Canadian Guider Spring 2018 by Canadian Guider: Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada

Canadian

SPRING 2018

Welcoming LGBTQ+ Members

Citizen Science

Rangers Take the Lead

Dietary Restrictions

Resumes Revisited

YOUR GGC

Hello Rangers and Guiders,

A place where every girl belongs . . .

ith everything we do in Guiding, we strive to generate a sense of belonging for all girls. Together, we’re creating an environment where each and every girl is accepted. Where she is valued for her ideas, for who she is and for what she wants to achieve. A place where she can truly shine and be everything she wants to be. In her article, “Hello, my pronoun is…” (see page 8), Felicity Rugard speaks with some Rangers about how both Guiders and girls can enable them to feel comfortable in expressing their identities. And those Rangers were pretty open and honest with Felicity about how we can support them. Many made it clear that their unit meetings are a place where they want to have conversations about what’s going on in their lives, and they want Guiding to provide a safe environment for them to express their true selves. If pronouns aren’t something you’ve given much previous thought to, the article includes a handy “Pronouns 101” guide to support your learning. It’s clear that there is a real and growing need for inclusivity and spaces in which all girls feel safe. In “Positive, Inclusive, Safe: Welcoming LBGTQ+ Members” (see page 4), girls and Guiders share the steps they’ve taken to make their unit a safe space for all of their members. As one Guider notes, when units participate in events and activities that embrace diversity, it might mean for one girl that it is the one day in her life when she sees that there is a place for her in the world, that she is loved for who she is, and that it is okay to be who she is. Also in this issue of Canadian Guider. . . • We’ve introduced a fresh new look on the cover and throughout the magazine, with our new Trefoil front and centre. • Explore and experiment with our tips on becoming a Citizen Scientist (page 12). • Help ease camp and sleepover jitters with our Helping with Homesickness tips (page 10). • Create a tasty camp experience for everyone with tips and recipes that make it a snap to accommodate dietary restrictions (page 23).

Krysta Guiding Ambassador

Jill CEO, Girl Guides of Canada CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Photo: GGC

Yours in Guiding,

CONTENTS Features

4 Welcoming LGBTQ+ Members 8 Hello My Pronoun Is . . .

14 Rangers Take the Lead 18 Girl Guides Speak Out 27 Girl Guide Moteliers

28 Girl Guide Entrepreneurs

40 Resumes – Put Your Guiding Skills to Work 44 A Ranger Takes Action

And more.... 2 Your GGC

10 Helping with Homesickness 12 Citizen Science

Cover Photo: courtesy Ontario Council; Photos (from top) Krysta Coyle; Van Chau; Diamond Isinger

17 Women in the Workforce — Impact on Girls 20 Tick Awareness and Prevention

23 Accommodating Dietary Restrictions 30 Active Learning

32 DIY Eco-Friendly Toys

36 Carry on Guiding – All Summer Long! 38 New GGC Trefoil Toque 42 Visiting Furry Friends 46 FYI

47 Simplified Adult Awards Process

42 Canadian Guider, Volume 88, No. 2, SPRING 2018 • ISSN 0300-435X Published three times annually (Winter, Spring, Fall) by Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada, 50 Merton Street, Toronto, ON, M4S 1A3 416-487-5281 • 1-800-565-8111. Web site: www.girlguides.ca • Email: cdnguider@girlguides.ca • Chair: Pamela Rice • Chief Executive Officer: Jill Zelmanovits • Publisher: Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada • Chair, Editorial Committee: Hilary Feldman • Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications: Cathy Jacobs • Supervisor, Communications: Catherine Campbell • Communications Specialist: Mary Vincent • Editor: Sharon Jackson • Art Director: Geraldine Withey • Associate Art Director: Ross Woolford • Annual membership fee includes a subscription to Canadian Guider. It is sent free to all registered adult members and Rangers. If you are a member and have an address change please notify iMIS in your provincial council office. If you are a paid subscriber and have an address change please notify the Canadian Guider directly, enclosing your Canadian Guider mailing label if possible. Send changes to Canadian Guider, Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada, 50 Merton Street, Toronto, ON, M4S 1A3, Canada.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada (GGC) recognizes and values the richness of human diversity in its many forms, and therefore strives to ensure environments where girls and women from all walks of life, identities, and lived experiences feel a sense of belonging and can participate fully. This commitment to inclusion means GGC’s culture, programming, and practices encourage self-awareness and awareness of others; room for difference; and environments where girls and women feel safe, respected, supported, and inspired to reach their potential. SUBSCRIPTIONS RATES: $12 per year inside Canada, $15 to USA, $20 overseas. Single copies $4.25 each. Canadian Publications Mail Product. Sales Agreement No. 40065172. All submissions to the magazine become the property of the Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada unless other arrangements are made prior to publication. Most articles and artwork in this magazine are owned by Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada.

INCLUSIVITY

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Positive Inclusive Welcoming LGBTQ+ Members B Y K AT H R Y N LY O N S A N D L A U R A R I G G S

How can Guiding create spaces that are safe and inclusive for diverse forms of gender identity expression and sexual orientation?

Photo: Krysta Coyle

trong, positive female leadership, girl-centred programming and inclusivity all contribute to creating welcoming environments and experiences in Guiding – and there is a real and growing need for inclusivity and spaces in which all girls feel safe. In GGC’s recent International Day of the Girl survey on the factors that impact their lives, girls across Canada emphasized issues about body image, gender identity, sexual orientation and safety from violence and bullying. Girls in Guiding are aware of this in their everyday lives. And those who are members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer communities and/or families are often at higher risk of feeling excluded, threatened or subjected to violence. We asked a group of Guides, Pathfinders, Rangers, and Guiders for their insights into creating safe spaces for all in Guiding.

Safe Spaces Many girls told stories about classmates teased for being gay, some also saying things such as, “We don’t feel this way in our unit, but it happens in my school a lot.” For example, Alexandra, a Ranger who identifies as bisexual reflected, “I don’t put myself CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

into environments where I feel uncomfortable, and on the whole Girl Guides is really accepting.” Here are some tips to help girls and Guiders create and reinforce the safety and inclusivity that Girl Guides offers to all girls and women.

Demonstrate “Images are good, but you should demonstrate how important it is by what you do and what you say!” – Stevie, Guide

Avoid assumptions. You will not know a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation unless they tell you. There is no reason to question or challenge a person’s identity. Use inclusive language. Refer to families or adults, rather than mothers and fathers. Ask girls to tell you their names, rather than assuming they will match exactly what may be written on their forms. Address a group by their branch, rather than with gendered language. For example, say, “Hey Sparks,” rather than, “Hey girls.” If dating is discussed with older branches, use gender-neutral vocabulary, such as, “Are you dating?” rather than, “Do you have a boyfriend?”

INCLUSIVITY Create or define inclusive examples and activities. For example, if Brownies decide they would like to have a dress-up party, let them decide what getting dressed up means to them, rather than instructing them to simply come in party dresses. At one dress-up party, a Guider wore pants, a shirt and a tie. This sparked a fun and illuminating conversation about what “dressing like a girl” can mean.

Lead “We can talk more about inclusivity at our meetings.” – Frida, Guide

Participate “Having attended Pride with Girl Guides, I know it was meaningful, not only for the girls, but for public outreach. It was clear that a lot of adults (some of whom indicated they were not as welcome in GGC as children) were really responsive to our efforts for inclusivity.” – Laura Riggs, Guider “There may be one girl in one group somewhere for whom an LGBTQ+ positive event could mean the world – it might be the one day in her life when she sees that there is a place for her in the world, that she is loved for who she is, and that it is okay to be who she is.” – Marcia Steeves, Guider

Many families may not be aware of GGC’s commitment to Include programming that is explicitly linked to diversity and diversity and inclusivity. Demonstrating it by participating in inclusivity. Several national challenges, such as Girls EmPower and community events, or talking about it Girls United, help create and support in your social circles can help spread inclusive and safe spaces. Many the positive message. Some GGC units communities have resource centres attend family-oriented Pride events. This and organizations available for participation helps current members gender-neutral inclusivity workshops feel more included and valued, as well and presentations for young people. as promoting Girl Guides to LGBTQ+ Gently intervene when you hear families whose girls might subsequently others using non-inclusive language, Many acronyms are used to become members. making derogatory jokes, or voicing describe a broad spectrum of misinformation, even when it doesn’t identities related to gender and seem intentionally hateful – for attraction. The most recognizable example, the comment “That’s so and common term used to gay.” Help the speaker find another refer to a general community of word to express what they may people who do not identify as have meant, and encourage them cisgender and/or heterosexual is to consider why their language or LGBTQ+. This acronym stands actions may be hurtful to others. for lesbian, gay, bisexual, Shut down gossiping or transgender, two-spirit, speculation about others’ identity queer, questioning, and or orientation. This behaviour is additional identities not disrespectful and can be threatening. otherwise specified (+). Remind girls that everyone is entitled

About LGBTQ+

to feel safe and respected, and that everyone has a part to play in maintaining an inclusive group.

Share “Although I don’t think pins and signs will do anything concrete, they provide an easy way to reach a lot of people to inform and get them thinking about diversity in Girl Guides.” – Morgan Kenny, Guider

Photo: QueerStock

Visible symbols and representation of inclusivity at a meeting place or membership event may help people who are scanning to see if they will be welcome in Girl Guides. Consider also adding an explicit statement of inclusivity to communications about your unit.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Support “I think in addition to talking about diversity, Guiders can tell their units that if any individual needs to talk to someone about their personal situation, the Guider is a safe and supportive confidant.” – Katie Zeman-Maitland, Guider

Members or families may choose to share personal information about their gender identity or sexual orientation with you. This shows that they trust you. Honour and maintain that trust by reaffirming their place and value. Keep their information confidential, and take your cue from them about how they wish to identify, and in which circumstances. A youth may “come out” to you before they are “out” in other areas of their lives. Respect and support that. Everyone has the right to be “out” on their own terms. Acknowledging that LGBTQ+ youth often face greater risks than other youth, include and support them as you do any other member of your unit or community. It is important that their sense of belonging and worth remains unchanged by any disclosure related to identity.

Learn “I want to be as inclusive as possible and sometimes it’s very hard to do out of pure ignorance. You don’t know what you don’t know!” – Katie Zeman-Maitland, Guider

Understand that at any time, youth and adults can be both teachers and learners. Even in the spirit of inclusivity, we may make mistakes or encounter unfamiliar situations. Don’t dwell on mistakes, but do be sure to correct them. Take time to learn new information, ask respectful questions, and explore the complex identities that make up our diverse communities. Your unit can learn more by exploring the Love is Love (Sparks and Brownies) and Diverse Identities (Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers) Instant Meetings, and by taking on the Diverse Connections Challenge. Watch for them all when the new program launches in September 2018. Kathryn Lyons and Laura Riggs are Guiders in Ottawa, ON. Kathryn is also a member of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee. CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

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Recognizing that there are many qualities or aspects of a person’s identity, the following is GGC’s official inclusivity statement.

A Brownie Named Bob

Respecting Identity Choices Sometimes, when we play name games or ask Brownies to introduce themselves, some girls will invent fun names, such as “Chicken Face” or “Smelly Sock.” This usually gets a laugh, and then we all go back to using the girl’s real name. Then there is Bob. When she introduced herself, Bob was not the name on this girl’s forms. Nor was it how she was first introduced to the group. But she kept introducing herself in games and activities as Bob. If someone called her by her given name, the other Brownies would holler, “Her name’s BOB!” After a little while of this, we asked her how she wanted to be identified, and what name she would prefer on the sign-in sheet and certificates. “Bob,” she said. At first, we thought perhaps she had chosen Bob for amusement – as the girls using “Chicken Face” and “Smelly Sock” had. It was unexpected and a non-traditional female name. Then I realized it was really a question of basic respect for how this Brownie wanted to be identified. We wouldn’t second-guess an adult’s right to use the name they choose. Inclusion matters at every age. So, if Bob was the name this girl had chosen for herself at Brownies, then she was absolutely entitled to have us respect that choice. And if it broadened the definition of what a girl’s name is, then that’s great. Our acceptance of Bob also sent a message to the other Brownies that each girl is valued and welcome in Guiding as a unique and independent individual who has control of her own identity.

GIRLS’ VOICES

MY PRONOUN IS... COMPILED BY FELICITY RUGARD

We asked Rangers around the country to give us some feedback about how we use gender pronouns, feelings of inclusion, and freedom to express their identity in their units. We also asked for ideas about how Guiders and Ranger peers could help them feel more included. Here is some of what they had to say.

What gender pronouns do you prefer? I identify as female, and am okay with “she,” but I try to make use of gender-neutral pronouns when talking to others as much as possible. I sometimes find myself feeling annoyed when I’m filling out forms that only have boy/girl options. In all honesty, my pronouns tend to vary from day to day, as I identify as gender-fluid. Normally my friends use they/them pronouns or she/her ones. She/her pronouns. I prefer they/them pronouns. I identify as a gender-fluid person.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Are you comfortable talking about your identity in your unit? Why or why not? Gender identity regarding myself, yes. But, while most of our Guiders are inclusive, some have made comments that seem a bit less inclusive and respectful. Being bisexual, I am not comfortable talking about my sexuality. I believe that if you are not straight or cisgender, it can often be awkward and uncomfortable to talk about your identity. No. I don’t always identify as a girl, and I’ve been a part of Girl Guides since I was six. It also doesn’t help that, unless you are part of the LGBTQ+ community, people don’t care enough to learn this sort of thing. So, personally, I’m worried about how they’d react. As a whole, my unit is comfortable with it, but at times I can feel uncomfortable. This is because the topic of gender identity often flows into the topic of sexuality, and as I identify as asexual, I find it awkward. I don’t feel comfortable talking about or using my own pronouns in the unit. My mom is a Guider, and she doesn’t take gender-neutral pronouns seriously.

Photo: QueerStock

One of Guiding’s goals is the ultimate inclusivity of all members and volunteers. One important way of including and respecting everyone is using the pronouns they have selected to identify themselves.

How can your Guiders and peers help you feel more respected and included? Only two people and my Guider know about my identity in my unit. It’s difficult to assess exactly what my Guider and peers could be doing, but not making (unintentional) transphobic comments would help. Taking the time to look into it more would also be good. By being willing to open up and allow these conversations to happen. By creating a safe space in which everyone is welcome, people can ask questions, and we can foster an honest conversation that is inclusive of everyone. I think the real problem is there’s not really anywhere for kids who don’t fit into the question: “Are you a boy or a girl.” Most adults and kids don’t know how to respond when the answer is “No,” “Yes” or “Sometimes.” But people might start there and figure out how to respond. For example: “Sorry about that – what pronouns do you prefer?” Simple stuff like that. Really just education – that’s the first step towards inclusivity. Letting us speak for ourselves, instead of making assumptions is definitely a step forward. Experiences of others are very valuable, and can help us learn and grow as humans. Finally, a huge thing that can be done is to not make assumptions. Not everyone is cisgender and straight. Making these assumptions closes the door for honest conversations. I already feel very included in the unit. I’m accustomed to people misgendering me, and most of the time it doesn’t bother me, because most gender stereotypes are already pretty broken in our unit. I don’t feel that people calling me a “girl” actually insinuates anything about who I am. I think it would be interesting to talk about gender pronouns in a future meeting.

Felicity Rugard is a Ranger in Toronto and a member of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee.

Pronouns 101

My pronoun is a big deal to me. “ It doesn’t have to be a big deal to you.” Gender-specific and gender-neutral pronouns are the ways we refer to each other in the third person. Individuals might choose to change their pronouns. Gender-Specific Pronouns She / Her/Hers — He / Him/His Gender-Neutral Pronouns They / Them/ Their / Theirs

Hello

my name is

Maya

my pronouns

are

They/Them

Respecting people’s pronouns means using the pronoun with which they most identify. If you make a mistake, don’t dwell on it – just acknowledge and work to correct it.

Ask

You cannot tell someone’s name or pronoun just by looking at them. Ask everyone in the unit about the gender pronouns they choose to use for themselves, and make it a practice to do this also as new members join.

Respect

If someone takes the time to let you know their name and pronoun, use it and respect it. It’s not up to you to decide someone else’s identity. For events, provide name tags that have a space to show participants’ pronouns.

About Gender and Gender Identity Gender – Generally the sex an individual was assigned at birth. Gender Expression – How a person publicly expresses or presents their gender. This can include behaviour, outward appearance, and a person’s chosen name and pronoun. Gender Identity – A person’s internal and individual experience of gender. It is a person’s sense of being a man, a woman, a combination of both, neither, or anywhere along the gender spectrum. A person’s gender identity may be the same as, or different from, the sex they were assigned at birth. Cisgender or Cis – A person whose gender identity matches with the sex they were assigned at birth. Gender-Fluid – A person who feels they are a mix of female and male, but may feel more a woman some days, and more a man other days. Thank you to The 519 community centre in Toronto for their support with this content. Check out their additional resources at: the519.org.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

ASK A GUIDER

Camp Comfort

to acknowledge what a girl is feeling and ask what she would like to do to make things better,” says Guider Sierra Delisle. “She will probably appreciate talking things through and being given some autonomy as far as an activity. Maybe she just wants to visit with Guiders in the kitchen for a while and have some water or hot chocolate, or maybe she wants to sit quietly on her own, reading a book.”

Helping with Homesickness

Finding Other Factors

B Y K AT H R Y N LY O N S B Y K AT H R Y N LYO N S

Many children (and some grown-ups!) can feel a little bit homesick on occasion. While missing home tends to be more common during longer periods away, girls can also be affected on a single sleepover – especially if they are not used to being away from home. So, how do we help them deal with homesickness?

he intensity of a girl’s homesickness can prevent her from having a positive overnight experience, if she withdraws from activities and has difficulty focusing on anything other than home. But, happily, there are a range of strategies and tips you can use to guide and comfort her.

Getting Ready Involving girls in planning for a camp or sleepover can help reduce homesickness by building anticipation and engagement. Set a positive, supportive tone. If you’re communicating with parents, encourage them to develop and practise coping skills with their girls at home. Work with parents who might want to use “bribes” to keep girls at camp,

or be inclined to “rescue” them if they get homesick. Tell them that you will always provide support and encouragement, but will not rush to call home. “I have a rule that unless a girl is severely hurt or ill, I do not call home or let her call home,” says Guider Marie-Therese Gummer. “I do let the girls and their families know that if a serious problem arises, we’ll make sure the girl is taken care of and goes home if necessary. Otherwise, we look at the challenge of homesickness as an opportunity for girls to develop more life skills. And, in five years of doing overnights, I have never had even a Spark leave early.”

Managing Anxieties Emphasize to the girls that you – and the other girls and

Guiders – care about their enjoyment and wellbeing while away from home. For extended-stay camps and trips, many Guiders use wellness plans, camper check-ins, and mental health teams for support. On single overnights, activities designed to give girls a way to cope with homesick feelings or anxiety can prove very successful. “We started with making worry dolls with our Sparks and Brownies on the first night at camp,” says Guider Jenna Frazer. “They loved it so much that the Guides wanted to do it, as well.” Should homesickness become more intense, a couple of things usually work. Staying busy helps shift thoughts from missing home to enjoying camp. When homesickness strikes a girl at night, introduce quiet tasks, such as reading, colouring and simple math puzzles. Let her choose which she wants to do, and acknowledge how she is feeling by making time to listen to her. “I feel that by Guide or Pathfinder age, it’s better

Hunger and fatigue can intensify negative feelings and anxieties. A mid-afternoon rest or nap for a girl who hasn’t slept well, or an extra snack for one who hasn’t eaten well can help shift the mood. Older girls may be feeling the effects of hormone changes – or social dynamics could be contributing factors, in which case a confidential conversation might help. “I was fine for weekends in Brownies and Guides,” says Ranger Becky Groulx. “I went to Mosaic as a Pathfinder and to Yukon in my first year of Rangers, and was also totally fine. But at a leadership camp when I was 16, I spent the second day crying – I just wanted to go home! I think hormones might have played a part, which may explain why homesickness can suddenly strike older girls.” Guider Julie St. Cyr says she thinks that homesickness can be about more than just wanting to go home. “Often, it’s about being a shy girl who feels excluded, or being a quiet girl stressed by more rowdy girls,” she says. “I have also seen experienced campers break down if there are big changes at home, which make them reluctant to be away.”

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Involving girls in planning for a camp or sleepover can help reduce homesickness by building anticipation and engagement.

Photo: Van Chau

Demonstrating Respect For a few girls, homesickness can escalate to anxiety and distress. Some may need to call home, and others may need to go home early. But even an incomplete overnight experience is worth the effort. An aborted stay at camp or sleepover still provides a step towards building independence and resilience. If a girl has to leave, give her a chance to say good-bye to her peers; show her that you and your co-Guiders sincerely respect her efforts to be away from home; and let her know she will be welcomed warmly whenever she tries again. Kathryn Lyons is a Guider in Ottawa, ON, and a member of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee. CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

N AT U R E

Explore, Observe, Document Citizen Science

Want to get outside, enjoy nature and contribute to science all in one? From earthworms and birds to butterflies and plants, there are plenty of easy opportunities for girls to explore, observe, document and contribute to scientific discovery and environmental conservation.

WormWatch

One of several fascinating and fun eco-learning initiatives developed by NatureWatch Canada, WormWatch invites you to get your hands a little dirty, discover the exotic habitat right under your feet, and provide scientists with valuable data about the distribution and variety of earthworms. Worms are very sensitive to soil disturbance. The data from WormWatch is used to help improve soil health and reclaim earth that has been degraded. The time frame and commitment required are very flexible and observation can be done almost anywhere there is soil. Currently, 25 different earthworm species

have been found and identified in Canada. Perhaps with your help more will be discovered! In a wooded area, you can use the “flip and strip” method, by flipping over rocks and stripping back bark on fallen logs. In an urban area, it might be easier to choose a patch of soil and dig up a chunk of earth. (If it’s not your land, make sure you have permission from the owner first.) In either method, you’ll look for worms and identify them with the easy field guide that is available on the NatureWatch website. When you have finished your observations, be sure to put the rocks, bark or earth back in place, so the worms can continue to do their vital job. NatureWatch runs other citizen science programs your unit can undertake in spring, summer or fall, including FrogWatch, PlantWatch and MilkweedWatch. You’ll find all these initiatives and more at naturewatch.ca

MilkweedWatch and eButterfly If you’re going to camp this spring or summer, NatureWatch’s MilkweedWatch would be a really worthwhile project to take on, because of the plant’s importance to monarch butterfly caterpillars. Speaking of monarchs, you might also consider recording monarch butterfly observations by tracking sightings CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Photo: ©iStock/FatCamera

itizen science programs harness the power of volunteer observers to track and record data about a range of topics. Canada has hundreds of these programs. They help to extend the reach of, and fill the gaps in, government or university-led science. There are opportunities for every interest and region of the country. By following straightforward steps, any girl can be a scientist and make meaningful contributions to on-going research. Here are a few fun activities and projects you can do with your unit at camp and in your own neighbourhoods.

Any girl can be a scientist and make meaningful contributions to on-going research.

and locations and sharing photos, while making a valuable contribution to science and conservation through e-butterfly.org

Celebrate Urban Birds The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is always looking for participants for its bird program. To get involved, you’ll need to track birds three times in one month. But it’s easy! Cornell provides you with a clear guide and a list of 16 bird species they are interested in. It includes birds many girls likely already know, such as pigeons, robins and crows. Just pick a place to watch birds – an area about half the size of a basketball court – and spend roughly 10 minutes spotting and counting birds. If you don’t see any birds, submit that information, too; it’s also valuable to the program. While you are on the site, check out the other bird-watching programs Cornell offers, and consider making feeders or bird houses for your feathered friends, as well.

Funky Nests in Funky Places Cornell created the Funky Nests in Funky Places contest for enthusiastic urban birders. This spring, check out store signs, streetlights, balconies, traffic lights, gutters, downspouts, rooftops, stadium lights, light fixtures, grills, utility poles, potted CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

plants and more. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll find! Then share your discoveries. Cornell hopes people of all ages will participate, and accepts photos, poems and videos. The contest begins April 15 and ends June 30. For more information and resources, go to: celebrateurbanbirds.org

Spruce Budworm Tracking Natural Resources Canada/ Healthy Forest Partnership

The spruce budworm is the most destructive insect in eastern Canadian forests. Citizen scientists play a major role in providing insight into why populations rise and spread the way they do. Check out a video about this pest, and find more information on the tracking program at: budwormtracker.ca

Neighbourhood Bat Watch Support bat conservation by locating bat colonies and counting the number of bats living in them. Find details at: batwatch.ca

Want More? You can find more citizen science opportunities at: bit.ly/2m9vF3c

Front and Centre Rangers Take the Lead BY NOREEN REMTULLA

Girls taking the lead is a fundamental part of Guidingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forward momentum. And Rangers in the Alberta Council Youth Forum have begun to pave the way by putting themselves front and centre at adult training workshops.

t the beginning of the Guiding year last September, the Alberta Council Youth Forum was invited to the first ever GrassRoots Huddle. The focus of the event was to bring members from Alberta, Northwest Territories and Yukon together, to connect with Alberta Council members, Area Commissioners and, of course, each other. Participants represented a wide range of demographics, including both longtime and newer GGC members from urban and rural areas. And the invitation to the Youth Forum members was not to just participate, but to lead.

Girl Engagement This adult training was all about learning more about working with girls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so who better to lead it than the girls? Youth Forum

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Photos: courtesy Alberta Council Youth Forum Instagram

LEADERSHIP

Ranger Participation and Leadership Many of the Guiders were surprised to see so many Rangers at the GrassRoots Huddle weekend. In addition to the three members of the Alberta Council Youth Forum, a handful of Rangers from across the province and two territories also participated – another girl engagement initiative by the new Alberta Council Provincial Commissioner Team. The adults were in for another surprise when they walked into the sessions that were led exclusively by the Youth Forum. “I’m not quite sure what we expected, and we were nervous,” said Cassey. “But our nerves settled, and we delivered a strong presentation that received great feedback.”

Adult and Girl Perspectives

members presented the Girl Engagement and Diversity and Inclusion sessions to the adult Guiders. “As a Ranger and member of the Alberta Council Youth Forum, this opportunity presented an exciting and daunting challenge for a 17-year-old to teach adults,” said Cassey Fallis, a second-year member of the Alberta Council Youth Forum. Cassey and two other Youth Forum Rangers, Alexis Holmgren and Keeley Toope, took many hours out of their summer holidays to participate in multiple planning teleconferences and to collaborate with other Alberta Council members to create a meaningful session on girl engagement. “I truly felt valued and heard,” said Cassey. “I’m grateful that I could represent Rangers and show the adults that we are committed, mature and ready take on a leadership role beyond being a Girl Assistant.” CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Ideas flowed across the room, and the Rangers’ voices were heard and acknowledged by many adult “Aha!” moments and head nods. The adults also learned from each other, respecting both each others’ and the girls’ perspectives. It was clear from this event that the Rangers earned a new level of respect from the Guiders. “Our perspective was a key addition to the Girl Engagement session and promoting the input of Ranger ideas as the new normal,” said Cassey. “It was encouraging to have our ideas not only welcomed, but also embraced by the Guiding community.” And the adults definitely agreed. “Having Rangers at GrassRoots Huddle brought a refreshing new perspective to what have traditionally been adult-only training sessions,” said Kathy Batty, Provincial Commissioner for Alberta Council. “The weekend was full of new perspectives and I believe both Guiders and Rangers gained a greater appreciation for our respective roles in Guiding.” As for promoting ongoing girl engagement in Guiding, Cassey has this advice for all Guiders. “If you’re wondering how to engage girls, just ask your local Ranger. I’m sure her voice will point you in the right direction.” Noreen Remtulla, of Edmonton, AB, is the Chair of the Alberta Council Youth Forum, and a member of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee.

LEADERSHIP

Girl Engagement 101 Six Tips for Moving Girls Front and Centre

2 3

Girls First.

Make sure girls are always actively involved, and have a say in their own Guiding experience.

Girls are experts on being girls.

Listen to girls about the issues that challenge them in their daily lives. These are the issues that they may want to focus on in a safe space.

Girls bring knowledge.

As they continue to grow towards adulthood, girls may understand more than you may realize. Learn from them while they facilitate a meeting or lead a discussion on something that is important to them.

Girls want to be involved.

Girls should be in the driver’s seat. Don’t just delegate tasks to them; invite them to decide on those tasks and how they will tackle them. Let them share the responsibility for running your unit. Embrace their willingness and dedication!

Girls want to be consulted.

Take an integrated approach towards planning meetings, outings and camps. Girls have energy, enthusiasm and imagination. Listen to their innovative ideas and incorporate them into your program.

Girls want meaningful roles.

Girls’ participation in activities and events is not intended just to check that “girl engagement” box on your list of things to do. Nor is it meant just for simple tasks, such as handing out schedules and name tags. Consider the many practical goals of girl engagement in any event, and get the girls involved in meaningful roles. Then watch how all participants – girls and Guiders alike – will benefit from that engagement.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Photos: courtesy Alberta Council Youth Forum Instagram

GIRLS’ LIVES

Women in the Workforce GGC Thought Leadership At GGC, we believe in empowering every girl to be everything she wants to be. That’s why we conducted research to determine how women’s experiences at work impact girls before they even enter the workplace and compiled the data in our new report Women in the Workforce – Impact on Girls. This report clearly reveals how issues such as the gender wage gap, the under representation of women in corporate leadership roles, and everyday sexism are negatively affecting girls’ aspirations. Here are a few statistical examples from survey responses of girls in Canada aged 15 to 17:

24% 25% 19%

do not feel motivated to pursue their dream career because they are concerned they will be compensated less than their male counterparts.

do not know any female role models who have their dream job.

agree that their teachers treat them differently in class because they’re a girl.

It’s clear that girls are being held back by limiting messages and negative gender stereotypes. The report reveals that these negative experiences are sometimes more pronounced among girls who identify as Asian, Indigenous or Black. However, there is determination and resilience among girls today. That’s why it’s so important that they continue to have meaningful opportunities to reach their potential and discover who they want to be – why they need female role models who will support them as they explore the infinite possibilities of the future they want for themselves. Together in Guiding, we are sparking extraordinary opportunities for girls as they discover that their power and potential are limitless. Along the way, we’re supporting girls’ aspirations as today’s change makers and as our future CEOs, lawmakers and innovators. CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

“

It’s hard to strive for excellence if you know that no matter how much work and effort you put in and how great you are, a man will always be paid more.

”

– Ignite. Inspire. Innovate. Conference Participant

GGC research provides insight into the lives of girls and helps us to understand the issues they face and the things they care about, as well as their hopes for the future. For more information, check out: girlguides.ca/ workplacereport

GO GLOBAL

Speak Out WHO Conference on Violence Against Children

Last October, eight Girl Guides from different countries took a stand against violence by speaking out at a World Health Organization (WHO) international conference on violence against children, which took place in Ottawa. Among them were a Pathfinder and a Ranger from Girl Guides of Canada. Here, in her own words, are Pathfinder Mia Viensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; impressions of that conference.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Photos: courtesy WHO Conference on Violence Against Children

BY MIA VIENS

egan Jones, a Ranger, and I were honoured to represent Canadian youth at the WHO conference – to help review past achievements and proposed ideas for future plans about the prevention of violence against children. We were joined by 13 other youth delegates from Indonesia, Mexico, Paraguay, the Philippines, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Some of them were chosen to participate from organizations such as Free the Children. Along with the girls from the Philippines and South Africa, Megan and I participated as members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

Personal Perspectives The three-day conference included a special segment for youth to present their personal experiences and perspectives about violence against children. Lethabo, a Girl Guide from South Africa, described the area where she lives as very violent. She can’t walk to her Guide meetings alone because the risk that she will be hurt or kidnapped is too high. And Gilberto, from Mexico, talked about witnessing drug-related crimes and violence there. Hearing these stories made me feel more thankful for what I have here and gave me a new appreciation for how safe I feel in Canada generally, and especially in my own community.

On our last day, we had a debriefing session, and talked about ways that we could keep in touch. Even though many of us don’t speak the same language and live in different circumstances, we discovered things we could all relate to. I bonded with the South African girls over some Girl Guide songs that we all love, and I felt comfortable with them because we share a common love of Guiding. It seemed like I instinctively knew them. There are four main tips I can offer any young person who wants to participate in this sort of event: 1. Be confident. Regardless of their level of knowledge, experience and expertise, adults want to hear the youth perspective. 2. Be genuine. Your experiences may be different from those of others, but they’re unique and they’re important. 3. Be open. Listen to other people’s experiences and be ready to sensitize yourself to their perspectives and to embrace diversity. 4. Bring swaps! The youth delegates from WAGGGS and the other organizations all brought fun things to trade. Swaps make great ice-breakers and memory-makers – things to treasure as you look back on a wonderful experience shared by wonderful people. Mia Viens is a Pathfinder in Ottawa, ON.

Presentations The youth delegates spent a good part of the first day deciding together how we could make the most effective presentation to the 250 adult delegates at the main conference. We decided to arrange a panel presentation, with one delegate – Alejandro, from Mexico – acting as the host/interviewer. Megan and I, as well as a girl from Sri Lanka and boy from Indonesia, decided to speak about why it is important to include youth in working to prevent violence against children and youth. On the second day – our presentation day – it was a little nerve-wracking to step up in front of all those expert adult delegates, but once the other youth started talking, I was reassured. My message to the conference was about the importance of community, and the sense of belonging somewhere. I also wanted the delegates to consider how youth can help each other deal with the effects of violence. Youth aren’t just victims. Often, we are the first ones that young victims of violence talk to – the first ones who can help. Megan’s message focused on reminding the adults to always listen to children’s perspectives and to understand that children and youth are the experts of our own experiences.

Personal Communications After we made our formal presentation, there was some time to mingle with the adult delegates. It was great to see how our presence and presentation impressed them, and how much they appreciated us and listened to our words. I preferred these informal discussions to the formal presentation, because there was less pressure, and the communication was more natural and personal.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Meet Megan & Mia Megan (left) is a Ranger in Ottawa, ON. Her interest in social justice began in elementary school through her participation in Me to We clubs. This sparked a passion for helping others and gave her the belief that everyone’s rights to a safe and happy childhood need to be respected. Mia (right) is a Pathfinder in Ottawa, ON. She is French/English bilingual and is studying in an intensive science program, with the goal of an eventual career in health care. Her most recent science project aimed to improve the function of prosthetic hands with tactile digital technology.

Tick Tips 20

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Photo: Linda Piette

OUTDOOR GUIDER

Awareness and Prevention BY KRIS MCGEE

Tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Canada. Stay safe this spring, summer and fall with these tick awareness and prevention tips.

hen Guiding activities include camping, canoeing and hiking, they can also include tick bites. While there are some 40 different types of ticks in Canada, it’s the blacklegged tick (also known as the deer tick because adult ticks are often found on deer) that is most worrisome, due to its connection with Lyme disease. Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted through the bites of blacklegged ticks. Typical clinical signs of infection include an expanding red rash that appears most often at the tick bite site along with flu-like symptoms, which if left untreated, can spread to the heart, joints and nervous system. With early detection and diagnosis, the majority of cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics. However, before symptoms arise, the best prevention is detection and prompt removal of ticks from the skin. Here’s a checklist of how to make tick awareness and prevention part of your outdoor plans.

Photo: iStock/RolfAasa

Before Heading Out Ticks are part of our natural world, and when we venture out, we will be visiting their homes! All girls and Guiders should be taught the basics of tick prevention, which include the following precautions: o Wear pants, long-sleeved shirts and closed-toe shoes/boots.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

o Wear light-coloured clothing, to make ticks more visible. o Tuck pants into your socks. o Apply insect repellent to clothes or exposed skin. o If feasible, post pictures of blacklegged ticks in sleeping areas and washrooms, as a tick awareness measure.

After Being Outdoors Blacklegged ticks are smaller than most other types of ticks, and only the adult female and the nymph (immature or teenage tick) are cause for concern when they bite. Unfed adult females measure approximately three millimetres in length and can expand to more than triple that size when fed (the size of a grape), but the nymphs are very tiny (one to two millimetres in length) when unfed. Even when fed, they reach only three to four millimetres in length (the size of a poppy seed), so they are always difficult to spot without close inspection. Girl and Guiders should be reminded to: o Stay zipped up and tucked in. Don’t let the little critters crawl into your cuffs or waistbands. o Do tick twirls on a regular basis. Find a partner and check each other head to toe as you turn on the spot. o If you find a tick, don’t let it stick! Swipe it off using a stick, leaf or gloved hand. o Shake your outdoor clothes before entering a tent or cabin. o After every outdoor activity, and when going to bed or using the bathroom, check your body for ticks (ask a buddy for help!). Don’t forget to check armpits, between the toes, behind the knees, the navel, behind the ears, on the scalp and on the nape of the neck. o Do a complete change of clothing for bed. o Have girls who find ticks, especially embedded in skin, notify a Guider immediately. o Remove all ticks promptly. (See To Remove a Tick on page 22.)

All girls and Guiders should be taught the basics of tick prevention.

The tiny blacklegged tick (deer tick) has a flat, broad, oval, orange-brown body with dark legs.

OUTDOOR GUIDER o Look for ticks on the surface of your clothing or clinging to your hair. o Once at home and undressed, tick twirl in front of a mirror, or do a thorough self-check. High occurrence areas include your head, arms, waist and legs. o To be extra safe, throw your camp and hiking clothes in a dryer and run it on high heat for at least 10 minutes to kill any stowaway ticks.

When to Seek Medical Attention

To Remove a Tick

When the tiny blacklegged tick (deer tick) bites you, an expanding red rash often (but not always) appears. If you find such a rash anywhere on your body, contact your health provider immediately.

Removing ticks within 24-36 hours after the tick bite usually prevents infection. The process is trickier than removing ticks from your clothes, but the same adage applies: If you find a tick, don’t let it stick! Here’s how to safely remove a tick that has latched onto you: o Using clean tweezers, grasp the tick’s head as close to the skin as possible and slowly pull straight out. Try not to twist or crush it. o If the mouthparts break off and remain in the skin, remove them with tweezers or, if you are unable to remove them easily, clean the bite area and consult your healthcare provider as soon as possible. If you have removed the tick, you can choose to save it in a sealed container and record the date of the bite. Bring it to your medical appointment, as it may help in the assessment of your illness, should symptoms develop. o Wash the bite area and your hands with soap and water, or disinfect with alcohol hand sanitizer. o Dispose of dead ticks in household garbage, and drown live ones in rubbing alcohol or freeze them for several hours. Don’t squash ticks with exposed fingers.

When Heading Home Before you leave camp and once you are back home, take these precautionary steps: o Tick twirl before entering your car or building, to keep the critters from entering human spaces.

To Save and Submit Ticks If you wish, save your tick in a sealed container or baggie. Label it with the date and location where the bite occurred. If you don’t need it for your health provider, you can help researchers study where blacklegged ticks have spread in Canada and determine the risk of human exposure in certain areas, by submitting your tick for identification to a public health lab in your region. To find the nearest lab to you, check at: bit.ly/2qQexkk To see a listing and maps of known Lyme disease areas in Canada, go to: bit.ly/2BM9qtt Kris McGee is a Guider from St. Jacobs, ON, and Deputy Provincial Commissioner, Administration with Ontario Council. Canadian Guider would like to thank Robbin Lindsay, a Public Health Agency of Canada scientist specializing in zoonotic diseases in Winnipeg, MB, for reviewing and advising us on the information in this article. CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Photos: (top) California Department of Health; (bottom) ©iStock/anakopa

Life stages of the blacklegged/deer tick (l-r): nymph, adult male and adult female.

Visit your health care provider as soon as possible if: o you are not comfortable with removing attached ticks o you cannot remove the tick because it has buried itself deep into your skin. Most importantly, when the blacklegged (deer) tick bites you, an expanding red rash often (but not always) appears. It will normally not appear until at least a few days after the tick bite and most often appears one to two weeks later. The rash can take many forms, but the thing to watch for is an expansion to five or more centimetres in diameter. If you notice such a rash anywhere on your skin, seek medical help immediately.

Food CAMP CUISINE

for

All

Accommodating Dietary Restrictions B Y M E G S C OT T

Illustration ©iStock/Adehoidar

Girls love making food together, especially at camp. But girls also have different dietary restrictions. Here’s how to keep the fun in food and also take those dietary restrictions into account.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

SECTION HEAD

lanning and preparing nutritious and appealing meals and snacks that will work for everyone doesn’t have to be stressful. Here are a few simple tips that will help you provide food for all without losing the charm of camp cuisine.

If your unit has multiple dietary restrictions, group the restrictions together to reduce the number of options you’re preparing at each meal. For example, if you need to accommodate a dairy allergy and vegetarian, Kosher and Halal requirements, a vegan meal will fit the bill for all of these. (Check out Mexican Bean Salad or Lentil Spaghetti Sauce in the recipes on page 25.) Remember that girls and Guiders who eat meat can also enjoy a vegetarian meal. It is completely reasonable to make one meal that accommodates dietary restrictions, and that can be consumed by everyone.

Serve one meal with several options. For example, if supper is spaghetti with meat sauce and Caesar salad, separate each item. Girls who are vegan can have spaghetti and tomato sauce; girls who follow Kosher or Halal restrictions can have spaghetti, tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. If the salad is undressed, girls can avoid Caesar dressing if they have dairy allergies, and/or bacon bits if they are vegetarian, vegan, Kosher or Halal. And if some campers must avoid gluten, you can either make two kinds of pasta or have everyone eat gluten-free.

Carefully read labels for allergens. Companies are diligent in listing allergens for liability reasons. Check the end of the ingredient list; there might be a “contains” or “may contain” statement with allergens listed

after it. Avoid products with either of those statements on the package.

Talk to girls and their parents. They can vouch for a product or steer you in the right direction. Learn what can and cannot be eaten. For example, just because a recipe is Kosher, doesn’t mean the end product will be. Both the ingredients you use and the kitchen where the food is prepared can matter, so find out what’s required. Also, did you know that marshmallows aren’t vegan? They contain gelatin that is made from animals (usually pigs, so they aren’t Kosher or Halal either). Vegan marshmallows (one brand name is Dandies) are a good option for the campfire. Again, read labels for ingredients; for example, most (but not all) graham crackers contain honey and many vegans abstain from honey.

Accommodate girls’ personal preferences (aka picky eaters). Everyone has foods they don’t like, and some girls will have more dislikes than others. Having one plain option will ensure there’s always something to eat. In one unit we made instant oatmeal available. Don’t centre out a picky eater. At the beginning of each meal, tell all the girls that they don’t have to eat anything they don’t like, and explain all the food options they have. Picky eating is often about personal control; giving girls two options (the main meal and the plain alternative) helps them feel more in control.

Keep your health forms up to date. These are vital in knowing what food allergies you have in your unit, and can help you discern between allergies and dislikes.

Meg Scott is a Guider and Registered Dietitian in Inuvik, NT.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

F EF

Happy Camper Recipes MEXICAN BEAN SALAD DF EF GF H K NF SF VG V by Meg Scott

DF EF GF H K VG V

adapted by Kathryn Lyons from vegangela.com

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CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS

LENTIL SPAGHETTI SAUCE DF EF GF H K NF SF VG V by Meg Scott

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1 Preheat the oven to 350 °F. 2 Line muffin tins with paper liners. VG 3 Whisk the egg alternative and sugar until 1 Heat the oil V in a large pot set over a fluffy. Add the melted margarine, sour medium-high heat source. Add the cream and mashed bananas. onion and carrots and cook 10 minutes 4 Stir thoroughly by hand – or use an electric until soft. mixer – until completely combined. 2 Add the lentils, spaghetti sauce, dried 5 Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking oregano and garlic powder. powder into the batter and stir until 3 Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring completely mixed. well. Reduce the heat; cover the pot 6 Fill lined muffin cups to just under the and simmer 20 to 30 minutes. If the brims. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on mixture becomes too thick, add a little top. water. 7 Bake 10-12 minutes for mini-muffins or 4 Add the frozen spinach and cook 20 to 25 minutes for full-size, or until a 10 minutes longer. toothpick inserted into the centre comes 5 Serve over cooked pasta. out clean.

SECTION HEAD

TACO AND BURRITO FILLING DF EF GF H K NF SF VG V

CARAMEL POPCORN adapted by Kathryn Lyons from DF EF GF H K NF SF VG V PETA: peta.org

adapted by Kathryn Lyons from DF EF GF H K VG V theomeatathlete.com

DF EF GF H K VG V

DF EF GF H K NF VG V

GF H 4 cups/1000 ml dry TVP (textured K vegetable protein) 2 tbsp/30 mlNF gluten-free soy sauce 4 tbsp/60 mlSF canola or olive oil 2 packets ofVG commercial taco seasoning (check ingredients) V

1 Rehydrate the TVP by mixing it with just less than four cups of boiling water in a bowl. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the water is absorbed. 2 Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the TVP, soy sauce and taco seasoning, plus ½ cup/125 ml of water; stir until the water is absorbed and the seasonings are evenly distributed.

DF EF GF H K VG V CAMPFIRE DOUGHNUTS DF EF GF H K NF VG V

by Meg Scott

EF H K NF VG V GFspin K traditional NF SF VGdoughnuts V DF EF H on This tasty uses original Pillsbury crescent rolls (other varieties may contain milk and/or eggs), DF jam made with pectin (not gelatin), and EF dowels or thick sticks.

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3 Cook over campfire until golden brown. Remove the dough pocket from the stick, fill with jam and enjoy!

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CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Photo: ©ShutterStock/GROGL

EF Hrecipe K NF VG easy, V can be made This is very ahead in large batches and freezes well. SF VG V can DF EF GFvegetable H K NF Textured protein (TVP) be purchased at health stores. (Allergy awareness note: DF TVP contains soy.) This recipe EF makes enough filling for 20 servings.

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ROLE MODELS

See It – Be It

Girl Guide Moteliers BY DIAMOND ISINGER

Photo: courtesy April Brown and Sarah Sklash

One of Canada’s newest and trendiest places to stay was recently founded by two female entrepreneurs, who both participated in Guiding as girl members. Self-described gal-pals, ambitious business women and campfire enthusiasts, April Brown and Sarah Sklash are the co-owners of The June Motel, an Instagram-popular hot spot in Prince Edward County, Ontario.

hese successful female entrepreneurs both grew up in Guiding. Sarah participated for more than six years, and April was a member of Brownies, Guides and Pathfinders. They both credit Girl Guides with helping them as girls to gain valuable knowledge, skills, confidence and inspiration that continue to benefit them as businesswomen. “The best thing we both took away from Girl Guides was the confidence in ourselves to learn new skills,” said Sarah. “Before starting our business, we had no experience working in hospitality. But CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

thankfully we both just knew we would be able to figure it out. It wasn’t easy and we made some mistakes along the way, but as with earning any Girl Guide badge – you eventually get there!” Sarah, who worked in government, and April, who was a public relations consultant, weren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and get to work when they made the decision to purchase their motel. They installed new flooring and put up new wallpaper themselves, among many other renovation jobs. And they leveraged their networks to enlist the help of friends and family in making the motel their own – a

good example of using their resources wisely, in true Girl Guide fashion. Asked to describe their experience as entrepreneurs, the women offered some highlights. “I love that we were able to set out our own vision and follow that through,” said April. Sarah added, “I appreciated having the opportunity and responsibility to create our own team, with members who are as excited as we are about the enterprise.” For young women and girls who want to take on a big entrepreneurial challenge, April said, “Go with your gut if an idea feels right.” Sarah advised, “Do a lot of research and analysis to guide your decisions. That will take away a lot of the risk.” And in keeping with their Guiding roots, Sarah and April organize nightly campfire gatherings at The June Motel for their guests and friends to meet, relax, and have fun together. The world definitely needs s’more campfires and s’more female entrepreneurs – so high five to these inspiring role models! Diamond Isinger is a Guider from Vancouver, BC, and a member of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee.

ROLE MODELS

These Girls Mean Business! Girl Guide Entrepreneurs BY DIAMOND ISINGER

Fans of reality television will probably be familiar with the popular CBC show Dragons’ Den, in which entrepreneurs, hoping to score big investments in their companies, pitch their top business ideas to a panel of successful business professionals. The 12th Toronto Guides have borrowed that concept to create an awesome activity – setting up their very own dragons’ den!

uider Rachel Vickerson helped the girls plan and organize their den, and developed a list of tips for a successful pitch competition to share with other units along the way. With elements of product research, marketing strategy, public speaking and presentation development, this activity enables girls to gain entrepreneurship skills, while having a huge amount of fun. Here’s a brief description of how the 12th Toronto Guides did it:

Planning and Positioning At the first meeting, the Guiders discussed the components of a good business plan and the factors that an entrepreneur should consider. Working in patrols, the girls brainstormed their biggest and best business ideas and planned their pitches. The Guiders provided a sample business plan handout (downloaded from bizkids.com ), which the girls used to estimate their start-up and ongoing costs, brainstorm how to market their business, determine pricing and market positioning, and calculate profits. The written plans helped them focus on their business objectives and use their time efficiently to figure out their presentation strategies.

Presenting and Pitching At the second meeting, the Guides were given time to do some last-minute preparations before they presented their pitches. Their objective was to present short and compelling explanations of why their business idea deserved support and funding. In a less intimidating atmosphere than that of the original Dragons’ Den, these young entrepreneur wannabees were pitching to a panel of three not-too-scary dragons recruited from the community. These local female entrepreneurs brought their business insights and savvy to the den and offered their advice on each pitch presented. Coming from diverse businesses in the Toronto area, they included a woman who sells craft patterns online, an astrophysicist who runs her own space education company, and the CEO of an all-female renovation company. CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Bringing in guest panelists is a great way to introduce girls to strong female role models and mentorship.

Photo: Wayne Eardley

Awards and Advice In keeping with the Dragons’ Den model, the panel was provided with Monopoly money to award to successful patrol pitches. “The girls’ favourite part of the session was the advertising and presentation aspects,” said Rachel. “They incorporated some very creative skits and commercials into their pitches.” For units thinking of organizing a similar activity, she advises Guiders to allocate a lot of time for the girls to brainstorm ideas and plan their presentations and pitches. “Our girls needed considerable time to come to a consensus within their patrols,” she explained. Asked what the most unique proposal was, Rachel said it was the pitch a patrol made for a water park resort designed for pets and humans to enjoy together. Despite some obvious health and sanitation concerns, everyone loved the idea and had a good laugh together. This creative and flexible activity concept can be a terrific addition to a unit’s program. Organizing a den is not difficult; and bringing in guest panelists is a great way to introduce girls to strong female role models and mentorship. And while Guiders wanting to encourage entrepreneurship in girls will benefit from this outside support and expertise, these local business leaders will be exposed to the cool program activities that Girl Guide members do, and potentially become interested in offering girls ongoing mentorship by becoming members themselves! CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

For ideas, assistance and resources, reach out to your local chamber of commerce, business association or university/college entrepreneurship program. Or talk to your savviest friend running her own business. Happy pitching! Diamond Isinger is a Guider from Vancouver, BC, and a member of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee.

Think Big – Dream Bigger

GGC wants you to think big and dream even bigger! Our International Womens Day Instant Meeting is focused on entrepreneurship and celebrating the inspiring women who drive innovation everywhere. It can be completed in one meeting. The Making a Difference crest is available to recognize girls’ entrepreneurial spirit: bit.ly/2E4wOEN

ACTIVITIES

Active Learning Turning Words into Movement Kinesthetic learning. Learning through movement. Active learning. Whatever we call it, introducing movement to learning provides an engaging way to help girls in all branches to understand concepts, gain knowledge and brainstorm ideas.

Photo: Wayne Eardley

Here are some fun kinesthetic activities you can incorporate into your unitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program to turn words into different options for movement. You can also use these to up the fun factor at Ranger and Guider trainings and brainstorming sessions!

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

ROLL THE DICE ACTIVITY CHART This game is useful for reinforcing concepts, such as learning the Guiding Promise or the Guiding Law. As needed for Sparks, help each girl to add up the numbers on the dice and have her recite the Spark Promise and then say one way she can be a friend.

BEACH BALL BRAINSTORM

AROUND THE ROOM STATIONS

This is a good activity for generating ideas.

This activity works for problem solving, story building or brainstorming. It can also be used if you have a variety of questions, topics or issues for the girls to reflect on and discuss.

What You Need

What You Do

• pair of dice • chart with an activity assigned to each combination of numbers on the dice, from 1 to 12

1 Play this in small groups. 2 One girl rolls the dice and calls out the activity that corresponds to the number of the two dice tallied. (If both dice land with the number one on the top, she can choose to call it one or two.) 3 The girl then says the Promise and/or Law, while all the other members of the group perform that activity. 4 Once she has successfully finished, the activity stops, and another girl rolls the dice. 5 Continue until all the girls in the group have rolled the dice. Sample Activity Chart The activities can be tailored to suit the age and abilities of the group. Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Action: Do the activity until the dice roller has completed her Promise and/or Law! Crab walk Hop on one foot Tie your scarf Jumping jacks Count backwards from 100 Frog jumps Jog on the spot Build a three-person pyramid (and stay in it!) Hop like a rabbit Pop like popcorn FREEZE! Don’t talk. Don’t move Take off your shoes (or socks) and put them on again

• beach ball or other light, inexpensive ball • permanent marker

1 Write brainstorming words all over the beach ball. For example, to brainstorm a menu for camp, write food categories: breakfast, lunch, supper, snack, fruit, vegetable, drink, dessert. 2 Have the girls stand or sit in a circle. 3 Throw or roll the ball to one girl. She chooses the first food category she sees on the ball, and suggests something she likes to eat from that category. Then she throws or rolls the ball to the next girl. 4 The game continues until all categories have been addressed and the girls feel there are enough suggested foods to make up a menu.

CHARADES This activity facilitates reviewing concepts or evaluating activities. What You Need

• slips of paper and pens

WALK AND TALK This activity is suitable for older girls. What You Do

1 Instead of having girls sit down to talk about a topic, invite them to move in pairs or groups around your building, or outside and discuss. 2 After a fixed amount of time, have them return and share their ideas. 3 You can also have the girls alternate between walking, sitting and standing as they discuss their topics.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

What You Do

1 On each slip of paper, write a concept or activity. For example, if you want to evaluate the activities your unit has done over the year, write each one down on a separate piece of paper. 2 Have the girls work in pairs to pick a slip of paper and then act out the activity. Once the group has guessed what it is, you can ask for feedback on the activity.

What You Need

• chart paper • tape or adhesive putty • markers

What You Do

1 Tape sheets of chart paper all around the room. 2 According to your topic or goal, write a heading on each sheet. For example, if you are generating ideas for activities the group would like to do, write activity headings such as crafts, games, outings, service projects, special guests and so on. 3 The girls rotate around the room adding their ideas to each sheet. 4 After everyone has had a chance to write on each sheet, take the group on a walk around the room to visit and review the ideas.

Active Learning for Everyone Be sure to adapt these options as needed for your unit. Ophea Canada and Canadians Living with a Disability each have excellent resources for making activities accessible. You can find them at: ophea.net and ala.ca

CRAFTS

DIY Easy Eco-Friendly Toys COMPILED BY HILARY FELDMAN

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Want to help lighten the load on your local landfill? Looking for low- to no-cost crafts for your girls? Want to clean up your Guiding cupboard? From no-sew teddy bears and cookie carton houses to groovy dolls and Trefoil stuffies, get crafty with these economical and eco-friendly DIY toys.

BEARS Y D D E T W E S O N ed socks to pesky orphan se o th . p u se U teddy bears ble no-sew make adora eed What You N ed an socks

• orph g ester stuffin • scrap poly yarn p ra sc r o cs es, • spare elasti ns, googly ey o tt fabric, bu • scrap felt, pompoms • fabric glue o h the sock wit quarters of ere 1 Fill th sock stuffing. rn to tie the c bands or ya ti tie as to el n se ai U ag 2 head, and e th g n ti ea toe, cr at the top. off two ears dy joins the here the bo w w o el b ler arms it b 3 A s. (Tip: smal m ar o tw f of head, tie work better.) to the body open end in ’s e ck so e th also closes th 4 Tuck o feet. (This ) e. d and tie off tw insi the stuffing g sock to keep details, usin er th o d an ce fa a y n gl o s, goo eyes 5 Glue apes, button sh c ri b fa r o felt ms. and pompo

Photos: Kathryn Lyons

What You D

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

CRAFTS

What You Need

COOKIE CASE DOLLHOUSE

What You Do

1 *For safety, have an adult use the box cutter to slit down two corners from the flap to the base of the case. This makes a folding back wall for easy access. 2 Glue the top flaps in place to form a carry handle and roof. This also holds the house together.

3 Paint and decorate the front and sides. Add doors, windows and chimneys. 4 Paint or wallpaper the walls; add a sturdy cardboard shelf to make two floors (if desired); and make furniture out of recycled boxes, containers, and other found objects. 5 Fabric scraps can find new life as curtains, rugs, bedspreads, and tablecloths. Embellish with ribbons, beads, and other craft supplies. 6 Voila – you’ve made a new home for small versions of the Worry Dolls, Peg Dolls, Flower Fairies and Stuffed Trefoil on these pages.

Photo: Hilary Feldman

Need a fun and imaginative way to re-use those ever-present cookie cases? Girls can create minature houses with this simple dollhouse design.

• empty cookie cartons • box cutter* • craft glue • paints and brushes • recycled boxes, containers, etc. • scrap fabric, ribbons, beads and other craft supplies on hand

Younger girls can make simpler versions of these dolls, and older girls and adults can add more details. Chances are you and/or other members of your unit may have spare fabric flowers at home to share for this craft. What You Need

• fabric flowers (separated petals) • wooden beads • embroidery thread • coated floral wire • ruler • scissors • glue gun and glue sticks • scissors • small pliers • glitter glue

What You Do

1 Cut a length of coated floral wire. Use six inches (15 cm) for a larger fairy and two inches (five cm) for a smaller fairy. 2 Cut an appropriately shorter length of the wire for the fairy’s arms. 3 Fold the long piece of wire in half. Fold the shorter length around the loop close to the top, to create a head and two arms, twisting the ends to create hands. Separate the wires to create legs, and twist the ends to make feet. 4 Wrap embroidery thread around the wire to make the top of the body. Tie or attach the ends with hot glue. 5 Glue a wooden bead on the wire neck, to create the fairy’s head. 6 Slide three or four flower petals up the leg wires. Use a variety of colours and types to create unique fairies. To hold the petals in place, add a small bead and fasten with glue. 7 Use embroidery thread to create hair and/or a petal to create a hat, and decorate your fairy using glitter glue and other adornments.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Photo: Kathryn Lyons

FLOWER FAIRIES

PEG DOLLS

In Guatemala at bedtime, children share their thoughts and concerns with worry dolls, then place them under their pillows, to take away their fears during the night. These dolls also make comforting friends during the day. You will probably find everything you need to make them in your unit’s craft cupboard.

If you don’t already have a supply of clothes pegs on hand, craft stores have various options, from rounded or flattened versions to those with separate base pieces.

What You Need

• chenille stems • embroidery thread • wooden beads • fabric scraps • fine-tip permanent markers

• wooden clothes pegs • glue gun and glue sticks • scrap fabric • embroidery thread • fine-tip permanent markers

Photos: Hilary Feldman

What You Do

1 Start with the hair, by wrapping embroidery thread loosely five or six times around two fingers. Cut the end and carefully slip the loop off your fingers. 2 Insert a chenille stem through the loop and fold it in half over the thread. (For two smaller dolls, cut the chenille stem in half.) 3 Slip a wooden bead on the chenille stem and push it up to the end. The thread should look like hair coming out of the bead. 4 Fold the chenille stem ends into a W shape to make arms and legs. 5 Pinch and fold the two bottom pieces to make feet. 6 Fold over the top tips to create hands and position the arms as desired. 7 Personalize your doll with more embroidery thread, yarn and fabric scraps. Don’t forget to cut the hair loops and style the hair. Make a face on the wooden bead with a fine-tip permanent marker.

What You Do

1 Wrap embroidery thread tightly around the clothes peg and secure with hot glue. Use different colours and make patterns (e.g., stripes). 2 Use your imagination and fabric scraps to dress your doll in shirt, shorts, pants, dress, belt, scarf, etc. 3 Create facial features using fine-tip permanent markers. 4 Experiment with different hairstyles and colours (short, long, straight, curly, braided, etc.).

STUFFED TREFOILS To celebrate the introduction of the new GGC Trefoil, make some stuffed Trefoils. Decorate your dollhouse with Trefoil sofa and bed cushions, pillows and wall art, and make Trefoil hat crafts and swaps. What You Need

• scrap cardboard • scrap blue felt • thread • scrap polyester filling

What You Do

1 Make a cardboard Trefoil template and use it to cut two Trefoil shapes from blue felt. 2 Place the Trefoils together and carefully stitch around the edges. Use the same colour of thread or choose a contrasting colour. You can do a running stitch close to the edge or further in, or try a blanket stitch for a different look. 3 Leave the last small section open and keep the needle and thread attached. 4 If you want the stitching to be invisible, turn the Trefoil inside out. Otherwise leave with stitches on the outside. 5 Put in a small amount of stuffing and stitch the remainder of the trefoil closed. Now you can knot and cut the thread.

Photo: Sharon Jackson

WORRY DOLLS

Hilary Feldman is a Guider in Vancouver, BC, and Chair of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

HOW TO

Carry on Guiding . . . . . . All Summer Long! BY LIZ KNOWLES

In May or June, units typically start to wrap up for the year. But last year, Girl Guides in Monklands District, Quebec, decided to gear up for something new – summer Guiding!

irl Guide unit meetings are a favourite part of my week, so last winter I asked myself why they have to stop in the summer. Of course, as you read this any number of reasons why may quickly come to mind: Guiders are out of town or need a break; families go away for the summer, making attendance inconsistent; and meeting spaces aren’t easily available. But our unit found solutions and away we went!

Guiders Photo: Liz Knowles

We sent a sign-up sheet around to women in the district we thought might be interested, asking them if they’d commit to a single week during the summer. All we needed was at least two Guiders per week to qualify for any Safe Guide Green level

activities. And it turned out that some Guiders were happy to come for several weeks.

Girls We created a simple online form for each week, so that parents could indicate when their daughter(s) would be there, to ensure we didn’t show up to find no girls. We told them what our themes and locations would be ahead of time, too. We didn’t get the same girls every week, but that didn’t matter and there was a core group that was almost always there. We were pulling from five different Guide units (plus some siblings from other branches), and that helped as well. Yearly membership fees are good until August 31, so we just collected a fee of one dollar from each attendee every week for dues.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Meeting Spaces We didn’t have a regular meeting space, so we got together at venues such as festivals and parks, and when it rained, at a library, grocery store and once at the home of one of our unit’s Guiders. During the eight weeks the unit ran, we went to the Jazz Festival, Circus Festival and Shakespeare in the Park. We learned camping skills, did some great science experiments and completed the QC Maple Challenge. We also created some eco-friendly chalk messages in a park, did a scavenger hunt on Mount Royal and played team-building games led by some Pathfinders who volunteered to help out. Will we keep our unit active through the summer again? Definitely! It was great for Guiding public relations to have girls so visible while we explored

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

the city. During the warm and still light summer evenings, we got to spend more time outside than we are ever able to through Montreal’s cool fall and spring and especially during the cold, snowy, icy winter months. We had a great time participating in many summer community events, and the girls got to meet Guides from other units along the way. Now that we have an idea of how many girls are likely to register and how easy it is to plan and organize summer Guiding fun, we hope to open the idea to our district’s Pathfinders for the coming year – and to get the girls more involved at the outset in deciding where we’ll meet and what we’ll do. Liz Knowles is a Guider who also works in the Québec Provincial Office in Montreal.

CRAFT

A New

Look GGC Trefoil Toque

Photos: Linda McVicar

Hats-off to Guider Linda McVicar of Nanaimo, BC, for designing a cozy toque with the new Trefoil. “I love to knit and have made dozens of toques featuring the old logo, but I thought I'd surprise my co-Guiders at our end of year with this toque,” said Linda. “It’s my first attempt at doing something like this. There goes Guiding again – giving me a safe place to learn new skills, and building my self-esteem and confidence when I show the results.”

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

What You Need

• knitting needles size 5.5mm • 1 ball #4 med yarn – main colour (MC) • 1 ball #4 med yarn – trefoil colour (TC) • yarn needle

Legend

K = knit P = purl K2tog = knit next 2 stitches on the needle together P2tog = purl next 2 stitches on the needle together Rib Stitch = (K2, P2) repeat to end or (K1P1) repeat to end. [K2P2 shown] RS = right side WS = wrong side Stockinette Stitch (Stst) = RS knit, WS purl. Repeat these 2 rows

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

What You Do

1 Cast on 72stitches with main colour (MC). 2 Knit 7 rows in your choice of rib pattern. If you would like a cuff, knit 14 rows in rib pattern. 3 K 22 stitches 4 For the Trefoil pattern, maintain the Stockinette stitch throughout, use the graph on this page (starting at bottom left corner), or follow these written directions, beginning and ending each row with 25 stitches in Stst in MC: Row 1: WS P12 MC, P2 TC, P8 MC Row 2: RS K8 MC, K3 TC, 11 MC Row 3: P11 MC, P2 TC, P9 MC (carry the TC behind last 9 stitches) Row 4: K3 MC, K3 TC, K4 MC, K2 TC, K3 MC, K3 TC, K3 MC Row 5: P2 MC, P7 TC, P1 MC, P2 TC, P2 MC, P6 TC, P2 MC

Row 6: K1 MC, K8 TC, K2 MC, K10 TC, K1 MC Row 7: P1 MC, P9 TC, P1 MC, P10 TC, P1 MC Row 8: K1 MC, K19 TC, K2 MC Row 9: P1 MC, P19 TC, P2 MC Row 10: K1 MC, K21 TC Row 11: P22 TC Row 12: K8 TC, K1 MC, K13 TC Row 13: P1 MC, P13 TC, P1 MC, P6 TC, P1 MC Row 14: K2 MC, K3 TC, K2 MC, K7 TC, K1 MC, K4 TC, K3 MC Row 15: P7 MC, P9 TC, P6 MC Row 16: K6 MC, K10 TC, K6 MC Row 17: P6 MC, P11 TC, P5 MC Row 18: K5 MC, K12 TC, K5 MC Row 19: P5 MC, P12 TC, P5 MC Row 20: K5 MC, K12 TC, K5 MC Row 21: P6 MC, P11 TC, P5 MC Row 22: K6 MC, K4 TC, K1 MC, K5 TC, K6 MC 5 Using only the main colour now, purl one row (ending on RS), and begin decreasing on the subsequent rows. Row 1: (K2tog, K6) repeat to end Rows 2,4,6,8,10,12: Purl Row 3: (K2tog, K5) repeat to end Row 5: (K2tog, K4) repeat to end Row 7: (K2tog, K3) repeat to end Row 9: (K2tog, K2) repeat to end Row 11: (K2tog, K1) repeat to end Row 13: K2tog to end Row 14: P2tog to end Row 15: K2tog to3nd (3 stitches left on needle) 6 Cut the yarn long enough to stitch up seam of toque (approx. 16”/41cm). Using needle, pull yarn through remaining stitches on the needle, pull tight and stitch up back seam. Note: You can easily make two to three toques from one MC ball of 7oz/198g Red Heart Super Saver yarn.

SKILLS

Resumes Revisited Put Your Guiding Skills to Work BY NOREEN REMTULLA

Guiding provides girls and Guiders with endless experiences and adventures that build valuable skills. But how can you transfer all this great stuff to your resume? Here are 10 tips to help you showcase the transferrable skills you’ve developed in Guiding to potential universities, colleges and future employers.

are organized and 1 You responsible, and you pay attention to details.

You plan and execute great excursions, meetings and camps, working with team members to ensure they are inclusive for all girls and Guiders in your unit. Explain how you organize each Guiding year, keeping track of badge requirements and girls’ achievements, and how you do it all within GGC’s Safe Guide risk management framework.

You are a team player and collaborate well with others.

Reflect on how your Ranger unit or sister Guiders work together to ensure successful meetings and camps. Does everyone have a role? Do you take turns leading activities? Do you have joint meetings with other units? Provide examples of how you have been a team leader and supported other team leaders.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

are adept at working with a 3 You cross-section of generations.

Are you a Ranger working closely with a Guider? Are you a Ranger or Guider working with younger branches? Are you an experienced Guider who connects well with girls on issues such as digital literacy and mental health? Being able to communicate across different demographics is a valuable and marketable skill.

You are flexible and adaptable to change.

The Girl Guide motto is “Be Prepared.” Because you are prepared, you always go with the flow when plans for a meeting or event change, and you handle the curve balls when things don’t quite go according to plan.

You are engaged with your local community.

Do you participate in local park clean ups? What kind of service projects have you engaged in with your community? Do you support the homeless and serve food at a shelter? Community service is considered a valuable asset by most employers.

7 You are creative and innovative.

9 You embrace commitment.

You are a self-starter and work well independently or with a team. It took self-motivation to earn your Guiding badges and awards, and to complete GGC challenges and service projects. And the Guider Thanks, Merit and Teamwork awards confirm and applaud your collaborative efforts to provide excellent programming to girls and to give back to your community.

As a Ranger or Guider, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always creating new camp hat crafts, campfire recipes, games and song lyrics. Have you brought new twists to traditional enrolment ceremonies? And how many repeat customers do you have due to your innovative cookie selling ideas?

You possess excellent leadership skills.

Are you Girl Assistant? Have you been a patrol leader? Do you regularly take the lead and facilitate opening and closing ceremonies? How often do you lead a sing-a-long or campfire? Are you a role model who consistently takes the lead in ensuring GGC is an all-inclusive organization? How do you help all girls feel safe in Guiding and encourage them to make a difference in the world and in their communities?

You have demonstrated by your ongoing membership that you are committed to Girl Guides of Canada, regardless of the hours you spend in classes, on exam study, at work or in other activities each week. And it was commitment that made you work so hard to earn your Lady Baden-Powell and Canada Cord awards, or inspired you to take extra time and effort to organize an outstanding Guiding event.

are a global 10You citizen.

As a GGC member, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), which is active in 150 countries worldwide. WAGGGS members belong to a global sisterhood that addresses world issues and contributes to building a better world for all. If you have volunteered at a WAGGGS World Centre, participated in Guiding Mosaic camps, Twinning programs or World Thinking Day activities, or supported the Canadian World Friendship Fund and other global service projects, you have demonstrated your role as a global citizen!

Keep track of all your achievements, so you can refer to your successes and document them on your resume. Reflect on some key examples to demonstrate all your transferrable skills. For more tips, check out the Member Zone tip sheet, Guiding on Your Resume (bit.ly/2ol390H) and Cookie Resume Skills (bit.ly/2xLTjGy). Noreen Remtulla is a Guider in Edmonton, AB, and a member of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

SERVICE

Service, Learning and Fun BY DIAMOND ISINGER

Guiding teaches us to respect our environment and the world around us, to share and be a friend, and to lend a hand to humans and furry friends alike. If you’re looking for a free or low-cost furry friend service project, a visit to a local animal shelter or Humane Society or a presentation by their staff can be a “paws-itive” experience for all.

e arranged for 150 Sparks, Brownies and Guides to spend a day of service, learning and fun at the Ottawa Humane Society. The girls learned what’s involved in being a good pet owner, including obtaining pet licenses, understanding the costs associated with pet care, making sure pets are fed, exercised and groomed, and providing them with lots of love and affection! They explored the gallery of cute cats, visited with a beautiful bunny, and had a behind-the-scenes tour to see how the Society works. They also got inspired hearing about people who have cool jobs and volunteer positions associated with animals, including veterinarians, behavioural experts, adoption assistants and general care workers. The girls also gained hands-on experience with a canine friend, who helped them understand how to safely interact with dogs. They learned how to approach a pet owner and respectfully ask for permission to greet their animal pal, and how to give safe and awesome head-scratches or nice pats to neighbourhood pups they might meet. In keeping with the spirit of our motto, Lend a Hand, the girls also offered service by making cat toys to donate to the Humane Society kitties waiting to be adopted. Doing service is always a great GGC program connection to boost the learning associated with any kind of activity. Consider collecting donated animal shelter items, or doing some DIY projects – for example, braided denim dog toys or baked treats. Before you begin a furry friends service project, be sure to contact your local animal organization to inquire about their needs – you might be surprised by what they request! Our budget-friendly service and learning adventure required only a small contribution per girl to cover costs, and was a huge hit – everybody loves to make new cuddly friends! To organize a furry friends excursion for your unit, visit the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies website: cfhs.ca/find_a_member

Diamond Isinger is a Guider from Vancouver, BC, and a member of the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Photos: Diamond Isinger

Visiting Furry Friends

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

PROFILE

Transforming Communities Photos: courtesy Cheyenne Hardy

A Ranger Takes Action BY KEONA MAE SIMMONS

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Cheyenne Hardy, of Dartmouth, NS, is a teen who boldly speaks out about issues that matter to her, such as bullying, the stigmas faced by LBGTQ+ youth, and the negative attitudes directed towards her community. Given her tireless commitment, it’s no surprise that she was named Nova Scotia’s 2017 Youth Humanitarian of the Year.

heyenne also received the Prince of Wales 2017 Youth Service Award for her efforts to reverse the stereotypes surrounding Dartmouth North. Fed up with people feeling badly for her when she told them where she lived, she decided to have people walk in her shoes and see everything her community has to offer. She created a video to showcase this, and it was a resounding success! For this profile, I asked Cheyenne a few questions about herself and especially about her efforts on behalf of her community’s reputation.

I believe that more adults today recognize the impact teenagers are having all around the world. I think more and more they realize that, not only will we be the leaders of tomorrow, we are already leading the way today!

What triggered you to want to change people’s opinions about your community? Living in Dartmouth North all my life I have heard the negative comments. I felt like other communities around us were bullying our community, even though there are so many good people and families living here. We know that bad things happen on our streets, but bad things happen everywhere. And when something bad does occur here, our community comes together to support the individuals and families who are affected. People in Dartmouth North work and volunteer every day to make this a wonderful place to live. So instead of sitting around being sad and frustrated, I decided to show people what it’s like to spend a day in my community.

What did you do to make this change? I grabbed my video camera, hopped on my scooter and visited food banks, the Boys and Girls Club, the community center, parks, beaches, playgrounds – everywhere I could think of to film what I see and interview the people I meet in my community each day. A couple of days after I uploaded my video to YouTube, I was contacted by our local news people, wanting to run a story about my community on television. And, for a change, it was a very uplifting story! The public reaction was very positive, and a lot of good things came out of this video. CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Do you think adults underestimate the impact teenage girls can have to bring change? Of course, there are some people who underestimate what a girl can accomplish. I think we will always encounter adults who are not really listening to what we have to say, but that just means we have to speak up until they do hear us, or find someone who is willing to listen. And I believe that more adults today recognize the impact teenagers are having all around the world. I think more and more they realize that, not only will we be the leaders of tomorrow, we are already leading the way today!

Did your Girl Guide background play a role in your decision to take action on behalf of your community? Girl Guides has made an amazing difference in my life! I was severely bullied in elementary school, and I was too shy to look anyone in the eye – instead I always looked down at my feet. My parents decided to put me in Girl Guides to see if I would come out of my shell a little bit. They knew Guiding would provide a safe environment, so I could be comfortable as myself, and also challenge myself and grow stronger and more self-confident. The Guiders in my Girl Guide unit, which is now called 2nd Brookhouse, were amazing, encouraging me far beyond what my parents had hoped. I felt safe, and they taught all the girls to believe in their self-worth. I definitely became stronger and more outspoken. I will always consider Girl Guides of Canada as my gateway organization, in that Guiding was instrumental in making me the girl I am now. I feel I am a person who is strong, a person who has a voice, and a person who wants to make a difference in this crazy roller coaster ride we call life. I am a girl who is no longer afraid! Cheyenne is a true example of how we can all take action for a better world. And she is a role model not only in her community, but for all the girls in Guiding who want to make a difference in their communities and in the world. Keona Mae Simmons is a Ranger and Girl Assistant in Dartmouth, NS.

FYI

Awards (October 2017 – March 2018)

Please Join Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada Board of Directors for our

Beaver Kris McGee, ON

(October 2017 – March 2018)

Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada members are frequently recognized in their communities for the wonderful work they have done during their Guiding lives. As many of them may be familiar to you, we are sharing the following in memoriam announcements: Cecelia Bourget, ON Peggy Ann Bradshaw, ON April Brosko, BC Joyce Command, BC Annie Coombs, NS Georgia Daniher, ON Marilyn Denike, ON Mary Elliott, MB Rachel Fagan, NL Joan Goulding, ON Eileen Herd, MB Margaret Hyde, ON Darleen Jubb, BC Gladys Marr, ON Elizabeth Moase, ON Eileen Nagels, ON Heather Nicol, BC Lillian Olsen, BC Joyce Perrie, BC Marilyn Pitman, BC Marjorie Provencal, BC Elizabeth Ruigrok, ON Kate Shirley, BC Eleanor Smith, ON Kathleen Woodhouse, BC

A Tribute Opportunity Supporting Scholarships

If you, or your unit or your Trefoil Guild would like to make a donation to the GGC National Scholarship Fund in honour of these women, we would be grateful to accept contributions. For more information, please email us at: lynchc@girlguides.ca

2018 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND RECEPTION DINNER Saturday, June 2, 2018 5:00 p.m. Hotel Omni Mont-Royal 1050 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, QC H3A 2R6 Annual General Meeting: 5:00 p.m. Reception Dinner: 7:00 p.m. For more information on how to obtain a ticket to the Reception Dinner, please contact Anita Hannam at hannama@girlguides.ca or 416-487-5281 ext. 256

GGC’s Advocacy Guidelines Empowering Girls to Take Action

Girls making a difference in their communities is a big part of what Guiding is all about. Every experience a girl has in learning more about important issues, speaking up and taking action allows her to develop skills that will have a positive impact not only on her own life, but also on her community and the greater world. One way girls can make a difference in the world is through advocacy. There are many advocacy activities in which GGC members can participate, as long as we all follow the Advocacy Guidelines. Check them out on Member Zone > Guider Resources > Unit Guider Tools.

Welcome! New Canadian Guider Editorial Committee Member We are delighted to introduce Felicity Rugard, the newest Ranger member on the Canadian Guider Editorial Committee. Felicity has been in Guiding from Brownies through Rangers, and enjoys camping in all conditions and seasons. She strives constantly to be on an adventure, whether it be performing, camping, sailing or writing. An inclusivity and equality advocate, Felicity is passionate about social justice and journalism, and says she’s super excited to join our committee. Welcome, Felicity!

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

Photo: courtesy Felicity Rugard

In Memoriam GGC Tributes

Guider Recognition Simplified Adult Awards Process

Photo: Wayne Eardley

What words spring to mind when you think of a Guider? Hard working? Creative? Fun? Inspiring? Committed? Dependable? We could go on forever. As Guiders throughout Canada, you deserve to be recognized and thanked for everything you bring to your units and our organization.

warding our volunteers for their contributions is an important way for all members of GGC to feel valued and appreciated. With this in mind, we have updated our member awards program, to help you become more involved in it. We want you to learn more about the GGC awards, and we want the nomination process to be as easy and accessible for you as possible. Here’s how we’re making this happen: We’ve made the criteria for each award clearer. Now, when you consider potential awards, an overview for each award is provided, along with specific information on the criteria, application and presentation.

CANADIAN GUIDER | SPRING 2018

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We’ve consolidated the forms. To make the nomination process easier, one award application form (R.3) can now be sent electronically to local, provincial and national councils. We’ve created new tips for writing a letter of support. This letter is your opportunity to bring some life and individuality to the nomination process, and to effectively outline and relay the contributions of the Guider you’re nominating. We’ve provided ideas for recognition outside the GGC formal awards. Sometimes just hearing “thank you” can impact a person’s day. It’s important that we recognize one another both formally and informally, so check out our tips for saying “thank you” to sister Guiders in fun and creative ways. We’ve posted all information about GGC awards on Member Zone. The former Awards Module will be discontinued, and all information will be available online, helping to make award nominations much more accessible to everyone.

Did you know that GGC has awards at the local, provincial and national levels? You can check out awards offered and specific criteria at Member Zone>Opportunities>Recognition. To find out about unique awards offered at the provincial level, please go to your council’s website. And for help and support, most provincial councils have Award Advisers who can answer any questions you have about awards and how to make nominations. You can also email: awards@girlguides.ca. Happy nominating!

Everything she wants to be. NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK – APRIL 15 TO 21, 2018

Girl Guides of Canada–Guides du Canada, 50 Merton Street, Toronto, ON M4S 1A3

For all you do to ignite the potential of girls in Guiding Thank You