Inclusion
Inclusion is very broad, we aim to support every girl to have the same opportunities as each other, whether this is due to an additional need, financial circumstances, sexual orientation or gender preference. The small things make a big difference, learning the sign for please and thank you for a deaf member or calling a trans member by their chosen name and not their ‘dead’ name may make their day. For more information take a look at the Including members Girlguiding webpage - Including everyone in guiding | Girlguiding
Inclusion Adviser - Natalie Yorke
I have been a member of Girlguiding for 20 years and a leader for 11 years. In my professional life I am a Special Needs teaching assistant and have been doing this for the last 10 years. I have worked with children with a variety of needs, from ASD to Downs Syndrome, to children with physical impairments and hearing-impaired children. I have also worked with technologies to support children to communicate and have access to various resources for communication.
I am incredibly passionate about supporting girls with additional needs in units. And if I don’t know the answer I will find it
Inclusion is very broad, we aim to support every girl to have the same opportunities as each other, whether this is due to an additional need, financial circumstances, sexual orientation or gender preference. The small things make a big difference, learning the sign for please and thank you for a deaf member or calling a trans member by their chosen name and not their ‘dead’ name may make their day.
Please contact me if you need any support with:
- adjustment plans,
- adapting unit meetings or camps,
- resources to support your young people,
- financial support for adaptations,
- training support
or any other advice.
Disabilities Girlguiding - Including disabled members | Girlguiding – Check for more resources.
Each girl and adult with a disability, additional need or medical need should have an adjustment plan. An adjustment plan is an easy guide in how to support that member when they are attending Girlguiding meetings and events.
Girlguiding have a grant that can be used to support members to access Girlguiding please look at the link Accessible guiding grant | Girlguiding to see whether it may be useful for a member within your unit. Please make sure that you send this to Natalie to sign off.
Below are links to some useful information that you may find helpful if you are supporting girls with Disabilities and additional needs.
Deaf
Rainbows
Brownies
Guides
Rangers
Autism
Communication passports are a great way to quickly glance at the needs of girls with additional needs and disabilities. general-communication-passport.pdf
For members that need a visual remind of the next steps Girlguiding have created a useful symbol pack - printable-visual-timetable.pdf
Girlguiding Wales have also created packs that are very useful to support members that need extra support Girlguiding Cymru Communication packs
ADHD – ADHD UK - Homepage - ADHD UK
Dyslexia – British Dyslexia Association
Down syndrome - Home: DSUK - Down Syndrome UK
Epilepsy - What is epilepsy? - Epilepsy Action
Allergies - Allergy UK | National Charity
Asthma - Asthma + Lung UK
Me2 is a Berkshire based charity that supports young people with additional needs to access clubs, such as Girlguiding with a 1:1 volunteer. Me2Club – Me2 Club
LGBTQ+
For more information regarding LGBTQ+ members of Girlguiding. LGBTQ+ members | Girlguiding More information can also be found at Proud2Be | Supporting LGBTQIA+ People in Devon and Beyond
Faith and beliefs
It is important to consider faith and beliefs of all members within your units and to explore different faiths and beliefs within your programme. Faith and belief | Girlguiding
People of colour
It is important to consider people of colour who are members within our units. As Girlguiding states on this page People of colour in guiding | Girlguiding it is important to support girls to understand the need to stand up to racism and to be inclusive to all races.
Social inclusion
All of our members come from different social situations, take a look at this link Social inclusion | Girlguiding.
South West Region have created a fantastic resource that explores inclusivity and raises awareness among the girls of differences within each other. All for One - Girlguiding South West England Main Site
If you have any inclusion questions or need support to adapt the programme or to run sessions for your girls about inclusivity, please contact Natalie Yorke.
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