For Parents

Are you looking for a fun youth organisation for your daughter?

Then why not check out your local Girls’ Brigade company as we offer a full range of enjoyable activities that cater for all girls aged 3 - 18 years. 

Our varied programme is designed to educate, challenge, and inspire, as well as provide Christian teaching that is relevant and meaningful to girls today. We help them work towards badges in four key areas - spiritual, physical, educational, and service. Weekly activities include Bible teaching, games, crafts, drama, singing and helping others. Girls can also participate in camps, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and young leadership training. Awards can be achieved for regular attendance at company nights.

All our GB companies meet weekly outside school hours usually in the evenings from September to April/May each year. Each company has trained friendly female volunteers who are there to support and encourage your daughter whilst at GB. We are based in 269 local churches/missions across Northern Ireland. It is not necessary to be a member of the local church/mission to join a GB company; although we would welcome you and your family to come along to Sunday services and get involved in other church activities.

Discover God and the relevance of the Bible today.

Be creative, enhance sporting talents, and enter competitions.

Have fun in a safe and caring environment.

Make lifelong friends.

Build confidence and self-esteem.

Develop practical skills and life skills.

Escape from the pressures of school.

Find a place where girls can be girls.

Find a sense of belonging.

Gain access to The Duke of Edinburgh's Award and other award schemes.

Discover our sections

Age 3 - 7

Explorers

Age 8 - 10

Juniors

Age 14+

Brigaders

Age 11 - 13

Seniors

GBNI Policies

Girls’ Brigade NI is committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all of our members so that they can participate in a relaxed and secure atmosphere.

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Helpful information for parents

How can my child join GB?

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Girls can join GB at any time, but the best time is always at the start of a new Session in September. Click here to find your local GB company, where you can view general details about the company, including its meeting night and running times.  Feel free to contact the Company Captain using their associated @gbni email address or call in on their meeting night. They will gladly tell you about their GB company and the programme planned for this coming GB Session.

Who leads GB?

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Each GB company is led by a female volunteer from the church/mission, referred to as the Captain. She will have other female Leaders to help her, who may oversee a particular age group, referred to as Officers. Each company may also have some additional female Helpers who work under the supervision of the Captain or an Officer. Each company also has a Chaplain, usually, this will be the minister/pastor of the church/mission. The Chaplain is the most senior Officer in the company and must approve all nominations for leadership training.

To become a Captain or Commissioned Officer in GB, each Leader must undergo comprehensive training certified by GBHQ, in areas such as Child Protection, programme planning, leadership skills, practical skills, and safety etc. There is also ongoing training for Captains and Officers in programme areas such as sports, crafts, drama, camp leadership, music, modern dance, etc.

All Leaders must hold a valid AccessNI Enhanced Disclosure Certificate and up-to-date Child Protection Training (renewed every three years and organised by the church/mission).  
 

The local church/mission provides:

  • Leadership and Overall Management

  • Premises

  • Insurance

  • Pastoral support

  • Financial support

Are there costs involved?

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Each GB company pays a subscription per member to GBHQ each year.  Currently, this is just over £16.00 per girl per year. The GB company may ask parents to contribute by giving a small weekly donation and/or a one-off amount at the start of the year.  GB companies may run a collection week every February to increase GB funds. This is known as "GB Week", where each girl is supplied with a collection card to gather donations from friends and family. Some companies also fundraise during the year for company funds or a local charity, which parents are asked to support. Details of the membership cost may vary and can be found by emailing the company directly using the contact details in this website's Find a GBNI Company section. 

What uniform will my child need?

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The girls wear a distinctive uniform that promotes a sense of belonging, equality, and identity. Each section in GB has its own uniform. All uniform items can be purchased from our GB shop at GBHQ or ordered online. Provision for uniforms varies from company to company, as some companies operate a uniform swapping system or sell second-hand items for a nominal charge. Go to the relevant section page and view the official uniform required for girls in that section.
 

What are the policies around safeguarding at GBNI?

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GBNI is committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all its members to participate in a relaxed and secure atmosphere.

GBNI and the local church train volunteers and Staff on safeguarding issues and share information about good practice on an ongoing basis, ensuring that volunteers and Staff are clear about what steps to take when concerns arise regarding the safety of children, young people, and adults at risk of harm.

GBNI works with local churches to ensure that good, safe procedures are in place in its GB companies and that sound recruitment procedures are in place.  We also work in partnership with parents/carers and/or other professionals to protect children/young people and adults at risk of harm.  All volunteers and Staff (if appropriate) in GBNI must be thoroughly vetted via AccessNI for their roles within the organisation.

GBNI collaborates with its volunteers and Staff to minimise the risks to children and young people by sharing information and issuing guidance on safe practices. For a full list of our current policies and procedures and downloadable information leaflets for parents, visit the Our Policies page on this site.   

If you would like to report a concern, you can speak directly with your Church's Designated Child Protection Officer or contact our GBNI Designated Child Protection Officer by calling 028 9454 8054.

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Find your nearest GBNI Company

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