130 acts of kindness: first-year student Holly shares her volunteering journey with Girlguiding
1 June 2023
In recognition of Norland’s 130th anniversary, we have been celebrating the achievements of our staff, students, and graduates. First-year student Holly (Set 46) has been involved with Girlguiding for 14 years, since she joined the Rainbows at the age of five.
Wishing to continue volunteering when she moved to Bath to begin her studies at Norland, she transferred units. Below, Holly shares how she manages her volunteering work alongside her studies.
“I’ve been a member of Girlguiding ever since the age of five. I joined the Rainbows (for girls aged four to seven) in 2009 and have also been a Brownie and a Guide. The week I turned 14, the minimum age to become a young leader, I attended my first Rainbows session as a volunteer, and I’ve been doing the same ever since.
I volunteered at my home unit of Worcester for five years and did not want to stop when I accepted a place at Norland. I quickly contacted the Bath district commissioner within Girlguiding to transfer to a new unit. By my second week living in Bath, I had joined a new Rainbows unit.
Girlguiding has always been part of my life – the passion that you get from being a part of something so unique never goes away. I love volunteering because the children get so much out of it, and it feels great to know I am a part of their enjoyment. You can see girls developing their confidence while they attend Rainbows and it has such a big impact on their lives, which I have seen first-hand – both in terms of the values that Girlguiding holds, and the opportunities they gain.
My favourite part of Rainbows
My favourite part of Rainbows is the joy that the children get through being a part of the unit. The pride on their faces when they receive a badge or show a piece of work constantly reminds me why I do what I do. At the end of the day, we’re leaders because we want to make a positive difference in these girls’ lives, and I love seeing this happen. It is so clear that the Rainbows love attending the sessions, and there is a real sense of community which really does make all the time spent preparing the sessions worth it.
Even at the age of 14, I knew my future involved children. I have been passionate about childcare for as long as I can remember. I often use the knowledge from Norland within Girlguiding, and vice versa – the two complement each other well. Both Rainbows and Norland have boosted my confidence. At Norland, when I attended my primary placement, I felt secure doing this when I realised that I would be working with children who are the same age as the children at Rainbows. In the same way, Norland has provided me with the confidence to run sessions within Rainbows and communicate effectively with the girls, ensuring that I always demonstrate best practice.
There have also been many occasions when I have brought activities that I have learned about in Rainbows to my Norland practice. For example, I have sung Girlguiding songs with my charges and Girlguiding taught me the ability to create active games on the spot, which I used in my Norland placements. Similarly, I get ideas for activities and crafts that I can do with my Rainbows through my Norland training. And the information we study in our degree and diploma modules, such as developmental theories and attachment, I regularly apply in Rainbows.
Balancing Rainbows and my studies
In terms of balancing workload, I have become very effective at organising and managing my time. My monthly Rainbows session is a chance to refresh and take a break from academics. The Rainbows unit I attend is monthly, rather than weekly, and this allows me to be a lot more flexible when it comes to balancing my volunteering with my studies. I find it easier to set aside three hours once a month, rather than an hour or so a week, as it means I have no commitments on weekdays that may clash with my Norland training. I plan my weekends around Rainbows on a Saturday and am still able to dedicate my evenings to Norland work, which is often when I am most productive.
My volunteering is also an opportunity for me to be social. I currently volunteer alongside another first-year student Jess (Set 46). Recently, Jess and I created a virtual sleepover for the Rainbows. We planned the activity months in advance and decided on the theme of pets. We had 10 Rainbows join us. During the session, we read a story and carried out multiple virtual activities including a quiz, animal yoga, and a scavenger hunt. We had full creative control, and both enjoyed the freedom it gave us. I hadn’t done an online Rainbows session before, so it was a great experience to see how the girls understood and responded to it – it went very well and we received extremely positive feedback.
Jess and I are in the process of gaining our Lead Away qualification to allow us to have an in-person sleepover with the Rainbows group. This will hopefully happen towards the beginning of next year. We are also working towards our Queen’s Guide Award. This is the Girlguiding equivalent to the Gold Duke of Edinburgh award. In the future, I would love to set up and run my own Rainbows unit.
