World Guiding History

Girls have been meeting in organisations as early at 1907 in some countries through they ran the units under different names, starting similarly to how the boys brigade began here in the UK, countries decided to find spaces for youth to explore new challenges.

Throughout the 1910s, (including the few countries who had groups prior), countries continued to follow in the footsteps of the Girl Guides, setting up more organisations for youth to join.

Guiding was introduced that same year to respond to the specific needs of girls and young women. Groups of Girl Guides soon started in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand and South Africa.

A year later, the Girl Guide Association was officially established in the UK under the leadership of Agnes Baden-Powell, Robert’s sister. By 1912 there were also groups in Ireland, Portugal, Norway and the USA.

As guiding developed and spread across the world, the International Council was formed in London by Lady Baden Powell in 1918 and held conferences every 2 years. The International Council later became known as the International Conference just 2 years later in 1920.

((Jumping forwards a little bit to 1928, at the 5th International Conference, the International conference changed again to the 'World Conference', and it was at this conference that WAGGGS was formed, an association which is still around today, the full title being the 'World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts'.))

The original 26 founding member countries of WAGGGS being; Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Iceland, India, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and Northern Ireland, USA and Yugoslavia.

From being set up in 1918, all countries traveled around the world to meet at each conference held every 2 years, typically changing country locations each time. The first 3 being held right here in the U.K. before being held in New York City in 1926. After the War the conferences were held every 5 years rather than every 2;

1920 - first International Conference - Oxford, England

1922 - second International Conference - Cambridge, England

1924 - third International Conference - Foxlease, United Kingdom

1926 - fourth International Conference - Camp Edith Macy, New York City, United States

1928 - fifth International Conference - Parád, Hungary - WAGGGS was formed at this Conference

1930 - sixth World Conference - Foxlease, Hampshire, England

1932 - seventh World Conference - Bucze near Górki Wielkie, Poland

1934 - eighth World Conference - Adelboden, Switzerland

1936 - ninth World Conference - Stockholm, Sweden

1938 - tenth World Conference - Adelboden, Switzerland

1946 - 11th World Conference - Evian, France

1948 - 12th World Conference - Cooperstown, New York, United States

1950 - 13th World Conference - Oxford, England

1952 - 14th World Conference - Dombås, Norway

1954 - 15th World Conference - Zeist, The Netherlands

1957 - 16th World Conference - Petrópolis, Brazil

1960 - 17th World Conference - Athens, Greece

1963 - 18th World Conference - Nyborg, Denmark

1966 - 19th World Conference - Tokyo, Japan

1969 - 20th World Conference - Otaniemi, Finland

1972 - 21st World Conference - Toronto, Canada

1975 - 22nd World Conference - Sussex, England

1978 - 23rd World Conference - Tehran, Iran

1981 - 24th World Conference - Orléans, France

1984 - 25th World Conference - Tarrytown, New York, United States

1987 - 26th World Conference - Njoro, Kenya

1990 - 27th World Conference - Singapore

1993 - 28th World Conference - Nyborg, Denmark

1996 - 29th World Conference - Wolfville, Nova Scotia Canada

1999 - 30th World Conference - Dublin, Ireland

2002 - 31st World Conference - Manila, Philippines

2005 - 32nd World Conference - Amman, Jordan

2008 - 33rd World Conference - Johannesburg, South Africa

2011 - 34th World Conference - Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

2014 - 35th World Conference - Hong Kong

2017 - 36th World Conference - India

Below you can find information about each international countries guiding who helped found WAGGGS and how it's developed into guiding today.

New Zealand

Girl Peace Scouts | Girlguiding New Zealand

Girlguiding in New Zealand started before the U.K.s girl Guides stated. Back in 1908, David Cossgrove, who served in the Second Boer War with Robert Baden-Powell, Cossgrove began launching the Boy Scout group following the idea of the scouts suggesting by Baden-Powell. With the boys scouts group set up, Cossgrove's daughter suggested that she wanted a similar organisation for woman, thus starting the original Girlguiding movement in New Zealand, originally known as the Peace Girl Scouts. There is debate as to the correct year the Peace Girl Scouts was established, but a letter was found in Cossgrove's home, suggesting the idea of the Girl Scouts, dated 1908, giving the group a founding year.

The Girl Peace Scouts officially became affiliated with the Girl Guides in the U.K. in 1912, later changing their name to Guides New Zealand in 1923 (Now known as Girlguiding New Zealand) when the country became a founding member of WAGGGS.

Similarly to how the U.K. Girl Guides was run, the Girl Peace Scouts was for girls aged between 12 and 20, before including the Fairy Peace Scouts for girls aged 7-12 in 1918

The original uniform for the Girl Peace scouts consisted of a Khaki blouse and skirt, a leather belt contacting a knife and also a Khaki hat with a brim. For the Fairy Peace Scouts it was a white dress with a Peter Pan hat.

Today GirlGuiding New Zealand has around 14,000 members.

United Kingdom*

Girl Guides | Girlguiding U.K.

In 1909 the U.K.'s Girl Guiding movement began, you can read about this movement throughout the Blog.

Australia

Australian League of Girl Aids | Girl Guides | Girlguiding Australia

Guiding in Australia began fairly spontaneously and is hard to put an official date on it. Robert Baden-Powell is said to have visited The Australian Boy Scouts around 1912 but also visited groups for girls also, placing the starting sate for guiding in Australia prior to 1912.

There is data showing that in Tasmania, they were on a similar guiding route as the Girl Peace Scouts in New Zealand from 1909 and also in New South Wales there was a female association in affiliation with the Boy Scouts. Several other names have been heard of such as the Florence Nightingale Girl Aids which changed to the Baden-Powell Girl Guides in 1911. These are believed to be the official routes of guiding in Australia, although each state of Australia have slightly different paths.

As time passed, the states came together, starting with Tasmania in 1911, Followed by South Australia in 1913, Western Australia in 1915, Queensland in 1919, New South Wales in 1920 and finally Victoria in 1921, over the years as the states joined, the country set up head quarters around the country to become a formed association. In 1926 the Girl Guides of Australia formed a national organisation, and 2 years laters became a founding member of WAGGGS.

Girlguiding Australia have pin pointed when they consider the official Girl Guides to have began, that being in Western Australia in 1915, of course the routes had been growing from 1910, hundreds of girls showed interested and formed an official group.

Originally Girlguiding Australia followed a similar program to the U.K., having Brownies, then guides, then rangers. These were Gumnut Guides age 5-7, Brownie Guides aged 7-10, Girl Guides aged 10-14 and Ranger Guides ages 14-18.

From 1996 Girlguiding Australia each unit has their own title followed by 'Girl Guides', it is up to each unit what age they cater for, such as Quinns Rocks Kookaburra Girl Guides which is for 5-7 year olds, equivalent to our Rainbows Program, or Quinns Rocks Gumblossom Guides, which is for 9-12 year olds. The typical age ranges range from 5-7, 7-9, 9-12, 12-14 and 14-17 but it is up to leaders to choose which age they would like to build their units for.

Today Girl Guiding Australia has 25,000 members.

Canada

Girl Guides | Girl Guides of Canada

Following the Girl Guides movement happening in the U.K, and with Canada being apart of the British Empire, Mary Malcolmson organised the very first Canadian Girl Guides Company which was officially registered 1910. Following the registration of Mary Malcolmson's Guiding company in Ontario, other Guiding companies were inspired and set up further organisations across Toronto, Moose Jaw and Winnipeg. By 1911 Canada had seen its first Girl Guiding Camp and by 1912 the Girl Guides were spreading quickly across Canada and had units in every Province across the country. With this, the units banded together and formed the Canadian Girl Guides Association.

Not long after the Girl Guides started, Canada started to make contacts with other Girl Guides across the world and in 1928 became a founding member of WAGGGS.

With the popularity spreading so quickly, Agnes Baden-Powell quickly assigned a Chief Commissioner, officially titled the 'Chief Commissioner of the Dominion of Canada Girl Guides', to Mary Pallett.

There are 5 'branches' in the Canadian Guides;

Sparks; Sparks was formed in 1988, being the newest branch to the association. The Sparks Section was originally for 5 year olds but now also includes girls aged 6 also. It is a flexible program based on themes.

Brownies; Brownies was the second branch in the Canadian Girl Guides, following after the Guides. Similar to in the U.K., younger sisters of the Guides wanted to join and began tagging along to Girl Guide meetings. During 1914, the original brownies followed the same program as the U.K's including being named 'Rosebud Patrol' before later changing to Brownies, officially changing in 1919.

Guides; The original branch

Pathfinders; The Forth Branch to be added to Girlguiding Canada began in 1979 to fit the needs of some of the older Guides of age 12 to 15.

Rangers; The first mention of the Rangers, also previously known as 'Senior Guides' was first mentioned in Canada in 1913, by 1920 the name had changed to Rangers, similar to the U.K. The original rangers of Canada also had Sea Rangers and Air Rangers, but mergers together to form 'Rangers' in 1971.

Today there are 92,000 Girl Guides in Canada

Denmark

Guiding in Denmark began when girls around Denmark took an interest in the Boy Scouts group around 1910. Within a few years the girls had their own group formed named Det Danske Pigespejderkorps (The Danish Guide Association).

Whilst there are several organisations across Denmark, there is only one Guiding organisation specifically for Girl Guides, named De grønne pigespejdere (The Green Girl Guides). The Program was formed officially formed in 1919 as the KFUK-Spejderne I Denmark (YMCE-Guides in Denmark). In 1928 both the Danish Guide Association and The Green Girl Guides joined together to create 'The Joint Committee of Girl Guides in Denmark'.

Denmark's Guiding is split into 5 sections;

Rangers (Seniorspejder), ages 16 to 23

Guides (Spejder), ages 12 to 16

Junior Guide (Juniorrspejder), ages 10 to 12

Mini Guide (Minispejder), ages 8 to 10

Micro Guide (Mikrospejder), ages 6-8

Uniform for all sections is similar, forming solidarity, consisting of a dark blue shirt a khaki hat and a group scarf.

There are currently around 20,000 girls in Guiding in Denmark

Finland

The Guides and Scouts of Finland

Finland is one of the countries which is part of WAGGGS who allow both genders to be apart of their association. Throughout Guiding and Scouting history in Finland, there had been a mix of groups for just boys and just girls and also a mix of both genders. Scouting starting in Finland in 1910 alongside Guiding, forming two separate groups.

At the time Scouting and Girlguiding were developing, Finland was still apart of the Russian Empire. During the following years there was a lot of political upheaval and this resulted in Scouting and Guiding being banned in Finland until 1917 when Finland got their independence and restarted the programs. The first brownie program in Finland began in 1925 with Rangers following in 1930.

In 1928 three Finnish Associations, 'Suomalainen Partiotyttöliitto', Finlands 'Svenska Scoutförbund' and 'Suomen Vapaa Partioryhmä', were recognized together and Finland became a founding member of WAGGGS.

The groups ran smoothly and in 1972 the Girl Guide Association and the Boy Scout Association merged to create the 'Suomen Partiolaiset'. Today many of these groups still run as mixed-gendered groups.

Today there are about 23,000 Girl Guides in Finland.

Poland

Scouting and Guiding started together in 1910, and similar to Finland, the two group run together for a mixed-gender association. In 1913 Guiding begin to rise throughout Poland and a guide section was created at the Headquarters of Polish Scouting and Guiding.

Whilst Guiding was becoming more popular, Poland was still partitioned among Austria, Prussia and Russia. During this time, many part of Poland were being controlled by Germany and Russian, where at this time Girlguiding was banned in the country, many units operated in secret during this time.

After the First World War when Poland finally gained their independence, the Nationwide Organisation Polish Guiding and Scouting Association (ZHP) was officially founded in 1918. 10 years later in 1928, ZHP made Poland a founding member of WAGGGS. At this time ZHP was one of Polands largest social and educational associations with over 200,000 members.

Throughout the years, due to politics, Polish Guides an Scouts have faced many challenges, but it still strong throughout the country today.

Although Scouts and Girlguiding run together in Poland, the structure is similar to here in the U.K.;

Brownies (Zuchy) for ages 6 to 10, they learn to play in their packs.

Guides (Harcerki) for ages 10 to 13, learn about the world and people through fun and games.

Venture Guides (Harcerki Starze) for ages 13 to 16, they look for their place in life by undertaking various projects

Rangers (wędrowniczki) for ages 16 to 21, they help others, master their skills and reach beyond their capabilities.

Each troop had rough 30 members in them, with each troop being formed of several units of around 7 people.

Today Poland has around 50,000 Guides.

South Africa

Girl Guides South Africa began in 1910 in Johannesburg, when South Africa was apart of the British Empire, being formed by Dorothy Rogers.

After the popularity with Johannesburg, soon companies picked up and began forming their own Guiding in Newcastle, Pietermaritzburg, Durban, King Williams Town and Cape Town. Guiding in South Africa began to spread across the entirety of South Africa and by 1920 the Girl Guides Association of South Africa (GGASA) had been formed.

Though Girlguiding in South Africa wasn't without its challenges, according to a research paper by Sally Stanhope of Georgia State University, Guides was the first scouting movement for girls in South Africa and was originally brought to "train white south-africana girls their duties as daughters and future mothers of the British Empire" maybe citizens of South Africa, Liberal Segregationists and Afrikaner Nationalists challenged this idea and believed the program should "train all South African girls as obedient Christian Citizens", this program was named Girl Guides. By 1920 this was the only organisation who refused to include non-western children into Girl Guides and Boy Scouts.

Due to this the Girl Guides Association of South Africa (GGASA), along with Lady Baden-Powell, the leader of the international Guiding movement at the time, created a group called the 'Wayfarers', a scouting group for "black and coloured Christian Girls", a group that would consist of badge work which would help in Homelife, health, handicrafts, the bible and more.

The Girls Association of South Africa was a founding member of WAGGGS.

In the 1930s a third association was set up named Voortrekkers, which was a scouting organisation that promoted a wider group of only Christian Afrikaners, which believed and encouraged members to help all people regardless of race

Finally in 1936 the Girl Guides began to allow all races to enter the Guides, but equality still wasn't there. Many people such as Edith Rheinallt Jones (Head spokesperson for the Wayfarers), had been fighting for over 10 years for inclusion of all races within the Girl Guides. Over the coming years challenges were still faced and the fight against segregation was still being fought due to strict standards.

In 1936 the Girl Guides and Wayfarers merged but by this time a lot of members had left and joined the Voortrekkers, allowing the Voortrekkers to grow quickly. All three groups had similarities such as uniform, the promise, to serve god, learn songs, attend camps and more.

The issues between race continued to be an issue between the groups for many years, well into the 1950s until the decolonisation of the British Empire.

Today's Girlguiding South Africa is much more positive and follows a similar program to here in the U.K. and continues its message of international Citizenship. In current day the program has 4 branches; Teddies, aged 4.5 to 7, Brownies, aged 7 to 10, Guides ages 10 to 14 and Rangers/Young Leaders ages 14 to 25.

Todays Girl Guides Association of South Africa has 28,000 Guides.

Sweden

Scouterna - The Guides and Scouts of Sweden

The First official Girl Guides movement in Sweden began in 1913 following the Boy Scouts in 1910, although girls had began to organise at a local level earlier at a similar time to the Boy Scouts.

Scouting and Guiding in Sweden are represented by several national organisation, The Swedish Guide and Scout Association, The Guide and Scout Organisation of the mission covenant youth of Sweden, The Swedish YMCA-YWCA Guide and Scout Association, The Temperance guide and Scout Association and finally the Salvation Army Guide and Scout Association. These five associations came together and became a the Swedish Guide and Scout Council - a founding member of WAGGGS. The organisation allows both girls and boys to join.

In the 1990s discussions started about jointly organising national camps for all members to be apart of, and in 2001 the first Swedish national jamboree was help, an important time in the Swedish Guiding movement.

In more recent years, the 5 programs figured out a common uniform, modules and moved together to create a united organisation and from 2012 they have been running as a united group.

Swedens program consists of 5 different branches;

Spårarscout (Tracker Scout) - ages 8 to 10

Upptäckarscout (Discoverer Scout) - ages 10 to 12

Äventyrsscout (Adventurer Scout) - ages 12 to 15

Utmanarscout (Challenger Scout) - ages 15 to 18

Roverscout (Rover Scout) - ages 19 to 25

India

The Bharat Scouts and Guides (BSG)

Scouting was founded in India in 1909 with Guiding for girls starting in 1911. The first girl guides was founded in Jabalpur at the Christ church School and was an instant success. 4 years later in 1915 more than 50 companies had been registered for girl guides across the company, with over 1200 European-descendant Guides being directly registered to the U.K's Girl Guide Association, as this was all who was allowed to apply at the time due to being apart of the British Empire.

In 1916 the All India Girl Guides Association took off and opened for Indian girls to join.

In 1928 the All India Girl Guides Association became a founding member of WAGGGS, and renewed in 1948 after India became Independent.

In the 1950s with the help of India's leaders an association named 'The Bharat Scouts and Guides' was founded and the Girl Guides Association official joined 'The Bharat Scouts and Guides' movement.

The Bharat Scouts and Guides is a non-political, uniformed youth organisation and educational movement, being the largest voluntary program in India. The program is still run for both boys and girls together.

Today the Bharat Scouts and Guides is primarily school based and a part of the official extra-curricular school activities. The program focuses on community service and development, such as character development, health and more.

The program has 4 branches;

Bunnies, which is for both boys and girls, aged 3 to 6

Bulbuls, specifically for girls, aged 6 to 10

Guides, also for girls, aged 10 to 18

Rangers, also for girls, aged 18 to 25

As well as these for branches, there are 4 'special' branches which include, Extension Scouting, Sea Scouting, Air Scouting and the Venture Club Scheme.

Through the Bharat Scouts and Guides Association there are 1,780,000 members, making it the second largest WAGGGS group.

Netherlands

First Dutch Girls Companions Society | Dutch Guides

The first guides appeared in the Netherlands in 1911 under an organisation called 'Eerste Nederlandsche Meisjes Gezellen Vereeniging' (E.N.M.G.V., First Dutch Girls Companions Society), but the organisation never picked up.

Since then, the Guides has gone through a wide range of name changes; On 16 January 1916 the Dutch Girls Guild started, which later changed its name to the Dutch Girl-pathfinders Guild, followed in 1945 by the founding of a separate Catholic organisation, the Dutch Guide Movement, which later changed its name to Dutch Guides.

The Netherlands were a founding member of WAGGGS joining in 1928.

In 1967, the Federation Scouting Nederland was formed and since 1973 there had been only one organisation in the country for both boys and girls called Scouting Nederland.

The Guiding section has 6 sections;

Bevers for ages 5 to 7

Kabouters (Brownies) for ages 7 to 11

Gidsen or Padvindsters for ages 11 to 15

Explorers or Sherpa's for ages 15 to 18

Rangers for ages 18 to 21

Plusscouts for 21+

Today Scouting Nederland has 54,000 members.

Norway

Forms of Guiding were found in Norway back when the Boy Scouts were introduced in 1911. In 1916, the head of the Danish Girl Guides had been invited to give a lecture of Girl Guiding, as a result of this lecture, the Norwegian branch of the YWCA began creating scouting groups for girls. The Norwegian Girl Guide Organization was officially founded in 1921, along with a group specifically for boys too - joining as a founding member of WAGGGS in 1928.

In 1941, during the Second World War, Guiding and Scouting was banned in the country as the government believed scouts could become a centre for resistance work. Once the war was over, both the Scouts and Guides began again, spreading quickly in popularity.

In 1978 both the guiding and scouts group merged into one association, known as Norges Speiderforbund, the Norwegian Guide and Scout Association.

Today the program is split in 4 branches;

Beavers ages 6 to 8

Brownies ages 8 to 10

Guides ages 10 to 16

Rovers ages 16 to 24.

Today there are around 12,000 Girl Guides in Norway.

USA

Girl Scouts of the United States of America

Girl Guides was founded in 1912 after the American Founder Juliette Gordon Low met with Robert Baden-Powell. Juliette returned to Savannah, Georgia, USA and decided on the idea of a girl group in the USA. With the Girl Scouts beginning in Savannah, the initial troop only had 18 girls and was for girls ages 10 to 18. Juliettes dream was for their to be an organisation which would allow girls to serve their communities, experience the great outdoors and develop themselves. Today it is known as the Girl Scouts of the United States of America.

Prior to Girl Scouting starting in America, there was also the Camp Fire Girls, which is still running today, and also the Girl Scouts of America, which was started in Iowa, but died out not too long after.

Originally the Girl Scouts was based off of the British Girl Guides program, following a similar structure. Brownies were known in American until the 1920s, as well as Senior Scouts. In 1938 the program changed and the divisions were Brownies, ages 7 to 9, Intermediated, ages 10 to 18 and Seniors ages 14 to 18. This continued to change throughout the years, unto todays structure which includes, Daisys, Brownies, Juniors, Cadette, Senior and Embassador. Badges changed over the years too but today there was 127 badges girls can collect and STEM is a big part of the guiding program.

With Juliette's original 18 girls, they began hiking through woods and going camping wearing an official uniform and enjoying the the idea of the Girl Scouts. Juliette began the ideas of badges in 1916 and by 1920 there were almost 70,000 members across America in Juliettes Girl Scouts association. Just 3 years later there was officially Girl Scout meetings taking place in every state across the country, and in 1930 had over 200,000 members. Throughout the years and into todays Girl Scouts, the popularity only grew and today the USA has the largest Guiding group on Earth with around 3,200,000 members.

Similar to the program in Africa, the USA had its battles with race. Whilst Girl Scouts was spreading in popularity, most of the groups were segregated by race, but this didn't stop troops form being founded for everyone. The first African American troop was formed in 1917, with the first American Indian troop being formed in 1921 and the first Mexican American group being formed in 1922. It wasn't until the 1950s that Girl Scouting of United States of America began to try and desegregate troops, and was first successful in 1956, at Camp Shantituck in Kentucky.

In 1923 the Girl Scouts were organised into patrols, troops, local councils and the national council, changing several times until it is what it is today. The program is very similar to the British program in terms of working for badges and there being a uniform for each division, which can be categorised by colour. The official uniform being a stash, vest or Tunic allowing the girls to display their badges, which can be worn with a white shirt and khaki trousers or skirt.

Switzerland

Starting 1913 and continuing to 1916, there were 9 official groups of Girl Guides who had formed independently across Switzerland. Later in 1919 the 9 groups formed together to create on Association named the Fédération des Eclaireuses Suisses. Although history does suggest that Swiss girl guides were seen from as early at 1911.

The group was one of the founding members of WAGGGS, joining in 1928.

With scouting also established in Switzerland, in 1987 the two organisations formed together to create the Swiss guide and Scout Movement.

The uniform today consists of a shirt, neckerchief, hiking boots, a firefighter and a Swiss Army knife. The program consists of 5 sections;

Beaver Scouts, ages 5 to 6

Brownies, ages 7 to 10

Guides, ages 10 to 14

Ventures, ages 14 to 16

Rovers, ages 17+

Today Switzerland has over 42,000 members.

Belgium

Belgium Officially joined Guiding in 1915 but was registered in Brussels. Belgium became part of the International Council in 1919 before becoming a WAGGGS founding member.

The first Scoutings group took off in 1910 which was strictly for boys, but in 1911 the Boy Scouts founded a Girl Guide/Scout troop, with the upcoming World War, Germany stopped the development of the program until 1919. Up until 1919 Belgium followed the British Guiding program along with using the U.K badges and uniform. During World War Two when Germany had occupied Belgium, they had put a ban to all girl guiding and boy scouting groups, and after the war both Girl Guides and Boy Scouts merged into one organisation, though each group remembered in their separate genders until the 1980s.

Today the Guides are apart of the Guiding and Scouting in Belgium Association and allows both boys and girls.

Today there are roughly 68000 members.

Czechoslovakia | Czech Republic and Slovakia

Junák

Scouting took off in Czechoslovakia, named the Junák, in 1911 when founder Antonín Benjamin Svojsík visited the British Boy Scouts and upon returning home, decided to set up a version in his homeland. He wrote a book for scouts which followed Robert Baden-Powells system and traditions, following in Roberts footsteps with experimental camps and more throughout the Scouts Development.

In 1915 Girls were introduced and allowed into the Scouts as many of the boys were called to fight in the First World War. Shortly after Guiding officially had established as 'Guide Education'. In 1918 the country became independent and the Czechoslovak Boy Scout Association was established, and included the Girl Guides. Later in 1938, the name was changed and committees were created independently for both the Scouts and Guides.

In 1939 youth organisations were made to become members of the official political organisation and were not allowed to use the name skaut, meaning scout. The only name which was allowed was Junák. The Guides continued to use the name skautky which meant Girl Scout, but they weren't allowed to wear the international Trefoil.

Scouting and Guiding continued for a while longer, but were stopped from holding larger meetings until 1940 when they were made to stop all of their activities when they were officially banned by the Nazi and all property was seized for the use of the Nazi Youth Organisation.

Lady Baden-Powell visited the country in 1946 and was welcomed by both groups.

After the war Guiding and Scouting continued and continued to grow throughout the country, as well as the original association being reestablised. The movement was banned twice more until 1990 when the association became an associate member with WAGGGS, and after before the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic in 1993, both countries officially became full independent members with WAGGGS.

Today the program is split into 4 branches with roughly 20,000 members;

Benjamins, for ages 5 to 7

Fireflies, for ages 8 to 10

Guides, for ages 11 to 14

Rangers, for ages 15 to 26

Luxembourg

Guiding started in many places in different companies around Luxembough in 1915. It wasn't until the year after in 1916 that each company came together to create one united association.

The group was named The Association des Girl Guides Luxembourgeoises in 1921 and became a founding member of WAGGGS in 1928. A second association for the girl guides was set up named The Letzeburger Guiden in 1938. 20 years later the two associations grew together to become one names The Bureau de liaison des Associations Guides du Luxembourg. In 2017, the membership of The Bureau de liaison des Associations Guides du Luxembourg was passed to Scouts and Guides of Luxembourg as the original organization closed. Now the organisation is open to both boys and girls.

Today the program consists of 5 sections with around 2000 members;

Beavers, ages 5 to 8

Cub Scouts, ages 8 to 11

Adventure Guides, ages 11 to 14

Caravelle Guides, ages 14 to 17

Ranger Guides, ages 17 to 23

Estonia

Girlguiding was set up in 1919 in Estonia, as the Scouting Movement had already previously been formed, but guiding was introduced as part of the Scouts.

The first independent group of Guides was officially formed in 1920, with two more being formed in 1921, in 1922 Estonia became apart of the international council. 3 years later in 1924, the first headquarters starting the Estonian Girl guide Association.

In 1926, the association began working to unit guiding across the country, creating a standardised uniform, promise, badges and more, before becoming a founding member of WAGGGS. By the early 1930s, Estonias guiding was strong and the organisation stabilised and ran steadily until the war.

As many countries with guiding at the time of the Second World War, the Solviet Union closed and put a ban to all Guiding and Scouting Groups in the country. This was a huge time for the Scouting and guiding movement. With families fleeing the country to the likes of swede and Germany, Estonian Scouts and Guides began rebuilding their units in camps, which would later spread all across the globe. Estonian Guides traveled the world setting up units in Sweden in 1944, Canada and the USA in 1949 continuing for many years, through the 60s in the likes of Australasia, Argentina, Germany and Brazil.

Officially Guiding was restored in Estonia in 1988 through two organisations, which later joined together to form the Estonian Guides Association. Today there is roughly 1000 members across the country.

Hungary

Association of Hungarian Girl Guides.

Guiding made its way to Hungary in 1919, with the National Association of Hungarian girl Guides being founded in 1921. The country became a part of the International council and later a founding member of WAGGGS.

During the Second World War, the Girl Guide movement saw to working in hospitals and helping refugees. When the Capital was sieged all the guiding and scout activities were put to an end and suspended until after the war had finished. In 1948 the government banned all youth organisations and for the next 40 years, Hungary was not allowed to run any of the groups.

In 1988 there was a political change in Hungary, which allowed the movement to restart and The Association of Hungarian Girl Guides was re-launched.

Today there Is roughly 700 members in Guiding

Japan

Girl Scouts of Japan

Gārusukauto Nippon Renmei is the girls only scouting organisation in Japan. It was introduced in 1919 by a British Missionary Teacher named Muriel Greenstreet. With the program being popular the movement spread across Japan gradually a few months later in 1920, the official name was given, Girl Guides of Japan (Joshi-Hodo-Dan).

During World War 2, the Japanese Government banned Girlguiding and it didn't restart until 1947, before being recognised as the Girl Scouts of Japan in 1949.

Today the group has 6 branches;

Tenderfoot, ages 5, can be seen wearing a yellow neckerchief

Brownie, ages 6 to 8, can be seen wearing a red neckerchief

Junior, ages 9 to 11, can be seen wearing a brown neckerchief

Senior, ages 12 to 14, can be seen wearing a green neckerchief

Ranger, aged 15 to 17, can be seen wearing a navy neckerchief

Adult Leaders, aged 18+, can be seen wearing a light blue neckerchief

Liberia

Liberian Girl Guides Association

Guiding in Liberia started in 1920, and in 1928 the Association became a Founder of WAGGGS. By 1930, however, all contact between Liberia and WAGGGS was lost and the countries membership had been cancelled by 1931.

Between 1953 and 1955 many efforts were made to try and bring Girl Guiding back to the country and in 1955 a member and representative of WAGGGS visited Liberia to try and help to bring together any remaining groups of Girl Guides in an effort to form the 'nucleus of a National Organisation'. Until 1965 Guiding continued to spread across the country with the help of WAGGGS.

Ever since, Liberia has suffered due to civil wars and the partitioning of the country which hit Guiding heavily, Guiding is continuing to re-establishing itself across Liberia today, they currently have just over 6000 members.

France

Girl Scouting in France began in 1921. Currently Guiding is run under Scouts et Guides de France, which is the largest scouting and Guiding Association in the Country.

Originally the Guides de France was founded in 1923, after Scouts de France in 1920. These associations continued to run until 2004 when the two organisations merged to create Scouts et Guides de France.

Although this is the largest, there are several other Guiding and Scout organisations running throughout the France, including;

Guides and Scouts of France was formed in 1911 with Guiding being added in 1914, this association has 17000 members today and included 6 sections;

Pixies; ages 6 to 8

Cub Scouts; ages 8 to 11

Guides, ages 11 to 15

Elders, ages 15 to 18

Les Djae, ages 18 to 25

Leaders, ages 17+

Unionist Guides and Scouts of France was formed in 1910 starting from groups via the YWCA, the group wasn't officially founded until 1970. The association consists of 3 branches;

Cub scouts, ages 8 to 12

Girl Guides, ages 12 to 16

Ranger Guides, ages 16 to 19

Jewish Guides and Scouts of France was founded in 1923 and currently has around 4000 members over 50 groups throughout France as well as one group in Montreal in Canada. The group has 4 branches;

Branche cadette: Bâtisettes et Bâtisseurs, ages 8 to 11

Branche moyenne: Eclaireuses et Eclaireurs (Guides and Scouts), ages 11 to 15

Branche Perspectives: Pifettes et Pifs, ages 15 to 17

Branche aînée: Compagnons (Rovers), ages 18 to 25

Latvia

Latvia's Guiding and scouting program follow the methods originally played down by Robert Baden-Powell, with the first scouting group being made in 1917 with Guiding beginning in 1921 under the Latvian Youth Organisations. A year later the Latvian Guide Central Organisation was set up and Girl Guiding became independent. By 1930 the movements, both Scouting and Girlguiding had 8000 members across the country.

When the War broke out, Latvia was another country effected by the Solviet Union and the movements for both Guiding and Scouting were banned until Latvia gained their independence in 1990. In 1993 the Latvian Scouting and Guiding restarted with the 'Latvian Scout and Guide Central Organisation' and rejoined WAGGGS. Since then has been operating with around 1000 members in many areas across the country.

Iceland

Icelantic Girl Scouts

The Guides in Iceland were formed in Reykjavík (Iceland's Capital) 1922 through the YWCA. Though the YWCA only held Girl Scouting for a short period of time, the Movement spread quickly and independently throughout the country and within a few years several new organisations and units for girls opened, finally taking the name 'Icelandic Girl Scouts;.

The Icelandic Girl Scouts became a member of WAGGGS in 1928, and by 1939 the Icelandic Girl Scout Association had officially formed. In 1944 the two national Girl and Boy Scout Associations merged together and became what is known today as 'Bandalag Íslenskra Skáta', the Icelandic Boy and Girl Scout Association. The Association is believed to be the first merged Association in the world.

Today the program had 6 sections with around 4000 members;

Dragon, ages 7 to 9

Falcon, ages 10 to 12

Kinds Court, ages 13 to 15

Ranger, ages 16 to 18

Rover, ages 19 to 22

Rescue Team, ages 17+

Throughout the Years guiding continued to spread across the world, reaching 10 millions girls in over 150 countries who are apart of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts;

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