Promise & Law Review

Webinar 2012Everyone Belongs

Jane Harris

Welcome

How to participate

Acknowledgement of country

We would like to show our respect and acknowledge the Traditional custodians of the

lands, of elders past and present, on which this meeting is being

held this evening.

Chief Commissioner

Who are the members of the Promise & Law working Party?

Belinda Allen – Committee Chair, Director Girl Guides Australia, State Commissioner

Prue Carpenter - Girl Guides Australia Volunteer Services Manager, District Leader, past State Commissioner

Kathy Neehouse - National Trainer, Region Leader, Teacher of World Religions

Jenny Coulston - retired National and State Trainer, Region Program Adviser

Jane Harris - under 30 years, Girl Guides Australia’s representative to Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, Leader of Youth

Nellie Mair - under 30 years, WAGGGS delegate COP 15, State Program Committee for 5 years

Prue Kathy Jane

Nellie Belinda Jenny

Purpose of the Review

To ensure the content and presentation of the Australian Guide Promise and Law is in keeping with the values that are important to girls and women in the second century of Guiding.

To be an inclusive organisation of all girls and young women who make up

the diverse Australian community

Changing Face of Australia

Exploring the fundamental principles of Guiding

The purpose of the webinar is to report back to you the findings of the Promise and Law Review.

You will be the first to comment on the proposed new Australian Guide Promise and Law

Belinda Allen

The Review Findings

Participation rateState % Adult

online% Youth online

% Postcards

% Leader evaluation

% Census

NSW & ACT

30.7 25.0 33.7 38.8 32.5

VIC 29 13.7 20.9 28.2 24.8

QLD 25.8 47.6 15.2 14.1 21.8

SA 6.6 0 7.8 9.4 6.9

WA 5.3 12.9 4.0 4.7 9.1

Tas 1.7 0 1.4 4.7 4.1

NT 0.6 0.8 0.5 0 0.9

Other MO/no state

0.3 0 16.6 0

Adults -Age and Gender breakdownAge % Participation

18 - 30 19 %

31 - 45 30 %

46 - 60 28 %

Over 60 23 %

Gender % Participation

Male 1.5

Female 98.5

Adults -Length of membership

Length of Membership

% of participants

Nil, not a member 10 %

Up to 10 years 27 %

11 - 20 years 23 %

21 - 30 years 18 %

Over 30 years 22 %

Concerns from this review• Use of the word ‘God’ in multicultural Australia,

the inclusion of Queen, use of words such as ‘obedient’, ‘duty’ and ‘loyal’

• Young girls not understanding the concepts involved in the Promise and Law

• Lack of understanding of the essences of Promise laid down by WAGGGS in 1972

• Lack of understanding of WAGGGS history and B-P’s philosophy

• Concerning language and attitudes from some members

Youth Members• Is the Promise and Law relevant to you?

– Yes 73 %– No 17 %– Yes with changes 10 %

• Does the present wording need to be updated?

– Yes – 59 %– No – 30 %– Maybe - 1 %– Not answered – 10 %

• Approx age range of Youth respondents– 5-14 years 92 %– 14-17 years 8 %

Essence – Duty to God, Exploring spiritualityAdults Youth

To be true to myself, my beliefs

22.2% 22.5%

Being true to your beliefs

17.8% 16.7%

To search for the meaning of my life

(Not significant) 15.2%

To do my duty to God

16.5% 13.4%

Adult - Raw Data before weighting

Essence – Duty to countryAdults Youth

OnlinePostcards

To respect our land, Australia

14.7% 12.5%

To serve the Queen* and my country (*optional)

11.9% 10.0% 38.8%

To do my best to help my country

11.6% 11.2% 16.6%

To be involved in the community where I live

11.4% 11.1%

Be responsible for my community

11.1% 11.0%

To help everyone wherever I can

12.3%

Essence – ServiceAdults Youth

To help other people 17.0% 12.5%

To help everyone wherever I can 11%

Give service to my community 12.3%

Be caring and help other people 11.6% 10.5%

Try to be helpful to other people; 10.1%

To be involved in the community where I live

9.5%

Law – Key Themes

• RESPECT

• HONESTY

• FRIENDLINESS

• WORLD AND ENVIRONMENT

• RESPONSIBILITY

• EMPOWERMENT

• CHARACTER

Kathy Neehouse

‘The essence of Duty to God is the acknowledgement of the necessity for

a search for a faith in God, in a supreme being, and the

acknowledgement of a Force higher than man, of the highest o principles.’

(21st World Conference 1972)

‘The essence of Duty to Country is the acceptance of the concept of

responsibility to the communities in which we live’.

(21st World Conference 1972)

‘The essence of Service is the acceptance of the practice of

helpfulness to others’.

(21st World Conference 1972)

‘The Essence of the Law is: Duty to others and to the brotherhood of man; self discipline; respect for all

living things.

(21st World Conference 1972)

‘Today ‘respect for all living things’ includes all that concerns human life, such as environmental problems, drug abuse and sexual responsibility’

(A Challenging Movement 1997 WAGGGS Publication)

The Promise

I promise that I will do my bestto be true to myself, and develop my beliefsI will serve my community and Australiaand live by the Guide Law

LawAs a Guide I will strive to:

Respect myself and othersBe considerate, honest and trustworthyBe friendly to othersMake choices for a better worldUse my time and abilities wiselyBe thoughtful and optimisticLive with courage and strength

Questions?

Thank you!Please take time to fill

out the feedback survey. You will be

directed there now and it can also be found on the GGA Website from

tomorrow.