Yippeeeeeeeeeeee

So instead of moaning about work stuff I thought I might come forth with some good stuff. OK so it might not be too exciting for other people but for me (in the words of B&T) it's Awesome!

I'm a Girlguide leader (yes we're all one word these days) and no that doesn't mean I'm great at knots although I do a mean campfire so perhaps the stereotype isn't too off. I insist that I'm not a "Blue Dragon" - those scary old guide leaders who can give looks that should classify as WMDs. I had a unit that I helped run/ran up in Scotland for years and I loved it - the kids grew up with me and during My PhD I'd have lost my sanity (more than I did) without them. When it's all going to hell in the lab it's good to be brought back down to earth by being told that you Nuthin' because you don't know who the latest heart throbe is (for 10-14 year olds). In Scotland I had a real spectrum including private school-pushy parents, private school-parents will throw money but don't want to know, middle ground of both the same, parents don't give a crap. There were also kids with nice parents and I'm pretty sure none of mine were dealers (although a friend with a unit in another part of the city did). There really was the full spectrum of affluence, middle ground and near neglect and it meant that we had a whole range of kids that generally got on together and sorted themselves out.

Now here in sleepy little academic village the kids quite frankly are pretty darned posh. OK they might not all be rich rich but there's none of them wanting for anything. There's a serious number of princesses who need to be taught manners and respect. I work on the system of you earn respect and so do I. I try to start off giving everyone the benefit or the doubt but there's some who're really taking the piss.

The short version is that the unit here isn't very "Guidy" it's more of a youth club. The problem with voluntary organisations is that when people are being crap it's hard to get rid of them. To be fair they're not crap they're just disallusioned. Anyhew I'm helping out (and managing to make a few changes - ie varying activities not just games) because they need it.

The Good News!!!!!

We had our first meeting tonight to arrange a Ranger Unit (the next level up from Guides 14-18). Yes it's technically 14-15 but we're advertising for 14-18 first to see how it goes. They will be as independent as they can be - within reason and the other leaders want to following the original Guiding ethos of an organisation for the girls run by the girls. Also at that age they usually come along because they want to not because their parents want rid of them once a week so they can get the shopping done.

Yes I'm excited but I really think there're a lot of girls who'll benefit in this area (2-3 villages). We can offer them tonnes of cool stuff to do (kayak, climb, camp...but will also help if they want to do the whole pamper/relaxation thing sometimes).

Now to get some girls!