Guide uniform badge placement

[lisbethwasaguide]

I'm a new leader and have found it difficult to provide badge placement for parents. I used to love the old gilet but sadly discontinued; the material of the new hoodie has a waterproof feel and am not sure it will withstand
sewing? Possibly fabric glue? I don't know I haven't tried but have found it increasingly difficult to find a template for where to place the badges?
Brownies, scouts templates online you name it they are there except guides. I am going to try and do my own one though not sure how accurate regarding placement will be. Girl guiding website I felt was no help. Any ideas?

 

[Tez10]

I believe it's left to the girls themselves to decide where they want to put their badges in line with the policy of letting the girls make their own decisions about what they do etc. I know some prefer to put them on their camp blankets.

 

[fenris]

There is no template - for Brownies or Guides. Each girl chooses for herself whether or not to wear some/all of her badges on uniform, and if so what layout. Some decide to sew on uniform, some put them on a camp blanket, some put them in a scrapbook or album, some in a keepsake box.

I really think it would be best if you let the girls make their own choices, particularly at Guide age where it is valuable practice in decision making. It is their uniform, and it really should be their choice and preferences as to how it appears.

Badges are straightforward to sew on the shell jacket if an individual wishes - I would be wary of glue as once it's done the badge cannot readily be moved, and the badge itself can be damaged.

 

[floss]

badges sew on to the new Guide uniform fine. Our Guides that have badges on their uniform have them on the hoody, on the arms, front and back

 

[lisbethwasaguide]

Thank you to those that have replied and have taken on board your ideas. Definitely will make this a topic of conversation after half term.

 

[Dizzybint]

 

[Dizzybint]

We use this one in our unit as none of our guides wanted to sew them on as they thought they were too childish strewn everywhere
mine still have free reign if they want to but they like the smartness of this plan x

 

[fenris]

View attachment 17281

Sorry too see this. If we make their decisions for them, we deny them valuable practice at making small decisions - just at an age when some big and life-changing decisions are starting to loom.

 

[AngliaGuider]

I wouldn't be in support of a Guider-imposed plan, but if the Guides themselves have chosen to be unified in that particular way, then that is them making a decision, isn't it? In the same way as they choose everything else in their unit guidelines. A choice to be consistent is just as valid as a choice to vary, isn't it?

 

[Quack]

Quite often though it's not their decision, it will be their mothers as they still tend to sew them on ( or grandmothers ), so any assistance to them is appreciated.

 

[Dizzybint]

We got to the point where not a single one of out 38 guides had sewn them on anything the expensive badges sat in sewing boxes doing nothing.

Lots said they would like to sew them on but thought they looked too messy plastered everywhere. They asked as a group to have a guide to sewing them on. as a result about 20 have sewn them on. Some have made their own plan but its given them guidance to group the badges.

I have said that the only one that has to be on is the unit name tape.
The rest is up to them if they follow that guide. One has sewn her interest badges on her necker and that's all fine too. Its about encouraging them to be proud to display what they have done, and also not being embarrassed to have them on there. the other girls have put them on their blankets because that's what they are happy with doing and that is also fine too x

Its also caused a massive increase in girls wanting to earn badges which is amazing x

 

[caroline68]

Surely the point of a uniform is to all look the same? I totally get that the girls should make their own decisions, and we should encourage this, but there are a huge amount of other areas in guiding where they can do this.

 

[fenris]

Surely the point of a uniform is to all look the same? I totally get that the girls should make their own decisions, and we should encourage this, but there are a huge amount of other areas in guiding where they can do this.

To have a corporate look, yes. Hence the garments for each uniform are in a specific colour scheme and it is laid down quite specifically which garments count as uniform (and equally, which don't). But that is sufficient to produce uniformity - Guiding has moved on from the days when the colour of knickers was specified, and has accepted that uniformity can involve some flexibility.

 

[Burghilly]

Lots said they would like to sew them on but thought they looked too messy plastered everywhere. They asked as a group to have a guide to sewing them on. as a result about 20 have sewn them on. Some have made their own plan but its given them guidance to group the badges.

Its also caused a massive increase in girls wanting to earn badges which is amazing x

Sounds good to me. What's the point of going to the effort of earning a badge if they're not going to be displayed in some way? Maybe girls should be given the choice of a badge if they want to sew it on their uniform/ blanket or a certificate instead.

Badges on uniform can also be a great conversation starter - especially when you meet up at events with girls from other units.

 

[fenris]

Sounds good to me. What's the point of going to the effort of earning a badge if they're not going to be displayed in some way? Maybe girls should be given the choice of a badge if they want to sew it on their uniform/ blanket or a certificate instead.

Badges on uniform can also be a great conversation starter - especially when you meet up at events with girls from other units.

Absolutely - but there are more ways to display than sewn on - and some girls don't like having badges sewn on the garments. Having it as a free choice means those who choose to sew badges on may, those who choose not to equally may.

 

[edinguider]

I feel that as a uniformed organisation with a formal outfit there's nothing wrong with instructions about where to place badges. Using badge placement as a "freedom to make decisions" statement is a little silly.
Why not focus on other activities that encourage decision-making and let's wear the uniform neatly and with sensible badge positioning.

 

[fenris]

I feel that as a uniformed organisation with a formal outfit there's nothing wrong with instructions about where to place badges. Using badge placement as a "freedom to make decisions" statement is a little silly.
Why not focus on other activities that encourage decision-making and let's wear the uniform neatly and with sensible badge positioning.

Because it was in the official guidance that the girls should choose for themselves?

 

[badgemad4]

The reason why there is no longer a set or recommended placement is for a variety of reasons.

As already mentioned, to some extent it's to do with giving the young members choice. But we should also consider that for some families sewing or otherwise affixing badges might not be practical when they may need to remove them for a younger sibling to wear the same uniform later on. And some may wish to try and limit wear and tear so that they can recoup some of the cost of the uniform by reselling it afterwards.


I myself would prefer an official placement for "key" badges (promise, six/patrol, awards, annual challenge/adventure, and sixer/leader/second, local area emblem) and then allow choice for how interest badges are displayed. Brownie sashes without any order in my opinion look jumbled and scruffy, and oversized non official or fun badges look out of place on all uniform.

In my experience this is the sort of small thing (picking up girls on where they have placed badges) which tends to contribute to feelings of petty sentiment that turn girls and parents off Guiding.

Also a reminder that if you are a leader who is not happy with the fact that there is an official policy of no set placement or requirement to display on uniform, to email CHQ as well as posting on here. They do listen to some feedback from members on issues like this. After emailing about badges for TSS before I was informed that TSS wanted certificates not badges. Two years later they introduced octant badges because members said that they wanted otherwise. Other examples include: return to the use of "uniform" as an approved term and the legal team are now looking at being able to call TSS Rangers again.

 

[Willow]

Surely the key statement is this:

We use this one in our unit as none of our guides wanted to sew them on as they thought they were too childish strewn everywhere
mine still have free reign if they want to but they like the smartness of this plan x

- so her girls can choose whether to sew them on or not, and they can choose whether or not to follow her plan? The girls have asked for this plan, and some of them follow it, others don't - it has not been imposed on them! There is no requirement in her unit to have them sewn on like this, or sewn on at all! They ARE following CHQ's recommendations re choice.