Outdoors

Outdoors = anything outside your normal meeting times and/or place

The Outdoors Team:

Outdoors Activities Adviser - Jayne Treadwell

Residential Adviser - April Deacon

Walking Adviser - Teresa Monks

Boating Adviser - Alison Dixon

Outdoors Qualifications Co-ordinator - Jayne Treadwell

International Adviser - Deb Sutton

Queen's Guide Adviser - Maz Matthews

Duke of Edinburgh Adviser - Teresa Monks

Contact details for all Advisers can be found under 'Directory'

Adventurous Activity Policy

This new policy sets how you can get girls safely out and about having adventures. It outlines what's expected of leaders and you’ll be able to find out what an adventurous activity is using the new adventure for girls’ activity pages. These detail the qualifications required, as well as the safety regulations and activity ratios so you can safely take girls on adventures. Read the policy here: https://bit.ly/3o6cWoH

Trips and overnight stays (as at September 2021)

Trips and overnight stays are allowed indoors and outdoors if you follow this guidance:

• Girlguiding needs everyone over 11 years old in England to have a negative result from a rapid lateral flow test before they leave for the trip. Further rapid testing must be done every 48-72 hours while away and another test taken when they get home. If you have a Guide unit, then some girls may be under 11 and will not need to test.
• NHS Test and Trace advise that anyone who has had Covid-19 within the last 90 days shouldn’t be tested further as the dead virus cells can cause false positives. So, if anyone has had a positive Covid-19 test within 90 days they don’t need to be tested again. They should only come on the trip if they have no symptoms (with the exception of a cough or loss of taste or smell as these are persistent symptoms). If someone who has had Covid-19 in the last 90 days shows signs or symptoms of illness they should still isolate and seek advice as normal.
• If a member over 11 years old will not take part in testing, then they must not come on the trip. This is unless they have a written statement from a medical or psychological professional explaining that they are exempt. We do not need to know why.
• If a member who needs to take a test will not agree to take tests while on the trip, they must return home.
• There’s no limit on group size, this includes adults, young people and day visitors.
• There is no limit on the amount of people who can share a tent, room or sleeping space.
• Groups can mix with other groups. And supporting adults can work across groups, for example, activity instructors or catering staff.
• Have plans in place in case someone tests positive or shows symptoms and needs to isolate and return home.
• Follow all the Covid responsible rules of the venue you’re using, including when these are stricter than Girlguiding’s.
• Check the terms and conditions of your booking and risk assess different scenarios. You might need to arrange insurance for different things, for example, travel and cancellation. We recommend having an insurance policy that includes Covid-19 cover so you’re fully prepared before your trip.
• Let parents or carers know about all the extra measures being taken, lateral flow test expectations and possible isolation risks.
• Risk assessment must be submitted and approved by the local commissioner.

The process for planning residential events

• Any leaders planning to take their girls on residential events needs to discuss this with their local commissioner before offering to their unit.
• Only those with the GAW License recorded on GO can take girls away overnight, so please check your GO records carefully to ensure you have all the modules listed. 
• For leaders working towards the qualification, their GO records should show which modules are in progress. Speak to your local commissioner if this is not accurate.
• Leaders working on the GAW scheme will be supported by a member of the County GAW Mentor team.
• Qualification timescales:
  • Going Away With Scheme: 6-12 months
  • Additional modules, Travelling Abroad: 12-18  months
  • Additional modules, Going Away With: 6 months
  • Lead Away Permit: 6-9 months
  • Timescales can be changed according to prior experience in discussion with the County GAW coordinator and County Residential Adviser.
• What the GAW Mentor does:
  • Meets with the candidate and checks plans, ensuring all aspects are covered.
  • Checks and signs off evidence in the scheme.
  • Source of help at the end of a phone/email.
  • Answers questions regarding regulations for  the residential event
• The REN form and risk assessment needs to be sent to a local commissioner at least 12 before event.
• REN part one must be submitted and approve before any firm booking is made, so leaders could make enquiries regarding a venue and provisionally booked but not pay a deposit.
• Once the leader has received the REN form part one signed off she can book or confirm the venue and continue planning the event. Remember, any insurance that might be needed will only cover payments made after the policy has been taken out, so these arrangements should made at the same time as, or before, booking.
• All UK venues must be approved by Girlguiding. If you’re unsure whether your venue has been approved, check the list on the county website or contact the county residential adviser to confirm/arrange a visit to approve it, but allow plenty of time for the approval visit to be made.
• If there are any changes after REN form part two is signed off by the authorising commissioner, the REN form must be edited and resubmitted to the authorising commissioner and adviser (if relevant) for approval. You must not continue with an event unless you have received the updated signed REN form. 
• You must not continue with an event unless you have carried out any additional actions to the authorising commissioner’s satisfaction and you have received the signed form from them. Failure to do so is considered a serious breach of Girlguiding policy and may result in restriction or removal of membership.

If submitting the REN form through GO, the programme and risk assessment must be emailed to the commissioner. Please remember to ask the venue, activity provider, coach companies, etc for their risk assessment and forward these with your own risk assessment to the local commissioner, copying in the county residential adviser and county outdoor adviser.

Residential Events at Girlguiding Activity Centres

A reminder that if you are taking girls on a residential event at Girlguiding Activity Centres, eg Foxlease, you will still need to complete the same process as above submitting a REN form along with your own risk assessments that cover the areas you are responsible for, eg consent and health forms, transport and arrival plus getting the girls from one activity to another. You can complete Modules 1 - 4 of the Going Away With Scheme when taking girls to a planned activity centre event, eg. Wellies & Wristbands, Fearless Fun, Sparkle & Ice, etc.

Sleepovers at Injoy, Southampton

This indoor activity centre in Southampton has been approved by Girlguiding for sleepovers. The venue can supply you with  their sleepover, venue, Covid and various activity risk assessments to help you complete your own. A maximum total number of people is 150, so ideal for District/Division events. See below for further details.

The evening will start with climbing or trampolining with dinner in the restaurant to follow and a movie before going to sleep, then one more activity and breakfast in the morning!

Sleepovers are available on Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm to 8.30am

Package includes:

• An evening activity of Climbing or Trampolining
• A movie in the Interactive Room 
• An evening meal of Pizza, Chips and Salad 
• A member of staff throughout the whole package
• A morning activity of the Interactive Room & Soft Play 
• A breakfast including cereal, fruit, and yoghurts

Going Away With Scheme (GAW) Qualification Process

A candidate must have completed their Leadership Qualification AND currently hold an active role as a leader, commissioner or adviser to be able to work on the residential qualifications. 

Leaders holding or working towards the GAW scheme must hold up to date A Safe Space levels 1-3.

To be assessed for any module of the Going Away With scheme:

For Rainbows, Brownies and Guides: minimum of eight girls (so that they can work in two small groups), maximum of 24 girls

For Rangers: minimum 4, maximum 24

To be assessed for modules 5-8 of the Going Away With scheme, or to gain the Travelling abroad module, the assessment event needs to last two nights or more.

The Qualification Process

A candidate must have completed their Leadership Qualification AND currently hold an active role as a leader, commissioner or adviser to work on the residential qualifications.

From January 2021 leaders holding or working towards a GAW license must hold up to date A Safe Space levels 1-3.

1. Register and get publications

• Candidate discusses with her local commissioner that she would like to start working on the GAW Scheme.
• The local commissioner adds this on GO.
• Candidate fills out a registration form via the county website - https://girlguidinghantswest.org.uk/county-trainings
• Once registered, the County GAW coordinator will check that the commissioner has given approval by adding the details on GO.
• The candidate purchases the 'Going Away With Scheme' resource (essential).  The ‘Going Away With Guiding’ publication is also recommended but not essential.  Remember these are allowable expenses on the event/unit.

2. Working with a Mentor

• The County GAW coordinator will pair the candidate with a mentor.
• The mentor will contact the candidate to arrange a mutually convenient time to meet for the initial meeting.
• The mentor will maintain regular contact with the candidate via email, phone or further meetings as required.
• All plans should be checked with the mentor and all applicable parts of the blue record book signed off prior to the event.
• Travel expenses for attending mentor sessions or meetings with a mentor are an allowable expense on the event/unit.

3. Event visit

• A mentor will visit the event and complete a report.  Any major issues will be discussed with the candidate at the time.

4. Complete evidence

• This should only be writing up any additional notes, completing a full account sheet (including receipts) and writing up an evaluation report of the event.
• All evidence should be completed within 4 weeks post event.

5. Sign off by the Mentor

• When the evidence folder is complete the candidate will meet with their mentor at the next mentor session to have all modules signed off. The evidence folder can then be verified at the same meeting and returned to the candidate.
• Alternatively, the candidate and mentor can meet at another time to sign off modules and the mentor will take the evidence folder to the mentor session for verification.

6. Verification

• Folder will be handed to a Verifier at a county mentor session for final assessment. This is to ensure consistency and quality throughout the county.
• The candidate may be contacted for further information at this stage.
• If all is in order, the qualification will be signed off.  This step will normally be completed by the County Residential Adviser.

7. Badge and Certificate sent to Commissioner to present

• The County GAW coordinator will send the badge and certificate to the candidate’s commissioner to present at a suitable occasion.

8. Details of the qualification on GO 

• The County GAW coordinator will inform the County GO Coordinator that the qualification is complete and the County GO Coordinator will update the candidate’s record.