Joining the Catholic Guides of Ireland is a life-changing experience, explains Brenda Davison
MIND you, it's a bug I'm happy to have. I joined the Catholic Girl Guides of Ireland - now called CGI - a long time ago.
I started as a Brigín, but moved into Guides soon after and it was one of the best moves I ever made.
Girl Guides are often associated with the Baden-Powell motto of 'Be Prepared' and I have to admit that has stood me in good stead over the years.
I've pulled many a friend out of a hole by lending them a safety pin or producing a needle and thread when a button has fallen off.
Guiding then and guiding now are very different - and yet not so different at all.
The same fun, friendship, training and life skills that I encountered are all there but they have adapted to fit perfectly into the 21st century.
Girl guiding is a timeless phenomenon and it's also a worldwide phenomenon - I am one in 10 million.
When I joined the guides, however, I didn't know a lot about the association.
The mid- to late-seventies were chaotic enough in Belfast and initially guides was just somewhere I went and where my parents knew I would be safe.
That all changed after a few weeks of being a member - I lived for the guides and loved everything about my guide meetings.
All children have their moments and I no less than any other child.
My punishment wasn't having some fancy piece of technology confiscated though, but rather the threat of not being allowed to go to my guide meeting - I soon became very well-behaved.
I was addicted to guides, I guess, the way young girls today are addicted to Facebook.
As a child I suppose you could say I was a bit of a bookworm but my guide leaders introduced me to real-life c h a r acters and a variety of other activities - games, h i k i n g , c a m p ing, first aid and the patrol system.
Patrols have between six and eight girls in them and are all about teamwork and everyone using their talents to complete tasks together.
We would hold patrol meetings in each other's houses and Patrol Leader Council meetings in our leaders' houses.
My ambition, of course, was to be appointed a patrol leader and to win the patrol of the year competition.
When my patrol - the Snowdrops - won that competition, I was so proud. I have so many memories of good times and craic - getting snowed in at Easter camp, acting the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, walking in the Corpus Christi procession, writing up the weekly logbook, winning Guide of the Year, doing badges and hiking, among others.
These memories increased even more when I became a leader in the unit of which I had been a member and began to be actively involved in leadership in the organisation.
As a leader I then had the challenge of inspiring young girls to follow the guide prog r a m m e and to h e l p t h e m benefit f r o m similar experiences to the ones I had.
I believe I gained self-confidence, self-esteem and empathy. I had opportunities for growth and personal development and honed my communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.
I have no doubt that these skills have all helped me in my teaching career and my guiding friends have helped me through some tough times.
On my first leader training course I got locked in the bathroom of the hotel room but it didn't put me off.
I have served on the diocesan executive committee, the regional executive, the training team and the national executive board.
The friends I have made through guiding are lifelong friends and there is a great sense of camaraderie among us.
Just over a year ago I took on the role of regional commissioner for the Catholic Guides of Ireland.
It is a difficult job to lead, inspire and motivate our members with units spread out all over Northern Ireland.
Our organisation is volunteer-led and we provide a challenging, exciting and enjoyable programme for girls and young women.
I was very proud when we got a grading of 'very good' in our recent inspection, conducted by the Education and Training Inspectorate.
National and international opportunities abound for leaders. I've travelled around Europe, attended a conference in Cyprus and walked on the Great Wall of China - all as a member of CGI.
Our leaders are trained in everything they need to know from programme planning and camp skills to child protection and first aid.
So if you want to catch that bug I spoke of, get in touch with our regional office.
We have young members from age four to 17 and lots of opportunities for volunteers, and I would love to welcome you into our association.
* Brenda Davison has been a post-primary teacher in Belfast for 25 years and is the regional commissioner for the Catholic Guides of Ireland, a national association which is a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, through the Council of Irish Guiding Associations. More information by telephoning 028 9031 3639 or visiting www.girlguidesireland.ie.
* GUIDING INFLUENCE: Skills - and friends - for life are acquired through the Catholic Guides of Ireland