About us - Ko wai mātou

We are all about girls and young women – offering them opportunities to develop their own special personalities and be themselves through a range of comprehensive programmes.

We believe that confidence, self-esteem and an awareness and appreciation of the outdoors can be gained through a combination of choice, co-operation and personal challenge.

It’s a great way for girls to make new friends and enjoy a range of diverse activities in an environment of positive encouragement and fun.

Our statement of purpose

We enable girls and young women to reach their potential and make a difference in the world.

Our vision

All girls and young women in every community are inspired and empowered to turn dreams into reality.

Our mission

We enable girls and young women to reach their full potential and make a difference in the world.

Ko tā Ngā Kōhine Whakamahiri o Aotearoa he āwhina I ngā kōtiro kia tu pakari, kia whakaaro nui ki a rātou anō kia whai hua ai tā rātou I mahi ai ki te iwi whānui

Our values

• GirlGuiding New Zealand will incorporate these values and attributes in its policies, processes, investments, operations and decision-making:
• Valuing and empowering girls
• Honesty and reliability
• A culture of friendliness and ambitious fun
• Connecting and working co-operatively with others and the community
• Responsible and accountable behaviour
• Respect and service to others
• Wise use of resources
• Accepting and providing challenges and learning from them
• Caring for the environment
• Cultural inclusiveness and understanding our global connections.

The Promise and Law

Promise
All girls, regardless of race, faith or other circumstances, may become enrolled members of GirlGuiding New Zealand as long as they are able to understand, and are willing to make, the following promise.
   
I promise, with the help of my God, to be true to myself,
to do my best to help my country and to live by the Guide Law.

Pippins do not make the Promise.

If an individual is a member of a religion for which God has a name which is more commonly used (eg Allah), that name may be substituted in order to make the Promise more relevant to that individual. In such cases it is recommended that the unit leader discusses the wording with the girl and her parents.

Law
As a Guide I will try to

• be honest and trustworthy
• be friendly and cheerful
• be a good team member
• be responsible for what I say and do
• respect and help other people
• use my time and abilities wisely
• face challenges and learn from experiences and
• care for the environment.

GirlGuiding New Zealand

A youth organisation
GirlGuiding New Zealand is a youth organisation for girls and young women and is committed to the values expressed in the Guide Promise. Adult members are mainly volunteers and usually wear uniform. 

Aims and principles
The aims and principles of GirlGuiding New Zealand/Ngā Kōhine Whakamahiri o Aotearoa are based on those developed by the founder, Lord Baden-Powell, and accepted by all members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. The “essence” of the fundamental principles, defined at the World Conference in 1972, are:

• duty to God, defined as ‘an acknowledgment of the necessity for a search for a faith in God, in a Supreme Being, and the acknowledgment of a force higher than man of the highest spiritual principles.’ This encompasses all world faiths.
• duty to country, defined as ‘the acceptance of the concept of responsibility to the communities in which we live’
• service, defined as ‘the acceptance of the practice of helpfulness to others’
• the guide law, the essence of which is defined as respect for all living things, self-discipline and a responsibility for others.

Our charter
As a way of articulating who we are, the organisation has developed a charter.

We aim to be the most relevant organisation for girls and women today and into the future. This means:

• acknowledging each individual by providing flexible and non-competitive learning opportunities
• providing an open-minded, values-based foundation for our activities
• providing supportive environments for girls and young women to experience friendship and fellowship
• focusing our recreational activities around understanding, connecting to and helping our wider communities
• acknowledging and celebrating cultural diversity and providing an inclusive environment where individuals’ backgrounds and experiences are accepted and understood.
  

Our leaders are committed to providing:

• fun, excitement and engagement through adventure and friendship
• a supportive, encouraging environment for girls and young women
• interactive, hands-on activities in a safe environment.

Our leaders are committed to:

• communicating regularly with parents and caregivers
• encouraging and challenging girls to achieve and extend their potential
• completing annual training as specified
• participating in an annual effective leader review.
  

Our organisation is committed to:

• regularly reviewing and updating our programmes to ensure they are relevant to the needs of today’s girls and young women
• consulting externally on societal trends affecting girls and young women
• charging a reasonable fee to ensure we can provide a safe, fun and challenging environment for girls and young women
• providing warm, welcoming and well maintained meeting places
• reviewing regularly policies and standards to ensure their relevance and the ongoing safety of girls and leaders
• providing training and development opportunities for all leaders.

Programmes and activities
Programmes appropriate to different age groups provide regular opportunities for participation and fun in recreation, learning for leisure and life skills. Activities offer numerous areas of choice, challenge, achievement and new experiences, especially in the outdoors. Members are encouraged to involve themselves in community service and to participate in international opportunities.

Programmes of the Association provide a balance of physical, mental and social development with underlying spiritual values. A significant emphasis is placed on outdoor activities and team work. There is a focus on girl leadership and responsibility for self and others, enabling ordinary people to achieve extraordinary things.

Advocacy
GirlGuiding New Zealand encourages girls and leaders to make a personal and positive commitment to change the world around them for the better. They are encouraged to take action; this can happen at many levels, including personal development and projects in their local community. They also have the opportunity to participate in projects nationally and around the world.

Leader training
Training is provided to enable leaders to carry out their roles effectively.

Status
Guiding is delivered in New Zealand by the Girl Guides Association New Zealand/Ngā Kōhine Whakamahiri o Aotearoa (known as GirlGuiding New Zealand), which is an incorporated society under a Private Act of Legislature in 1942.

The Association has a constitution, is recognised by law as an educational charity following a legal decision in 1943 and has charitable status: Charities Commission registration number CC22069. The National Office of the Association is based in Christchurch. 

Origins
The Association had its origins in a movement founded in New Zealand in 1908. It was named the Girl Peace Scouts which in 1923 became the Girl Guides Association, Dominion of New Zealand and a Branch of the Girl Guides Association, United Kingdom, incorporated by Royal Charter, 1922.

WAGGGS
GirlGuiding New Zealand is a founder member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). This World Association now has over 10 million members in more than 140 countries.

As a member of WAGGGS GirlGuiding New Zealand

• adheres to the fundamental principles and has a Promise and Law in wording approved by the World Board
• adopts the method of the Girl Guide/Girl Scout Movement
• has a membership which is voluntary and open to all girls and young women without distinction of creed, race, nationality, or any other circumstance
• has a membership which is self-governing with freedom to formulate its policy and put it into practice
• is independent from any political organisation.