1. One Guiding Indivisible

2. Vision for 2010 and beyond Create “One Guiding Indivisible
Structurally
Operationally
Culturally
OUR VISION FOR 2010 AND BEYOND IS TO CREATE ONE GUIDING INDIVISIBLE;
A STRONGER ORGANIZATION RATHER THAN REGIONAL PROTECTIONISM
A EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE AND CONSISTENT ORGANIZATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY
A MISSION ALIGNED, COLLABORATIVE, INTERDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION
ENABLING EFFECTIVE RESOURCE REALLOCATION AND STREAMLINED PROCESSES AND COMMUNICATION
ENSURING GIRLS AND WOMEN HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO RESOURCES IN THEIR ACTIVITIES WHILE BENEFITING FROM AN EFFICIENT AND WELL-RUN ORGANIZATION
GUIDING MUST LOOK AND FEEL AND RUN THE SAME WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHILE ALLOWING FOR COMMUNITY UNIQUENESS;
WE MUST THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY

3. Vision for 2010 and beyond Launch “One Guiding Indivisible”
Focus on girls and young women
GGC as a fully-inclusive organization
Voice of girls and young women
Empower them to become leaders
OUR VISION FOR 2010 AND BEYOND IS TO LAUNCH, AS ONE GUIDING INDIVISIBLE OUR RENEWED FOCUS ON GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN;
WE WILL DECLARE AND CELEBRATE GGC AS A FULLY INCLUIVE ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO GIVING GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN A VOICE;
HELPING TO EMPOWER THEM TO BECOME LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES;
MAKING THIS A BETTER WORLD FOR THEM AND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

5. Vision
Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada, the organization of choice for girls and women, makes a positive difference in the life of every girl and woman who experiences Guiding, so she can contribute responsibly to her communities.
Mission
Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada enables girls to be confident, resourceful and courageous, and to make a difference in the world.
NEW MISSION JUST APPROVED TELLS THE WORLD WHAT WE WANT TO DO; WHAT WE CAN DO;
ENCOURAGES PARENTS;
RESONATES WITH GIRLS;
CONFIDENT
RESOURCEFUL
COURAGEOUS
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD
THE UNIQUENESS OF GGC

6. If “we do what we have always done, we will get what we have always gotten!”
This is where we must start to think….and act….outside of the box.
Not everyone, girls or adult Members can come to a weekly meeting, in a community hall, on a Tuesday night,nine months of the year.
This may be a sacrilege …. But …..Membership doesn’t have to equal Unit participation. Other options can – and should - be made available – based on the interests of the girls and the ability of Leaders to access the necessary resources --- and we must help her do that!
We must develop new program frameworks to provide a variety of program opportunities – from many perspectives: length of time of programs, to location, to time of year, and numerous other variables.
We must also look at opportunities to collaborate or partner with target audiences and communities to match our Guiding program framework with their needs…..who knows, it could be a match waiting to happen!

7. Diversity/Inclusivity
embrace, uplift and support girls and young women
lead within WAGGGS to:
promote diversity
Broadest definition of inclusivity
create stronger global connections for our Members.
WE WILL ACTIVELY EMBRACE, UPLIFT AND SUPPORT GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN FROM ALL CIRCUMSTANCES AND ALL WALKS OF LIFE IN CANADA;
WE WILL LEAD WITHIN WAGGGS TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY; ENSURE THE BROADEST DEFINITION OF INCLUSION; AND
CREATE STRONGER GLOBAL CONNECTIONS FOR OUR MEMBERS

8. DIVERSITY IS THE MOSAIC OF PEOPLE WHO BRING A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS, STYLES, PERSPECTIVES, VALUES AND BELIEFS AS ASSETS TO THE GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS WITH WHICH THEY INTERACT.
WE MUST SEEK TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS AND LOOK AT THINGS IN A NEW WAY.
A DIVERSE ORGANIZATION IS ONE THAT INVITES, EMBRACES AND MANAGES DIFFERENCE IN THE CHANGING
THIS IS WHAT GGC CAN BECOME.

9. In November 2007, Board approved the following motion:
Whereas GGC is perceived by many as a Christian organization but is in fact an organization that is committed to inclusivity and diversity.
Be it resolved that GGC demonstrate that we are a secular organization and further that we move to reflect this stance in our Promise, Programming and Practices.
Secular in this context is defined as non-religious with respect for personal beliefs and personal practices.
The November 2007 Board motion on faith stance maintains GGC as being an organization that encourages those with spiritual beliefs but does not embed any faith practices into its programming. This means that GGC is a secular organization but does not in any way deny Members from practicing their respective beliefs.
WAGGGS encompasses a broad view for all Member Organizations on how they embrace spirituality.
We will be developing an action plan and communications strategy and that strategy will include:
Clarifying WAGGGS definition of spirituality
Clear interpretation of Board’s motion
implications to Promise, Program, and Practices
specific practical guidelines and Q&A which refer to very specific examples of how to deal with such things as wording in songs; thanks before a meal, rituals and ceremonies, etc.

10. Canada is the most multi-cultural; ethnic diverse country in the world with more than 200 different ethnic origins reported in the 2001 Census.
In Toronto and Vancouver close to 40% of the population are visible minorities….and growing.
Winnipeg is home to the largest Aboriginal population…..more than 8% of the city’s residents……..but Guiding in Canada does not reflect these realities.
We have been informed, through surveys, etc., that GGC is PERCEIVED as a religious, Christian, faith-based organization (relate Melissa Gartner (Juliette Lowe participant) experience here).
But much of the market we seek to recruit has a very different complexion.
Increasingly Canadians – either born here or immigrants - have no religious affiliation or do not attend religious services and the number of people identifying as Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist increased substantially.
We must ask ourselves do our words, practices and processes put up barriers to these diverse populations becoming Members?…and we must take action to change any such barriers.

11. SEVEN SUSTAINABILITY IMPERATIVES
Girl Engagement & Empowerment
Advocacy
Diversity/Inclusivity
Recruitment & Retention
Leadership Casting
Agile Program & Program Opportunities
Structural Agility & Streamlining
I HAVE TALKED MOST SPECIFICALLY ABOUT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY BUT IT IS ONLY ONE – ALBEIT AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ONE - OF WHAT I CALL THE SEVEN SUSTAINABILITY IMPERATIVES.
THESE SEVEN SUSTAINABILITY IMPERATIVES ARE CRITICA:
TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT ARE NECESSARY:
TO BE RELEVANT
TO GROW AND SUSTAIN OUR MOVEMENT
FOR THE GIRLS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW.
… AND I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THESE WITH YOU:
(READ 1 TO 7 ABOVE)
ALL OF THESE ARE ROAD MARKERS ON OUR WAY TO BECOMING ONE GUIDING INDIVISIBLE – ALL OF THEM ESSENTIAL TO MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.

12. We often ask What makes GGC unique
We often ask What makes GGC unique?…what sets us apart from any other organization in Canada for girls?
Like all consumer products I believe GGC has a UPC that sets us apart from all others:
Is it camping? Leadership Development? Environment? Community Service?
Building self confidence/self esteem? Let’s face it, all of these are available to girls through various organizations BUT all of these, combined with our:
International Affiliation/Global reach and connection gives GGC the edge in today’s world for today’s girl.
Girls want to make a difference in the world – to build a better world. Our alignment with WAGGGS gives us our UPC. One worldwide Movement - 10 Million Girls – One Voice.
The 7 Sustainability Imperatives which I have just discussed with you, coupled with Girl Guides of Canada UPC will allow us to achieve our Vision of Girl Guides of Canada as the choice for girls in Canada.