Girl Guides of Canada-Alberta

Jacqueline has been in Guiding since joining as a Brownie and is one of two Coordinators for the Alberta Council Youth Forum. She is excited to be working with the Youth Forum and assisting them in helping shape Guiding in Alberta, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon.

Jacqueline has held various roles within Girl Guides and has been able to travel to two of the World Centers. She has led various units, been a Community Guider and Administrative Community Leader in Ontario and organized many large camps and events, including the Alberta Council Arts Camp from 2017 – 2019.

After completing her degrees in business and education at Nipissing University, Jacqueline joined the workforce in the Financial Industry. She has spent the past 17 years in various roles within the product development, marketing, corporate communications and retail banking departments. She is currently District Manager of the Tangerine Retail Banking team in Alberta, where she oversees business development, day to day operations and sales, local marketing and community investment. Through her role she has also volunteered with Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta’s Company Program in 2017 and 2019. Jacqueline has also run her own business as a consultant with Thirty-One Gifts since 2014, providing clients with stylish home organization and personalised bags and totes.

Jacqueline grew up and spent most of her life in Ontario before relocating to Calgary in 2015 where she met her fiancée. They spend their spare time camping and off-roading in various parts of Alberta; you’ll also find her with a camera or set of hiking poles as much as possible. During the colder months Jacqueline enjoys baking and spending time with her two dogs.

Vermillion, AB

Hello! My name is Ainsley and I’m a second year Ranger at 16. I have been in Guiding since first year Sparks, and have loved it all the way. One of my favourite things about Girl Guides is how there are always new things to strive for and try out. In my time in Guiding I have done so many things outside my comfort zone! Such as, applying for the Alberta Council Youth forum, going to four different countries with Guiding, and becoming an executive for this year’s AGP! The Movement has taught me so much, and I hope to continue learning throughout my lifetime.

I’m so excited to be on this year’s Alberta Council Youth Forum! I can’t wait to help girls feel more listened to and promote Guiding in the older ages! All the girls on the forum are so nice and I think it will be a lot of fun to work and learn with these girls. All of them are really wanting to help in developing Guiding for the better. If you’re old enough to apply next year I would really recommend it, I’m having a lot of fun!

Parkland Area

I decided to join the Alberta Council Youth Forum after meeting previous council members at various Guiding events and hearing about all the amazing things the Youth Forum does! The Youth Forum is a fantastic opportunity for developing leadership and organizational skills which I am always looking to improve upon. I wanted to be a voice for girls in Guiding and the Youth Forum is the best way to do that.

I’ve been a Girl Guide member for 13 years now. Growing up, I always heard stories of Guiding adventures from both my grandmother and my mother, so when I grew old enough to be a Spark I enrolled as soon as possible. Guiding has provided me with the chance and tools to come out of my shell and develop my personality. As a young girl, I was constantly anxious about anything and everything. Guiding really helped me tame those anxieties, so they didn’t get in the way of me living my life and was instrumental in shaping my childhood. During my time in Guiding, I have earned both my Bronze and Silver Trailblazer Leadership Awards, The Lady Baden-Powell Award, and my Community Service pin.

My favourite parts of Guiding are all of the camping and outdoor activities! I have been backpacking through Lake Minnewanka, slept underneath the stars in the Rocky Mountains, and have sailed, canoed, kayaked, and rafted my way across numerous bodies of water during my time with Guiding. I love the great outdoors and Guiding has given me so many opportunities to try out new things and explore with friends, both new and old.

Outside of Guiding I enjoy playing rugby, hiking, and camping across all of Alberta with my family. I am also heavily involved in my town’s theatre community. I build props and sets as well as volunteering my time with a local elementary school. This year they performed Frozen Jr. and my family built a telescoping 8-foot-tall Elsa’s castle along with other pieces. In my own school, I am involved with every aspect of backstage, props, stage managing, costuming, and set design. When there is no show being run, I like to play ukulele, embroider, hang out with my cats, and go on adventures with my friends.

Edmonton Area

I had first learned about the Alberta Council Youth Forum when I was in my second year of Pathfinders from events and fellow members of Guiding, at the time I wasn’t entirely sure what it was. As I went into my final year of Pathfinders and first year of Rangers, I got to learn more and more about what the Youth Forum did in Guiding and the more I learned the more interested I got. I joined the Youth Forum because I would love to help and be a part of the enrichment of the Guiding program which I have been so fortunate to be a part of.

This is my 12th year of Guiding and I have been so lucky to experience many things such as Guiding Mosaic in 2016, and getting to work with Leaders while Junior Leading with girls from Sparks to Guides since I was in my first year of Guides. I am also looking forward to going on a 10-day trip to Our Cabana in Mexico which has been postponed to 2021.

I have earned the Lady Baden-Powell Award which I received in my third year of Guides. I have earned my Canada Cord which I received in my third year of Pathfinders. I have also received the Team Award for running the music with three of my friends in my Ranger unit at this year’s Light the Bridge event in Edmonton.

One of my main interests at the moment has been the performing arts and I am fortunate enough to study it at my high school. One thing that I’ve been working on in my spare time is teaching myself to play the ukulele.

Airdrie, AB

Hi, my name is Kaisha and I am very excited to begin working with the Alberta Council Youth Forum! I am a fifteen-year-old, first-year Ranger with seven years in Guiding and I also junior lead for a Brownie unit. Over the past seven years, I have significantly grown with the help of Guiding, developing communication, leadership, camping, problem-solving, and motivational skills. Girl Guides has opened many doors in my life, enabling me to experience different landscapes and lifestyles through camping and travel, meet many strong, determined women and girls, and achieve goals that are not only unique to Guiding but also are relevant to my surrounding world.

I see the Youth Forum as an opportunity to make an impact on today and the future, representing my voice and the voices of girls throughout Alberta, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. The Youth Forum teaches and reminds me of the importance of exercising your opinion, acting to make changes, and finding balance in life, work, and authenticity. I highly recommend that other Rangers apply! Easily described as an incredible experience, it is a perfect outlet for expressing a passion for Guiding while also growing as a person and a team member who works alongside other excellent girls!

Edmonton, AB

I joined the Alberta Council Youth Forum in order to more fully immerse myself in Guiding, especially as a way to help have girl voices heard in decision making situations, and because it sounded like a chance to make new friends and make a difference in a community that has done so much for me. I hope to be able to share with new and returning members of Guiding in Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Yukon the amazing opportunities I have had the privilege of pursuing, and to help share in the sisterhood of Guiding.

I have been in Guiding since Sparks, and the last 13 years of my life have been full of friendship, adventure, challenging myself, and a lot of campfire songs. In Pathfinders, I helped with Spark camps, and I started working as a Junior Leader with an Edmonton Guide unit in my first year of Rangers, and it has been an absolute blast.

From participating in the Alberta Girls Parliament, to attending the (very rainy) Guiding Mosaic in 2016, the opportunities I have had through Guiding have been truly incredible and character defining. Every meeting, activity and camp has made an impact and the girls I have met along the way have inspired me to be adventurous, bold and kind. I have made lifelong friendships and truly indelible memories over the years, and I am incredibly excited to continue to do so as a member of the Youth Forum.

Outside of Guiding, I advocate for social justice and equality in our community. I am a part of my school’s Social Justice club, where we discuss issues of social equality across the globe and in our school, and try to make a positive impact where we can. I am a welder during the school year, a camp counsellor during the summer, and an outdoor enthusiast at all times.

Fort McMurray, AB

Reading the Gofer Express about the opportunity to become a member of the Alberta Council Youth Forum, I was interested to join because it is a great way to give back to the Guiding organization and share my point of views on future Guiding with other girls in the province. It is also an excellent opportunity to make new friends from other parts of Alberta Council and develop new skills like communication, collaboration and coordination.

This is my second year with the Fort McMurray Ranger Unit. I started Guiding as a Brownie more than a decade ago and still enjoy being with the organization. I have been a Junior Brownie Leader for the last two years.

My favourite part about Guiding is that with all these girls I have met within the years, we shared lots of memorable experiences. Guiding offers lots of travel opportunities to learn new cultures, meet new people and experience new places. I had the privilege to travel with different Guiding girls to many campsites in Alberta, Guiding Mosaic 2016, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ireland and Ecuador. Next summer, I will be going to two of the WAGGGS World Centres in Switzerland and India. The opportunities to explore the world are endless with Guiding.

I like to work in a team, which is why I joined the basketball and badminton teams at school and in the community. We regularly go out of town for tournaments, and I will be competing in the Alberta Winter Games in February of 2020. Other than sports, I am a general assembly member of the Mayor’s Advisory Council on Youth in the community. The mission of this council is to empower youth to become actively engaged citizens. We have monthly regular meetings to voice our opinion of how to improve the quality of life of all citizens. I have been an honour roll student with distinction for the last three years, and I have earned my Girl Greatness Award, Canada Cord and Bronze Trailblazer Leadership Award in Guiding. In the meantime, I am seeking my path and goals when transitioning to adulthood.

Calgary, AB

I am excited to be a member of the Alberta Council Youth Forum! I wanted to be a voice for all Alberta Council Girl Guides, understand the inner workings of the organization and receive valuable leadership experience.

Guiding has been a big part of my life since I joined in Grade 5 as a second-year Guide. I have earned my Lady Baden-Powell Award and Canada Cord. One of my favorite things about Guiding is the wide variety of activities girls can experience. We can be at a board game café one night, backpacking camp the weekend after and then have our next meeting at an archery range! Some of my favorite Guiding experiences include a provincial camp at Sylvan Lake, a Harry Potter party, Nite Trek, going to see various local theatre productions, spring camp, unit book club and planning the district advancement ceremony – and I’m sure there will be many more to add to the list!

I am a competitive swimmer and I train five times a week in the pool to be in top shape to compete on a regular basis. I enjoy reading and writing, always with at least one book on the go. Currently, I am enrolled in the French Immersion IB program at my high school. I am bilingual in French and English and have performed theatre in both languages. I am also a member of my school’s Reach for the Top team, swim team, and our French Immersion Council.

Edmonton Area

Hi! I'm Madeline and I'm so excited to be part of the Alberta Council Youth Forum! I found out about the Youth Forum a year ago at a Guiding event where I got the chance to meet some of the members. They're all amazing people who believe in making a difference and that's what inspired me to join the Youth Forum. I can't wait to work on projects, develop my leadership skills, meet new people and be more involved in Guiding!

I've been in Girl Guides for twelve years and am in my second year of Rangers. I'm thankful to be part of an organization that allows me so many wonderful experiences I might not otherwise get to have. I've been a Junior Leader for a Sparks unit in my area and loved to see Guiding from the perspective of a young member again. More recently, as an older member, I've had the opportunity to lead camps for Sparks and Brownies, attend Guiding events and have become more invested in the leading side of Guiding, which has allowed me to see things from a new perspective. These experiences, along with the support of strong, independent women, have inspired me to continue my Guiding journey to one day becoming a Leader!

Outside of Guiding, I'm a competitive dancer and last year, trained up to six days a week. I also love to camp, hike and backpack with my friends and family as often as possible, and sometimes even in the winter! I also love to write in my spare time and often have my nose stuck in a book.

One of my absolute favourite aspects of Guiding is the camps and travel opportunities! I'm lucky enough to be in a very involved, active unit led by some incredible people. My first big trip with Girl Guides, I went to Florida. Since then I've been hooked on travel, especially in Girl Guides because I get to experience it with friends or make new ones along the way! I attended Guiding Mosaic in 2016 and recently traveled to Europe with my unit. Both trips, I got to meet Girl Guides from around the world! I also recently applied and was accepted to a Nationally sponsored trip to Ecuador and a Provincially sponsored trip to India! Unfortunately, my trip to Ecuador was cancelled due to COVID-19 but I'm hopeful I may still get to travel to India in a year or two, and see a new part of the world!

Girl Guides is an incredible organization I'm extremely lucky to be a part of. It's allowed me so many experiences, lasting memories and lifelong friends. I'm so happy to be on the Youth Forum and begin a new chapter of my Guiding experience where I can further my involvement, share my voice and work alongside people who share the same love for Guiding as I do!

Peace River, AB

My name is Laina Gold. I’m in my first year of Rangers, and this is my first year on the Alberta Council Youth Forum! I joined the Youth Forum because of my love of leadership, and being able to support Guiding as a whole is a fantastic opportunity, and one that I know I’m going to excel in. Joining Girl Guides was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve traveled to so many places, learned so many new things, made so many friends, and sold a lot of cookies, too!

I’m going into my eighth year of Guiding, and I can’t wait! I’m becoming a Ranger with my best friend, and our small group is creating a Ranger unit. My Guide Leaders are some of my favourite people, as they create a wonderful safe haven to have fun. Guiding to me is having a group of friends to go on adventures with, and a place free of bullying. I hope to help the Youth Forum bolster these experiences and strengthen the community.

My favorite part of Guiding is mentoring. Being a role model to the younger girls is very important to me, because even just one positive influence is enough to have an effect on someone’s life. I want to make sure that the Guides grow into strong, confident young Pathfinders, and I want to be someone they can talk to. I care so much about how the younger girls feel, and I’m willing to put in the effort to help them grow.

Outside of Guiding, I love cooking, baking, quilting, and MtG. I am an honour student, and I help out my family with our small business. I try to make a positive impact whenever I can, and I know that the Youth Forum can help me fulfill my goal.