Welcome to Link!!

As your Link Advising Team, we would like to welcome you to this year in Guiding. We have lots of ideas to make this year a great, but first here is a little info on us.

Kimberly Moss: Provincial Link Adviser
Kim was a girl member in Lions area where she joined guiding as a six-year-old Brownie and has loved it ever since. She was a Brown Owl for the last 4 years in South Vancouver Island Area (SVI) during her times studying for her BSc. in Geography at UVIC. She has just moved to the Vancouver area and not sure what new roles she will take on in Guiding over here.in addition, of course, to being the BC Link Adviser.

Pippa Adams: Deputy Provincial Link Adviser
Pippa also started Guiding as a Brownie at age seven, and has been a member of SVI ever since. She was an active member of the BC CAJURA Council and is now also a Brownie Guider while going to UVIC. She spent a year in Southern England and had the opportunity to be involved in both a Guide and Brownie unit while there.and got to visit Pax Lodge!

Goals for this year:
This year we would love to see THREE regional link retreats in May (and we are on the look-out for key people to help organize them!). We'd love to have your input on activities and ideas on these events. Please send us an email at link@bc-girlguides.org. We want to know what you're up to in your Guiding Community! Send us information, photos and ideas from the Link Activities you are up to.
Remember that even if you don't have a Link group near by, you can still keep in contact with us and be active your area. Who knows? You might even recruit enough Link members to start a network/group! Let us know what you'd like to see for Link your area or provincially! We would LOVE to hear it (i.e., Link Challenge, Camps, International trips.)

How to Keep Involved:
Have you heard of the national e-group on Yahoo for Link across Canada? It is a great way to stay connected and discuss Guiding with other Link across the country.

Are you registered in the right area? Have you moved for university and not updated your iMIS profile? You can have two addresses in iMIS, one which is your home (where you do most of your Guiding) and a second one that you still move to once and a while (i.e., your parent's place). To set this up, contact your iMIS Adviser to get your profile and get set up correctly. Remember that all adult members of Guiding do pay the annual membership fee to National to belong to the organization. You pay this fee to the unit/council you work with closest to the girl. For example, if your are a unit leader, you would pay your membership fee through your unit, and not pay through Link. However, if you aren't working with a unit, you would pay through your Link unit, or the Council that you are registered through. Confused? Just contact us and we will walk you through this.

Are you interested in being an Area Link Contact?
This person helps to get connect Link members (old and new) with other Link members in the area, keep their area aware of what Link are up to, and also help maintain communication with area and us. If you are curious about this, please email us for more info, or ask your Area Commissioner!

POR Definition of LINK

"Women between the ages of 18 and 30 may register as Link members, but may also hold positions in Guiding. Link members are encouraged to support Guiding; however, they can, and may, participate in activities with other Link members, units, districts, divisions, areas, and provinces.

For women who have not been enrolled as adult members, the commissioner concerned is responsible for ensuring they meet the requirements for adult enrolment, become enrolled, and are registered. They may register as individuals or groups with a district, division, area or Provincial Office.

Link members wear the Link pin.

Check out Burnaby Royal Area Link members, who get together once a month and are always doing fun new activities.

Kimberly Moss
Provincial Link Adviser
Girl Guides of Canada - BC Council
E-mail: link@bc-girlguides.org

To exchange ideas with other Link members, please subscribe to the National Link email list at:
national_link-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Want to Join?

Call us at 1-800-565-8111, contact our Provincial Link Adviser by email at link@bc-girlguides.org or get in touch with a Link Adviser in your area. To find out which Guiding area in BC you are from, visit our Around BC page. It will give you local areas' contact information and web sites.

Link Brochure

Print the BC Link Brochure (coming soon!) and use it to retain and recruit! You can also pick up the Link brochure from Area PR Advisers.

National Link Service Challenge

“Citizens of the World” was the theme of 2004’s National Link Service Project, where Link Members and groups across the country make a united effort to provide service and promote Link. To see other service opportunities, visit our Service Projects page.

HIV/AIDS: An Important Issue for Girls, a Worldwide Problem for Women

Condoms, safe sex and HIV/AIDS prevention? Is this something that Girl Guides should talk about and learn about? “Girls worldwide say” so and so do we! On February 4th, 2007, forty-three Pathfinders, Senior Branches, Link, Guiders and friends crowded into to Guide House for the third “AIDS In Your World” seminar organized and run by Victoria Potluck Link members. Many came out of personal interest or to complete program like the new Pathfinder badge “Hot Topics For Youth” which covers HIV/AIDS and advocacy. Click here to find out more!

National Website

On the National Website, check out the National Link Newsletters. They are full of stories, updates and resources. And don't miss the Link Resources page.

General Guidelines for Becoming Part of an Active Link Group

1) Find out if there is already an Active Link Group in your area that you aren't aware of and join it.

2) If there is no group in your area, or you would still like to start your own unit, contact other Link members in your area to see if they are interested.

3) Contact your Area Commissioner to let her know your interest and if she can help you in any way (meeting place, spread the word, etc.)

4) Send out a flyer through Council meetings or put an ad in your Area newsletter to call anyone interested to an introductory meeting.

5) At the meeting discuss what the group is interested in, long term projects (e.g., Duke of Edinburgh Award, planning a camp) and short term plans for frequency of meetings, meeting place, Guiding events and other activities. Ask for volunteers to coordinate certain activities and projects so one person is not doing everything. Consider how you will communicate with each other (e-mail works well for most groups, but remember to phone those who don't have e-mail access). Also consider fundraisers (cookies, opportunities within Guiding, within your community).
* Remember that fundraising requires a purpose and permission from a Guiding council.

6) Discuss with your Commissioner the best way for the group to stay informed about Guiding events in your area. Consider sending a member of the Link group to Council meetings or relying on your area newsletter.

7) Please contact Provincial Link Advisor to answer any questions or give assistance along the way. Once your group is up and running let the Provincial Office know who is participating.
* Each member participating in an Active Link Group is registered under that group in iMIS. Your updates are very important for keeping track of Link activities in the province.