Growth outcomes

Growth outcomes

Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting’s desired long-term outcome is for our members to reach their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world. 

A person’s “fullest potential” is strongly linked to their whole person development. Across the Movement, we have a shared approach to contributing to whole person development, adapted to our different contexts. We do this through our fundamentals (our purpose, values and method) as well as newer ways of expanding on the fundamentals (using the Girl Guide and Girl Scout Leadership Model and a brave, participatory and girl-focused learning environment).

By reflecting on the strengths of our approach, on girls’ and young women’s needs and aspirations today and on what helps adult members thrive in their roles, we have developed eight growth outcomes to capture the positive difference our Movement can make for the individual, and propose a framework for learner-led whole person development and empowerment towards our purpose:

In Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting, we want any and every member to...  

1. Be confident to be herself
2. Have integrity and make choices rooted in her values
3. Be curious and creative
4. Be prepared to adapt to change
5. Respect and feel part of nature
6. Be able to form meaningful connections with all
7. Care about the world and know how she can make a difference
8. Feel connected with something bigger than herself

The growth outcomes look simple, yet they weave together the key aspects of what we stand for as a Movement. They keep our purpose firmly in mind, integrate our fundamental principles as expressed in the original Promise and Law, and respond to the seven areas of whole person development. They also connect to our ten Girl Guide and Girl Scout leadership outcomes.

How the growth outcomes are used to support quality learning and development will be different in the youth programme and adult learning and development offer:

How we apply them will be different depending upon the age, roles, and needs of our members. Each Girl Guide and Girl Scout organisation can respond to the growth outcomes in a way which is true to their context. Adaptability is essential. By working towards the growth outcomes using our method, we can find a balance between having clear outcomes to aim for and ensuring the learning experience remains self-directed. Personal life experiences mean that each learner can draw what is most relevant to them from shared learning experiences. For example, taking part in a camp might allow one child to better understand the natural environment and the outdoors, but the same camp might mean more to another child by helping them learn how to better connect with others. 

We must remain aware that differences in learning, life experience and access to opportunity will affect how far members of all ages can learn, unlearn and relearn, and draw meaning from their experiences. Discrimination and inequity in opportunity has a big effect on an individuals’ learning journey. By taking a lifelong perspective on the learning journey we offer, and by recognising and valuing lifewide learning from a diversity of experiences and learning contexts, we can make learning in Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting a more inclusive and equitable experience.

Where Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting supports learners to develop the growth outcomes appropriately in each stage and role in the organisation, we make a meaningful contribution to each learner reaching their fullest potential. If the whole Movement works together towards these growth outcomes, it will give us the language and evidence we need to prove how what we do makes such a difference. will be able to tell the story of our collective global impact more clearly and effectively than ever before.