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Good ways to help cover ratio:

Parent volunteers

Ranger junior leaders for Spark, Brownie and Guide units

Other leaders in your district

Bridge with another unit for the night

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Moms and other female caregivers

Colleagues/neighbours

Cegep or university students

Tell them that they can take on as large or small a role as they wish

Big and small evening - spa theme, build something or fun science

Community events - park gatherings - cookie selling

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Games, mentimeter, online presentations/videos, pet shows, baking, cooking, closeup pictures, guess the animal, Kahoot, talent show, present your favourite book)

Guiding journals - also useful in person

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Games, extended campfire.
Let the girls choose and lead games and songs.
Craft evening

Have one instant meeting from the platform printed out and ready to go at the beginning of the year so that if something falls through, you’re immediately prepared to run a meeting.

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Craving connection
Focus on team-building, conflict resolution, self-expression activities

Let them be with their friends (in patrols and for activities)

Make meetings fun - games, campfires, hands-on activities, dance parties

Science fun

Check out the games, songs, creativity and friendship sections of the unit compasses

Ways to get everyone's attention

Round-robins. Some “station” can be self-led.

Some members may seem young/inexperienced for their age

Leadership skills

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Acknowledge it to yourself

Self care

Remember that Guiding is supposed to be fun for you, too!

Use the platform!  Instant meetings and activities/themes for badge work Big Ideas calendar

Share the load - planning calendar, take turns planning and delegating
Have open conversations about this before people get frustrated
2019 Sisterhood Challenge.

Invite guests (bird rescue / astronomy / yoga / self-defence)
Resource Guiders

Need a break? Go online for one meeting a month or every other month

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Guides - 3rd-year meetings

Pathfinders and Rangers - work up to entire meeetings

Sparks and Brownies - they CAN lead activities.
Everyone teach everyone else a skill - new way to tie your shoelaces, how to say a few words in sign language…

Talent shows and show and tell

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Bridging

Organize a meeting for a younger level or with an older one

Community service

Kris McGee’s list

Service within your Guiding Community

run a bridging event

host a thank you/appreciation event for guiders and their families

book exchange with another unit

make decorations for an upcoming guiding event (eg. award ceremony)

camp clean up

older girls can help younger girls at a cookie selling event

set up a reading tent at your local mall. Run a PR event and set up a tent full of books. Read to children who come to visit

host Thinking Day event

make a thank you card for the Guiders in your communities to be distributed in April/June

make thank you cards for the Pathfinders and Rangers who help in units

host a membership stand in the mall during holiday shopping time. hand out pencils and bookmarks etc.

make placemats for Guider events

create thank you gifts for PF and Rangers who help at events

host a tea for Trefoil ladies

check the “wish list” for the World Centres, collect and send items with someone travelling to the centre

make “Feels Like Home” bags for the volunteers working at a World Centre (send loot bags with gum, lip balm, Tylenol, sample shampoo, sanitary napkins, toothbrushes, notes and pictures)

host a “sock hop” as a bridging event. Everyone brings a pair of socks as their entrance fee, donate to local agency

host a pizza night for CWFF, bring in pizza for the unit and sell it for “snack” for $1

host a CWFF dinner, parents pay to go to your “restaurant” and donations to World Friendship Fund

Service within your Local Community

care packages for families who need help

plant trees/bulbs

veteranaffairs.gc.ca - Remembrance Day postcards

Regift appropriate gifts/items to Children/Family Services and/or shelters

Collect books and gift to Community Centres etc. that run a birthday shelf.

Go for a walk and visit all the Little Libraries in your neighbourhood, make and leave bookmarks in each library after tidying them up.

singing circle at senior’s home

clean meeting place grounds (school or church yard etc.)

emergency bags for Children/Family Services (toiletries, underwear, PJs etc.)

volunteer to make lunch/dessert for group like Community Care of Meals on Wheels

make or donate socks/mittens for shelters/homeless

play board games at local senior’s home

village food drive

regular monthly food drive in meeting neighbourhood

collect cereal for breakfast program at schools

dog treats for Humane Society

community clear up

sew catnip toys

sing-song at senior’s centre

collect items needed by the Humane Society (newspapers, feeding bowls, food, collars etc.)

collect Halloween Candy the week after Halloween, make treat bags and deliver to Food Bank ** GGC does not promote or include Halloween as part of its programming, however this activity may be considered as a means to talk about food waste in our world and how to regift appropriately. Your gift of loot bags SHOULD NOT be reflective of Halloween. This activity could be done at any time of year, taking advantage of candy sales

litter chase

Yellow Fish Road

make and donate bat houses

Shore Line Clean up

Pitch-In Canada

book drive

carry flags in parade, at court house etc.

sing O Canada at City Hall/meeting, local event, hockey game etc.

collect soup cans for Food Bank

offer assistance to a local community member

run a Remembrance Day observance at your meeting place and invite the members of the meeting place (eg. church or community centre)

collect kitchen items for new refugee families (dish soap, tea towels, utensils etc.)

read books to children at the library

donate or deliver food hampers with the local service clubs (Lions, Optimists etc)

lay a wreath on Remembrance Day

decorate gift bags to donate to a shelter

plant spring flowers at your meeting place, or randomly in the forest along walking trails

request paper bags from the LCBO (liquor stores) write messages about “arrive alive” “don’t drink and drive etc.” return the decorated bags to the LCBO

collect school supplies for Food Bank and shelters

read to seniors

Pennies with a Purpose, Quarters that Care - then purchase and donate items (remember you can’t donate cash to an organization)

donate left-over gift, seasonal or greeting cards to the Food Bank

sort cans at the food bank

clothing drive

letters to Veterans

Earth Day clean up

volunteer at a thrift store

sew pet beds for Humane Society (google pet beds made from sweaters)

pop tabs collection for wheelchairs

rake and run (go around a neighbourhood and offer to rake leaves)

contact Lions/Optimist clubs and offer to help at their next event

help at a community garden

serve/clean up at a local meal (eg. a pancake breakfast)

decorate doors in senior’s homes

host a “sock hop” as a bridging event. Everyone brings a pair of socks as their entrance fee, donate to local agency

Collecting eyeglasses for Lion’s Club (ask local optometrist if you can put a collection box in their waiting room. Ask them to email/call you when it is full)

Donate cookies to the local Armed Forces Regiment, EMS services

Take plant cuttings and put them into tea cups/coffee mugs from the thrift store (or ask families to donate), gift the plants to seniors at retirement/care facilities

Service within the International Community

milk bag matts

rolling bandages for soldiers

cut milk bags into strips

pencils for overseas schools

complete WAGGGS challenges, buy the badges - the funds support overseas units/groups

healthy hygiene kit collection for Red Cross

adopt a family overseas, or a child (note, you can’t send funds to another organization)

host a CWFF dinner, parents pay to go to your “restaurant” and donations to World Friendship Fund

Adopt an animal from the World Wildlife Foundation

collect emergency items for overseas volunteers - Doctors without borders etc.

Izzy Dolls for distribution

well water projects

literacy national service project - make bookmarks

bookmarks for Nepal (Students Rebuild)

Days for Girls

Create a virtual meeting or a game about the 5 WAGGGS Regions, share this activity with a younger branch or another unit

Learn about the Olave Baden-Powell Society, host a fun information night/game/virtual meet about this organization

sew pillow case dresses

knit hats for newborns in other countries (and at home)

pinwheels for Syria/Nepal (Students Rebuild)

host a pizza night for CWFF, bring in pizza for the unit and sell it for “snack” for $1

Write letters and create cards/posters for overseas service personnel, drop these and boxes of spring cookies (the fall melt in transport!) to a local regiment and ask that they be sent to personnel on duty in Canada and overseas.

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Want to get outside your meeting space? Or have you lost your meeting space?

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Want to get outside your meeting space? Or have you lost your meeting space?

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Don't worry about the weather

Sensory hike

Walk around several blocks - nature/urban bingo

Paint chips - match the colours to things found in nature

Winter - go sledding / skating / snowman or fort building

Cookie selling next spring

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Local facilities (fire stations, climbing gyms, skating rinks, libraries, grocery stores, park)

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Many members and their families may be reluctant to embrace camps

Sleepover for a “first” experience of being away from home
Share gear if you can