Ruddington’s Becky Howie, 17, has just returned from a week in Scotland helping to run an international event for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). Some 500 delegates from 104 countries attended the 34th World Conference, which ran from 11-16 July at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University.
The WAGGGS World Conference is held every three years in a different country and brings together members of its 145 affiliated organisations, representing 10 million members around the world.
The 2011 event was organised by Girlguiding UK, who selected Becky from hundreds of applicants to be part of its 30-strong service team.
‘I spent a lot of time on the help desk, checking everyone in, dealing with queries and making sure people were in the right place at the right time,’ says Becky. ‘I was also assigned to door duties, which meant preventing people from entering during voting times. That was tricky at times!’
A member of Girlguiding Nottinghamshire’s Ranger Unit in her home village of Ruddington, Becky Howie is a Young Leader with the 2nd Ruddington Brownies and was a volunteer at last year’s Girlguiding UK Centenary Camp, whetting her appetite to join the WAGGGS conference support team. Having just finished her AS levels, she starts A level courses in English Literature/Language, Chemistry, Psychology and History at Rushcliffe School in West Bridgford in September. Becky is also a county finalist in the YOPEY (Young People of the Year) awards.
‘I wanted to be a part of the WAGGGS World Conference to meet the women who run Guiding on an international scale, to find out how the organisation works and how decisions are made,’ explains Becky. ‘It was great to feel a part of something this big and I gained so much respect for the women there after hearing their stories. My time at the Conference also reinforced what I love about Guiding – the opportunities to meet people from around the world, to achieve amazing things and to really make a difference, not only in our own communities but also worldwide.’
Kate Royse, County Commissioner for Girlguiding Nottinghamshire, added ‘I’m delighted that Becky has made the most of this fantastic opportunity. As well as gaining an insight into how such a large event works, she clearly has come home with many stories and experiences to share.’
