WHAT can one say about Girlguiding that isn't already known?

A worldwide organisation, it opens vast opportunity to girls and young women - business and domestic skills, adventure challenges, travel, community work, strength in leadership, and positive self-esteem. Small wonder then that some units on the island are oversubscribed and there's a waiting list for others. The situation has led Girlguiding Bermuda to launch an island-wide search for volunteers interested in seeing the tradition extended to as many young girls on the island as possible.

Girlguiding was developed in the early 20th century, based on a training scheme for boys created by the British Army General Robert Baden-Powell. His ideas were published in a bestseller, Scouting for Boys, which led youngsters throughout the UK to take up scouting and the formal start of the Boy Scout movement.

Girls soon became interested and in 1910, Lord Baden-Powell's sister Agnes formed the Girl Guides at his request.

As explained on the website Girlguiding UK, "Such was the enthusiasm for guiding that it soon spread worldwide and since those early days countless millions have made the Guide Promise. Today there are ten million girls and women involved in guiding worldwide."

The organisation has had similar success in Bermuda. It was established here following a 1930 visit by Lord Baden-Powell and his wife Olave - she made subsequent visits in 1951 and 1954.

That early enthusiasm has carried through today, spurred on in part by women who have volunteered their time because of their own experience as a child or young adult.

"I got involved in guiding when my daughter was a Brownie having been involved very much in guiding as a young person - in Brownies and Guides and Rangers and Queens' Guides," explained Denise Woodhouse.

Having spent several years in various Girlguiding positions she is now two years into a five-year post as Commissioner. In addition to her involvement with her church and other charities on the island, she runs her own business in Hamilton.

"I wanted to get involved again because it gave so much to me as a young girl, that I wanted to give back," she said of the time she freely gives. "As a child I was very involved in Brownies and Guides in a small unit in England. I came from a big family - we didn't have much - and Guiding supported me through. I was travelling to represent Guiding in Switzerland. I was chosen to represent Great Britain and they supported me financially and otherwise, and gave me the skill set to get where I am today. We have to give back to our girls."

Her hope is that others feel the same. The organisation recently launched a public call for volunteers through the local media.

"Eighty per cent of all Bermudian women have been in Brownies or Guides - they remember the happy days that they had," she said. "In groups today, we're doing computing skills, we're doing employment opportunities. In a recent article in a British paper, The Guardian, one young woman who got into one of the Oxbridge colleges said it was due to her involvement in guiding, because of her community involvement. When you've got five different students all with the same grades, all looking for the same college place, it helps. It's also very grounding for these girls to be in a non-competitive, non-boy environment. Because today, we make our girls grow up too quickly."

Those with an interest who may be concerned about pledging too much of their time needn't worry. A few hours a month or even a one-off contribution would be helpful. Leaders and helpers are needed, as are guest speakers willing to share their expertise and skills.

"If you have a specific skill, you can say, 'Right, I can't attend a meeting and be in charge of a group of girls, but I can do so and so'. It can be a skill outdoors. You can get involved in the camping aspect or the swimming aspect or the lifesaving aspect or computer skills or do a discussion on anything from building bluebird boxes to the environment - things like that.

"The system's been changed so that women shouldn't think that to get involved in guiding they've got to become leaders and make that commitment. We've tried the 16-hour challenge that they have in Great Britain. In one of our units at St. Patrick's for example, we have six leaders who are all in international business. Two come one week, two another week and two another so in consequence, they're not so committed."

The goal is to help youngsters work toward their badges and life skills, Ms Woodhouse explained.

"If we have a group of women who volunteer to come out and speak or share their skill once a year, then that eases us up. It's giving the girls such a diverse look at the world - here's a Bermudian who's done this, consider this career.

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