Going Away With (GAW) Scheme

Want to take your girls away on a residential adventure?

Talk to your Commissioner but also think about which other leaders/adults would be able to help you. Usually a minimum of 3 adults are needed for a Residential. (All must be DBS checked for Girlguiding and have completed Safer Guiding (at least 2 leaders should have First Response or equivalent).

Once you have discussed it with your commissioner, and have her approval, you need to complete the Request to Start form (Link below).

Once you have completed the form we can assign you a mentor who will discuss the requirements of the scheme with you, and should make contact fairly soon. You will receive an email confirming the name of your mentor.

The GAW scheme is now fully online, you will need to register on the learning platform in addition to completing the request to start.

You will find it easier if you have some previous experience of residentials before you start, or arrange to visit other leaders residentials if you have not attended one before.

By the time you have worked through the eLearning modules and completed as much as you can before the event you should be ready for your assessment.

You will need to work closely with your mentor who will be able to offer support and answer any of your queries.

Worcestershire County Registration to Start Going Away With Scheme

You will also have to complete a Residential Event Notification Form (REN). Instructions are on the form and this needs to be sent to your commissioner at least 12 weeks before the event that you are planning.

What’s the difference between the old and new scheme – FAQs

If you’re a new learner, you’ll still need to speak with your local commissioner to do the scheme. You can self-enrol on the platform, but your county needs to know you’re doing it. This is so they can assign a mentor to you, someone to visit your residential, and verifier to sign off your submission. If you’re not sure who your local commissioner is, you can ask a local leader or check on GO.
The topics and areas of focus remain the same. The process of running residentials hasn’t changed either. The fundamental skills and knowledge that you need have been shaped into a digital format for effective learning and development. Trainers and advisers can still host support sessions to complement the online content. This can especially focus on local knowledge and practical advice such as, venue recommendations, dynamic risk assessments, pitching tents, and more.
The minimum and maximum numbers remain the same. You’ll need a minimum of 8 girls for Rainbows, Brownies or Guides and a minimum of 4 girls for Rangers. The maximum for all sections is 24 girls. This is the same for the core scheme and additional courses and is to gain the qualification only. Once qualified, there isn’t a minimum or maximum involved.
If you hold the old GAW, you won’t need to take the qualification again. You can continue to run 1-night indoor residentials with modules 1-4. However, we encourage going through the elearning content to refresh your knowledge. You can also complete any of ouradditional or top-up courses. For example, if you have modules 1-4 and would now like to run a 2-night residential, you’ll need to complete our programme, teamwork and venue management courses.

What’s new?

There are no more numbered modules. Instead, each area is referred to as a course. And the overall qualification is now known as the scheme, not license.
Completing the new core scheme will allow you to take girls away for 1, 2, 3 or more nights, instead of just 1 night. The exception is Rainbows, which can be no longer than 1 night and 2 days from drop off time to pick up time.
GAW is no longer section-specific. Once you gain the qualification, you can take any section away. This is as long as you complete the programme top-up course and ensure that at least 1 person on your leadership team has experience with that section. This applies to those who have completed the old GAW too. So, if you have a Brownie qualification and want to take Rangers away, for example, you’ll just need to complete the programme top-up course and ensure that at least 1 person on your leadership team has experience with Rangers.

What’s the difference between additional courses and top-up courses?

Our additional courses are great for leaders who either have the old or new GAW scheme but plan to run a camp and/or be responsible for catering. If you don’t have your module 5 (catering) or module 8 (camping) from the old scheme, you can complete these additional courses. If you’re completing the new scheme, you can do the additional courses at the same time or later down the line. In both cases, they’ll require speaking with your local commissioner first, getting a mentor assigned to you, having someone visit your residential, and then a verifier will sign off your submission.
Our top-up courses are great for leaders who hold modules 1-4 from the old GAW scheme and want to be skilled in programme, teamwork (a new course), or venue management (previously facilities). You won’t need to speak with your commissioner, have a mentor or run a residential for these. But you’ll need to work through the elearning activities thoroughly.

How will the new scheme be added to my GO record?

New learners will have their GAW core scheme automatically added onto GO once they complete the sign-up course. This will take up to 24 hours and will show as ‘in progress’. This is the same for additional courses. Once verified and signed off at the end, the status will update to ‘completed’ on GO.
Top-up courses will show on GO only as ‘completed’ once the elearnings have been finished. As these don’t require a mentor, they won’t be added as ‘in progress’. This applies to new learners and anyone who has their GAW already.

Is there a transition period between the old and new GAW schemes?

If you’ve already started the old GAW using the workbook, you can choose to continue or switch over to the new online scheme. Anyone using the workbook must have run their residential and have their qualification showing as ‘completed’ on GO by 30 November 2026. At this point, all material from the old scheme will be retired (except module 9 travelling abroad). And if your GAW (old scheme) doesn’t show as completed by 30 November 2026, it will be marked as abandoned and you’ll need to start on the new scheme.

Going Away With (GAW) Scheme

Want to take your girls away on a residential adventure?

Talk to your Commissioner but also think about which other leaders/adults would be able to help you. Usually a minimum of 3 adults are needed for a Residential. (All must be DBS checked for Girlguiding and have completed Safer Guiding (at least 2 leaders should have First Response or equivalent).

Once you have discussed it with your commissioner, and have her approval, you need to complete the Request to Start form (Link below).

Once you have completed the form we can assign you a mentor who will discuss the requirements of the scheme with you, and should make contact fairly soon. You will receive an email confirming the name of your mentor.

The GAW scheme is now fully online, you will need to register on the learning platform in addition to completing the request to start.

You will find it easier if you have some previous experience of residentials before you start, or arrange to visit other leaders residentials if you have not attended one before.

By the time you have worked through the eLearning modules and completed as much as you can before the event you should be ready for your assessment.

You will need to work closely with your mentor who will be able to offer support and answer any of your queries.

Worcestershire County Registration to Start Going Away With Scheme

You will also have to complete a Residential Event Notification Form (REN). Instructions are on the form and this needs to be sent to your commissioner at least 12 weeks before the event that you are planning.

What’s the difference between the old and new scheme – FAQs

What’s new?

There are no more numbered modules. Instead, each area is referred to as a course. And the overall qualification is now known as the scheme, not license.

Completing the new core scheme will allow you to take girls away for 1, 2, 3 or more nights, instead of just 1 night. The exception is Rainbows, which can be no longer than 1 night and 2 days from drop off time to pick up time.

What’s the difference between additional courses and top-up courses?

How will the new scheme be added to my GO record?

Top-up courses will show on GO only as ‘completed’ once the elearnings have been finished. As these don’t require a mentor, they won’t be added as ‘in progress’. This applies to new learners and anyone who has their GAW already.

Is there a transition period between the old and new GAW schemes?

Going Away With journey

Going Away License

Going Away With (GAW) Scheme

Want to take your girls away on a residential adventure?

Talk to your Commissioner but also think about which other leaders/adults would be able to help you. Usually a minimum of 3 adults are needed for a Residential. (All must be DBS checked for Girlguiding and have completed Safer Guiding (at least 2 leaders should have First Response or equivalent).

Once you have discussed it with your commissioner, and have her approval, you need to complete the Request to Start form (Link below).

Once you have completed the form we can assign you a mentor who will discuss the requirements of the scheme with you, and should make contact fairly soon. You will receive an email confirming the name of your mentor.

The GAW scheme is now fully online, you will need to register on the learning platform in addition to completing the request to start.

You will find it easier if you have some previous experience of residentials before you start, or arrange to visit other leaders residentials if you have not attended one before.

By the time you have worked through the eLearning modules and completed as much as you can before the event you should be ready for your assessment.

You will need to work closely with your mentor who will be able to offer support and answer any of your queries.

Worcestershire County Registration to Start Going Away With Scheme

You will also have to complete a Residential Event Notification Form (REN). Instructions are on the form and this needs to be sent to your commissioner at least 12 weeks before the event that you are planning.

What’s the difference between the old and new scheme – FAQs

What’s new?

There are no more numbered modules. Instead, each area is referred to as a course. And the overall qualification is now known as the scheme, not license.

Completing the new core scheme will allow you to take girls away for 1, 2, 3 or more nights, instead of just 1 night. The exception is Rainbows, which can be no longer than 1 night and 2 days from drop off time to pick up time.

What’s the difference between additional courses and top-up courses?

How will the new scheme be added to my GO record?

Top-up courses will show on GO only as ‘completed’ once the elearnings have been finished. As these don’t require a mentor, they won’t be added as ‘in progress’. This applies to new learners and anyone who has their GAW already.

Is there a transition period between the old and new GAW schemes?

Going Away With journey