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President’s Message on the
​
110th Anniversary of
Girl Guiding in Trinidad and Tobago
From the Desk of
Mrs. Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan
President, Girl Guides Association of Trinidad and Tobago
As we celebrate our 110th anniversary, it is important to reflect on the many successes of Guiding and to embrace the way forward. At our last World Conference in July 2023 in Cyprus, Trinidad and Tobago was one of the countries recognized by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) for sustaining Guiding for more than 100 years.
Guiding was founded in 1910 by Lord and Lady Baden Powell, and the first meeting in Trinidad and Tobago was held four years later by Mrs. Havelock, the wife of a Methodist minister. From its inception to the present-day, the global Girl Guide Movement has continued to deploy a unique model of non-formal education to support diverse groups of girls and young women to develop their fullest potential, and also to learn from an early age how to take the lead and make informed and responsible choices. However, over the decades, it evolved and adapted to the changing times with resilience and perseverance, and at times, ably assisted during the various challenging eras, including World Wars I &II, the Spanish Flu and now COVID-19.
Guiding continues to be alive in the hearts and minds of many former members of this Movement. They speak not only of fond memories when they reminisce, but of the positive impact on their achievements, resulting in a keen interest in Guiding resuming its once pervasive role in schools, churches, temples, mosques and communities.
Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to chart a new course aligned with WAGGGS' global strategic vision, Compass 2032, which challenges us to become a girl-led movement with the mission to build an equal world where all girls can thrive. It builds on the strengths of over a century of non-formal education and the many empowering leadership opportunities girls and young women find in the Movement. In making this vision a reality, we acknowledge the need to be braver, more agile and to re-imagine Girl Guiding as the most inclusive, relevant, and impactful Movement it can be – a Movement by, and for, every and any girl.
In preparation for our own “Way Forward”, GGATT has begun to conceptualize strategies and action plans that will align our Movement here in Trinidad and Tobago with the six themes of this vision: More Spaces Where Girls Feel Safe; Inclusive & Connected Girl Guide and Girl Scout Communities; Leaders Today Ready for the Future; An Empowering Environment for Girl-Led Impact; Rewarding, Accessible Roles for Volunteers & Staff; and Agile Organizations with Growing Impact. As we modernize this organization to become technology-driven, flexible and agile, it is also with a view to fostering volunteerism in the context of the busy lifestyles of young women, and to ensure that we respond to the evolving expectations of girls moving at a fast pace in the 21st century.
As we embark on this journey, we look forward to your active participation in expanding the reach and influence of this Movement at the local, national, and global levels. Let us ensure that, over the next century, we continue to mold our girls as future leaders and change agents who can contribute significantly to making our communities, our beloved country and the world a better place.
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