Growth and Rentention
Growth and Retention are vital at all levels of guiding – from welcoming more young members, finding passionate new volunteers to ensuring that we support and inspire our existing volunteers.
Girlguiding Online Design Centre
Girlguiding's one stop shop for recruitment posters, leaflets and post cards where local logos can be added.
Larger numbers of generic resources can be ordered through Trading.
If you need something more bespoke or further advice please contact County Office for assistance
Looking to create your own resources? The Branding Guidelines advise on tone of voice, colours and use of logo. A strong brand and visual identity help us to do grow and let more people know about our brilliant charity.
Media Opportunities
From time to time we get requests from the media to talk to our young members, visit a unit for filming, take photos or to see our members involved in activities. Please email the M and C Adviser pr@girlguidingessexne.org.uk If you would like your unit to be contacted when relevant opportunities arise in your area. Please note that these opportunities often arise at quite short notice.
Recruitment
Girlguiding have a great range of resources to help you to recruit new volunteers - the majority of which are FREE!! County Office will be happy to help or you can order them through your local depot or directly from Trading although you will be charged postage and packaging.
You can use Girlguiding's online design centre to localise recruitment posters for you to print at home however we do ask that you use details specifically used for guiding purposes e.g. your division email or county office email address. Alternatively county office hold a stock of posters, leaflets and postcards which can be collected or, small numbers, posted to you.
Think about where your unit is and how to communicate your need for more volunteers or girls.
What type of volunteer/which sections' age group? A volunteer to turn up every week or would a treasurer help ease the load?
Is there somewhere local lots of people pass where you could put a poster? Library, dentist, parish notice board?
Is there a local Facebook page or group where you could advertise? Maybe a new housing estate?
Speak to your commissioner in the first instance as you may be able to join efforts with other local units to form your own recruitment campaign, divide up the work load to avoid duplication and prepare to provide a warm welcome to new members.
Events and stands
ENE have resources to borrow to help your stand or stall shout out Girlguiding.
ENE gazebo
Outdoor pull up banners
Feather flags
Pop up tent style signs
Fold up table
Indoor pull up banners
Table covers
Programme logo bunting
Leaflet stands
Poster stands
County also own 2 button badge makers which can be hired as an activity for children.
New housing estate near your unit?
A new housing estate potentially means families new to your area. Why not consider giving a warm welcome with our recruitment leaflets designed for this purpose?
Many sales offices on new developments will happily place a leaflet into their completion packs or you could ask them if you could put postcards in their sales office to show potential buyers that there is a community ready to welcome them.
Ideas to try
Local Facebook groups - social media specific images are available through the online design centre.
School assemblies (for girls)
Local or Parish magazines - a good news story will cost you nothing to add as they are always looking for features and a sentence can included about the benefits of volunteering. Keep it clear and up beat and make sure someone else reads it through.
New housing estates - ENE have a leaflet that you can ask the sales office to include in their "Welcome" pack.
Fetes, stalls & carnivals - ENE have a branded gazebo and displays to help both indoor and outdoor stalls stand out from the crowd. Consider running an activity for children which will give you the opportunity to chat with the adults about how awesome it is to volunteer for Girlguiding.
Previously successful activities include badge making, friendship bracelets, making structures from sweets and cocktail sticks, newspaper tower competition. Don't forget to consider who will be attending the event and their interests.
Libraries often love to display the girls handiwork - you could consider a poster or postcards to take away.