Girl guides spearheading national volunteer campaign
By William O'Connor
Two Lucan Girl Guide leaders are spearheading a nationwide campaign to recruit new leaders to Irish Girl Guides (IGG).
Clare Sheridan, a teacher, and Beth Moody, a student, feature in a #becomeavolunteer video campaign that IGG launched on Thursday, March 8 to tie in with International Women’s Day.
Beth Moody (left) and Clare Sheridan (right)
Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and have different skills to offer, as can be seen in the video, which also features a Garda, a farmer, a mum and a scientist. IGG currently has 1,800 volunteers and always has room for more.
IGG equips and empowers girls and young women from age 5-30 years to grow in confidence, independence and resilience and to develop essential life-skills. Volunteers find that they benefit in the same way as the girls and they enjoy the safe, non-competitive, fun atmosphere of Guiding. Many volunteers make friends for life with people they wouldn’t otherwise meet.
With 3,000 girls waiting to join the organisation, Clare and Beth hope that women throughout Ireland will step forward to volunteer.
Joined at age five
Beth, who joined at age five, has gained a great deal from volunteering since becoming a leader of Lucan Guides in 2014. “I gained skills such as first aid, camping and problem-solving,” she says. “Guiding has also given me huge opportunities: I have got the opportunity to visit Guiding world centres in London, Switzerland and India, as well as to volunteer on a national level, organising conferences and serving on the IGG Communications Committee. I also got the opportunity to work with other leaders from around Europe on communications.”
Beth, who is in her final year of event management studies in DIT, says she would not be the person she is today without her involvement in Guiding. “It has brought me out of my shell from a shy girl in primary school to one of the loudest people in the room when I have to be.
“I now have the confidence to take on most things. I can also now manage my time better than most people my age! Guiding has supported me to grow through offering me opportunities to try new things and allowing me develop skills I currently have.”
Clare, who joined IGG at age nine and who has also been a leader since her teens, says she has gained many experiences and opportunities from being a Girl Guide leader. “I get so much enjoyment from being a leader,” she says.
“The girls brighten up my day and there is nothing better than seeing girls who have grown in confidence as a result of Guiding. I have also made so many friends through Guiding and had opportunities to travel far and wide. I have learnt about my strengths and weaknesses and improved my skill set, which has given me a better insight into myself and my capabilities.”
