There are so many amazing people doing incredible things in Girlguiding both young members and volunteers! But sometimes it can be hard to thank people for their hard work or recognise their achievements. One way this can be done is via awards.
What awards are out there?
There are two main types of awards: those given internally by members of Girlguiding to those who are also members or support the organisation and those given by external organisations to Girlguiding members.
We recognise long service via our long service awards, and “discretionary awards” recognise service which goes above and beyond.
Internally, awards exist at many levels. The thanks badge and good service brooch are both great ways to celebrate someone’s work and are often given locally after events. These can be purchased via trading, and you don’t have to go through a nomination process to award them. Some local areas from districts, divisions to counties may have local awards unique to their area- so it’s always worth talking to your commissioner to see what’s on offer. If you see a gap, you could always suggest creating a new award too!
All countries and regions have their own awards which are unique to them. LaSER have recently produced some new exciting awards to celebrate our members. These include the Chief Commissioner’s Award, the Diamond Award to recognise the contribution of members up to age 30, and the innovative Make a Difference Award which recognises a group of people who have made a project happen.
At national level, there are three key awards. The Guiding Star, our young member’s award, recognises resilience and contribution to Girlguiding in a range of scenarios. The two top organisational awards for adults are the Laurel Award which recognises outstanding service, and the Silver Fish which is our top award for distinguished and exceptional service.
Nationally, we have just created a new award, the Girlguiding Hero! This comes as a certificate signed by county commissioner, region/ country chief commissioner and the Chief Guide. It can be awarded to any member (young member or volunteer), or to any friend of Girlguiding for anything which makes them special! This award was inspired by the dedication so many showed during the pandemic, and will also live on beyond as we know it fills an important gap in awards!
There are also many external organisations which can recognise the impact and dedication of Girlguiding members. These range from local community awards to business-led awards such as those organised by supermarkets right up to the national honours system including BEM and OBEs.
Why celebrate people with awards?
Every member of Girlguiding is doing something incredible, and it’s fantastic when they can be recognised for that! Awards are particularly special because they are usually given as a surprise and they tell someone how much others think of them! Members who have received awards tell us how humbled they are that someone has taken the time to nominate them, and how special it has been to receive recognition from their peers and fellow members.
When we feel appreciated and valued, we feel happier within the organisation and are more likely to stay on as a volunteer, and even to and try new things. As volunteers, we are all very busy within Guiding and our own personal lives, but when we take the time out to thank or recognise someone, whether that be a young member or fellow volunteer- it is always so gratefully received.
How can I find out more?
Hopefully, by reading this, you’ve thought about all the wonderful Girlguiding members you know - and there’s someone (or lots of people) in your mind who you think deserves some extra recognition!
For local awards, the best person to ask about the criteria and process is your local commissioner. She may also know about local external awards too which are often wonderful ways to recognise members!
Both region and national awards go through a nomination process as they recognise service at a wide range of levels and are the top awards of the organisation. Country/ region awards may go through any local committee then to the country/ region awards committee. Then national awards come through the country/ region first before being reviewed by the national awards committee.
It’s amazing to watch people being given awards and hear about the amazing contribution they have made to not only Girlguiding but their wider community- so keep shouting about the amazing work of our members, nominate those who are going above and beyond and share their stories around!