Girl Guides of Canada-Alberta

Becoming a leader once I turned 18 was not a difficult decision for me. I remember always looking up to a lot of the leaders and junior leaders that ran my units, especially when I as younger. They were the ones that always had the most amazing games and crafts, and came up with the craziest themes for camps. I wanted to become that for the new girls. I wanted to be able to take my experience as a girl member, and all the fun things I remember doing and share it with the younger members
Being a leader has given me a chance to apply the skills I already had learned in real situations, as well as gain new ones. Not to mention, there's those little secret perks to being a leader, like hidden snacks for after bed time at camps. ;)

The most amazing part about it all is just getting to see how much fun the girls have, no matter what the activity, and being able to be a part in making their Guiding memories.

- Laura Jackson, Guider 

I became a young adult Guider for several reasons. The first was that Guiding has always been such a huge part of my life. I had trouble imagining my life without it. The second reason was I had worked at Girl Guide summer camp for two years and I knew I really enjoyed working with girls.

Even though I'm really busy with university, I always have time for Guiding. It is a great weekly break from school, where I get to make friendships with girls and women from the new city and province I have moved to. If I ever need to step back so I can focus on exams or a big project, my co-Guiders are very understanding.

Although I occasionally feel inexperienced, I am enjoying learning new tricks and sharing my own ideas. My biggest advice to young adult Guiders is that Guiding has a spot just for you. It may not be the first spot you try, but it is there. I've had a wonderful three years so far of giving back to an organization that is still shaping who I am today.

- Kaitlin "Sundew" Winter, Guider with the 33rd Montreal Pathfinder Unit 

Hello! My name is Chelsea and I have been in Guiding for 13 years. I just became a leader of a Guide unit and I hope to give my girls the many fantastic opportunities I had as a Guide. I had the privilege to go to GM 2010 where I had a blast.

I am in the psychology program in college and I have a busy schedule but Guides is important to me because it is a place where I can de-stress from school. Guiding is a place I have made lifelong friends and a place where I can be me without being judged. In addition, Guiding is like a second family to me and a place I can make a difference.

We are a movement that spans the globe and I believe we can change the world for the better. I feel it important to motivate my girls to get a sense of who they are and empower them to feel like they can do anything they put their minds to.

The main reason I became a leader is because Guiding is a part of who I am and I strongly believe in our worldwide movement.

- Chelsea Oki-Gillan, Guider with the 1st Cedar Park Guide Unit

I travelled to Our Chalet in Switzerland with a group of Pathfinder and a Ranger this summer and while I was there one of the American leaders asked me which one my daughter was. Now I'm only 24 so I thought that was a bit of an odd questions, but it's true: a lot of leaders are moms. I however, am not.

I joined Guiding as a first year Guide and have never looked back. Since making the switch from girl to adult member, I have volunteered with Sparks, Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers in Montreal, Quebec and Guelph, Ontario. Being a student for four of these last six years, some weeks I was so busy that all I could offer was that I would turn up and help run activities. Last year I was the Contact Guider for the unit I first joined as as Guide. This year, I'm the Deputy Program Adviser for Québec Council. I've also travelled to Quebec City with Links and Pathfinders (on different occasions) and to Ottawa with Guides. Just this past year I got to plan and enjoy the fun alongside the girls going to the Cosmodôme, learn to curl, host pizza and tea parties, sing carols at a seniors' residence, creatively fundraise for the CWFF and so much more. All this to say that there are many different ways to be involved as a young adult leader.

Plus, there are perks! I've been awarded both the Québec Council Scholarship and the Roberta Bondar National GGC Scholarship, Guiding looks great on a resumé, and my house always contains at least one box of Girl Guide cookies.

Sometimes I feel like I don't have enough time or that I'm not giving our girls the absolute best experience they could hope for. But, the truth is, there isn't enough time. You can't plan 12 camps a year or do paperwork for a red-level activity every week. And there is no point in fretting about it. As one of my co-Guiders recently said to me, no matter how much or how little you do, your Guides are always better off with you involved than not. It takes a whole team to make things work.

I've stayed on because Guiding is quite honestly the best part of my week (oh, okay, day), I love my Guiding family, I feel Guiding teaches me as many skills as a leader as it did as a girl and I truly believe I can make a difference.

- Lizzie Knowles, Guider with the 1st Milton Park Guiding Unit and the 85th Montreal Guide Unit