International

INTOPS

INTOPS stands for International Opportunities. There are many ways in which members of Girlguiding can go away internationally but INTOPS generally refers to the annual selection process for the international trips run by South West Region. These trips are led by leaders from the Region and involve a group of girls drawn from counties from all over the South West.

Selection for girls normally takes place in two stages. The first is a county weekend and the second a region weekend. This isn’t as daunting as it sounds. The weekends are a fun experience in their own right and there are lots of interesting activities to have a go at. Places on region trips are then offered to those who appear most likely to benefit from them. We’re not necessarily looking for the brightest member with all the badges. More important qualities are being a team player, having a sense of humour, good communication skills, adaptability and open mind, being willing to have a go at anything (with a smile) and enthusiasm for Guiding. Finance shouldn’t be seen as a barrier as grants are available to help with fundraising.

INTOPS is normally open to Guides, Young Leaders and Rangers who will be aged 14-17 at the time of travel although there are occasionally opportunities for younger girls. Region also runs an INTOPS weekend for adults interested in being part of the leadership team.

The process kicks off in the spring to select participants for trips the following two summers (in other words, girls can expect to have between 1 and 2 years’ notice before travel). There are also opportunities to apply for a national selection process to take part in the GOLD (Guiding Overseas Linked with Development) scheme.

Unit trips

If you’re interested in taking your own unit – or a group from your district/division away internationally, you’ll find details of all the requirements on the Girlguiding website. Please contact the International Adviser as early as possible in your planning process – and before you make any firm commitments - so we can make sure you are up to date with any changes. If you haven’t led an international trip before, you will need to work towards module 9 of the Going Away Scheme (Travelling Abroad). Please contact Outdoor Qualification Coordinator for advice on this.

If you are interested in opening your trip up to girls from other parts of the county, you will need the approval of the County Executive. The International Adviser can provide you with a short form to complete for this purpose. We do this to make sure that we don’t offer too many competing trips in a single year. The County Executive team also needs to assure themselves that the trip is financially viable and have sight of your risk assessment.

Fundraising

Finance shouldn’t be seen as a barrier to participating in international trips as there are plenty of grants available to support you. There are also lots of other fun ways of fundraising to help with costs.

International Guiding in your unit

There are all sorts of fun ways of giving your girls a taste of international guiding without leaving your unit meeting place. 

Commonwealth Award

The Commonwealth award is open to Guides aged 13 and over, Rangers, young leaders and adult members aged 18-25 in all Commonwealth countries (including Branch Associations). Members of British Girlguiding Overseas can also take part even if they are not living in a Commonwealth country.

The Commonwealth Award is for members keen to learn more about the rich history of our organisation - and to explore countries and cultures unfamiliar to them. The award will help you discover more about your home country and the other 53 states in the Commonwealth.

To register to start the award, please complete the registration form