Girl Guides Australia is celebrating 100 years of training in life skills today.

They say the organisation is just as relevant now as when it first began and its popularity is still rising.

Ella Feinberg Large reports.

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TRANSCRIPT

The Girl Guides celebrated their centenary in Brisbane’s Anzac Square selling their biscuits to passers by and creatively using the boxes to tell everyone their news.

Annie Elliot, Girl Guide: “The best thing about today would be being able to be with my friends and being able to sell lots of biscuits.”

Girl Guides say this year the biscuits will raise $400,000 the money going straight to the programs offered by the Guides.

Sue Van Eyk, State Commissioner for Girl Guides Qld: “Those programs help with leadership skills and self development, self awareness and making sure we live up to our mission of providing opportunities to girls to enable them to become confident, self respecting, responsible community members.”

Laura Herd, Girl Guide: “I joined because I heard girl scouts was a lot of fun.”

Georgia O’Dea, Girl Guide Leader: “Seven years ago I joined Girl Guides. I joined because of my sister actually and my mum thought it would be a great opportunity for us and she hasn’t been wrong so far.”

Girl Guides is the largest organisation throughout Queensland for girls from 5 to 26 years old.

Georgia O’Dea, Girl Guides Leader: “I’m in it for life now and for the future of Girl Guides I think another 100 years is coming on strong.”

Girl Guides originated when Robert Baden Powell created scouts for boys. The girls didn’t want to miss out and organisers say they are still going strong.

Sue Van Eyk, State Commissioner for Girl Guides QLD: “Girl Guides will be around for the next 100 years. Our programs remain relevant to the girls of today, and it changes to meet the trends in society as well.”

And she says Girl Guides numbers are increasing every year.

The organisation has more than 6000 members, 1000 leaders and thousands of parents who help out.

Ella Feinberg Large, QUT News.