The Girl Guide Promise and Law give shape and purpose to all activities in Guiding.  The Promise and Law set Girl Guides apart from other volunteer organisations as they are an explicit reminder of the underlying principles of Guiding.  Every member, whether youth or adult, is asked to make the Promise; this requirement is part of the Management Qualification.

Watch Girl Guides NSW ACT & NT video – What the Promise Means to Me.

If you are new to Guiding, making the Girl Guide Promise signals your commitment to your new role and the values and objectives of Girl Guides.  Commitment to the Promise and Law means you will try to do your best and set an example to others.  The Girl Guide Promise with the Girl Guide Law is not just a one off exercise in commitment; it sets out a direction to live by and embodies the philosophy of Guiding as defined by Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the Guiding and Scouting movement.

If you have been involved in Guides for some time, you possibly first made the commitment to the Promise when you were a youth member, or you may have done this when you became a Leader.  Renewing the Promise now is an opportunity to consider how the Promise and Guide Law together are reflected in the way you live your life.  Re-affirming the Promise regularly enables us to think about what the Promise means at different stages in our lives.

Whether you are making the Promise for the first time or renewing it, as a Manager you have an additional responsibility.  Part of your role is to encourage your Leaders to live according to the Promise and Law, particularly in respect of their behaviours in Guiding.  If you are faced with difficult situations in your team, the starting point should always be to think about the problem in the light of the guidance offered by the Promise and Law.  You should work towards incorporating reflections on the Promise and Law in the meetings you convene and the events you participate in.  You will probably find that you are invited to Promise Ceremonies and you might encourage your Leaders to use these times to reaffirm their Promise silently or to renew it publicly.  However, please bear in mind that renewing the Promise is a personal choice – it’s not a requirement of Girl Guides Australia.

GUIDE LAW     GUIDE PROMISE