Structure
Girls’ Brigade in Scotland is an autonomous organisation and is registered with OSCR as a charity (SCO10980). We are part of Girls’ Brigade International which has over 50 countries in membership. Closer to home we meet regularly with our GB colleagues in Girls’ Brigade Europe. In 2018 we celebrated the 125th anniversary of GB which started in Dublin in 1893 and swiftly developed across the world to the organisation we know today.
Companies
Girls’ Brigade is open to all girls from P1 – S6 and they meet in local units known as Companies run by volunteer adult Leaders. Each Company will normally have a Captain or Leader-in-Charge who is responsible for overseeing the work of the Company and is appointed by the Church to this key role. Girls’ Brigade is a Christian organisation and a Company must be affiliated to a Church or some other form of Christian mission. Each Church is responsible for its GB Company and will undertake recruitment and appointment of Leaders who are then trained by Girls’ Brigade Scotland. Each Company will have a Chaplain, normally the Minister of the Church but who may also be an Elder or some other person appointed by the governing body. The Chaplain is classed as a Leader within Girls’ Brigade and should have an active role within the Company.
Divisions
Each Company is attached to an area group known as Divisions. Divisions are run by a Commissioner, a Leader elected by their peers to be the volunteer manager, who is supported by a small team of volunteers. The role of the Commissioner and their team is to support Leaders within the Division and most Divisions organise fun days, competitions and social events for members. The Commissioner also acts as the link between Companies and Girls’ Brigade Scotland at national level.
All Companies and Divisions are part of Girls’ Brigade Scotland which is responsible for safeguarding, training, programmes, insurance, policies, supporting adult volunteers, statutory compliance, liaising with Churches and other external agencies. Girls’ Brigade Scotland is a Company Limited by Guarantee (Company SC332331) which is run by volunteer Directors, known as the Executive.
The Executive
The Executive is made up of a President, 2 Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, Chaplain, 6 elected members and the Chief Executive, who is a non-voting member. Up to 3 other members can be co-opted as required and 2 of these slots are usually filled by young leaders under the age of 25. The Executive is responsible for setting the strategic direction for the organisation and the Chief Executive, along with a small staff team, is responsible for delivering this as part of the operational day to day management of Girls’ Brigade in Scotland.
As in any organisation our structure is made up of a number of elements. In Girls’ Brigade Scotland the key element is the girls and young women served and this is achieved by close cooperation at local, divisional and national level by volunteers and staff.
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts,
1st Corinthians 12, verse 12
but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.”