Action for Change
Join Action for Change and be part of something amazing.
Action for Change is an opportunity for you to get the skills and know-how and be inspired to make change in your own unique way on the things you really care about.
Whether it’s organising a community event or action, starting a petition to your Head Teacher to make a change at school, tackling bullying or discrimination you see around you, or doing a big fundraiser for a good cause, Action for Change will help you take the next step and make it happen.
What will I do?
Your year in Action for Change will start at an exciting residential weekend in Edinburgh with up to 50 other young Girlguiding Scotland members where you’ll be talking ideas and inspiration and get help to start planning the difference you can make. There’ll be lots of skills builder workshops, inspiring speakers and time to talk and think. And we’ll give you a toolkit packed with tips and templates.
You’ll be part of an active network in Scotland so you can stay in touch with the friends you make and carry on sharing ideas and working on projects together across the year. You’ll get individual support from a skilled Network Coordinator who can help you to develop your plan, problem solve and find ways to make your things happen.
As part of your year you might be writing blogs, talking to people in your local area, making a video, doing some creative design or organising an event. Whatever you want to change, we’ll support you to make it happen in your own way.
Girlguiding will send you loads of regular exciting news and actions, you’ll play a key role in shaping our national advocacy and campaigns to make girls’ lives better, and be involved in campaigning work across Scotland. And you’ll get help to package it all up to look fantastic on your CV, and get a badge at the end, of course!
What will I gain?
Action for Change is your chance to turn your ideas into action. You’ll be making a real impact on people’s lives and changing the world around you for the better.
Throughout the year you’ll gain loads of new practical skills that will enable you to make change in your local area and help you in other areas of your life too. For example you’ll develop your skills in:
· project planning
· persuasive communications – written and verbal
· powerful storytelling
· using social media for change
· writing about your experience on the project for your CV!
· and lots more
You'll be leading the way for other girls and young women across the UK. Action for Change will enable you to actively champion girls’ views across your country or region. And we hope you’ll make some fantastic new friends who share your interests through the network.
The support we’ll offer
Your Network Coordinator will keep in touch with you and give you help and guidance via phone, email and social media. You’ll get to meet your Network Coordinator at the inspiration event in November.
The Action for Change project staff – in Girlguiding Scotland and Girlguiding HQ – will always be there to answer your questions and motivate you on your way.
We’ll support the network to help everyone help each other and make the network a safe and supportive group for you.
We will make every effort to support any additional needs you may have and all girls aged 13-18 in Girlguiding are welcome to apply.
Your commitment and responsibilities
We’re excited to be able to support girls to make change happen and hope that over the year you will create fantastic change about what’s important to you.
· The inspiration weekend is a key part of Action for Change and you must be free to attend the whole weekend programme.
The weekend is free and all travel, accommodation and food expenses are covered by Girlguiding. We will ask all applicants to pay a £10 deposit. This will be completely refunded when you attend the weekend.
Date: Friday 4th November – Sunday 6th November - Please note you will need to arrive on the Friday evening and the programme will take place throughout Saturday and Sunday.
Location: – Holiday Inn Edinburgh, 132 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh EH12 6UA
· You need to be able to commit to being involved with Action for Change for a year. During the year you’ll work towards leading or taking part in your own unique project for change.
· You’ll need to be prepared to respond to your Network Coordinator and to take part in phone or email discussions that are planned.
· You’ll leave the inspiration weekend with an action plan so you can get started right away or carry on developing your plan if you need more time. We ask that you commit to sharing your action or actions with us so we can help to promote the great change you’re involved in, to help inspire other girls.
· We’d like you to share what you’ve achieved with other young members and volunteers in some way at the end of the year and are keen to hear about your progress throughout the year
Who can apply?
You don’t need to have any particular skills or to have done anything similar before to be part of Action for Change. We’re looking for young people who are motivated to make change happen, excited about learning new things and prepared to commit to the project.
We’re particularly interested to hear from you if you have an idea for something you’d like to change but are not sure where to start, or feel that you might not have the confidence or specific skills to make it happen.
We welcome applications from all members aged 13 to 18 and particularly encourage applicants from minority groups.
To apply, you just need to be:
· 13-18 and a young member or Girlguiding Scotland volunteer.
· Free to attend the inspiration weekend.
· Prepared and able to commit to being involved with Action for Change for a year.
· Passionate and inspired to make positive change happen in your area and beyond.
· Interested in developing skills to make change.
· Interested in getting more girls voices heard throughout Girlguiding.
How do I apply?
To apply, you need to complete the application form by visiting www.girlguidingscotland.org.uk/actionforchange before Sunday 2nd October. We will let you know within three weeks of this date if you have been successful.
Please be aware that if we get loads of applications we might contact you to find out more about why you want to be part of the project.
Sign up with a friend!
If you’re concerned about attending the weekend on your own, why not sign up with a friend or a group from your unit? As long as they are young members, they’ll just need to fill in an application form too so we can find out a bit more about them.
Still got questions?
We’ve put together some more information about the Action for Change project in case you still have questions - check it out at www.girlguidingscotland.org.uk/actionforchange.
If you still have questions or have any additional needs that you’d like to talk to someone about, please get in touch by emailing or call 020 7834 6242 and we’d be happy to help.