Girl Guides of Canada

Greetings, My name is Annalea. I am a Ranger and have been apart of Girl Guides since I was 10 years old.

Why are you in Guiding?

I am a part of Girl Guides mainly to contribute back to my community and network with like-minded youth. To learn life-skills, go camping and enjoy the outdoors and network to find companions to create positive experiences and make memories and friendship along the way. I joined Girl Guides because my mother recognized my familial and social circle was very small at no fault of our own. She did not want me to grow up isolated and limited by not having a support network and tried to find a community resource that would inspire me. I am into Guiding and continue to be as it has provided me a safe space and has been an anchor of stability in my life.

Why did you want to join the Youth Council?

I wanted to be on the National Youth Council because I wanted to personally contribute towards the efforts to celebrate and acknowledge that GGOC is a safe space and fantastic organization. I wanted to learn what other Guiders experiences were from across Canada. I wanted to bring forward the understanding of intersectionalities and how that impacts our members, programing and how to evolve and become more responsive as times change the social normalacies. I personally have zero tolerance for bullying and have lived experience of being targeted due to my marginalization even as a final year high school student. I wanted to ensure I help invest and protect safe spaces in our community (like Girl Guides), where vulnerabilities and identities are respected and supported because bullying does not end in grade school and it has long-term impacts on mental health. This organization has continued to be my safe space throughout my life. I wish to continue the provision of safe spaces for my fellow and future guides, because GGC are my chosen family.

What are your goals for the year?

My goals for the year would be discussing and promoting avenues of empowerment to amplify awareness for the need of equity so Guides who go out and provide services in our communities are more aware of real world issues by being global citizens well versed with Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity & Anti Racism (DEI-AR) and Sustainable Development Goals for environmental justice delivered in an age appropriate capacity. There should be no fear or stigma to be civically engaged and being the change we want to see in the world as Advocates and Allies. Together We Aspire, Together We Achieve.

Share a fun fact about yourself.

A fun fact about me is that I have participated in numerous youth leadership opportunities and attended youth conferences. That ranges from pageants with crowns and dresses to being the Chair on my GGC Provincial Youth Forum, to being a youth ambassador for STEM and getting the opportunity to speak to an astronaut while they were on board the International Space Station, or being apart of my province's Youth Parliament and to sit in The House of Assembly to discuss local provincial issues. Don't be afraid to try and apply; you never know where one opportunity might take you.

Why are you in Guiding?

Guiding has always been a type of home for me, a place where I feel safe to be myself and not be judged regarding who I choose to be. It’s a given once it’s your 13th year as a Girl Guide. I was extremely lucky in the community I grew up in, the kids that I grew to love extraordinarily in being a Junior Leader, and in the leaders who taught me everything I know. I never wanted to leave. Not only does Guiding continue to aid me in pursuing my aspirations and building better relationships, it teaches me that there’s no limit on what you can be and achieve.

Why did you want to join the Nayional Youth Council?

I enjoyed my time tremendously on the Quebec Youth Forum, and wished to learn more about how I can volunteer more of my time to GGC. As well, I wished that all Guides across Canada can have a very similar experience to me in Girl Guides, where they can learn that to be themselves is all that matters. I believe that the National Youth Council was a beautiful opportunity.

What are your goals for the year?

I hope to develop beautiful flourishing relationships with not only my National Youth Council, but, as well as the Guides that I will be representing across Canada. Hopefully, this time, they won’t be done entirely through a screen.

Share a fun fact about yourself.

Writing comes naturally to me, you can call me the water fountain of words. Whether it be poetry, a diary, a speech. I will always have something to say. It’s likely why I weirdly enjoy my job as a Cashier at my retail job.

Why are you in Guiding?

My name is Meghan and I am in my second year of Rangers. Having been a part of Girl Guides for the last 12 years has helped shape who I am today. Through Guiding I have been able to take part in activities, international travel and interprovincial camps. I have also learned new skills, and even been able to meet and connect with many amazing people, leaving me with long lasting friendships. It is because of this and so much more that I am in Guiding, as Girl Guides has become a part of my identity and will always be part of who I am.

Why did you want to join the Youth Council?

I wanted to join the National Youth Council this year, because after serving for the last year on the ANY Youth Forum I was able to experience firsthand the important role that the Youth Forum plays in helping to be the voice for the girls of Girl Guides. I felt that it was important for me to use my experience with the ANY Youth Forum to make a difference in Guiding, and I look forward to making even more of a difference and having an even larger, positive effect on Guiding. I wanted to join the National Council to achieve my goal and to be an advocate and a voice for all of the members of GGC

What are your goals for the year?

My goals for this year are to gain a deeper understanding of the role that the Board of Directors has on all members of Girl Guides, and to further my knowledge and understanding of GGC’s core beliefs and values. I hope to be able to be part of the decision-making process and to give a youth’s point of view to enhance the experiences of all members of GGC

Share a fun fact about yourself.

I have been in Spanish immersion since kindergarten. Being able to speak and understand 2 languages has opened many doors for me and has allowed me to meet and connect with some amazing people and create friendships that will last a lifetime.

Why are you in Guiding?

I have been Guiding for more than 10 years and I love it! I am a part of it because it has provided me with several unique opportunities to foster my passions. Guiding has allowed me to begin traveling the world and be a leader within my community and for that I am forever grateful.

Why did you want to join the Youth council?

I wanted to join the Youth Council because last year I was a member of the Provincial Youth Council and I wanted to create even more change within the Guiding community nationally. I also thought it was an amazing opportunity to voice my opinions and reform Girl Guides in a way that reflects our values and current times.

What are your goals for the year?

My goals this year are to grow the international travel opportunities within Girl Guides. I believe it's important to show girls the opportunities outside of typical unit or camp activities, especially because we lost travel during the pandemic.

Share a fun fact about yourself.

I enjoy collecting records of my favourite music albums.

Why are you in Guiding?

Hi everyone! My name is Neha and I've been apart of guiding for 10 years. It's crazy to think about all the friendships I've made, all the cool stuff I've done at camp, and finally how much my experiences have helped me grow as a person. Guiding has allowed me to explore new things, work with like minded individualists, and bring about change in the guiding community. The cookies are also definitely an added bonus!

Why did you want to join the Nayional Youth Council?

I wanted to join the youth council to initiate new changes and create a positive guiding environment. I want to make everyone feel included and safe. I think it's so important to be able to listen the needs of the youth today and advocate for them. To bring about the change we want to see, I wish to collaborate with other independent thinkers.

What are your goals for the year?

My goals for the year is to be able to meet and work with new people that share different ideas and perspectives. I want to be able to ensure that girls are staying in guiding and find many new ways to restore international travel and camping to the way it was.

Share a fun fact about yourself.

Aside from guiding, you can find me binging greys anatomy, listening to Taylor Swift and 1D on loop, and eating anything potato! I hope to become a surgeon one day, so I'm definitely already 1 step ahead of the game with all the medical dramas I've been watching! Suture kits are also a huge bonus!

Why are you in Guiding?

Hi! I’m Pooji, and I’m in my last year of Rangers. Ever since I joined Sparks, Guiding has allowed me to discover more about myself through various experiences! Through Guiding, I have been learning important skills, developing meaningful friendships, and exploring what the world has to offer.

Why did you want to join the Nayional Youth Council?

I wanted to join the National Youth Council because I am passionate about making a difference! Guiding has had a positive impact on my life. I’m always looking for new ways to give back to the community by supporting members on their journeys of discovering both themselves and the world! I strive to help make Girl Guides of Canada an even more welcoming and inclusive space. The National Youth Council will help me gain a broader, national perspective when considering different social issues which will shape my future.

What are your goals for the year?

This year I want to focus on promoting the opportunities Guiding offers to members. Whether that’s international travel, networking events, camping, or fun challenges, Girl Guides of Canada allows members of all ages to engage in Guiding in many ways. I want to help members learn more about how to personalize and make the most out of their Guiding experience!

Share a fun fact about yourself.

You can always find me either listening to Taylor Swift or reading a fantasy book!

Why are you in Guiding?

I am in Guiding because I believe deeply in the mission to create a better world, by girls. Guiding has made an immeasurable impact on the trajectory of my life by showing me that I could be anything and do anything I wanted. I learned what I loved and what I hated to do, what accommodations I needed and how I could accommodate others, and have made life-long friendships I never would have otherwise. I think there is a genuine need for organizations like GGC in our modern, unequal world so we can be the change that makes it better.

Why did you want to join the Youth Council?

I wanted to join the Council because I have a passion and a love for improvement and change. I want to see how GGC plans and executes what it does on a daily basis and how I can help it run smoother. I'm always full of ideas and I can't wait to pitch them to the other members!

What are your goals for the year?

This year I really want to focus on improving membership and retaining girls all throughout the program. I want to ensure that as many girls as possible can have the same amazing experience I did growing and learning as a Girl Guide! I also want to help GGC reach a wider audience and suggest ways to improve long-standing traditions such as cookie sales and camps!

Share a fun fact about yourself.

I'm in possession of a life-long love for anything creative. From theatre and music to graphic design and watercolours, I've done and loved it all! My favourite activity, though, will always be embroidery :)

Why are you in Guiding?

My choice to join Guiding came just three years ago during the pandemic. At this point in my life I didn’t feel like there was a true place for me as many of the communities I was a part of didn’t feel like places I was valued. As I was in contact sports, we also weren’t allowed to meet. I learned about Guiding from a friend and so I joined her Pathfinder unit. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Guiding, however that summer I attended a provincial summer camp and had the absolute time of my life. The camp taught me a lot of lessons that I carry with me and for the first time since joining Girl Guides I felt like I truly belonged. From here onwards, I decided that Girl Guides was where I wanted to be.

Why did you want to join the Youth Council?

Joining the National Youth Council has actually been a small goal of mine since my first year of Rangers; I didn’t think about it very much though until I joined the ANY Council Youth Forum where I've served until now. I enjoyed my time there significantly and will take away many memories and friendships. Additionally, I learned a lot more about the role and importance of youth voice in Guiding and I decided that I wanted to do more. Having joined Guiding a lot later that many of my peers, I realized I had a very different perspective and approach to many problems Guiding is facing regarding retention of older members and recruitment.

What are your goals for the year?

As I enter my final year as a Ranger and youth member my biggest goals are to learn more and make some lasting happy memories I can take with me into the rest of my life. In regards to the National Youth Council, my goals are to keep learning about the inner workings of Girl Guides, create connections, and continue to share my voice in order to advocate for those who may not be able to.

Share a fun fact about yourself.

I am a very active person. I believe sports and being active are very important to a healthy lifestyle. I’ve been in a lot of sports throughout my life including running, dance, wrestling, and sailing! I am also an avid hiker. My favourite sport is probably sailing though and recently I’ve become a sailing instructor which has been a big dream of mine since I started sailing at the age of 7.

Why are you in Guiding?

I started Guiding as a way to make friends, but over the years, I stayed in Guiding because of the lovely people, safe environment and overall acceptance in the Guiding community.

Why did you want to join the Nayional Youth Council?

Guiding is such a big part of my life, and now that I am in the last few years as a Ranger, I thought it would be good to take a step forward and join the National Youth Council.

What are your goals for the year?

For the next year I hope that I can bring happiness to others as Guiding has given to me. My goal for the next year is to ensure that the youth in Guiding are as excited about Guiding as I am.

Share a fun fact about yourself.

I have been in Guiding for nearly 12 years and an interesting fact about me is that I have been in Guides in two provinces in Canada and I have lived overseas in Dubai for three years of my life.

Why are you in Guiding?

I joined in the beginning because a lot of my family is very involved in guiding, but over the 12 years I’ve stayed because I love the community that guiding provides, and how it makes such a safe space. Not to mention camping and all the other fun events we do. I’m also in Girl Guides because of how many different opportunities it provides. In other activities there’s often one maybe two different strains you can be a part of, but guiding you can do anything from being just a member to lifeguarding at the summer camp, or even being on the National Youth Council. You can even do all three if your heart desires! There’s just so many options and opportunities available.

Why did you want to join the Nayional Youth Council?

I’ve always been a very motivated guiding member, always wanting to do more and be a part of everything that I can, so the Youth Council is the best way to get involved on such a large scale as a Youth member. I loved being able to represent the youth while on my provincial forum, and the ability to make a difference and provide my opinion on the National level is incredible. The Youth Council is a perfect representation of Girls first, and having our voices heard, and I really wanted to be a part of something like that.

What are your goals for the year?

My goals for the year are to be involved, organized and make something happen. Whether that be planning an event, a service project or simply giving feedback. Something that will make a difference beyond myself. I’m already planning a Ranger service project for my area, and hope to help with the planning of several events and camps as well to make my last year as a youth member a motivated one. I’m also very excited to travel and meet other youth members like myself and work with them!

Share a fun fact about yourself.

I have been writing a book for the better part of five years, and I hope to one day be able to publish it! :)

Why are you in Guiding?

I was introduced to Guiding when I was six years old. My mom was a Girl Guide in Bangladesh and she wanted her daughters to have the same memorable experiences she had. As I got older, I decided to stay in Guiding because of the opportunities and confidence it gave me. Not only did I learn about a wide variety of topics, but I was encouraged to authentically be myself and I was shown the impact I could have as an individual in my community and this world.

Why did you want to join the Youth council?

I wanted to join the Youth Council because I thought it would be a great opportunity to have my voice heard in the organization and make an impact on the thousands of girls across Canada.

What are your goals for the year?

My goals for this year are to encourage more connections between the Youth Forums and the National Youth Council and to continue to drive the girl voice in decisions that are made in the organization.

Share a fun fact about yourself.

I am a polyglot and can speak 5 different languages and am currently attempting to learn two more!