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 - Vacant

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

Walking Courses

Sign up is now open for Walking Level 3 / HML / ML training and assessment week. It will take place from 10th-16th October in the Lake District. Funding and support is available. There will also be many other Level 1 and 2 courses throughout the rest of 2021 - it would be great to see lots of people on these courses and more information can be found here: https://bit.ly/3cMDaYM

This site will be updated with dates as and when confirmed, but in the meantime we are more than happy for people to contact us at leadership@girlguiding.org.uk if you are interested in attending any of these courses.

See bottom of page for information and booking forms.

Learn New Tennis Skills for free

Leaders aged 14 and above can sign up to the local LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) She Rallies' Activator training. When you complete it, you can apply for a free kit bag containing loads of brilliant equipment to help you create further active and engaging sessions for your units.

https://bit.ly/2THK37i

Outdoor Skills Events

As part of the funded project Generation Green, Girlguiding are going to be running some outdoor training events for volunteers, offering exciting opportunities for volunteers and adults to build their skills in the outdoors.  

The day and weekend learning programmes will give volunteers the confidence to offer more residential, camping and outdoor opportunities to our young members. You'll be able to learn new skills and how to run and support specific activities.

There will be approximately 20 of these events across England and they will be a mixture of day trainings and weekend trainings offering overnight stays later in the year.

Some dates and venues are already available are below, and more will be added over the coming weeks:

Waddow:

26nd/27th June, 24th/25th July, 25th/26th September, 9th/10th October, 13th/14th November

Blackland Farm:

13th/14th Nov

Foxlease:

3rd/4th July, 4th/5th September, 30th/31st October

Glenbrook:

10th/11th July, 4th/5th September, 6th/7th November

Hautbois:

11th/12th September, 16th/17th October, 6th/7th November

These events will be free to attend. If anyone is interested, please email:

leadership@girlguiding.org.uk for more information.

Call for volunteers

To support the outdoor skills events, Girlguiding are asking for Volunteers who would be happy to lead sessions. All expenses will be paid for this and training and support will be provided. If you have a passion, skill or knowledge in the following areas and would like to help out, please email leadership@girlguiding.org.uk

• Campfires
• Camping (setting up and management of tents and camping equipment)
• Walking skills - map reading, navigation etc
• Outdoor cooking
• Outdoor risk assessments
• Bushcraft

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 is an adventurous activity 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

Residential Trips (as at June 2021)

If you are thinking about organising a residential trip for your unit, these are the current guidelines that must be followed, along with a full risk assessment and REN form completed and approved:

• No more than six people in a group. This includes Leaders and carers.
• Each group of six would need to include two adults so that an adult is not in a one-to-one situation with a girl. These conditions apply regardless of what education bubbles the young members may be in.
• Adults from each group cannot mix at any time during the trip.
• The groups of six cannot mix with any other group (including from their own unit) for the whole duration. This applies throughout the trip, including during free time, organised activities, toilet/washing facilities, cooking, eating and sleeping. These groups should be maintained from the point of departure until the point of return.
• Groups of six must travel independently of any other groups but they can share transport within their group.
• All group members must take a rapid lateral flow test before they leave for the trip, every 48-72 hours while away and when they get home. You must have plans in place in case someone tests positive.
• Covid-secure measures must be followed during the trip, including social distancing and mask wearing indoors for Guides, Rangers and Volunteers. This needs to be considered when you’re planning eating and sleeping arrangements. There isn't a requirement for single occupancy of tents but you must allow sufficient space when planning sleeping arrangements. You may want to consider options such as having two people share a four person tent.
• Several groups of six may camp in the same field providing the above is met and the groups do not mix at all during the trip.
• Before planning a residential trip please contact either April (County Residential Adviser) or myself, Jayne (County Outdoor Activities Adviser), by email outlining your plans.
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This is in place until Girlguiding changes its guidelines, although there may still be a limit on numbers and activities. Please don’t book venues, activities or pay any booking fees until Girlguiding has announced more information.

April: residential_adviser@gghw.org.uk

Jayne: outdoor_activities_adviser@gghw.org.uk

Going Away With Scheme (GAW)

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 the County Outdoor Activities Adviser or County GO Coordinator for more information.

Leaders working on the GAW scheme will be supported by a member of the County GAW Mentor team. There will also be a ‘drop in’ style mentor session held towards the end of each term. Go to the What's Happening page or Online Booking System for future mentor session dates.

If you would like to find out more about the GAW scheme then why not ‘drop in’ to one of the termly mentor sessions for an informal chat with a mentor.

If you wish to start working for a Going Away With qualification then follow the qualification process below.

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 fills out a registration form and send it to Jayne Treadwell.  It needs to be signed by a commissioner.
• Can be scanned and sent electronically.
• Arrange purchase of 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

• On receipt of the form Jayne 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 write 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.

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 to 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

• Jayne will send the badge and certificate to the candidate’s commissioner to present at a suitable occasion.

8. Details of the qualification on GO

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

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 mentor team

What the 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.

Residential Event Notification Form - Commissioner Responsibilities

• Leaders must use the current form from the Girlguiding website.
• May have issues if downloading using programmes other than internet explorer.
• Note timescale requirements.  Part 1 of the form to be submitted 12 weeks prior to the event and Part 2 at least 4 weeks prior to the event. In the event of REN forms being submitted late, please seek guidance and advice from County Outdoor Team as to whether the event can be approved.
• The license holder does not need to be the event coordinator.  However, the license holder MUST hold all relevant licenses and modules for the type of event.
• Check dates to ensure form is being submitted on time.
• Check DBS (CRB) has cleared for license holder and event coordinator and that they hold the relevant role on GO
• Check the venue is approved for the type of event by forwarding the form to your residential adviser.  If international, the form must be sent to the international adviser.
• Check ratios are correct, refer to the online manual for current numbers.
• Check maximum/minimum numbers are correct.  These are different when any assessment is required.
• Check the license holder has a minimum/equivalent to the Going Away With Scheme  for all sections listed.
• Check DBS (CRB) clearance for all over 18’s.
• Check at least one adult holds a current 1st Response or equivalent qualification.
• All over 18’s at a family camp need DBS clearance.
• Check listed activities meet with requirements in the Guiding Manual.
• Check a risk assessment has been done.
• Approve only if all information is correct. If there is anything you are not happy about – do NOT approve.

Sources of support

• Advisers – both county and division
• Guiding Manual
• Going Away With Guiding
• Other Guiding publications