Celebrating 15 years of GFS Pittington

We’re proud to announce that GFS Pittington recently celebrated its 15th birthday.

We caught up with dedicated Group Leader and founder Jaci Dooley about her experiences volunteering for the for the Durham-based group over the last 15 years.

What has been your proudest moment as a GFS Group Leader?

It’s difficult to choose just one moment over the years. There have been many when you know you’ve made a difference – such as when a once very shy girl offered to do a public reading – to one of my youngest jumping up to welcome a new girl as soon as she walked in and then offer her the seat next to her.

I’m proud when I see the older girls, some of whom have been coming since they were seven, lead the others in games and activities and seeing how well they deal with responsibility.

I’m proud when we have our Annual Admissions and Presentation night, and I can step back and see how the group has progressed over the years. We have created an atmosphere within the group, where everyone has a say and they all have fun – I’m proud when parents tell me how much their daughters love coming along every week.

What have been your most memorable moments working with girls and young women?

There was a special moment when I met a former GFS girl several years after she had left. She had been quite hard to form a relationship with when she was part of the group. However, she asked if I remembered the time we went on a trip when our minibus had a flat tyre and we all had to wait two hours for it to be changed.

I had almost forgotten the incident and was touched that she remembered, I came away thinking, ‘maybe I did have a bit of an impact on her life after all’.

Have you seen any girls grow positively through participating in GFS activities over the years?

I have seen many girls change and grow while they have been coming to GFS. Most tend to come for several years – the oldest girl I have at the moment is 16, and she has been coming since she was seven.

It’s great to see them all develop in confidence and to feel they can be themselves. However, if they have been in trouble at school they often don’t want me to know – I think they want me to only think well of them!

The Junior Leader programme was very useful in giving the teenagers a role within the branch, and most were keen to take this on. I look forward to whatever is being developed for teenagers at the moment. Events such as the Diocesan Competition Day and the Seahouses Residential are also very important in seeing the girls become more confident and outgoing. I have been to Seahouses quite a few times and it feels like coming home when we go there now!

How do you think the needs and issues facing girls and young women have changed over the years? Are some things still the same?

There have been changes in the needs and issues facing young women. Obviously social media is a big part of their lives now, whereas it wasn’t when I first started the branch. There is a pressure to wear make-up and look great. It is nice that at GFS we can provide a space where this doesn’t happen – phones are not used during the meetings, no selfies are taken, and we talk to each other.

I also feel that they are under more pressure generally, at school to try to get good qualifications, and getting into University seems harder than it used to be. Family situations are very varied, and something we always need to be aware of. My group is in a village which although a former mining village many years ago, is not really an area of high depravation, so that is not a big issue for us, although we still have to be aware of some families.

Pittington is one of our most popular GFS groups, what’s your secret to running such a successful group for so many years?

I’m not sure if there is one! The group has evolved over the years as I have grown into the role. There is always a smile and a cheery welcome for everyone. We have a few simple rules, but mainly the group runs on respect and thoughtfulness as much as we can, and I try to keep up with what the girls are interested in (although this is harder as I get older and I only have sons, not daughters!). It takes commitment on the part of a Group Leader, to be there, to be reliable and to maintain a good relationship with girls and parents.

It has taken patience and hard work over the years, and I value support from other leaders in my area, especially Pam and Janice. I was starting to struggle with this commitment when thankfully Helen began in her role as Regional Development Coordinator – she has worked hard to find some extra help for me with the group.

What would you say to someone thinking of volunteering with GFS, but perhaps isn’t so sure?

To someone who is thinking of volunteering, I would say go along and find out. If you have the time to devote to it, you will get out more than you put in. I often come back from the our weekly meetings with a smile on my face!