Returning To Face-To-Face Guiding is a Choice

23 July 2020

Many Districts have prepared their halls for a return to face to face Guiding. Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT's State Commissioner Sarah Neill stresses that if a Leader, a volunteer, or the girls and families in Units are not comfortable in moving back to face-to-face meetings just yet, decisions should be made about how Units and Districts are going to continue to provide opportunities for Guiding to continue.

These decisions are not always easy to make and please know that each Unit is able to make the decisions that best suit their circumstances. Unit Leaders and/or District Managers should let girls, families and Region Managers know what plans are. Every Unit will work hard to make sure the best outcomes are reached.

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. 

Frequently Asked Questions

My daughter has woken up feeling unwell, what should we do?  
 Now, more than ever, Guides who are feeling unwell (see COVID-19 symptoms below) should stay at home to rest and recover and see a doctor if necessary. Please notify your Unit Leader immediately if your daughter will not be attending Girl Guides. For the health and welfare of all girls, please only allow your daughter to return to Guide meetings when you are confident she is well.

If I think my daughter has symptoms of COVID-19, what should we do?
COVID-19 symptoms include fever, tiredness, dry cough, sore or scratchy throat, aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, shortness of breath and diarrhoea. Children and young people are more likely to have a milder illness, and some may not have any symptoms. If you are at all concerned about your daughter’s or ward's health, please see your doctor. 
  • The National Coronavirus Helpline (1800 020 080) is available to call 24 hours a day, seven days a week for further advice. 
  • To find your nearest testing centre visit the links below: 
What will happen if my Girl Guide starts to feel ill or appears unwell during Girl Guides?  
 If any Guide is unwell on arrival or during Guide meetings, parents/carers/families will be contacted immediately by the Leader to collect her.  

Can my daughter/ward come to Girl Guides if we are awaiting COVID-19 test results? 
 Any girl who has been tested for COVID-19 must remain in isolation until the test results are confirmed.

What measures are in place for Volunteers who are unwell? 
 Volunteers should not attend any Guiding face to face activities if they are feeling unwell. 

If a Volunteer becomes unwell while attending a meeting, they are to contact their District Manager, Region Manager and/or Guide House, leave immediately and contact the National Coronavirus Helpline (1800 020 080) or their doctor for further advice. 

If a Volunteer has been tested for COVID-19, they must remain in isolation until test results are confirmed.

What will happen if a Girl Guide or Volunteer is diagnosed with COVID-19? 
 If a Leader, Volunteer or Girl Guide is diagnosed with COVID-19, the organisation will be contacted by the Department of Health, who will advise the next steps. It is likely the Guide Hall or Community Hall will be shut down for approximately two days to allow for contact tracing and deep cleaning of the facility.

Quick Reference Guide

For any enquiries please contact your District Manager, Region Manager or call Jenny Allan, Girl Guides NSW, ACT &NT Membership Manager on 1300 447 548 or [email protected].

For the most up to date information on COVID-19 please visit these links: 
Australian Government 
Australian Government Department of Health  
New South Wales Government 
Northern Territory Government 
Australian Capital Territory Government  
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