Volunteer Areas
There are different ways you can volunteer at Girl Guides Singapore, depending on your interest and commitment. Following are the six volunteer areas you can choose from:
1. Trefoil Guild:
"Once a Guide, always a Guide", is the basic premise of Trefoil Guild. Membership to Trefoil Guild is open to any former enrolled member of the Guide Movement who is 17 years of age and above.
The Aims of Trefoil Guild are to help former Guides:
- Keep alive the spirit of the Guide Promise and Laws in their own lives;
- Bring that spirit into the community in which they live and work; and
- Actively support Guiding in their country and the world.
Trefoil Guild gives an opportunity to keep in touch with former guides and meet new ones. Trefoil Guild members enjoy guiding activities and relive guiding days. It's a platform to garner expertise and volunteer services from former guides for GGS.
Trefoil Guild Members can volunteer in the following ways:
- Committee Members
- Ad-hoc helpers
- Volunteer Trainers
- Assist where a specific expertise is required
The time commitment depends on the area of work the member is volunteering.
Volunteers in Trefoil Guild enjoy social visits, participate in walks, camps and carnivals and help GGS raise funds.
2. Volunteer Leaders:
The Volunteer Leaders form the governing body of GGS. They are the members of National Council, Executive Committee, Sub-Committees and Standing Committees.
The objectives of Volunteer Leaders are to garner leaders and workers for GGS to achieve its mission. A uniformed adult leader or a non-uniformed lay volunteer leader can become a Volunteer Leader after approval from National Council.
Volunteer Leaders through their leadership contribute their expertise to society in general and Guiding in particular. Depending on the portfolio, they are responsible for various activities of GGS.
The Volunteer Leaders benefit from the satisfaction of giving back to the society. The time commitment depends on the area of volunteering.
Volunteer Leaders can volunteer in the following areas:
- Administrative
- Programmes
- Camp
- International
- Training
- Finance
- IT
- Membership
- Communications
3. 5G - Girl Guides Garner Granny Generation:
Project 5G was started in 2006 in collaboration with Council for Third Age (MCYS). Ladies who are 50+ can join the 5G programme at GGS. The aim of 5G is to engage senior ladies in meaningful activities under the Girl Guides' 5-point Programme.
The key objectives of Project 5G are to:
- Promote volunteerism among senior citizens
- Promote healthy living
- Promote lifelong learning
- Promote inter-generational bonding
- Provide an alternative active lifestyle for seniors
- Promote social-networking
5G members participate in GGS Walkathons and GGS Carnivals. They can also become testers for Homemaker's Proficiency Badge, Cook's Badge, Hostess Badge and the Laundress Badge. Further, they can also participate in Guide Branch's outdoor activities such as creative outdoor cooking and Backwoodsman skills. Interactive activities are based on the Girl Guides' philosophy that "Guiding is for Life". The activities conducted are aimed to improve communication skills between generations.
Project 5G also aims to build a pool of confident senior citizens through a series of courses based on our Guiding principles so that they may become mentors to our 11,000-strong student membership while at the same time leading healthy and meaningful lifestyles.
4. Volunteer Trainers:
Volunteer Trainers volunteer in the following ways:
a) Guiding related training:
Retired Guiders & Commissioners with prior Guiding knowledge and in-depth knowledge of GGS's 5-point programme can join to train Brownies, Guides, YAs and Guiders. The trainings organized include; Camp Training for Guides, Patrol Leaders Training Camp, Sixers Training, Basic Training Course for new Guiders and Skills Training for all Guiders.
b) Non- guiding related training:
Trainers are also required at HQ to train volunteers and staff on various skills and professional development.
5. Young Adults
Young Adults (YA) is a Member Unit of GGS. Girls interested in joining YA must be between 17-25 years of age. YA is a service oriented group and part of the Volunteer group f GGS.
The objectives of the Young Adults is to provide each individual with training, based on the ideals expressed in the Promise and the Law, to help girls develop physically and mentally and instill in her the importance of community services and becoming responsible citizens.
The Young Adult Group works on the self-governing policy with an established Young Adults Council that leads the programmes. The YAs are also considered for succession planning at GGS as they are trained to become leaders and opt for various leadership roles.
Young Adults also earn CCA points on the successful participation and attending the required training.
6. Unit Helpers
Young Adults who wish to get attached to School and unit and serve as a Unit Helper can enroll themselves as Unit Helpers. Unit Helpers assist Guiders/ Unit Leaders in the running of a Unit. They help in conducting activities and Unit meetings with the Guides. Since the Unit Helpers are trained in Guiding Curriculum, they are an asset to the Unit and Unit Leaders with and without guiding background, in conducting Guiding activities and executing the Guiding curriculum.
Girls who are passionate about working with Guides even after completing School, can enroll themselves as Unit Helper. The Unit Helpers are also provided the relevant training to equip them for proper dissemination of guiding knowledge.
The YAs can indicate three choices of schools that they wish to be attached to. Unit Helpers will also earn CCA points at the end of the year.
