Return To Face-To-Face Guiding Soon

Welcome Back girls, we are delighted to welcome you back to Girl Guides face-to-face meetings! 

It has been a while that we have all been in isolation at home and I know we will all enjoy being back together again. The next few months at Girl Guides will be a little bit different so we have done everything we can to prepare for everyone’s safe return. 

Please make sure you first check with your Leaders to confirm when your Unit is going to start meeting again face to face. This is a Unit, District and Region decision and will depend on the local situation, eg. The State or Territory rules or if you meet in a local Council or School Hall this will depend on their rules.

When your Unit does return to face to face meetings, you and your daughter need to understand that the safety of all of our Guides, staff and volunteers rests in all of our hands – ours, yours and your family’s.  Together we will do everything we can to make our halls as clean, hygienic and safe as we possibly can for face-to-face Guiding. We need everyone’s commitment to adhere to the new rules, guidelines and procedures to ensure that we return to Guiding safely and keep our community centres open. We can do it well together.

These new rules and procedures have been made in line with Government health guidelines for community groups and the halls in which we meet. We need everyone’s help by promising:

1. You will read these guidelines with your Girl Guide – carefully. 
2. You will keep these guidelines somewhere handy to refer to. 
3. You will pay special attention to the ‘Golden Rules for Girls’ below, which will be strictly managed by your Leaders when your Unit returns to Face-to-Face Guiding. 

It is all of our jobs to meet the guideline expectations in every way and every day to avoid any risks or threats to the wellbeing of our Guiding family and the community. 

Well done for staying connected with your Guiding friends where you can while we have all been isolated from each other.  We look forward to seeing you all soon – in person!


Sarah Neill 
State Commissioner 
 

Poster You Will See at Your Hall 

Golden Rules for Girl Guides 

Your health and hygiene are so important for everyone’s return to Girl Guides Face-to-Face meetings. 

• Parents and carers are required to check their child’s health, and advise your Leaders, before attending Girl Guide meetings.
• Stay home if you are unwell (refer to COVID-19 symptoms in the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ (FAQ’s) section below). 
• Girls are to inform your Unit Leader immediately upon feeling unwell, especially if at a meeting.
• Girls are welcome to wear their own face masks.
• Hygiene and physical distancing reminder signage will be placed around the Hall; please read it. 
• Help the Leaders by remembering to keep the physical distancing space of 1.5 meters (two arm lengths) from the next person when waiting to enter to exit the Hall. 
• Girls must follow set rules and directions from Unit Leaders for common areas and bathrooms
• No hugging, kissing or touching other girls or Leaders (think of other fun ways to say Hi!).
• No sharing of food or drinks; please bring your own water bottle and food (if required, eg a bushwalk). No cooking activities or food will be available from the Leaders at this stage.
• Sanitiser and tissues will be available in every hall and all girls should wash or sanitise their hands on arrival at the hall.
• Wash or sanitise hands after coughing, sneezing, bathroom visits and before eating.
• Cough/sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and dispose of tissues immediately.
• If a girl is found in deliberate breach of the golden rules, her parent or carer will be asked to collect her and the Guide will not be allowed to return to meetings until permitted. This is important for everyone’s health and safety. 
• Offer where you can, to assist the Leader’s with a sanitising/cleaning roster, they may need support here.
• It’s up to you - We encourage Girls to return to Guide meetings where possible, but it is up to you. If a Guide or a member of a Guide’s household is at greater risk due of becoming seriously ill if they are infected with COVID-19 (because of an underlying medical condition or age), we strongly encourage you to consider whether you should return to Guide meetings. If your daughter is in this category, please contact your Unit Leader to further discuss this matter. 

Uniform

Girls are expected to wear their Guiding uniforms as usual.