The Badge Archive

A Girlguiding Scout joins a Pack/Company and that is the main group they do activities with. Unlike GSUSA, they do not have a Troop number, but are simply called by the area they are in (i.e. “1st Town Guides”).

Each level is separate and you move into a different Pack/Company as you change levels. All Packs in an area (town/suburb) belong to a District. The Districts then make up a Division, usually only 2-3 Districts per Division. Some Districts are just by themselves and have no District. 6-7 of those Divisions or single Districts will make up a County. The Counties are part of the Region (i.e. Girlguiding Scotland). The Regions all belong to Girlguiding UK.

This is similar to GSUSA where a Scout joins a Troop and that is the main group they do their activities with. The Troops all are part of a Service Unit or Community (the name depends on where you live, but the function is the same). Several Service Unit/Communities are part of a Region. The Regions make up the Girl Scout Council. The Girl Scout Councils all belong to GSUSA.

Types of Badges

Interest Badges

• Interest Badges are the badges listed in their official guide books.
• Each level needs to specific ones to meet the requirements to earn a Theme Award, but they can choose from several options for each Theme Award.

Skills Builders (Staged Badges)

• Skills Builders you purchase a separate Card with the requirements from Girlguiding UK.
• There will be 5 activities for each Stage. Rangers are required to do all 5, but the other levels can choose 4 out of the 5 to earn the Skilled Badge.
• Each level needs to earn one Stage in one of two options of Skill Builders to earn various Theme Awards.

Theme Awards

• Theme Awards are the core of the Girlguiding program.
• Each level must earn required interest badges, a stage in a required Skill Builders, and participate in UMA activities equal to the required number of hours.

UMA Activities

• These do not have any physical badge you earn, but are required to earn the Theme Awards.
• UMA activities are on separate cards (like the Skills Builders) and are purchased in packs of 11.

Adventure Badges

• There are six Adventure badges, but they no longer have any requirements. Most Girlguiding groups do an activity that matches the theme of the Adventure badge to earn them, similar to GSUSA Fun Patches.

Unofficial GirlGuiding Challenge Badges

• These are similar to the GSUSA Fun Patches that have requirements, but there are rules and regulations to approve of any unofficial Challenge Badge.
• Here is a list of some of the Unofficial GirlGuiding Challenge Badges.
• A Facebook Group only Girlguiding Leaders can join is another place to find and buy the badges.

Brief History:

1909 – Girls showed up at a Boy Scout Rally in the UK and called themselves Girl Scouts.

1910 – Agnes Baden-Powell, Robert Baden-Powell’s sister, lead the first official group of Girl Guide Association.

1912 – Groups in Ireland, Portugal, Norway, and USA were created after the same UK association.

1914 – Rosebuds were established in the Girl Guides for ages 8-10, which was later changed to Brownies.

1916 – Senior Guide groups were formed.

1919 – A International Council was created.

1920 – Senior Guides were named Rangers. The First World Conference of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts met.

1926 – Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from around the world met in the United States and created a special day called Thinking Day. It was February 22, the birthday of both Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts and co-founder of Girl Guides, and his wife Olave Baden-Powell, the Chief Girl Guide of the UK.

1928 – The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) was founded in London, replacing the International Council.

1936 – Girl Guides become one of the founding members of The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS).

1943 – Trefoil Guild for members over 21 that wanted to be active but were not part of a unit was created. Rainbows, for girls aged 5-7, was created.

1964 – A major review to update the whole program was created.

1966 – A 195-page report from the review was published called Tomorrow’s Guide.

1968 – New Uniforms, badges, and awards across all sections were created. Land, Sea, and Air Rangers were consolidated into one Ranger Guide Service Section.

1985 – WAGGGS World Bureau was officially opened on February 15, 1985 in Hampstead, UK.

1991 – WAGGGS Pax Lodge World Centre was opened in London, UK

1990s – Some badges became staged badges for Brownies and Guides.

2002 – The Girl Guide Association was renamed Girlguiding UK.

2018 – Girlguiding UK launched Skills Builder badges and six themes in 2018 with a completely new program for Rainbows to Rangers.

Click here for a history of GirlGuiding Brownie Badges.

References:

• World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. “Our History.” WAGGGS, 2010, www.wagggs.org/en/about-us/our-history/. (Accessed: 24 December 2024).
• “Girlguiding.” Wikipedia, 3 Oct. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girlguiding. (Accessed: 22 December 2024).
• “Girlguiding: New Brownies and Guides Badges Released!” BBC Newsround, 21 July 2018, http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/44874048. (Accessed: 07 February 2025).
• “Guide Pre 2003 Girl Guide.” GirlguidingBadges.co.uk, www.girlguidingbadges.co.uk/guide-pre-2003-girl-guide.html#. (Accessed: 25 December 2024).

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