A New Structure For Guiding Experience: Your New Staff Support Team

Kia ora koutou katoa,

We are staying true to our progressive roots from 1908 and continuing to transform our organisation to ensure Guiding is here to make a difference in the lives of young people for another 100 years.  

Our National Operating Plan for 2022 outlines a Programme of Change that is currently underway – changes that are necessary to better support our current girls and volunteers, appeal to more girls across Aotearoa, and reduce our annual deficit to ensure Guiding’s long-term sustainability. (note: you’ll need to be logged into the website for the link to work!)

One of the changes to enable this to happen is a restructure of the Guiding Experience team, which includes many of the staff roles that directly support volunteers. We’ve also made some changes to how training and development volunteer roles are structured too.  

Putting girls and volunteers at the heart of our team 

Our new structure is centred around our members, rather than being based on the geographical area in which they are based. We have also created dedicated teams to grow Guiding Experiences through events, new partnerships, and exploring opportunities that will help us make a difference to more kōhine across the country.  

The new teams are:  

• Girl Membership Team: This team is responsible for attracting and onboarding new girl members to Classic, Explore, and other Guiding experiences. This team will also engage with our current girl membership to ensure we are girl-led and empowering our girls’ voices.  

• Volunteer Experience Team: The team who are dedicated to empowering volunteers to do what they do best which is delivering incredible girl experiences. Our volunteers are our VIPs and we are your staff team committed to ensuring you have all you need to do your role.  

• Learning and Development:  This team will combine our programme development, Explore content, and volunteer development creation and delivery. Key changes include a new Development Delivery Coordinator volunteer role, with the responsibility for delivering development opportunities across the country. Also, WAGGGS National Trainers will now have dual reporting lines to this new position and the Development adviser to reflect their dual role in content development and delivery.  

• Events team: A new dedicated events team will be set up, to scale and grow the number of events we offer nationally, including GirlPowered, Discoveries, and exploring new event opportunities that meet the needs of girls and families  

• Membership Operations Lead: As technology forms an increasingly important part of how we deliver Guiding Experiences, we need the expertise to help us ensure our systems and tools meet the needs of our members and potential members. This role will help us to unleash the potential of new technology, help navigate any changes, and ensure our tools are simple and easy to use. 

• Marketing and New Opportunities: As well as promoting Guiding to girls, parents and volunteers across Aotearoa, the marketing team will be leading the charge to unlock new opportunities, such as new partnerships, innovative ways of having a positive impact on more girls, and diversifying our revenue to ensure GirlGuiding NZ is a strong and stable organisation for years to come.  

Take a look at the structure chart to see more detail here.  

Meet your new staff team! 

As Guides we know you like to Be Prepared, so meet your new go-to staff support team here.  

We know that change can be difficult, and we want to make this transition as seamless as possible for you as volunteers. The transition to the new structure will take place from 1 August 2022, so up until then, please continue to contact your Area Teams if you need support.  

We are in the process of recruiting for some of the staff and volunteer roles within our new team, and these new team members may not be in place by the time the new structure takes effect. While our current team will do their best, please be mindful of what the team are going through and be understanding while new team members learn the ropes. In time, we have every confidence that you’ll receive the same or better support as a result of these changes!  

Ka kite anō to some familiar faces 

As we look forward to a new way of working to support and grow our membership, we are saying goodbye to a few people who have made a significant difference to our organisation.  

Michelle Hart, Mary-Ann McAlister, Angel Fulljames, Emma Howe and Jessica Colvin have decided that now is the time to embrace new opportunities and will be moving on from the Guiding staff. Ngā mihi nui to them for the incredible contribution they’ve made to Guiding over the years. We wish them all the best for their future and know that they will remain close to Guiding through the many friendships they’ve made.  

If you have any questions about these changes, please feel free to get in touch. 
 

Ngā mihi nui,

Lauren McKinnon, GM Engagement and Experience