GirlGuiding New Zealand

GirlGuiding New Zealand gives girls and women the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of social, recreational and community action experiences. These experiences encourage them to develop, so they may reach their full potential and can make a positive difference to themselves and the world.

Visit their website.

Projects 2011
Diversity

One of GirlGuiding NZ’s objectives is that our membership reflects the diversity of the New Zealand population. With this in mind, there are some regional initiatives to train and resource leaders so that they have the skills and knowledge to work with girls from a variety of different ethnic backgrounds.

Programmes and resources

GirlGuiding New Zealand has a range of programmes that reference interaction and awareness of diverse communities and cultures

  • Pippins will explore Māori greetings, and cultural awareness using food and in the community
  • Brownies will learn Māori versions of songs, and can earn badges by collecting kai from the land, gathering kai moana, learning the meanings of Māori place names, and learning about food and language from other countries.
  • Guides also have programmes focused on diversity. They can earn badges such as ‘Around the World’, ‘Celebrating Difference’ and ‘Horizons’. The ‘Kiwi Culture’ badge involves inviting a kaumatua or kuia to share information about their marae and using a Pacific Island language. Other patches explore diversity in the fields of communication, the arts, faith, food fun, gourmet food and outdoor activities.
  • Rangers can take part in a 12 point challenge in:
    • contemporary Issues, e.g. reading and discussing the Treaty of Waitangi
    • faith, e.g. write a karakia
    • heritage, e.g. visit a marae or invite members of various cultural, ethnic and religious groups in your community to visit your unit
    • international relations, e.g. be a buddy to an international visitor
    • leisure, e.g. make a poi or weave a flax article
    • service, e.g. spend some time talking with a kaumatua
    • special activities, e.g. participate in a speech or drama contest like Pei Te Hurinui Jones

They can also earn interest certificates in:

  • contemporary Issues, e.g. ‘The Lure of Language’, read a book by a Māori author
  • environmental awareness, e.g. ‘Conservation’
  • faith, e.g. ‘Faith thru’ Food’, discover the special requirements associated with food and drink in the Islamic religion/ find a variety of graces or blessings for food
  • world religions, e.g. research different faiths and discover some of the special rules in the lives of these people/ use henna for body decoration and research the significance of it in Hindu and Muslim faiths
  • heritage, e.g.  ‘Māori and Women in NZ History’
  • international relations, e.g. ‘International Awareness’, ‘Communication and Cuisine’, helping a refugee family in your community for at least three months
  • service, e.g. ‘Ability Awareness’
Publications

Girl Guides have two general publications relating to diversity, including ‘Biculturalism and New Zealand Guiding’ and ‘Māoritanga Syllabus’.

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