Guide Guides and Government

by DWtO Intern Hannah Jones    

 So this month, I stumbled across an article about a troop of Girl Guides in Toronto. The Girl Guides learned about politics  one evening, covering all their bases with lessons from a municipal, provincial, and federal woman politician.

They discussed the possible closure of Ontario Place, a beloved lakeside amusement park where I have many fond, sunburnt memories. The politicians gave the girls practical advice on what they can do about it. They chatted about something we talk about a lot at DWtO meetings: the inciting incident that sends women into politics.

Before you think this is some ploy to get voters (either to sway their parents, or a really, really long-term plan), check out the initiative these girls took:

“The evening was planned entirely by the girl guides, who range in age from nine to 11. Right now, the Girl Guides of Canada do not have a 'girls in politics' badge, however, the 89th unit would like to change that. The troop has sketched and voted on a political badge, which it will submit to the Girl Guide head office for future consideration.”

First Rebecca, the 13-year-old winner of DWtO’s video contest, and now these girls! Young women around the world are really running the show in the global conversation about women in politics.

This reminds me of idea that has been floating around in my mind ever since I facilitated diversity workshops in high school, and which had new life breathed into it by Dancing With the Octopus. I want to further develop the classroom-workshops tentacle to get kids, especially girls, not only interested in politics but excited about it.

If the 89th troop of Girl Guides succeeds in creating a 'Girls in Politics' badge, I hope DWtO can be a part of making the workshops happen. This is what I've loved about working with Dancing With the Octopus; I've really been able to make it my own, applying my own ideas and approaches to Sandy’s thesis.

I can’t wait to get kids pumped on politics, and to see what they’ll have to teach me along the way!

Hannah Jones is a Writing and Women's Studies student at the University of Victoria.

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