Girlguiding
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S3M-4478, in the name of Jeremy Purvis, on Girlguiding Scotland 100th anniversary. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes the 100th anniversary of Girlguiding Scotland (GGS) in 2009-10; recognises GGS, with 58,000 members, as the leading organisation for girls and young women in Scotland, with the first company in Scotland formed in Peebles in 1910; applauds the life-changing opportunities that GGS gives and has given to over a third of women all over Scotland, enabling them to unleash their potential and so serve their communities; acknowledges GGS as an inclusive, relevant organisation being open to any girls, regardless of creed, colour or class; notes that GGS embeds youth participation in planning and delivery and is committed to giving girls a voice, particularly through research reports such as Girls Shout Out; praises GGS on its recent commitment, Change the World, by influencing its members to work with 18 charity partners and the £750,000 raised; looks forward in anticipation to the centenary celebrations in 2009-10, and wishes Girlguiding Scotland every success in the future.
I am aware that many of my colleagues in the Parliament have had a much longer relationship with guiding in Scotland than I have had. Indeed, many have been guides—I confess that I have not been. [Laughter.]
Girlguiding has played an irreplaceable role in the lives of girls and women and their communities for a century. That is an incredible accomplishment and I congratulate all the people who processed down the Royal Mile today to reach the outside of the Parliament and who can now watch the proceedings before enjoying a reception in the Parliament. It is fitting that so many members are taking part in the debate and I am most appreciative of members who signed the motion.
Girlguiding is helping to contribute to society, through positive thinking for individuals. I commend that contribution, which crosses all boundaries and all parties. For the past century the movement has been promoting the welfare of girls by providing mentors to develop confidence and the inspiration to dream big and to develop the skills that are necessary to pursue those dreams. Countless girls have participated in programmes that have enriched their lives and enabled them to touch other lives. I am proud to be an ambassador for people in my constituency who do a remarkable job. I know that that pride will be reflected among members who represent other constituencies and regions.
During the weekend, at two events in the Tweed valley and Midlothian, I was able to join more than 1,500 rainbows, guides, brownies and members of the Trefoil Guild in their celebrations of the centenary. I particularly congratulate the 1st Peebles in my constituency, which was the first guide unit to be registered in Scotland. The group was registered on 18 June 1910. At the celebrations at Traquair house at Innerleithen in the Tweed valley, youngsters were not just aware that they were continuing a long tradition but excited about opportunities for the future.
In the coming year, the unit will celebrate the centenary of its first badge giving. One of the unit's first major activities involved the awarding of a silver cross by Lady Constable Backburn to former guide Nettie Borthwick on 9 January 1912 for saving the lives of two children who were drowning. Had Nettie Borthwick not learned to swim in the guides, those two lives might never have been saved. Another previous highlight for the unit was in 1953, when Lady Baden-Powell opened the brownie house at Netherurd—also in my constituency—which is an institution that has provided a resource for guides throughout the nation.
Today, the guides remain firmly focused on community involvement and have created partnerships with nearly 20 different charities to develop projects with the aim of changing the world—no lesser ambition would be appropriate. Over the past year, guides have raised money for a broad range of issues, such as asthma, and for Help the Hospices, Save the Children and other charities. They have recycled Christmas cards on behalf of environmental initiatives such as the Woodland Trust. They have also travelled abroad to participate in cultural engagements in what is a global organisation. We should be particularly proud of the fact that guides from Scotland can share their experiences and have a common bond with those in both developed and developing countries.
Those are just some minuscule examples of the myriad activities in which guides are involved. Over the weekend at Traquair house, I saw some of those other activities, which range from field archery to horse racing. However, I passed on the chance to belly-dance with the guides—
Coward.
It is very unwise for hecklers to ask me to belly-dance.
This year's celebration also coincides with the 80th anniversary of the equal franchise legislation. That is of particular relevance to us in the Scottish Parliament. As politicians, we need to recognise that there is still a gap in activities for young people. Research that Girlguiding Scotland provided for Girlguiding UK's "Active Citizenship" report highlighted that many girls and young women indicated that they are still sceptical of politics and politicians and see themselves as political outsiders. That is an issue that we should not tolerate but act on. As elected representatives, in partnership with guides in our communities across Scotland, we can a play a role in correcting that.
We can also ask for action in a couple of key areas. One is to ensure that public sector employers in Scotland recognise the value that is contributed by guide leaders and by those who do so much work to ensure that Girlguiding is such a professional organisation. Those people should have the support necessary to ensure the continuation of the organisation. That may require time off, but the public sector as a progressive employer will gain hugely from that work. However, work still needs to be done on that.
On issues such as stopping domestic violence against women and children and tackling poverty, the guides have told us that we need to listen to them.
As an ambassador for guiding—like the Deputy Presiding Officer, Alasdair Morgan, and many other members—I hope that the next period in the Parliament will be marked by a greater involvement with the movement to fulfil the shared goal of active citizenship. For the past century, we give our thanks; for the next century, we give our enthusiastic backing. [Applause.]
Order. I know that it is confusing when members in the chamber applaud, but I remind everyone that we do not encourage applause from the public gallery.
Many members wish to speak in the debate, so speeches should be of four minutes only.
I congratulate Jeremy Purvis on securing the debate and add my welcome to those in the public gallery. I offer my sincere congratulations to the girl guides at the start of their centenary celebrations. With such a remarkable anniversary, I know that this will be a wonderful year for all who take part in the events that will take place.
The north-east has been playing its part to the full in the centenary celebrations, which kicked off at the weekend. More than 1,500 current and former rainbows, brownies and guides took part in a parade in Inverurie to celebrate the event. Another large centenary event took place at Seaton park in Aberdeen at the weekend. Indeed, more than 550,000 past and present members are estimated to have joined in events across the United Kingdom. The range and scope of the activities that have been planned between now and next October are truly remarkable, but that is reflective of the truly remarkable nature of the girl guides.
The fact that there are some 60,000 girl guides in Scotland means that Girlguiding Scotland is the country's largest voluntary organisation for girls and young women. As Jeremy Purvis said, it is part of an international organisation that has more than 10 million members in 144 countries. Half the women born in Scotland have belonged to Girlguiding Scotland at some point in their lives. The influence that guiding has had on the development of many Scottish women is incalculable.
Until I did my research for the debate, I had not known that the girl guides came about when some girls gatecrashed the scouts' first rally at the Crystal palace in 1909. Baden-Powell was confronted by a small group of determined girls—representing hundreds of others—who insisted that they wanted to be scouts, too. The girl guides' website describes the reaction of critics of the idea. Some called girls' involvement in camping, hiking and similar activities a "mischievous new development", a "foolish and pernicious movement" and an "idiotic sport". I say to the girl guides, "Och well—girl power rules okay."
Today, Girlguiding still retains the goal of empowering girls and giving them greater confidence for their future years, which is why it has chosen to remain a single-sex organisation. That is a big part of what makes it such a unique and positive organisation, and it lies behind the influence that it has had on many women's lives. With the curriculum for excellence looking to recognise the worth of extracurricular activities, and schools, universities, colleges and employers looking for that extra something, achievements that have been made in the girl guides can only enhance a CV.
Unlike Jeremy Purvis, I am a product of the brownies and the guides. The highlights of guide camps stick most in my memory—I loved them. I still retain a love of camping, but I am so glad that we no longer have to lash our own pot stands and tripods using knots that we have learned. The discipline of keeping the site tidy and camp inspections is an abiding memory. Today, guides are more likely to learn how to assemble flatpacks and other equally more useful and up-to-date skills.
I pay tribute to the 9,000 trained adult volunteers who help with guiding in Scotland. However, there are some 4,000 girls who still want to join, so we must encourage more adults to volunteer. I am sure that this year's highlighting of Girlguiding will help to make more adult volunteers a reality. In addition, my aunt would not forgive me if I did not mention the work of guide commissioners.
The past 100 years have seen remarkable changes, but the guides go from strength to strength. I am sure that in 100 years from now, when the organisation celebrates its second centenary, it will still be thriving and playing a valuable role in the lives of Scottish girls.
I congratulate Mr Purvis on bringing the debate to Parliament. I know that he has had to put up with a bit of light-hearted banter about his involvement with the girl guides, but as we have heard, his constituency played a vital part in the history of the movement. Just as we paid tribute to the scouts when they celebrated their centenary earlier this year, it is right that this Parliament should celebrate 100 years of guiding. "Something for the girls" is what Baden-Powell was asked for, as Maureen Watt has just described, and it cannot be denied that the girl guide movement has certainly delivered.
Obviously, like Mr Purvis, I was not a girl guide, but I married someone who was, and my wife has told me how much she enjoyed her time in the movement. My daughter was the first in her troop to gain the Baden-Powell trefoil, which I believe is the guides' highest award, and I am pleased to report that she and my five-year-old granddaughter, who is now in the rainbows, attended the centenary celebrations that were held on Plymouth Hoe at the weekend. It was just one of many events that are taking place nationwide to celebrate the centenary.
There are a number of guide troops in my constituency and they were involved in last weekend's celebrations; I am sure that the same is true of the troops in other members' constituencies. When I talked to their leaders recently, they reported healthy numbers in all sections of the movement—rainbows, brownies and guides. Indeed, demand is such that in some areas there is a waiting list. One reason for that is a shortage of leaders. I fully endorse Jeremy Purvis's suggestion that employers should pay attention to those who give up their time so freely to volunteer for organisations such as the guides and perhaps allow them some leeway when they seek time off for events such as the camps that Maureen Watt remembers, which many girls enjoy.
I hope that, in this centenary year, many women of Scotland who were guides and got much from being a guide will renew their acquaintance with guiding so that the next generation can get as much from it as they did. Local authorities and others who rent out halls for weekly meetings, for example, should ensure that they are not damaging volunteer movements such as the guides, the scouts, the Boys Brigade and the Girls Brigade by charging too much.
We have heard that the girl guide movement has made a huge contribution not just to Scotland, but to the whole of the United Kingdom. Long may it continue to do so.
I am delighted to speak in this debate in celebration of a centenary of girlguiding in Scotland. I commend Jeremy Purvis for securing the debate and for his personal efforts as an ambassador for the movement in the Borders, at the very seat of its foundation there almost 100 years ago. I was delighted to meet the excellent group of girl guide dancers from Aberdeen, who performed very well outside the Parliament this afternoon.
As I dug out my girl guide badge in anticipation of the debate, I was somewhat aghast to realise that I first received it more than half a century ago, somewhere around 1954. Memories came flooding back of my excellent guide captain who, unfortunately, could not take us camping because of a health problem; of my pride in the swallow patrol and its leader; of polishing my badge and learning to fold the triangular tie that doubled up as an elbow sling; of the sporting activities that we took part in; and of the badges gained in music, embroidery, first aid, cooking and many other subjects. I well remember the meal of mince and doughballs followed by chocolate pudding that I had to prepare for my cook's badge, and being asked to make more of the pudding, because my first attempt was not quite sweet enough. Even then, I wondered whether the examiner was simply indulging her liking for chocolate pudding.
I was a very shy 12-year-old when I joined the guides. I had dropped out of the brownies, probably because I was too immature to enjoy their activities. However, within a few years, when I was a patrol leader, I proudly carried the company colours into church and read the lesson at a thinking day service. I was a much more capable, self-confident and responsible member of the guiding family, and was interested in being an active part of my community. However, I was not at all interested in politics at that time; according to "Girls Shout Out!", which is a report produced by Girlguiding UK, today's girl guides do not appear to be interested in politics, either. That said, I suspect that my eventual interest, and then involvement, in politics grew from the seed of community responsibility that was sown in me by the girl guide movement.
I benefited enormously from my girlguiding experience, as did my daughter, who from brownie to guide developed from a quiet and uncertain little girl into a self-assured and confident young lady. When my daughter and I learned of what today's young guides are doing—of their charitable efforts, their varied work experience in the voluntary sector, their contribution to supporting young people in poorly developed third world countries, and the exciting activities and challenges that they undertake at home and abroad—we wished that we were young enough to benefit from the opportunities that are now open to them.
Girlguiding has not stood still, but has steadily adapted to ensure that it still appeals to young girls in a world that is completely unrecognisable from that of the 1950s, when I joined the guides, and which is moons apart from that of 1910, when the first girl guides took their promise to do their best to seek spiritual development, contribute to society and live by the guide law. The activities have changed, but the principles of girlguiding have not. The 10 million guides in the world today are still taught to live by the same ethical code by which their predecessors were taught to live. Today's guides learn to live healthy lifestyles, to develop skills and relationships and to celebrate diversity, and they develop a global awareness that was far beyond the reach of my generation when we were their age.
I congratulate all those—rainbows, brownies, guides and leaders—who have put a lot of effort into preparing for the celebrations to mark the centenary of girlguiding next year. I hope that everybody concerned will have a wonderful year, and that they will have many happy memories of the activities that lie ahead. I wish the movement every success as it develops into its next phase and faces up to the challenges of its next 100 years.
I, too, thank Jeremy Purvis for securing the debate and I welcome the guiding community to the gallery. I congratulate Girlguiding Scotland on reaching its first centenary. I had a very pleasant break this afternoon when, with some of my colleagues, I popped out to meet the representatives who had rallied outside Parliament. The dancing and the festive feeling to the afternoon were really pleasant. As Maureen Watt mentioned, last weekend 1,500 rainbows, brownies, girl guides, adult volunteers and former members marched through Inverurie—one of my local towns—to celebrate the centenary. There was a real carnival atmosphere to the procession, with banners and a steel band. Those numbers are, in themselves, enough to show how vibrant the girlguiding movement still is.
The movement now sees groups of positive-thinking girls in virtually every community in Scotland. In the north-east of Scotland, there are waiting lists for girls who want to join the rainbows, brownies and guides. I therefore issue a plea to communities across the north-east to think about volunteering and working with girlguiding groups. Accommodation is not a problem—there is plenty of that—but it can be difficult to attract volunteers to train as leaders, and without leaders the units cannot increase their capacity. I know that modern work and family pressures make it hard to find the time to volunteer, but I urge people to give it a go. Every leader to whom I have spoken has commented on how much fun it is and how rewarding it is to work alongside their packs in that environment.
Guiding groups not only offer opportunities to girls and young women, but help, through the strong networks that they build, to sustain neighbourhoods and communities. It is therefore disappointing to note that in Banff and Buchan there are 97 girls on the waiting list and we are looking for 24 leaders. In the Gordon section, 221 girls are waiting to take part in the activities and we would need about 55 new leaders to allow them all to participate. In Kincardine and Deeside, 164 girls are on the waiting list; in Angus, 190 girls are on the waiting list; and in Aberdeen, 310 girls are on the waiting list. We need a lot of new leaders, so I hope that the extra publicity that the centenary will give the organisation will encourage people to come forward. Perhaps former guides will think about coming back and helping a new generation.
I was proud to learn that three Scottish girl guides were in the first all-girl crew to sail the Lord Nelson in the tall ships race out of Liverpool to Måløy, in Norway, last year. The crew of 40 girl guides were of mixed ability, with a proportion of them having sensory or physical limitations. Their achievement was very commendable, indeed.
As other members have said, guiding has changed over the years to keep up with the times. Not only is the uniform a lot more trendy than I remember, but there are lots of choices within the badges and the work that the girls do, which allows them to reflect their own personalities. Like Nanette Milne, I am quite envious of the range of options that are now open to the girls and young women. The badges that they work so hard for are creative and visionary, and they include serious things such as environmental issues. The five principles on which guiding is based—putting girls at the centre, focusing on shared decision making, respect for the individual, commitment to a common standard and participation in a balanced and varied programme—are all things that stand women in good stead throughout their lives.
As a former brownie and girl guide, I know that there are many benefits to joining the girl guides. I was delighted recently to be invited by the Gordon guides to be an ambassador. Given the least opportunity, I am happy to advocate for guiding and to explain its benefits of self-development, experience of team working, leadership development, development of the ability to challenge and the wide group of friends that a girl can get from being in the guides. Those are all things that we need to foster if we are to have an active and successful society.
I have enjoyed the festivities in Edinburgh today, and I hope to share in some of the forthcoming centenary events in my area. Once again, I congratulate the girl guides.
I, too, extend my congratulations to Jeremy Purvis and welcome the girl guides and their representatives who are here. I am not an ambassador, but I am a former girl guide—meet the patrol leader of the bluebell patrol circa 1956. At that time, I was a quiet and uncertain little girl—well, uncertain, maybe. In the halcyon days of youth, on a Tuesday night in the church hall, I learned to tie knots and put them on a board. I learned to recognise wild birds, to build fires—that hardly ever worked—in the woods outside, to cook sausages on the fire and to eat them half-cooked. I learned to put up a bell tent and carry a kitbag, and I could consume Creamola Foam at midnight to wash down cold baked beans. I got badges for housewifery, for athletics—which will surprise many members—and for first aid. Those last two were not connected.
I had lots of badges all over my arms, which I wore proudly. I also spent my first time away from home without parental control—there has not been any since—with my pack when we spent a rainy week in North Berwick. A year later, we spent a sunny week in Perth.
I learned to sing
"Ging gang goolie goolie goolie goolie watcha,
Ging gang goo, ging gang goo".
I do not know what it means, but I sang it enthusiastically.
I also flirted with handsome scouts who came to help us take down those sodden wet bell tents in North Berwick—ah, where is Colin Campbell, the scout, now? Who knows? He must be 70.
Life was good. Life was innocent. I look back fondly on those girlguiding days, which are now unfortunately consigned to black-and-white pictures in the family album.
I am not quite sure how I follow that.
As others have done, I congratulate Jeremy Purvis on securing tonight's debate in recognition of the 100th anniversary of girlguiding in Scotland. As he said, last weekend marked the beginning of Girlguiding Scotland's centenary year. As other members have mentioned, 100 years ago some subversive and radical young girls attended the 1909 boy scouts' rally and asked Mr Baden-Powell for something for the girls. A century on, there are now 10 million girl guides around the world, and Girlguiding Scotland is Scotland's largest voluntary organisation for girls and young women. In fact, one in five girls in Scotland under the age of 14 and one third of girls and women in Scotland have been in the girl guides at some point in their lives.
Since everyone else has felt the need to make a confession, I should do likewise. I was not a guide. I was not even a brownie. I belonged to the Girls Brigade.
Hiss.
I knew that was going to happen. The guides are lucky that I am taking part in this debate tonight. However, I am going to be really very nice about them.
As I joined the explorers and have subsequently enjoyed a lifetime's involvement with the Girls Brigade, I might not know a lot about the guides, but I know quite a lot about the value of uniformed youth organisations, and the real contribution that they make to young people's lives.
It is clear that, as we mark Girlguiding Scotland's centenary year, girlguiding is going from strength to strength and is playing an important and valuable role in the lives of young girls in Scotland and around the world. Throughout the year, celebratory events will be organised in every community, resulting in an unforgettable year for girl guides across the country, and an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
I am pleased to say that the guides of Airdrie have never held my connections with the Girl's Brigade against me. They always invite me to their annual thinking day parade and always take the opportunity to tell me about their achievements and successes. For example, I know that members of the fifth Airdrie company recently visited the offices of The Herald newspaper because they had just completed their communication badge and wanted not only to learn about the theory, but to see how a newspaper goes to print. I also know that many of the guides in North Lanarkshire are looking forward to their centenary camp next year at Netherurd, and that guide leaders from across the county are preparing a camp that no one who attends will ever forget.
The mission and vision of Girlguiding Scotland is to enable girls and young women to fulfil their potential and to take an active and responsible role in society. I am sure that members across the chamber agree that we all aspire to that vision.
Girlguiding provides valuable opportunities for young girls to explore new activities, meet new challenges, make new friends, develop a sense of tolerance and justice and gain an appreciation of the world, its people and cultures. It gives them an opportunity not only to get involved in traditional girlguiding activities such as going to camp, but to participate in a wide range of exciting and challenging adventures, some of which we have heard about tonight—including the belly dancing in which Jeremy Purvis did not take part.
At a time when too many young people are spending too much of their leisure time indoors, sitting in front of a television or playing with their Wiis and Nintendos, guiding provides young girls with an organised programme of activities in a safe, welcoming and sociable environment. It teaches young girls new skills, and equips them with greater self-confidence that enables them to develop leadership and teamwork skills and a real sense of responsibility to each other and the wider community.
As well as being engaged in a wide range of activities, guides are increasingly undertaking valuable work that is aimed at giving young girls and women a greater voice, and at highlighting the issues that they face. I strongly welcome that development. I am pleased that it is mentioned in Jeremy Purvis's motion and I encourage colleagues to read the excellent "Girls Shout Out!" report, if they have not already done so.
In 21st century Scotland, involvement in girlguiding and in other youth organisations is as vital to our communities as it was back in 1909. Girlguiding Scotland has made a huge contribution in the past 100 years by changing the lives of girls throughout Scotland and empowering them to help to shape society at all levels. Although society has moved on in leaps and bounds since 1909, girls and women face many additional challenges and hurdles, and although we have made significant progress in recent years, there is still a lot to do.
Organisations such as the guides play a hugely important role in developing the experience, confidence and self-esteem of young women and girls and in providing girls with a safe girl-friendly space that enables them to successfully develop the skills to meet the challenges that they will face throughout their lives.
As we mark this important centenary, I am confident that the next 100 years and beyond will be just as successful—although I hope that the guides will leave some of the girls to join the Girls Brigade, as a new generation realises the huge benefits that involvement in the Girls Brigade can bring personally, for their communities and for the whole country.
I congratulate Jeremy Purvis on securing the debate, and Girlguiding Scotland on reaching its 100th anniversary, which is a fantastic achievement that we celebrated in Ayrshire on Saturday.
As an ambassador for Girlguiding Scotland in Ayrshire, I was particularly honoured to be invited to take part in the celebrations in Ayr last weekend, when about 1,200 rainbows, brownies, guides, senior section guides and guiders marched through Ayr, led by the Troon pipe band. Hundreds of local people turned out to support the parade, and we had a fantastic party in the citadel afterwards. It was an unforgettable day.
Today, we celebrate 100 years of girlguiding and all that this worldwide movement stands for and has achieved in that time. As other members have said, Girlguiding Scotland has almost 59,000 members and supporters. Interestingly, half of Scottish women—as Maureen Watt said—have belonged to Girlguiding Scotland at some point in their lives. However, Girlguiding Scotland could not exist without all the leaders and volunteers—currently more than 9,000—who support it. Today, we should recognise those who willingly give their time to the cause. Each year in Scotland, adult members and helpers give one million voluntary hours, which is a tremendous contribution, but with 189 girls on the waiting list in Ayrshire, we need still more leaders.
Girlguiding Scotland offers girls and young women throughout the country the chance to develop personal and social skills, and to take part in a varied range of worthwhile activities. In 2009, girlguiding means being able to take part in activities that range from abseiling to windsurfing, and environmental work to first aid. What fun!
And to meet scouts, I sincerely hope.
Was that an intervention? I did not hear what Margo MacDonald said. I am sorry.
Girlguiding Scotland says that
"self-development is at the core of everything we do".
The range of opportunities that it offers certainly gives girls and young women the chance to broaden their horizons and to take an active and responsible role in society.
It is particularly interesting to note that some of the organisation's most successful units are located in inner cities, and that the organisation actively states that Girlguiding operates an open-door policy to all girls and young women who want to join and are able to make their promise. Girlguiding Scotland helps its members to develop into strong and independent women who develop a large network of friends, who are good leaders and team players, and who can adapt to whatever situations they face.
Involvement in guiding not only provides girls and young women with interest and fun in their youth, but develops a host of transferable skills that become invaluable later when they are in a work environment—skills such as communication, reliability, initiative and the ability to be well organised. To sum it up in three words, guiding develops resilience.
The recent "Change the World" community action challenge campaign is an excellent example of how Girlguiding Scotland members have become actively involved in contributing to society both at home and abroad. Through a combination of raising awareness, taking direct action and fundraising for a selected charity, members have had the chance to work with 19 national and international charities and to participate in everything from building a girls school in Liberia to tackling climate change.
This evening's debate has been useful in raising awareness of the wonderful contribution that girlguiding has made to Scotland over the past 100 years. I commend Jeremy Purvis for bringing that important issue to Parliament's attention.
I thank Jeremy Purvis for lodging his motion and initiating this evening's debate. I share his admiration for Girlguiding and I am delighted that its centenary launch is happening here at the Scottish Parliament. I extend my welcome, too, to the guides and volunteers who are here today. I hope that our visitors can tell from the warmth of all the speeches the genuine sense of celebration that exists in the Parliament, which reflects the high esteem in which Girlguiding is held. As a former brownie, girl guide and ranger guide, it gives me particular pleasure to respond on behalf of the Government. This is an opportunity that I could never have imagined when I was a girl guide in Ayr and I am genuinely honoured to play a part in today's centenary launch.
It is clear that the guiding movement views its centenary not only as a celebration but as an opportunity to offer some new and unforgettable experiences. The plans are impressive, from guides climbing Munros to the brownies taking over a train to Perth—I am not sure whether they are driving it—for their carnival express; from rainbows' princess parties to the firing of the Edinburgh castle gun on new year's day. Every guide in Scotland will have her own special memories of this centenary year.
I was intrigued to hear about the four new centenary badges that fit together to make a Scottish saltire, with the themes of adventure, community action, creativity and heritage. It is a long way from when I did my housekeeper's brownie badge in England during the three-day week, when the examiner asked me to demonstrate ironing and hoovering without any electricity. I also recall doing my public service at St Leonard's special school and working with children with disabilities in permanent care, and the sense of duty, responsibility and pride that I had when I involved myself with those young people. It was a rewarding and life-shaping experience.
Now, as Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, I can see clearly how the challenges that the current badges represent and the skills that are involved in achieving each one make a real contribution to the learning and development of young people in the present generation.
I see this evening's debate not just as a celebration but an opportunity to consider what guiding can offer in the context of education and youth work policy. We are committed to expanding the range of partners that are delivering an enhanced learning experience through the curriculum for excellence. For young people to be successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens, they need support across their life experience and opportunities that take them out of their comfort zone. The time is right for guiding and other youth work organisations to be integral partners in delivering the curriculum for excellence programme. It is fully in line with their aspirations and it will certainly benefit from the challenges and development opportunities that are on offer to young people, but it will also be enhanced by the youth sector's special understanding of young people's motivation and aspirations.
In April, I launched "Valuing Young People: Principles and connections to support young people achieve their potential"—a short publication with a set of common principles and connections for partners that work together to support young people. Those principles are rooted in best practice and reflect the approaches of guiding and other effective youth work practice. We see the value of collaborative working in successful school and youth work partnerships. Learning and Teaching Scotland's recent report, "Bridging the Gap", shows how teachers and youth workers can work together to inspire and engage with young people throughout the country.
Every young person takes a different route to fulfilling their own potential, and for many being a guide will be a part of that wider learning achievement. I know that that is dependent upon the time and commitment of local volunteers, and I pay tribute to all the Girlguiding leaders who work with girls in our communities. Their role as mentors, role models and enablers is critical in supporting so many girls and helping them to learn new skills and develop confidence. I also thank Girlguiding Scotland's chief executive, Sally Pitches, who has made an insightful and sustained contribution to the development of youth work policy in recent years. With her colleagues in the other uniformed organisations and YouthLink Scotland, she has generously shared her experience and helped to shape how we in Government support the voluntary youth work sector. For example, "Amazing Things—a guide to the youth awards in Scotland", which was produced as part of the national youth work strategy volunteering action plan, includes the Queen's guide award as a case study and model of good practice.
Guiding also makes a distinct contribution to the national youth voice that we rely on to shape policies that matter to young people. The movement itself is ably represented in the Scottish Youth Parliament by its own MSYPs, Fiona Beaton and Kirsty Paterson-Hunter, who use the skills that they have developed through guiding to champion priorities on the national stage with eloquence and passion.
Girlguiding's potential to enhance girls' lives and prepare them for adult life is as relevant now as at any time over the past 100 years. Guiding has moved with the times, offering challenges that its founders would never have dreamed possible. Indeed, the 7th Linlithgow brownies to whom I spoke on Saturday as they were fundraising at their stall at a summer fair for Donaldson's School's sensory garden are testament to that.
Girlguiding Scotland can be assured that the Scottish Parliament recognises and appreciates its contribution to Scottish life over the past 100 years. We wish it well with the challenges of its centenary year and look forward to working with it to support girls in Scotland in experiencing the challenges, fun and benefits of guiding for many years to come.
On behalf of the Scottish Government, I, too, salute Girlguiding Scotland.
Meeting closed at 17:41.