GirlGuiding New Zealand

GirlGuiding New Zealand (in Māori Ngā Kōhine Whakamahiri o Aotearoa) is the national Guiding organisation in New Zealand. GirlGuiding New Zealand currently splits New Zealand into 8 regions around the country with approximately 10,000 members (as of the beginning of 2016).

The organisation is known for its biscuits.

There are three main principles to Guiding, remembered by the trefoil and the three fingered salute. These are: To be true to yourself and develop your beliefs, to live by the Guide Law, and to take action for a better world.

All girls, regardless of race, faith or other circumstances, may become enrolled members of GirlGuiding New Zealand as long as they are able to understand, and are willing to make the promise. Pippins do not make the promise.

History
Lieutenant Colonel Cossgrove served in the Second Boer War with Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Scout and Guide movement. Following Baden-Powell's ideas Cossgrove established Boy Scout troops in New Zealand in 1908. His daughter Muriel wanted an organisation for girls so, after correspondence with Baden-Powell, Cossgrove started the Girl Peace Scouts and, on Baden-Powell's suggestion, wrote the programme in the book Peace Scouting for Girls, which was published in 1910. By the time the book was published, there were over 300 girls already practising Peace Scouting in Christchurch (Cossgrove's home), Dunedin and Auckland, creating confusion about the starting year. Letters from Muriel in 1908 discussing Peace Scouts with a friend have been found and this is generally the accepted date for the origin of the New Zealand Guide movement. The Peace Scouts became an incorporated society in 1919 and Cossgrove was the head until his death in 1920. Leadership was then continued by his wife and son. The organisation became officially affiliated with the UK branch of Guiding (now Girlguiding UK) in 1912 and, in 1923, the organisation changed its name and programme to Guides New Zealand and was a founding member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1928.

From 1923 to 1968 the promise read:
 * On my honour I promise that I will do my best
 * To do my duty to God and the King/Queen
 * To help other people at all times
 * To obey the Guide Law

From 1923 to 1973 there were 10 laws and the motto was Be Prepared.

In 2007, this organisation changed its name from Guides New Zealand to GirlGuiding New Zealand.

Girl Peace Scouts
The Girl Peace Scouts existed until amalgamation with the Girl Guides in 1923. The name, Girl Peace Scouts, applied to girls between 12 and 20. Any girls who could afford the uniform were expected to wear a khaki blouse and skirt (coming below the knee), a leather belt around the waist with a knife plus a khaki hat with a brim. Good Turns were an important part of Peace Scouts. Girls always wore three pieces of ribbon tied in bows with the ends knotted to remind themselves to do good turns. The crest was in the shape of a fleur-de-lis with the motto, Be always ready, inscribed below.

The oath was carried out with a girl's left hand on her heart and the right in the standard three fingered salute while repeating:
 * On my honour I promise that
 * I will be loyal to God and the King,
 * I will try to help others at all times
 * I know the Scout Law and will obey it

At the time there were 9 Scout laws.

In 2014 the Guide Promise changed to
 * I promise to do my best,
 * To be true to myself and develop my beliefs,
 * To live by the Guide Law
 * And take action for a better world.

Fairy Peace Scouts
Fairy Peace Scouts were established for the younger sisters (aged from 7) of Peace Scouts in 1918. The programme was based on Māori legends and the UK Brownie/Rosebud programme. The leader was called the 'Fairy Mistress' and waved a wand. The motto was Be true. The uniform was a white dress and a Peter Pan hat. Before being enrolled, girls had to prove they could lace their boots, tell the time and skip on both feet. They then had to repeat the fourfold promise and the six laws:
 * I must always speak the truth
 * I must make myself useful to others
 * I must be gentle and kind to everyone
 * I must not make money for doing a good turn
 * I must always smile and look pleasant
 * (missing)

Rangers
Rangers are girls between ages 12½ and 17. Rangers meet in "units" which are not divided into patrols, all girls work together to decide the programme. Rangers form a ‘V’ shape for ceremonies. This symbolises the girls being right in the community, offering service and friendship to all. The promise is the same as the Brownie and Guide with an attachment on the end for the further responsibility of being a Ranger:
 * Ideals
 * to be of service to the community

The Guide laws are the same as the Guide.

A cartoon human girl named Woozle was the Rangers' Mascot and was introduced in 1984. The original Woozle went to help in Third World countries in 1995 and was replaced by a new species: Macwoozlefum zealandii. This is no longer used by Rangers.

Rangers wear a navy T-shirt or cornflower blue polo shirt and navy pants or skirt. Metal badges are displayed on a red badge tab and a red scarf is worn to distinguish Rangers from the other girls. Rangers can design their own uniform for special activities e.g. camps, subject to approval.
 * Uniform

Ranger in Leadership (RILS)
A RIL is a Ranger in Leadership: a young woman who is training to become a leader, taking part in organising Pippin, Brownie or Guide programmes, under the supervision of the leader. They were originally termed ‘Junior Leaders’ but this was changed in 1995.

Aotearoa Units
The Lone Peace Scouts originally started in 1923. The first member was Miss Nancy Borton of O Kaiawa, Hampden, Otago. In 1926, the Lones were split into two sections, the Post Guides for girls who were physically handicapped and were at home or in hospital (see below) and the Lone Branch for girls who live too far away. In 1934, the first Ranger and Brownie Lones were established.

At the beginning of 2013 the "Lones" were renamed to the Aotearoa Team. The Aotearoa Team is a nationwide region which is made up of units who deliver GirlGuiding in a different way. Girls don't attend regular unit meetings at a venue, instead they do their girl programme in other ways. These units may use a variety of methods to deliver programmes – including posting resources in the mail, sending emails, programmes on the internet, texting and other social media. The unit leaders discuss with families the best ways to deliver the programme for their circumstances. In 1929 the motto was established as: Solae Sed Sodales translating to: Lones but of a sisterhood The uniform is the same as their counterpart. Their promise badge used to contain an ‘L’ but this was dropped after the last re-vamp of the logo.
 * Ideals
 * Uniform

Connect
This section is for Young Women aged 17–25.

Members of Connect can choose from a wide range of unique and exciting opportunities, including international experiences, volunteering within GirlGuiding New Zealand (GirlGuiding NZ) as a mentor or leader, learning new skills, staying in touch, having fun and working towards valuable qualifications.

The three options are: Network (an alumnae group), Stay Connected (a chance for those who are keen to help out but can't commit to regular leadership) and Expanded Horizons (a programme for young leaders aged 17 – 25).

Red Shield Guides
These units (Pippins to Rangers) were affiliated to the Salvation Army. All practices are the same as regular Guiding units except the promise has the following added:
 * I promise not to drink alcoholic beverages, smoke or take harmful drugs, and to keep myself clean in thought and deed.

Other units
When there are too few girls for separate units, they are amalgamated into one unit. This unit will carry out activities adapted to suit all ages and still be relevant to the different sections. This is seen as a temporary measure only when there are too few leaders and/or children. Boys cannot become enrolled as Guides.
 * Multi-age
 * Joint Guide/Scout

Otimai
Otimai is the first Guiding centre in New Zealand, donated as a training house by Mr and Mrs Wilson (the Chief Commissioner of the time) in 1927. Situated only 30 minutes from Auckland city centre, in Waitakere, it is controlled by the Auckland Region. The motto is: faith, love and service. When first given, there was no electricity, running water or sewage system to the house but working bees and help from the community improved and extended the place with an official opening on 27 April 1928. ‘’Little Otimai’’ is a small cottage on the grounds, used for patrol leader trainings and Rangers. A ‘luncheon party’ was held for Robert and Olave Baden Powell on Thinking Day 1931 as part of their tour of the country. There is a chapel hidden in the woods of the grounds styled on a similar one at Foxlease in the UK.

Trefoil Park
Trefoil Park is a section of land in a rural valley between Whangarei and Kaikohe was given to the Guide Association by an anonymous family in 1980. Much fundraising was carried out in the first couple of years to level the ground and build suitable accommodation on site. Gala day and concerts were held, plus the production of “Trefoil Treats”, a recipe book, sold 6,000 copies. 1982 saw many working bees to get the camp functioning and the ‘Camp of the Marsden Cross’ was held in January 1984 to open Trefoil Park. 200 Guides, 36 leaders and 20 Rangers attended the event which was opened by Joye Evans, Chief Commissioner of the time. The chapel at Trefoil Park is dedicated to Shirley Crawford (née Pearson) for her work in Guiding – 25 February 1995.

Arahina Girl Guide Training Centre
Arahina, meaning ‘to have been led’ in Māori, was a national conference and training centre in Marton. Girl Guiding New Zealand bought the property in 1946 and it was well used for national leader trainings, conferences and meetings. In 2000, it was sold to the Institute in Basic Life Principles.

Cracroft Guiding Centre
Cracroft House was located in the Christchurch suburb of Cashmere. It was built in the 1860s and was given to the Guide Association in 1959 by Mr and Mrs Cracroft Wilson. It was used for Guiding events and holidays and was extended in the 1990s with the addition of the Edna Hanafin Room and a modern ablutions block.

The house was severely damaged in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and was demolished in 2012, although the Edna Hanafin Room was retained. This room continues to be used as a meeting room.

The Barn (located behind Cracroft House) was built as an accommodation facility, with a large hall, kitchens and bathrooms. It is currently serving as the National Headquarters, as the National Offices in Armagh Street were also damaged in the earthquake.

Kaitoke Lodge
Kaitoke Lodge was donated to Wellington Province for camps from Mr and Mrs John Hoggard in 1962.