Sub-Officers

A Sub-Officer is a young leader of at least 16 years of age, appointed by the church and trained by Girls’ Brigade. She is responsible to the Captain and her role is to provide practical help with the younger girls in the company and to act as a link between girls and Officers.

About the role

Main Responsibilities:

  • To promote aim of Girls’ Brigade

  • To create and maintain good relationships with the leaders in your GB Company and support them in their roles

  • To assist your Company’s leaders in maintaining a safe, caring environment for everyone

  • To attend GB sessions regularly, assisting with the supervision of groups of girls as required

  • To attend planning meetings as requested

  • To follow any legal requirements and GBNI safety policies

  • To comply with your GB Church’s and/or GBNI policies and procedures

  • To undertake any specific duties requested by your Captain or other leaders

Sub-Officer Uniform

In Girls' Brigade we wear uniform because it enables equality and promotes a sense of belonging. We provide different uniform for the various leadership roles in GB. All items of uniform may be purchased from our walk in shop at GBHQ. Uniform can also be ordered from our online shop.

Sub-Officer Uniform

Awards

Once the Brigader Brooch is awarded and young people move into leadership, they no longer complete badgework to gain badges. All leadership roles gain awards for their service/attendance. Badges will vary depending on leadership role.

How to achieve awards

Leadership Skills

We all have different skills and abilities.  It is important to look at those gifts and see how we can apply them within the context of GB so that we may fruitfully serve God.

As leaders in The Girls’ Brigade, we need to know Christ as Saviour and Lord and have a knowledge and understanding of God’s Word.  Leaders should have a love and a passion to work alongside girls, and a desire to fulfil The Girls’ Brigade's Aim ‘To help girls to become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.’

Having good leadership skills:

It is important to develop good relationships with the girls:

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  • Know each girl and her individual needs

  • Treat her as a person – talk to her and listen to her

  • Visit her when she is ill

  • Remember birthdays

  • Pray regularly for each girl by name

  • Give plenty of encouragement

Build positive relationships with parents:

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  • Keep them regularly informed of all that goes on in the company

  • Meet and greet parents on company night to get to know them by name

  • Organise parent socials to encourage them to be more active in church life

  • Enlist parents help ie. catering, making costumes etc.

Develop a strong team of leaders:

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  • Operate with other leaders and respect them – work together

  • When allocated a job, do it well and thoroughly

  • Be respectful of other leaders – encourage rather than criticise

  • Step up into a particular role if needed

View all FAQ

Training for Leaders

GBNI provides a wide range of in-house training and workshops to assist its volunteers. It also provides a bespoke Sub-Officer and Officer training course.

Learn more about GB Training

GBNI Youth Forum

GBNI is committed to delivering effective, inclusive youth work and recognises the way to do this is through youth-led decision-making. For young women aged 16 - 25.

Get involved

Duke of Edinburgh's Award

The DofE is a life-changing adventure for young people aged 14-24 and is a great opportunity for young people to develop skills for their future life and work.

Young people can take part in the Award at three levels: Bronze, Silver or Gold. Participants achieve an Award by completing a personal programme of activities in four sections (five if going for Gold).

Find out more

Queen's Award

The Girls' Brigade Queen's Award is the highest Award a GB member may gain during her years in the Girls' Brigade.

The Award aims to encourage girls and young women aged 16- 25 to a personal commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, while respecting other faiths; inspiring them to greater endeavour in service within the general community and to make a contribution to the worldwide concept of The Girls' Brigade.

Find out more

Mentoring

‘WALK WITH ME’ is a resource that has been developed by a range of Irish denominations and youth ministries. Working in tandem with one another, they have created a resource that will encourage deep inter-generational relationships which are anchored in Scripture, prayer and growth. By creating these mentoring relationships, we hope that we will be helping our girls to step closer to Jesus and equipping them to Seek, Serve and Follow Christ further.

This resource will enable our GB companies to support our girls, aged 14+, by meeting in ones or twos with a committed Christian (a mentor) for an hour every couple of weeks to catch up, discuss the Bible and pray.

Find out more

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