Learn, lead and collaborate with Girl Guides

Imagine a group of girls gathered around a campfire, not just roasting marshmallows, but discussing their plans to tackle a community project they've designed themselves. This is the heart of Girl Guides Canada—a program where young girls learn to lead, collaborate, and build their own confidence in a supportive, fun environment.

By volunteering at Girl Guides, you can sign up for a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on the next generation by inspiring young minds, sharing in their successes, and being part of a vibrant community dedicated to empowering girls. From outdoor adventures to skill-building workshops, each moment spent volunteering is a chance to make a difference and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Here are some of the greatest things you can experience when volunteering at Girl Guides.

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The Into The Outdoors program teaches a Girl Guide many things in her journey through the woods.

Connect with nature

Are you a hiker, camper or someone who simply adores being outside? Part of the Girl Guides program, Into The Outdoors, teaches girls to explore the nature that surrounds them with both curiosity and awareness. In addition to roasting marshmallows over a fire, the program stokes a sense of wonder in our natural surroundings, with younger groups engaging in fun activities like planting, building animal feeders and important practical skills like staying safe on hiking trails, while older groups dive into more complex lessons that teach them about different forces of nature, identify animal tracks and learn how to camp comfortably in all four seasons.

Volunteering with Girl Guides gives you the opportunity to share your passion for nature by helping guide and teach younger generations. Importantly, the program emphasizes the idea of a shared planet, teaching all groups about living together in harmony while brainstorming how we can build a better future on Earth—planting new seeds, reducing waste through upcycled designs and finding new ways to support wildlife are all examples of what a Girl Guide might learn in her journey through the woods.

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Being a volunteer Guider allows you to support girls in their journey of identity and self-expression.

Explore wellness and identity

From exploring mental health challenges and learning about personal boundaries to boosting confidence with positive affirmations and killer dance moves, being a volunteer at Girl Guides allows you to support girls in their journey of identity and self-expression. Promoting a healthy body and mind, Girl Guides programs like Be Well and Explore Identities aim to empower girls to be their true selves while being receptive to those around them.

While younger girls explore the qualities that make them special and put their listening skills to the test with their friends, older girls reflect deeper on topics like causes of stress, challenging stereotypes and exploring what feminism means to them.

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You can help girls explore their connections with others in their communities, from their local unit to the global neighbourhood.

Build a community

Help girls explore their connections with others in their communities, from their local unit to the greater, global neighbourhood. In the Connect and Question section of the program, girls discover more about Canada as a nation and learn more about their local communities—activities range from guided neighbourhood tours and meet-and-greets with local politicians to educational scavenger hunts and maple syrup how-to’s.

Volunteering for Girl Guides also allows you to learn more about Guiding itself and the global Guiding movement. While most people are familiar with the iconic flavours of Girl Guides cookies, being a volunteer will teach you the full history of Guiding since its inception in 1910, introduce you to inspiring members of the Guiding community and discover all of the things that make Girl Guides unique.

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Each moment spent volunteering is a chance to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Make an impact

Not only do Girl Guides explore important values about the world, they learn how to turn their thoughts and passions into meaningful actions. In Take Action, girls dig deep into the ideas and causes they care about while brainstorming how to make a difference in the world, both now and in the future. While younger girls play games to practice speaking up themselves and think about ways to support the people around them, older girls explore the differences between advocacy and service and pitch the causes they care about.

Volunteers at Girl Guides can help girls make their mark and push for the changes they want to see in the world, encouraging them to stand up for themselves, protect others and fight for meaningful change–importantly that together, anything is possible!

Are you ready to lead the next generation of girls and help promote the changes you want to see in the world? Learn more about Girl Guides and what it takes to be a volunteer at girlguides.ca/volunteer.

This content has been developed and paid for by Girl Guides Canada without involvement from The Coast’s editorial department.