Southern Horizons

District Commissioner

Reference Booklet

Updated: August, 2016.

Booklet available on website.

The Southern Horizons Office is responsible for all

iMIS input and maintenance of all registered

Southern Horizon members (girl and adult members)

Contact Information:

Mailing Address: 1530 Broadway Ave; Regina, SK; S4P 1E2

Phone: 306-352-8057; Toll Free: 1-800-565-8111 Fax: 306-565-3065;
Email:

Website:

Table of Contents:

Table of Contents / Page2
Area Calendar / Page3
District Commissioner Responsibilities / Page4-6
  • Awards/Recognition

  • District Council Meetings/Finance

  • Membership

  • Public Relations

  • Girl Programming

Report Obligations / Page7
  • District Reports for Area Council

  • Compliance

Communication / Page 7
Contracts/Lease Agreements / Page 8
Cookies and Other Fundraising / Page 8 - 9
CWFF / Page 9
Forms and Form Retention / Page 9-10
iMIS Reports / Page 10
Resources / Page 10 - 11
Training / Page 11
Map of Southern Horizons / Page 12

Southern Horizons Area Calendar:

September
2016 / – STAT – Labour Day – office closed
– Submission Deadline for Prairie Lily article to Area
– District Report bring to Retreat
- DC Retreat and Area Council Meeting
Mint Cookies Arrive
  • FYI Deadline – Last Thursday of the Month

October
2016 / – International Day of the Girl Child
– STAT – Thanksgiving Day – office closed
– Food Bank Drive (Regina Districts)
- Cookie Days in Canada
– Youth Recognition Ceremony (Regina)
30 – District budget due
  • FYI Deadline – Last Thursday of the Month
  • Mint Cookie Campaign

November
2016 / – Submission Deadline for Prairie Lily article
– STAT – Remembrance Day – office closed
– District Report Due
– Adult Roster confirmation due
- Annual Awards Dinner
– Mint Cookie payment due
– All registration monies due
– Area Council Meeting
  • FYI Deadline – Last Thursday of the Month

December
2016 / – STAT – Christmas Day – office closed
  • FYI Deadline – Last Thursday of the Month
  • Area Office closed Christmas Week

January
2017 / – STAT – New Year’s Day
– Area Office re-opens
– District Report Due
  • FYI Deadline – Last Thursday of the Month
  • District Cookie Rep to order Spring Cookies

February
2017 / – Submission Deadline for Prairie Lily article
– STAT – Family Day – Office Closed – Thinking Day
  • FYI Deadline – Last Thursday of the Month

March
2017 /
  • District Report Due
  • Area Council Meeting
– STAT – Good Friday – office closed
  • Area Office Closed – March 28 – April 1
  • FYI Deadline – Last Thursday of the Month

April
2017 / – Submission Deadline for Prairie Lily article
  • Cookie Days in Canada
– National Volunteer Week
– Compliance Report due along with Financial Review
  • FYI Deadline – Last Thursday of the Month
  • Commissioners book facilities for unit meetings
  • Spring Cookie Campaign

May
2017 / – District Report Due
– Tim Horton’s Clean-up
– STAT – Victoria Day – Office Closed
– Spring Cookie payment due
  • FYI Deadline – Last Thursday of the Month

June
2017 /
  • Area Council Meeting
  • District Cookie Rep to order Mint Cookies

July
2017 / – STAT – Canada Day
  • Office closed – July 1 – August 14
  • Area Camp

August
2017 / – STAT – Civic Holiday
– Office Re-opens
  • FYI Deadline – Last Thursday of the Month

District Commissioner Responsibilities

  • Resource – So Now You’re A District Commissioner on National Website under the Commissioners Library – includes Position Description
  • Duties of the position -To provide leadership and direction to the District team and to provide ongoing leadership to the Guiders in the District by:
  • Supporting– leadership, team building, motivating your Guiders, recognition, mentorship
  • Unit Visits– visit each unit at least once a year. If there are issues, increase visits and communication with the Guiders until resolved
  • Administering– records management, management of council/team meetings, time management, risk management
  • Overseeing– orientation, trainings, financial management
  • Communicating– performance management, addressing concerns, conflict management, effective communication, effective use of Guiding Essentials
  • Networking– position support, succession planning, reporting
  • Contributing– implementing the strategic plan of GGC in the District
  • Term of the position
  • Term of the position is for three years. Term completed at Spring Provincial Annual Meeting.
  • DC Meeting
  • All Southern Horizons DC’s are expected to attend the Southern Horizons DC Retreat in September. If DC is unable to attend, her alternate should attend. Information is sent out from Area office in August.

Awards/Recognition

  • It is the DC’s responsibility to ensure Guiders are appropriately recognized. R.3P – Application for Recognition of Adult Awards available on National Website – Forms
  • Awards need to be ordered by the DC through the on-line store.
  • Membership pins to be presented at the beginning of the Guiding year – Report provided to DC’s @ September Retreat.
  • National Volunteer Week in Canada is April 23-29, 2017.

District Council Meetings/Finance

  • Hold a minimum of three meetings per year, of which at least one meeting should be face to face. DC or alternate to chair meetings.
  • Minutes from these meetings to be forwarded to Area office within 30days of the meeting
  • During the first meeting of the Guiding year document signing officers even if no change.
  • Social networking, team building and friendships often happen at District meetings.
  • Any funds collected in the name of Girl Guides of Canada are considered public funds and must be accounted for in a fiscally responsible manner. All monies must be safeguarded and all receipts and expenditures are to be recorded and documented on a timely basis. Account books are to be kept up-to-date so that a report of the District financial situation is available at any time.
  • Annual Budget to be submitted to Area Office by October 30. Template will be sent to DC’s/District Treasurers.
  • Unit/District accounts – use system which works for your District. If utilizing unit records being maintained by District – it is necessary to separate/identify each unit’s monies and provide timely unit account summaries. Units can keep their own financial records and bank accounts if proficient at financial management
  • Collecting Overdue Cookie Money
  • All Units and Councils depend on timely submission of monies due, in order to meet their responsibilities and obligations. There is zero tolerance for missing, misappropriated, or non-remitted outstanding payments.
  • Follow the procedure - Suspicion of Financial Misconduct summary on the provincial website

Membership

  • Membership Recruitment/Retention is a District responsibility.
  • Provincial office provides info on any Adult INQ (INQA) – please make sure any necessary follow-up is completed.
  • Adult Screening
  • Provincial office handles all new adult member Screening Process
  • Potential Members Working in Units: The Board of Directors passed a motion stating all potential members (PMBRs) must have an Adult Member Application form (A.1), a clear Police Record Check and two references entered into iMIS before they are allowed to work with girls in a unit. Screening Period must be completed within a four month timeframe.
  • Police Record Check (Renewals)
  • Prior to the PRC expiration date, all members will receive an e-mail to renew their PRC
  • This email will include instructions, as well as the necessary link to the BackCheckTM on-line page, to start their renewal process.
  • Included in this link is a screen shot of the location they should click on (i.e. SK Council) – resulting in the PRC being received by the respective Provincial Office.
  • There will also be an attachment for the Code of Conduct, which the member is asked to send to the Area or Provincial Office. For members without email addresses, renewal forms will be sent through the mail.
  • Alternate option - PRC’s obtained from a Police Station will still be accepted along with the signed Code of Conduct.
  • List of Guiders within the District is provided at the DC Retreat. Update the Adult Roster and return to Area office – Due November 25.
  • Saskatchewan Council pays the membership and registration fees for all adult members who are unit Guiders, commissioners, active trainers, advisers, council members, standing committee members, Trefoil Guild members, link members or a Guider who contributes significantly to the work of the District (as determined by the District Council). Contact any District Members at Large to ensure they want to maintain their membership. Any adult paid registrations go through Area office
  • Membership Financial Assistance
  • Financial assistance, should it be necessary, requires a form to be completed andsubmitted with the paper registration form.
  • Membership Financial Assistance Application to assist girl’s registration fees and uniform - available on the Provincial Website:

or contact to have the form mailed to the family. Families are responsible for a minimum payment of $20.00 per child.

  • Ethel Peart Member Assistance Fund is to support girls and women in need within Southern Horizons Area to participate in Guiding. Form available on the Southern Horizons Area website
  • Funds are available for special events and camp fees for girls and Guiders, training fees for Guiders and travel expenses (some limitations apply). Other fees and expenses will be considered if they fit the objectives of the fund. (Funds are available for an individual, once per Guiding year)

2016-2017 Registration Fees

First girl in the family $135.00

Second girl in the family $125.00

Each additional girl in the family$115.00

  • Encourage Online Registration
  • All girl member paper registrations go through Area office.
  • Receipts will be issued (either mailed or scanned to the family).

Public Relations

  • Public Relations to be done at a District level.
  • Each District to have a Cookie Rep. It is recommended each District have someone do local PR.
  • PR supplies can be viewed at
  • When requiring PR supplies, contact Area office. Supplies on hand will be checked and provided. If no supplies on hand, the items will tried to be ordered in the provincial spring order

Girl Programming:

  • Contact/visit units to ensure Great Guiding Program is happening (provide dynamic, sustainable programming – strategic #1).
  • Delivering Girl Centered Programming is the key ingredient in successful programming. Involve the girls in decision-making and provide them opportunities to be self-reliant and take on responsibilities.
  • Girl Programming Best Practices and program ideas available on National Website under resources.

Report Obligations

District Report required for Area Council

  • Reports are required for AC to report to Provincial Council. Reminders are sent out along with deadline date.
  • Reports are required for September, November, January, March and May.

Compliance Report

  • The compliance report will be provided to District Commissioners for completion in early March. Must be completed and returned by April 30th.
  • The intent of the Compliance Report is to enable National to verify that all Provinces/Areas/Districts have complied with the Girl Guides of Canada By-Laws. Area must submit a completed Area Compliance Report to Provincial by May 30 stating that all Districts have completed the District Compliance Report.

Financial Review

  • Annually Reviewed Financial Books are to be submitted to Area office by April 30 with the District Compliance package. Please include:
  • Annual Financial Report (take note – include investments and equipment list)
  • Financial Review Checklist Pages 1 and 4.

Communication:

  • Southern Horizons Area office
  • Please do not hesitate to contact the Area office with any questions. If we do not know the answer, we will find out for you.

Area Office Contact Information:

Mailing Address: 1530 Broadway Ave; Regina, SK; S4P 1E2

Phone: 306-352-8057; Toll Free: 1-800-565-8111 Fax: 306-565-3065;
Email:

  • Southern Horizons FYI’s
  • Any upcoming District event can be included in FYI’s.
  • Submit to Area office by last Thursday of the month. FYI’s sent out on the following Tuesday.
  • FYI’s are sent to all Southern Horizons adult members.
  • Prairie Lily:
  • Any event summary, photos, bouquets, etc. to be submitted to Area office to be included in Southern Horizons allotted pages.
  • Deadline for submitting to Area - February 5, April 5, September 5; November 5.
  • Websites:
  • Southern Horizons Area website -
  • The website is one of our PR tools for membership recruitment. Positive messaging includes photos of girls doing exciting program, great program/craft ideas, District events, etc. Please submit to in order to keep the website current.
  • Provincial Website –
  • National Website –

Contract/Lease Agreements:

  • A Contract signer is assisting GGC in managing its risk. Only trained Provincial Commissioner and her designate (Area Commissioners) are able to sign contracts or lease agreements.
  • Girl Guides of Canada is one entity and our National level holds the liability insurance policy for the whole organization.
  • Risk Management dictates that there be some parameters on how we manage the risk. Our tools for Risk Management are Safe Guide, National Insurance Program booklet and Guidelines for short term contracts.
  • To ensure any clauses that are written into the contract does not negatively impact the coverage of our Girl Guides of Canada insurance policy all contracts have to be read or understood before signing and signed by someone whom Girl guides has been authorized to sign on behalf of the organization.
  • Send contracts/lease agreements to Area office by fax, email or mail and arrangements will be made to have the document signed and forwarded appropriately as per direction given.

Cookies and other Fundraising:

Cookies

  • GGC policy states that the Cookie Program is our official fundraiser. A minimum of 25 per cent of the total amount you hope to raise through fundraising must be done through cookies sales. Rules come in to affect for cookies when it is for a specific event/activity.
  • Provincial Cookie Fundraising Incentive – In order to support girls and encourage cookie selling as a fundraiser, Saskatchewan Council has approved a Provincial Cookie Fundraising Incentive. Please read through the criteria on the Provincial website to ensure you meet requirements Who may apply: Girl members selected for a Provincial, Interprovincial or International event or participating in an independently organized trip or girl(s) wanting to attend a Guiding planned event that requires a significant cost.

Fundraising

  • Application for Fundraising Approval (FR.1) available on National Website.
  • The FR.1 is used to request approval for any fundraising above and beyond the sale of Girl Guide cookies by your Unit, District, Area or Community. If fundraising for travel (in Canada or internationally), the travel must be preauthorized by an assessor (SG.8) beforefundraising approval will be provided. Before completing this form you must consult the fundraising policy, procedures and guidelines.
  • For fundraising policy check the Governance Policy document - policy 01-19-01.
  • Send completed form to the next level Commissioner

  • GGC’s Board passed a motion reaffirming the learning objectives of all travel - whether organized at the unit level, by a provincial council or sponsored by the national office: GGC will not approve any international trip experience of which the itinerary is for the most part entertainment and/or vacation based. Non-approved travel includes, but is not limited to, cruises, all-inclusive resorts or vacation destinations, or any other generally perceived “vacation” travel. This also applies to travel in Canada – 72 hours or more.
  • As always, before planning any travel, it's important to consider the purpose of your trip and what girls will gain from the experience.

Canadian World Friendship Foundation (CWFF):

  • Monies to be submitted by individual/Unit/District to Area office and will be forwarded to Provincial.Recommended amount - $5/registered member.

Forms and Form Retention:

  • National Forms available on National Website:
  • Provincial Forms available on Provincial Website:
  • Southern Horizons Area forms and the Parent Information Booklet are available on Area Website under Guider Resources.
  • Copies of required Girl Guide forms can be made at Area office.
  • Form Retention:
  • Guidelines from National will help protect the personal information of girl and adult members. Most forms that are completed by members must be sent to your iMIS home (Area office), where they will be managed in accordance with provincial and federal privacy legislation.
  • For list of forms to be retained at the Area Office, please check the provincial website – form retention

iMIS Reports:

  • iMIS changes are to be submitted to Area office for entry.
  • There are a variety of reports available such as profiles, reports, directories, rosters, etc. Request required information from Area office or check on iMIS Central
  • DC’s will receive PMBR reports from Provincial office.

Resources:

The following resources are available on the National Website.

•So Now You’re a District Commissioner

  • The DC position description
  • How to manage your commitment
  • Information on the GGC Mentoring program
  • How iMIS can be used to support the District
  • Tips on preventing conflict and managing performance
  • A list of specific resources to support Commissioners

•To assist the Commissioner when problems arise which need to be resolved refer to the Adult Member Support Modules available on the National Website. The Adult Member Support modules contain the principles and procedures regarding screening, performance management (corrective action) and girl protection processes. Following these procedures is mandatory in order to meet our legal and moral obligations to keep our girl members safe and to treat our adult members consistently and fairly.

  • Module 1: Principles
  • Module 2: Screening
  • Module 3: Performance and Conduct Management
  • Module 4: Girl Protection and Self-Harm
  • Module 5: Girl Misconduct and Bullying
  • Module 6: Awards and Recognition

•Safe Guide provides Guiders with a systematic process for planning and implementing safe Guiding activities. All Guiders are required to follow Safe Guide procedures and to complete the Safe Guide training module. Training is available face-to-face and through e-learning.

•By-Lawsrelate to the transaction of the affairs of Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada.

•Governance Policies contain the approved policies, which govern the work of Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada (GGC). It centralizes all governance policies developed, approved, and adopted by the Board of Directors (Board) for GGC.