Monday 30 November 2015

Project Uplift Update

For the Our Community Challenge, I have been running a bra drive to support the work of Project Uplift.

Drop off boxes all ready to go!
So far I have collected around 55 bras plus a few extra goodies such as bathers. I asked my Guide Unit to help donate as well as some fellow Olave members and friends. Everyone has been super 'supportive' of this campaign.


Pottery class: Evaluation and gallery!

In August I started a 5 week pottery class. This was a huge challenge for me because I was super pregnant at the time and spent most of the day waddling around. Other than that, it was wonderful to try something new. Pottery is great in lots of ways - sensory - it feels amazing, creativity - making and producing works of art and useful things, sustainability - it is clay after all!

Work in progress:





Finished work:







Saturday 1 August 2015

Self Development Challenge: Pottery Week 1 Update

This week I started my Self Development challenge, which is working towards finishing a fifteen hour pottery course. My course run by WEA Adelaide on Tuesday mornings.

This week we made pinch pots which is one of the most basic items you start making in ceramics.

I enjoyed experimenting with some really basic tools on the edging.

After an hour or so we were then introduced to coiling techniques. I decided to make a flower pot, and discovered that I actually forgot to put a hole in the bottom of it when I started! I used a knife to cut out shapes, which was very similar to ideas other students in the class had.



The finished product! I am very happy with this one.
 Our tutor, Mary, encouraged us to buy some tools for our course, so I purchased a pottery tool kit at Eckersley's on Friday. I also called into Urban Cow Studio and was highly inspired by some amazing ceramic creations.




This challenge is for... Self Development
Grow as individuals through pursuing opportunities for SELF DEVELOPMENT
Participants of the Olave Program are encouraged to develop themselves and their
abilities. The Olave Program is designed to extend and challenge participants to go
beyond the boundaries of their comfort zone. As a result, they develop their personal skill
and abilities, taking on things that they would have otherwise thought impossible.

To satisfy this component, you are required to develop a new skill or interest, or
improve upon an existing skill or interest. 



Friday 10 July 2015

Chosen Components 1 & 2



I am about to send off my form for Olave Challenge today, so here is what I have chosen to explore:

Celebrate and develop a deeper understanding of Guiding through knowledge of our HERITAGE AND TRADITIONS.

Guiding has a strong and rich history. It is through celebrating the past and developing an understanding of where Guiding has come from that we can appreciate the modern
Guiding Movement.

To satisfy this component, you are required to explore the connections/links
between Guiding past, present and future. These connections may be local,
regional, national and/or international Guiding.



 




I have decided to research the introduction of the Australian Guide Program, and in turn, the rebranding of Girl Guides  Australia in 1996.




 




-As a young woman who has returned to Guiding after this time I find it incredibly interesting that such large changes were made to the Program, but I also would like to learn about the impacts, both positive and negative, it had on the Guiding community. It would be wonderful to discover what has been successful, and also learn from other Leaders about what has changed for them.




 




-Learning about this would help inform my conversations with parents and other adults about their years as a Brownie, and help answer questions about Guiding traditions.




 


-I hope to collate this information and publish it online on my Olave Challenge blog. I also hope to be able to write a short report and have it bound and stored in the State Archives.




Grow as individuals through pursuing opportunities for SELF DEVELOPMENT
Participants of the Olave Program are encouraged to develop themselves and their
abilities. The Olave Program is designed to extend and challenge participants to go
beyond the boundaries of their comfort zone. As a result, they develop their personal skill
and abilities, taking on things that they would have otherwise thought impossible.

To satisfy this component, you are required to develop a new skill or interest, or
improve upon an existing skill or interest.

I have decided to take a 15 hour pottery course with WEA Adelaide to satisfy this component. I have always been interested in visual art, and would like the opportunity to develop new skills in this area.

Aims of course: Learn all the basic techniques - slab building, press moulding, coiling, and wheel work. Glazing and simple yet effective decoration techniques covered.

Wednesday 22 April 2015

Our Community Challenge

Our Community
Support OUR COMMUNITY through voluntary service to Guiding and the wider world.
As individuals in today’s society, participants of the Olave Program are members of
multiple communities, including their local community, Guiding and family communities, as
well as the global community. All members of a community have rights and responsibilities
within their communities. One of the key responsibilities of every Guide and Olave
Program participant is to provide service to their community.
 

This challenge focuses on voluntary service, an important aspect of Guiding.
Participants of the Olave Program are encouraged to be agents of change within their
communities by speaking out, doing and educating on the issues about which they are
passionate.
 

To satisfy this component, you are required to participate in sustained regular
community service involving a minimum of forty hours over four months. This may
involve commencing a new service role, extending an existing service role (for
example, if you are currently a Leader you may consider running an event
involving unit(s) other than your own) or undertaking a variety of service projects.


For this aspect of the Olave Challenge, I have decided to run a bra drive to support the work of Operation Uplift.

As I have not received approval to begin my challenge yet, I have just came up with a few ideas to make the drive as successful as possible, as well as easy to fit within the award guidelines.

- I plan to run the bra drive, along with Olave members, at the end of May. We have ANZAC Day, followed by May as biscuit selling month, and I would like to get lots of publicity for the drive.

- I will need to start saving boxes and baskets to take to different location drop offs. The two Units I work at will help me collect bras, but I would also like to include other Units in our area, Guide House as well as some local schools or businesses nearby.

- I imagine this will take a lot of co-ordination on my part, and think I will get well over my forty hours in terms of community service!

- In October we are running an Olave Conference and intend on running a service project during our time. Bra sorting is a timely process and this would be an ideal activity because many hands make light work.

- After the Conference I will take the sorted bras to a transport company in Cavan who then take them to Tennant Creek to be distributed in the Northern Territory. Operation Uplift also services counties in the Asia Pacific Region, but given our location (and the fact we don't live on the Eastern Seaboard), this makes perfect sense.

For now this is about all I can do, other than do some research and get well informed about running a bra drive. I have some very eager people alongside me. I'm excited!

Wednesday 25 March 2015

Olave Challenge Syllabus

Background
The Olave Challenge is about challenging yourself to your highest level in service and two
other aspects of the Olave Program Framework. It can be considered a precursor to the
Olave Baden-Powell Award, but is not a prerequisite to this Award and can be completed
at any time you are eligible to participate in the Olave Program.

Introduction
The Olave Program has a strong emphasis on supporting the community through
voluntary service to Guiding and the wider world. The Olave Challenge is completed by
undertaking one service activity/project and two other activities from the Olave Program Framework.

Each activity should be developed by in consultation with your Award Support Group. You
may start working towards the Olave Challenge any time after your 18th birthday and you
must have completed it before your 30th birthday, taking a maximum of two years to
complete it.

Olave Program Framework
The Olave Program allows participants to engage in opportunities for personal challenge
through a flexible network, with a focus on service.

Participants of the Olave Program:
Show our commitment to Guiding through the PROMISE AND LAW
Support OUR COMMUNITY through voluntary service to Guiding and the wider world
Celebrate and develop a deeper understanding of Guiding through HERITAGE AND
TRADITIONS
Foster cultural acceptance and strengthen global links through experiencing
INTERNATIONAL GUIDING
Support, encourage and learn from each other through SOCIAL NETWORKS
Grow as individuals through pursuing opportunities for SELF DEVELOPMENT

Assessment
The Olave Challenge is Peer and Self-Assessed.
Self assessment means that in developing challenges you should reflect on your personal
journey and development and how you will be challenged.

Peer assessment is conducted by your chosen Award Support Group, which is a group of
at least four adult members of Guiding in Australia excluding yourself, two of whom must
be between 18 and 30 years of age. Where possible, the majority of your Award Support
Group is to be in this age group.

What do you need to do?
1. Read through the Olave Challenge Syllabus and develop your plan. It is important
to identify your chosen components, specify what activities you will undertake and
provide a time line for those activities.
2. Share this plan with your Award Support Group for approval before beginning work
on the Olave Challenge.
3. Once you have commenced, ensure that you document your progress and keep
your Award Support Group regularly updated.
4. After you have completed your chosen components, you will need to present a
report (written or verbal) to your Award Support Group for feedback.
5. Once your Award Support Group has agreed you have satisfactorily completed the
Olave Challenge, they will sign your form so that you can submit it to your State
Olave Program Manager or equivalent.

Olave Challenge Syllabus
The Olave Challenge is about challenging yourself to your highest personal standard.
You are required to complete one service challenge from the Our Community component
and two challenges chosen from the remaining components of the Olave Program
Framework. Each of your challenges should involve:
 Learning new skills or knowledge;
 Developing existing skills and knowledge further; and
 Having fun, developing new friendships and exploring new opportunities.

COMPULSORY COMPONENT

Our Community
Support OUR COMMUNITY through voluntary service to Guiding and the wider world.
As individuals in today’s society, participants of the Olave Program are members of
multiple communities, including their local community, Guiding and family communities, as
well as the global community. All members of a community have rights and responsibilities
within their communities. One of the key responsibilities of every Guide and Olave
Program participant is to provide service to their community.
This challenge focuses on voluntary service, an important aspect of Guiding.
Participants of the Olave Program are encouraged to be agents of change within their
communities by speaking out, doing and educating on the issues about which they are
passionate.
To satisfy this component, you are required to participate in sustained regular
community service involving a minimum of forty hours over four months. This may
involve commencing a new service role, extending an existing service role (for
example, if you are currently a Leader you may consider running an event
involving unit(s) other than your own) or undertaking a variety of service projects.

OLAVE CHALLENGE 2
Olave Challenge 3 of 5

CHOOSE TWO OF THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS
Promise and Law
Show our commitment to Guiding through the PROMISE AND LAW
The Promise and Law forms the values that all members of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting
around the world share. As Girl Guides we make a promise which encourages us to
develop as responsible local and global community members. As youth members we
have Leaders who mentor us to develop our understanding of, and commitment to, the
Promise and Law. As Olave Program participants we continue this journey although it is
now each individual’s responsibility to understand and engage the Promise and Law in
her life.

This challenge by its nature should be introspective. Each individual’s Promise and Law
journey is unique and this will be reflected in this challenge. However, participants are
encouraged to design a challenge that can be shared with others and will engage others
in their own Promise and Law journey.

After gaining a deeper understanding of the Promise, use what you have found to
demonstrate your commitment to the Promise and Law to those within and outside
Guiding.

To satisfy this component, you are required to explore your own understanding of
the Promise and Law and share your journey with others.

Heritage and Traditions
Celebrate and develop a deeper understanding of Guiding through knowledge of our
HERITAGE AND TRADITIONS.
Guiding has a strong and rich history. It is through celebrating the past and developing an
understanding of where Guiding has come from that we can appreciate the modern
Guiding Movement.

To satisfy this component, you are required to explore the connections/links
between Guiding past, present and future. These connections may be local,
regional, national and/or international Guiding.

International Guiding
Foster cultural acceptance and strengthen global links through experiencing
INTERNATIONAL GUIDING
Through the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) we are
connected to 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in over 140 countries. Participating in
international Guiding allows us to understand and accept cultural differences between
Guides while strengthening the global bond that we share.

To satisfy this component, you are required to strengthen your connection with
international Guiding. This can be done through developing your understanding of
yourself as a global citizen, fundraising and/or experiencing international Guiding.

Social Networks
Support, encourage and learn from each other through SOCIAL NETWORKS.
Social networks are connections between people that share common interests, activities
and experiences. Participants of the Olave Program are encouraged to develop their
social networks, both internal and external to Guiding. These social networks may be of
a formal or informal nature.

To satisfy this component, you are required to strengthen one or more of your
social networks, and encourage others to do the same.

Self Development
Grow as individuals through pursuing opportunities for SELF DEVELOPMENT
Participants of the Olave Program are encouraged to develop themselves and their
abilities. The Olave Program is designed to extend and challenge participants to go
beyond the boundaries of their comfort zone. As a result, they develop their personal skill
and abilities, taking on things that they would have otherwise thought impossible.

To satisfy this component, you are required to develop a new skill or interest, or
improve upon an existing skill or interest.