Young Leaders
Volunteering for Girlguiding isn’t just for adults. If you’re between 14-17 and want to work on your leadership skills, get a qualification and have an amazing time, then being a young leader is the perfect role for you. Don’t worry if you haven’t done any volunteering before – you can jump right in, and we’ll support you all the way!
You’ll be part of a team of volunteers who plan and run weekly meetings where girls explore new ideas, gain new skills, build friendships and have lots of fun. You could be showing five-year-olds how to start a campfire, creating a mini festival for eight-year-olds or helping 12-year-olds start an upcycling revolution.
Being a young leader is a wonderfully varied role but core activities include:
- attending weekly unit meetings and helping girls with our programme activities
- turning weird and wonderful ideas from the girls into fun activities or events
- planning and running activities and games
- making sure everyone feels welcome
- helping less confident girls join in
- sharing your own skills, experiences, and ideas to inspire others
- attending and helping to organise exciting events: day trips, sleepovers or whole weekends
- being a role model for younger girls – someone they can look up to
- bridging the gap between the adults running the unit and the young members taking part
You can be a young leader as your only role in guiding or you can also join a Ranger unit. Rangers follow the guiding programme, meet regularly, do activities together earn badges and have fun.
At 18, a young leader can move onto an adult role and either become a leader in training or a unit helper.
Young leaders are fully supported by the unit leaders. Click here to download the leader’s guidance booklet.