King: Help girls become their best selves

Girl guides and former guides in attendance at James Street Methodist Church. (Photo courtesy: Lourianne Graham) Girl Guides must meet girls where they are and help them build the confidence to become the best versions of themselves, Chief Commissioner Jenifer King said. Speaking at a church service on Sunday at James Street Methodist Church to officially begin Guide Month, King said every girl enters guiding from a different starting point and may require different forms of support. King said some girls enter guiding confident and ready to lead, while others may be quiet, still finding their voices or facing challenges that are not immediately visible. “Our responsibility is not to expect every girl to start from the same place. Our responsibility is to meet her where she is, walk alongside her, and help her to take the next step,” she said. King said personal growth was not about becoming someone else but about becoming the best version of oneself. “It may mean finding the courage to speak up; it may mean learning a new skill. It may mean trying something you have never done before. It may mean making a mistake, learning from it, and trying again. It may mean discovering that you have leadership qualities you never knew you possessed. And sometimes growth is simply having someone believe in you until you learn to believe in yourself.” You Might Be Interested In She also challenged guiders to consider what each girl needs to help her progress. King said the association must continue creating spaces where girls feel safe, valued, and empowered while remaining grounded in the values of guiding. “Our goal is not simply to prepare girls for the future; it is to empower them to help shape that future,” she said. She urged girls to identify areas in which they wanted to grow, including their confidence, courage, relationships, faith, or leadership abilities. King hopes Guide Month would be a period of discovery, courage, confidence, and expansion for girls, guiders, and the wider association.