Please note the QGA has now changed and anyone wanting to start working for the award now needs to use on the new syllabus.   The information below is not up to date. 

For up to date information, please refer to - Queen's Guide award | Girlguiding

his information will be updated in the near future, when we appoint a permanent Queen’s Guide Adviser for Devon.  This should be in September.  For now, do send any queries you have or if you require additional information to -   queensguide@devonguides.org.uk

The QG form at the bottom of the page is still the correct form to download and complete.  This will get you registered as starting on the Award.   This needs to be e-mailed to -  queensguide@devonguides.org.uk

Region are in the process of updating the branding.  The 3 year plan at the bottom of the page is out of date.

Aims

The Queen’s Guide Award is the ultimate award that a young woman in Guiding can work towards. It is a series of challenges in five areas that allows you to develop and extend your knowledge and skills while contributing to Guiding, your local community and the wider world.

The Award provides an opportunity for young women to go on a unique journey of self-discovery and personal development, enabling them to stand out in life.

Why do the Queen’s Guide Award?

If you want to undertake an Award that will see you out of your comfort zones and making a real difference to Guiding, you community and the world then the Queen’s Guide Award is for you. It takes time, dedication, perseverance, humour and passion to achieve this prestigious Award, but in return you get amazing opportunities and memories which will last forever.

The Queen’s Guide Award is an opportunity to give back – to do something great, to make a difference and to touch the lives of others.

“Be proud. Be happy. Be excited.

Be confident. Be daring. Be amazing.

Be the first. Be the one. Be the change.

Be authentic. Be creative. Be yourself.

Be willing. Be dedicated. Be inspired.

 

Be everything you’ve ever imagined,

And a million things more!”

(Author unknown)

Who is it for?

The Queen’s Guide Award is open to any member of GirlGuiding UK aged 16 to 25 years and must be completed within three years or before your 26th birthday, whichever is sooner.

What is my role as Queen’s Guide Co-ordinator?

My role as Queen’s Guide Co-ordinator is to support girls undertaking the Queen’s Guide Award, to assist Mentors providing encouragement to Queen’s Guides and to facilitate young women who are interested in undertaking the award. I also co-ordinate with the County Senior Section Co-ordinator, other Queen’s Guide Co-ordinators in South West Region, and actively contribute to the unofficial Queen’s Guide Page and the GirlGuiding Devon Page on Facebook.

I provide support by: -

  • Creating networking opportunities between Queen’s Guide candidates.
  • Supplying information and expertise to Queen’s Guides
  • Keeping up-to-date information and opportunities on social media sites.
  • Actively recruiting more Queen’s Guide – Devon has one of the highest numbers of girls undertaking the Award in GirlGuiding South West England.
  • Facilitating the undertaking of challenges by creating a directory of people with knowledge and skills which are happy to assess Queen’s Guide’s.
  • Actively passing on resources, opportunities, initiatives, and challenges both from GirlGuiding UK and other organisations to girls which could fulfil their Queen’s Guide challenges.
  • Attending County Training Days to provide an informal platform for discussion between Queen’s Guides, Mentors and other Advisors.

How to start your Queen’s Guide Award?

  1. Get familiar with the Queen’s Guide Award Syllabus – now available to download from http://www.girlguiding.org.uk/seniorsection/whatcanido/awardsandqualific.... It can be read on laptops, tablets and mobiles making it easily accessible. If you have any questions, please email me queensguide@devonguides.org.uk
  2. Decide on and meet with your mentor. (See below)
  • At your first meeting complete the registration form (at the bottom of this page) – making sure it is signed by both your mentor and District Commissioner.
  • Go through each challenge with your mentor, and the syllabus discussing how you are going to be assessed for each challenge to show progression and who is going to assess you. (See further down this page).
  • Also consider how you are going to evidence your achievements are you going to keep photos, a journal etc. Be creative and use your imagination!
  • Complete a three year plan (blank at the bottom of this page). This is a visual representation of how you intend to complete your Award, and it also helps you to see how it is all going to fit together.

3.  Send me (Devon Queen’s Guide Co-ordinator) a copy of your registration form and a copy of your three year plan. I will then register your with South West Region Headquarters.

4.  Congratulations you are now ready to start your Queen’s Guide Award! Good Luck

  • Don’t forget to purchase a Queen’s Guide Record Book (Product Code 6109) this can be ordered from your local Guide shop (see Guide Shop page on here) or from GirlGuiding Trading.
  • Stay in contact with your Queen’s Guide Co-ordinator – they can’t help you if you don’t talk to them!

5.  Now you’ve started get in touch with the Outdoor Activities Advisor for Queen’s Guide Activities to discuss your plans for your Outdoor Challenge. This enables you to be provided with the appropriate information regarding forms, training and opportunities for your Outdoor Challenge.

6.  Ensure you gather your evidence as you progress through your Award to make it easier at the end of your Award.

How do I choose a Mentor and what is their role?

            To start your Award you need to choose a Mentor to support you, it can be someone you know through Guiding and someone you are comfortable working closely with.

The role of the Mentor is to offer you advice and guidance and should be in regular contact with you throughout your Award. It is essential to keep your mentor up-to-date about any changes you make to your plan, and to also keep the Queen’s Guide Co-ordinator aware of these changes.

How do I choose an assessor for a clause?

            Your assessor does not need to be a member of GirlGuiding, but could be a specialist, or someone with an interest in the area you are completing your challenge in or simply someone involved in the challenge. (It shouldn’t be someone who is also using that challenge for their Queen’s Guide). It is important to discuss with the assessor before you start the challenge – they may even be able to provide help and support along the way. The assessor should also be agreed upon by both your mentor and the Queen’s Guide Co-ordinator.

            Ensure you show the assessor the “Message to assessors” on page 1 of the Queen’s Guide Record Book so they know what they have agreed to!

            If you struggle to find an assessor for a challenge, please get in touch with me (Devon Queen’s Guide Co-ordinator) as I have a network of people who can and are willing to assess Queen’s Guide Challenges.

Why complete a three year plan?

I can’t provide you with appropriate support for your Award without one of these!

            By completing a three year plan (blank at the bottom of this page) at your planning meeting with your mentor, it enables everybody to see what and how you are planning to complete your Queen’s Guide Award. It also allows us to ensure that you have appropriate support for your challenges and that you have completed any necessary pre-requisites and also that you have appropriate assessors in place.

                On Page 5 of the Queen’s Guide Syllabus there is an example plan; which can be useful when planning yours and remember to share any updates to your plan with your Mentor and Queen’s Guide Co-ordinator.

Where to get help/information?

  • Queen’s Guide Award Syllabus – available from http://www.girlguiding.org.uk/seniorsection/whatcanido/awardsandqualific....
  • Queen’s Guide Co-ordinator – queensguide@devonguides.org.uk
  • Senior Section Co-ordinator – ssteam@devonguides.org.uk
  • Your Mentor
  • Guiders within your unit and Division. The GirlGuiding Devon Facebook page (please email me for an invite) is also a page to contact and share ideas with other Guiders in Devon
  • The Outdoor Activity Team – will support you through the Outdoor Challenge, with our Advisor for Queen’s Guide Outdoor Activities. See their page on here for further information and contact details. http://www.devonguides.org.uk/outdoor-activities-adviser
  • Devon Star – the County Newsletter. If you don’t receive this ask in your Unit to borrow one; you will find information and news of opportunities coming up.
  • Monthly emails from South West Region & CHQ (If you are not receiving these please get in touch with me and I can arrange this). These list Opportunities for residential opportunities and training.
  • Other Queen’s Guide candidates; within Devon we have lots of people completing their Queen’s Guide Award this means we have lots of ideas to share – I try and attend County Training Days, and other Girlguiding Devon events throughout the year to facilitate, networking and the sharing of ideas. This can also be done over Facebook with the national unofficial Queen’s Guide Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/groups/2246578105/  where lots of ideas are shared and questions raised and answered.

Links

News

Look out for opportunities relating to the Senior Section Centenary in 2016; we are planning BIG things in Devon and will be posting on this page, Devon Star and Facebook new of opportunities for Senior Section Members.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Yours in Guiding,

Katie

Devon Queen’s Guide Co-ordinator

queensguide@devonguides.org.uk

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