Our Gender and Diversity mainstreaming toolkit has been developed by a team of volunteers who worked alongside many Member Organisations (MOs) from across the region.
The toolkit was officially launched at Roverway by the Europe Region Committee and some of the volunteers who worked on this important new resource. International Commissioners, members of the World Board, staff and volunteers were all excited to see and speak about the toolkit.
Petra Stipanic, part of the Europe Region Committee said: “As the umbrella organisation for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts across the world, we have to challenge inequalities and support every girl to reach her fullest potential... we have the expertise and experience to recognise specific issues that young women face”.
The toolkit looks at six core areas that will support MOs to reflect on how they are providing an inclusive and diverse perspective. These areas are: membership, educational programme, relation to society, finance and structure and management.
The toolkit contains different questions that will guide MOs to see how they are working on these themes. The material can be used in any situation: if you are hosting a big event, restructuring or even redesigning your training plan.
Emma Withington, one of the Lead Volunteers from the team, said: “I can't contain my excitement. The whole toolkit started in the last triennium. We developed a pilot and spent the last few years running and testing this work and producing the final draft. I think it's a toolkit that´s really applicable to every MO. From an entire region to your local organisation”.
The pilot work took place in ten countries from the Region. In Finland, they used the toolkit as part of a leadership training, reflecting on the connection between gender and diversity as part of leadership. The Catholic Guides from Belgium did a camp for Brownies and used the toolkit to understand how to better include people with disabilities in their programme. Malta Girl Guides used the toolkit to help prepare for the Jamboree they´re hosting this month.
The reception was full of surprises. The audience wrote their own commitment to gender and diversity issues on postcards. The whole audience was really excited about this new toolkit that will help to empower and create a better world for every and any girl.
Thank you to the following Associations who helped us to pilot the toolkit:
- Scouting Nederland
- Asociația Ghidelor și Ghizilor din România
- Catholic Guides of Ireland
- Sakartvelos Gogona Skautebis Asociacia (DIA)
- The Guides and Scouts of Finland
- Guides Catholiques de Belgique
- Malta Girl Guides Association
- Belgian Pluralist Scouts and Guides
- CNGEI from Italy
- DDS Denmark
- Eclaireuses et Eclaireurs Unionistes de France
Our WAGGGS reception ended with a special moment for one volunteer. Pascale Vandersmissen was awarded the WAGGGS Europe medal of service for her work with our organisation.
