and Guiding should have at least one other hobby or pastime unrelated to their Scouting or Guiding, otherwise they would soon become stale.

I appreciate that during the current Covid lockdown, many people who would normally be in paid employment are finding themselves furloughed and with large amounts of unexpected time on their hands as a result.  And I also appreciate that there have long been a number of Leaders in Guiding who aren't normally in paid employment due to their own health or to acting as carers for others, who find Guiding an engaging way of occupying their spare time, and in the absence of the weekly meeting, are devoting their spare time to creating resources and activities to send out to the girls - although they aren't always receiving the enthusiastic responses hoped for in return.

But I return to what the Founders said.  At least one hobby or pastime unrelated to their Scouting or Guiding.  Now it doesn't much matter what it is - it could be a handicraft such as knitting or woodwork, sketching or flower arranging, singing in the choir, playing in the orchestra, hillwalking or fishing or sailing or dancing or - or anything really.  Anything which gets you away from Guiding, and if possible, mixing with people beyond those involved in Guiding, giving you fresh ideas and inspiration, and keeping you from becoming stale.  "All work and no play . . . "

Unit Guiding can be a treadmill.  Each year, new girls join the unit, old girls move on, but the unit and it's Leaders keep on going - because there is no natural end-point.  There used to be - used to be a maximum age for Leaders, and though there were downsides, one advantage was that at a certain point people had to get off the bus, and at an age when there was often still plenty of time and energy to take up the other hobbies which had been laid aside as Guiding took up the time - but now there isn't a retirement date, and so Leaders tend to keep going, month by month and year by year, unless an outside reason causes them to stop - either a change to the Leader's personal life, or falling numbers in the unit due to demographics making it no longer viable.  It's why they've had to bring out ever higher-numbered long-service awards - at one time 30 years was the highest, then a 40 year one was introduced, then a 50.  It may only be a matter of time before 60 year awards are needed. 

I often hear, too, of people who 'live for Guiding'.  Who wouldn't know what to do with their time if it wasn't for Guiding.  And - I feel sorry for them.  Great as Guiding can be (and I do believe it can be), it isn't a substitute for a varied range of acquaintance and of inspiration.  If you only mix with the same sorts of people who have the same sorts of viewpoints and the same sorts of interests - then you don't encounter other viewpoints and other ideas.  Another Founder quote - "when you think you're looking wide, look wider still!"

I've long had a rule - a bare minimum of one day per week where I do nothing Guiding-related whatsoever, ideally more.  I might do some musical instrument practice, I might go walking in the hills, I might visit a museum or place of interest, I might visit family or friends - it matters not what I do, so long as I am doing something, and it is unrelated to Guiding - no playing Guide songs or doing a recce for a future Brownie visit!

Covid-19 has meant no unit meetings for a period of over four months - far longer than any summer break would be.  For all it's downsides, what it does offer is an opportunity for us to evaluate our hobbies - and Guiding among them.  Which hobbies and pastimes would we like to be doing a year hence - are there some 'on the back burner' that we'd like to get started on again?  Some we've always fancied trying - is now our chance to do something about starting on them, perhaps through an online course?  Which hobbies and pastimes do we want to continue, and would that be at the same level of intensity, giving a bit more time to them, or giving a bit less?   Which hobbies would we like to either drop, or change our role or commitment in - perhaps dropping some roles, or swapping for fresh ones, or moving to a job-share?

Most Leaders in Guiding have a full-time role - paid employment or caring work - and the Guiding hobby.  It should be obvious to anyone which is the full-time role and which is the spare-time hobby.  But - is it?

Don't Panic, Captain Mainwaring!

Covid lockdown has been extremely disruptive for all units, mine included.  But after so many weeks where we could not hold physical gatherings of any sort, there is light at the end of the tunnel - proposals have been posted which will allow physical gatherings under certain limited circumstances.  And with the prospect of schools returning in August in some parts of the UK and September in others - there can be hope that once that is achieved, it may be possible for youth groups such as ours to find realistic, safe ways of holding meetings.

Some initial options for holding meetings outdoors have already been published.  And within days of that, the chaos has started.  For on online forums, we already see people analysing every sub-clause of what has been said in every interpretation they can muster, in order to try and find a way to legitimately hold the events they long to.

Hence, I say, don't panic, Captain Mainwaring.  Please, step back for a moment and ponder bigger picture.  The reason we have gone through, and are still going through, such major disruption affecting everyone in the world - is a disease which can be deadly, not just to the poorly and the frail, but also to the comparatively young and comparatively healthy.  Every rule which has been put in place hasn't been imposed without forethought, or without consideration of the implications.  Governments are aware of the freedoms being withdrawn, of the impacts on physical and mental health, of the impacts on so many areas of normal life.  But the reason why has to be our focus.  Covid-19 hasn't gone away, even if you happen to be fortunate enough to live in an area where prevalence is currently low.  We don't have any vaccines to prevent people from catching it and we're only gradually finding out how best to treat those who catch it.  It need only take one bit of carelessness to allow it the chance to spread from unwitting host to large numbers of unwitting recipients. 

Please, keep in mind the reasons for having restrictions - our liability for the safety of the girls in our charge in the presence of an illness which can cause long-term illness, or worse.  Please read the guidance thoroughly and carefully, making sure you understand each element of it and how it would apply to your unit and it's circumstances.  Please take in not just the letter of the rules but also the spirit - don't hunt for loopholes, or for ways of making your brilliant idea work by making a particular interpretation of what's said that will be favourable, rather than the interpretation which would not be.  After all, if what you are thinking of is borderline permissible now depending on interpretation, it's entirely possible that in only a few weeks time it would be clearly permissible, and few good ideas are harmed by a little delay.

We do not need to rush back to holding outdoor unit meetings on the first date we legally can.  We do not need to hold indoor unit meetings on the first date we legally can.  Far better that we take time to work out things like how the girls will arrive and depart the area without ending up in crowds.  How we arrange facilities like toilets and shelter in inclement weather.  Coming up with lots of ideas for socially-distanced games and crafts and activities.  Working out our risk assessments and getting clearance for them from the DC, including allowing time if she wants us to tweak and then resubmit some of the entries.

Guiding will come back, and in time, it will come back in a broadly similar format to what it was before.  It'll happen all the sooner if we can behave calmly and sensibly now, rather than rushing in.  Hence, "Don't panic, Captain Mainwaring!"

Won't anyone think of the trees?

I am broadly supportive of the new programme.  It contains a lot of great activity resources, and it has significantly broadened the programmes of most units.  It has created a ‘minimum standard’ in each section which has made it much easier for Commissioners to identify and support ‘failing units’, and it has supported less confident leaders to plan and run activities. 



And I don’t mind most of the recent tweaks, which I have seen as a positive thing. 



What concerns me, though, is one of the recent tweaks.



Naturally, the new programme has meant some expense for units – and in some sections, significantly more badge expenditure than they had been accustomed to.  For whereas before, Guide units had accepted the need to suck up the cost of GFI packs, GFI Cards or Badges, Adventure Badges, Interest Badges, welcome packs – as well as of G-Files if the unit opted to provide them – on top of the standard Promise badge & certificate, Patrol Badge, unit name tape etc – once Rainbow units had covered the initial recruit expenses, they only had Roundabout badges, Pot of Gold, and the occasional new Roundabout pack to pay for – Rangers even less.  Their only other expense being on activitiy equipment as for all sections.  So their unit admin/resources spend was much lower compared to Guides or Brownies. 



Whereas with the new programme all units need to invest similarly, either solely or jointly, in packs of UMA cards and Skill Builder Cards.  Each girl other than those in Rangers needs a ring-bound badge book rather than just a paper booklet.  All sections now have interest badges, and skill builder badges, and theme award badges.



But the thing which has bred, especially in recent months, is certificates.  For no longer are there just Promise certificates, leaving certificates, and optional extra certificates for those units which choose to present extra certificates.  But there are now Bronze, Silver and Gold Award certificates.  And one might say, fair enough, for those are intended to be high achievements.  Ah, but no.   Not satisfied with that, we now have Theme Award certificates too, one for each Theme Award, even though every other Theme Award certificate will be handed out at the same time as Bronze or Silver Award and certificate are.  And there are those who are advocating for Interest Badge certificates – yes, one for every Interest Badge gained.  And completion-of-UMA-minutes certificates – one per theme.  And Skill Builder Certificates – one for every Skill Builder completed.  Despite the fact that badges are already presented to mark Promise, leaving, every Interest Badge, every Skill Builder Badge, every Theme Award, Bronze Award, Silver Award and Gold Award.  So for almost all of these things, the certificate is a duplication of the badge which is already earned and presented.



Won’t anyone think of the trees?  Or of the expense?



It’s not as if most of these events aren’t already marked and rewarded in some way.  All but completion of UMA minutes is already marked by badges.  So issuing certificates is 100% duplication – two prizes per achievement instead of one. 



This leads us to two questions.  The first is expense.  Whilst in no way grudging the marking or rewarding of effort, fact is that many of the badges cost 55p each, which isn’t much singly, but starts to add up when your unit of 25 are all working on Skill Builders, and Interest Badges, and starting to clock up Theme Awards.  Still, they are earning the badges, so it is only right that they should receive them.  But certificates are 50p each – so adding a certificate onto each badge means instantly near-doubling the expense.  Is that really justified?



The expense might be neither here nor there if there was evidence of a real desire amongst the girls to have certificates.  Maybe attitudes differ in other areas, but never, upon presenting a badge, has a child asked me if there is a certificate to go with it.  Are certificates valued if they are dished out too often, or for occasions where the recipient isn’t entirely clear on what they have done to earn them?  Or is it fair to say that the more a person receives, the less special each one is?



The other consideration, as we suggested, is ‘the trees’.  Issuing both certificate and badge is a duplication.  As a way of making some things extra special, and marking achievement beyond what is expected, it may be justified.  For the likes of Theme Awards, and Bronze/Silver/Gold, where the reward isn’t just for turning up at meetings and taking part in whatever activities the Leaders happen to organise, but also involves giving up their own time and making a personal effort to work on an Interest Badge.  But to issue them for every Skill Builder, as we now may – and for every Interest Badge and set of UMA hours if some get their way – does seem unnecessary, it’s effectively just a back-door good attendance certificate.  And on that basis, it’s hard to justify ‘another tree’.  And at this point, we can consider all of the environmental costs.  For an organisation urging it’s members to make a ‘plastic promise’ for the planet – what price the cardboard, the printing, the warehousing and distribution, the shop/depot storage and distribution costs? 



I appreciate, people want to encourage the girls to achievement by rewarding achievement.  But we need to face up to the consequences of doing so, and consider how much reward is enough, not rush to add on more rewards, for minor as well as major achievements.  To pause and think of the trees . . .