Ideas for Guides' Own

Ideas from Leaders about Guide's Own

These are just a few ideas about ways to make a Guide's Own special

• Hold it at night time - outdoors if you can and use candles as part of the ceremony
• Have special music playing in the background
• Give each participant something special as a reminder of the ceremony - an example would be: a bag with a shell, a feather and a stone in it to represent the ocean, the sky and the earth.
• Use a 'Thank You God' with younger girls - this way they can Thank God for what ever they like. This way they all get to do their own thing.
• Have the girls arrange all of it
• Have a 'Reflection Time', where the girls are encouraged to find a spot of their own and reflect on their own faith, in their own way. This is good if you have girls of different faiths in your group. It's also good if you are not sure yourself of your own faith.
• 
  Encourage the girls to use a theme, such as 'Friendship', or 'Nature', which would be applicable to all faiths.
• If the girls in your unit are all Christians then you could use Christian stories and Bible readings as a guide to the themes.
• What about including a craft as part of the ceremony. These need to be simple but expressive - such as doves, flowers, stars.
• If you are at a campground with an outdoor Chapel why not use taped music and have a procession into the chapel at the start of the Guide's Own - using candles after dark
• Have all the different parts of the Guide's Own on cards; appoint someone to co-ordinate; have everyone choose a card and then that's what they are responsible for. Items on cards could include: prayers; songs; music; poems; readings; thoughts; opening; closing; venue; symbol; action; and so on. Make sure you have the correct number of cards for participants. The person/people co-ordinating collect the card; put in order and list all on a large piece of paper. Book marks can be used for each person: I am to do ............; I will follow .................

These are just a few ideas to get you started!
Why not make a collection of all the good ideas you've heard about or seen?

~ Themes  ~

• Seasons - Summer, Winter, Spring, Autumn
• Sun
• Friendship
• Nature
• Rainbows
• Water
• Wind
• Guide Promise
• Guiding Light
• Conservation
• Creation
• Christian Celebrations

Once again these are a few suggestions to help you get started!