Girls benefit from guiding

Judi Kehler has mentored many girls from the time they were curious five-year-olds through their teens. She's been involved with Girl Guides for 35 years, but she believes one of her biggest accomplishments is the inner city program at Albert community school in Regina.
"I got into Guiding with Albert School about 10 years ago," said Kehler, who was Girl Guide commissioner for Regina. "We had some success setting up units in rural areas and wanted to do the same in the inner city. In 1997 the community co-ordinator at Albert School called for help to form Guide units at the school, which has mainly Aboriginal students."
To make the program applicable to Aboriginal participants, the Saskatchewan Girl Guides developed Kiskinowasinahika, a guidebook supplement which includes Aboriginal philosophies and traditions introduced through crafts, games and stories. Guide leaders are trained in how to use the tool and adapt it to the needs and beliefs of their girls.
Sparks (ages 5-6), Brownies (7 -8), Guides (9-11), Pathfinders (12-14) and Senior Branches (15-17) are now an integral part of the Albert community plan and a model to other schools in the city.
One of the original participants is Jennifer Dunster. She started in Sparks and now, at 15 and in Grade 10, is in Senior Branches in preparation to be a leader herself.
"Guides was fun. We went skiing and snowshoeing and to camp. I would not have been able to go camping otherwise. We learned how to help people and do good things for the community of North Central," Dunster said.
In 2000, Saskatchewan hosted Mosaic, an inter-provincial Guide camp held on Treaty Four land in the Qu'Appelle Valley. Twenty-eight girls went from Albert school. Many of the activities were based on an Aboriginal theme and included a powwow and feast. In 2001, 31 girls registered. In 2004 the Albert School Guides, along with other Regina members, spent Visitors Day at Discovery 2004, held at Can-Ta-Ka-Ye on Lake Diefenbaker.
"We went to an international camp on the last year I was in Guides. I would recommend it to other girls because you get involved and meet new people and go places" Dunster said.
Dunster's mom, June, said she is pleased with her daughter's involvement. "The Guide program is good for girls and has given her the ability to work with others. If parents are looking for something for their girls to do, getting involved with Guides is a good option."
The girls in Guides earn badges for different accomplishments like music, swimming and community involvement. Dunster completed the requirements for her Canada Cord, the highest level a Guide Pathfinder can achieve, and received the award at the Youth Recognition ceremony in October 2007.
The school itself is instrumental to the success of the Guide program. Albert School provides a snack for the girls and access to the community room, library and gym. The girls sell cookies as a fundraiser, but the main funding is from the Community Initiatives Fund and the Urban Aboriginal Community Grant Program. Those grants cover registration and camp fees, uniforms, program books, transportation, leader training, special events, ceremonies and celebrations. There is no cost to the families.
Registration numbers fluctuate, said Kehler. "We start in the fall with a combined group at all levels of anywhere from 12 to 20 girls. They all come together and do crafts as a larger group and then split off to do the programming that is more age specific. Generally the girls know each other and are from the same school. Many are related. Once an older sister or cousin is in the program, the younger ones can't wait to join when they are old enough."
Some parents are able to help out, but Kehler said recruiting and maintaining leadership is one of the biggest barriers faced by the program.
"Often the women in the community are in situations which make it impossible to be involved. They may not have the confidence to step forward and lead a unit. Some are transient. The paperwork can be daunting and in some cases they can't read. Many are single mothers and have small children at home. We need devoted Guiding mentors on a consistent and on-going basis," she said.
"I tell the moms to bring the babies along when they come to watch their girls perform or get their badges. I make sure they know Guides is not just for girls. It is also a program for women. We provide leadership training and it is an excellent thing to put on your resume. Not only are you going to have a positive impact on your community and your girls, but there is an impact on you too. You get to network with other women in a positive way. I got to travel and learn life skills and I got jobs because of what I experienced through Guides."
At Albert School alone the Girl Guides program has touched the lives of more than 100 girls. "It would be nice to see some of the girls who have had a good experience as Guides come back as leaders," Kehler said.