Contents Service Unit 5 Girl Scouts’ Organizational Structure 6 National Organization / Worldwide Sisterhood 6 Your Council – Girl Scouts of Silver Sage 6 Your Support Team 7 8 Mission and Vision 8 GS Promise and Law 8 Girl Scouts of United States 9 Girl Scout Leadership Experience, Three Keys 9 Connect Online 9 The Girl Scout Troop 9 Troop Basics 10 in Every Grade level 10 What is the Role of Troop Leader/Co-Leader 10 What is my Number 11 What girls are in my troop 11 When, Where, and How often will my troop meet 11 How is troop meetings structured 11 Opportunity Catalog 11 Other Flexible Ways to Participate 12 Juliette Scouting 12 and the Girl’s Guide 13 14 Volunteer Tool Kit (VTK) 14 15 Safety Checkpoints 16 17 Outdoor Progression 18 The Girl Scout Cookie Program 19 Management 20 Paperwork 21 Resources 22 Training 23 26 26 26 27 27 27 Volunteer Appreciation Week 28 Annual Conference 28 30 31 5 Ways Girl Scouts Leaders 32 Why do these Five outcomes matter 33 Top Reasons Why Should Get Outdoors 34 – the Three Processes 35 36 36 37 My Promise, My Faith Pin 38 The Girl Scout Cookie Program 38 Outdoor Adventures 38 GSUSA Destinations 38 GSUSA Getaways 38 Spanish Language Resources 38 39 39 40 40 40 41 Hosting a Girl Led event 42 43-44 46 46 47-52 52
Girl-Volunteer Partnership 52 52 52 53 53 53 55 55 55 Using “I’ statements 55 Arranging meetings with Parent/Guardians or Friends and Family Network 56 Registering in Girl Scouting 57 58 A Variety of Forms of Publications 59 Registering with Cognitive Disabilities 60 Raising Amazing Girls 60 62 62 : Girl Scout Safety Guidelines 62-63 64 64 65 66 67 67 Health Histories 68 69 70 70 Aider 70 Access to EMS 71 First Aid Kit 71 Procedures for Accidents 71 Reporting Accidents/Incidents 72 Sensitive Topics 73 Reporting Concerns 73 HOW TO REPORT 74 76 76 New Start Up Funds 77 Disbanding Troop 77 78 Recordkeeping 78 Reporting 78 Primary Money Sources 79 80-81 Working with Community Partners 81 82 Donations 82 83 83-84 86 86 87 88 Transporting Girls 89 VOLUNTEER TOOL KIT (VTK) 89 90 Five Star Troop Award 91-85 Service Unit Program Events 95 Appendix: Travel 96 96 From the Birth of Girl Scouting to the World Centers 96 Traveling with 97-98 Seeking Council Permission 98 98-99 Using Cookie Dough for Cadette and Older Troop Travel Involving Chaperones 100 Transporting 101 Letting Girls Lead 101 Tips for traveling alone 102 Staying safe during the trip 102 Travel Security and Safety Tips 103
Just as you’ll receive support throughout your volunteering experience, when you reach the end of your Girl Scout year, you’ll want to talk with your support team about the positive parts of your experience, as well as the challenges you faced. The end of your troop year, camp season, overseas trip, or series/event session is just the beginning of your next adventure with Girl Scouting! If you’re ready for more opportunities to volunteer, or know someone who is, be sure to let our Council Membership Support Team know how you’d like to be a part of girls’ lives in the future—whether in the same position or in other, flexible ways. Volunteer Appreciation Month Volunteer Appreciation Week—a special week in April—is set aside especially for you. Girl Scouts pay tribute to the volunteers who help girls make the world a better place. The week centers on the National Girl Scout Leaders’ Day (April 22). Annual Conference The Annual Conference is held year in April. Annual Conference is an opportunity for all Council members (volunteers, staff, and Board members) to come together socially to celebrate and award member success and dedication, receive valuable professional development, share best practices, and update members on Council efforts and business strategies. In addition, elected delegates participate in the Annual Business Meeting which elects members to the Board of Directors and reviews changes to by-laws and governance. This year’s Annual Conference will be held on April 27-28, 2018 in Boise, ID. EVERYONE IS INVITED! We encourage you to participate by: Nominating outstanding Volunteer Girl Scouts for recognition at the Annual Awards Luncheon. See Appendix: 2017-18 Volunteer Recognitions Manual for list of awards, qualifications, and how to nominate an outstanding Volunteer member. Contact for questions and assistance. Volunteering as a delegate for the Annual Business Meeting. Delegates are elected in the fall by each Service Unit so that every service area is represented. Registering and attending the Annual Conference, includes: Friday night reception Saturday morning round table discussions and workshops Saturday afternoon Awards Luncheon, honoring outstanding service by volunteers and staff standing
Girl Scout Juniors At the Girl Scout Junior level (fourth and fifth grades), girls . . . This means . . . Want to make decisions and express their opinions. Whenever possible, allowing to make decisions and express their opinions through guided discussion and active reflection activities. Also, have girls set rules for listening to others’ opinions and offering assistance in decision making. Are social and enjoy doing things in groups. Allowing to team-up in small or large groups for art projects, performances, and written activities. Are aware of expectations and sensitive to the judgments of others. Although it’s okay to have expectations, the expectation is not perfection! Share your own mistakes and what you learned from them, and be sure to create an environment where girls can be comfortable sharing theirs. Are concerned about equity and fairness. Not shying away from discussing why are in place, and having girls develop their own rules for their group. Are beginning to abstractly and critically, and are capable of flexible thought. Juniors can consider more than one perspective, as well as the feelings and attitudes of another. Asking girls to explain why they made a decision, share their visions of their roles in the future, and challenge their own and others’ perspectives. Have strong fine and motor skills and coordination. Engaging girls in moving their minds and their bodies. Allow girls to express themselves through written word, choreography, outdoor exploration, and so on. Love to act in create music, and dance. Girls might like to tell a story through playwriting, playing an instrument, or choreographing a dance. May be starting puberty, which means beginning breast development, skin changes, and weight changes. Some may be getting their periods. sensitive to girls’ changing bodies, possible discomfort over these changes, and their desire for more information. Create an environment that acknowledges and celebrates this transition as healthy and normal for girls. Love to experience challenge in a safe, environment. Providing girls the opportunity to go outside to challenge themselves physically and mentally will allow them this opportunity.
Painting house numbers on curbs with volunteer supervision and homeowner permission (observe local ordinances) Collecting trash after community events (following strict safety guidelines) Hosting a fundraising event such as a games or badge workshop, fair, etc Running a concession stand at a Girl Scout event Holding a cookout, spaghetti feed, barbeque, etc. for Girl Scout families Wrapping gifts Putting on parties or story hours for children. Hosting a face painting booth (follow all applicable health ordinances) Hold a lunch-box auction, where you prepare a meal and auction it off Charge for a cooking class or other specialty class Collect donated frequent-flyer miles Hold a silent auction (donations from businesses or Girl Scout families auctioned off) Ushering or helping in ways at special events in the community Although you cannot resell products, you can offer services, such as the following: Collections/Drives: Cell phones for refurbishment Used ink cartridges turned in for money Christmas tree recycling Food/Meal Lunch box auctions (prepared lunch or meal auctioned off) Themed meals, like high tea, Indian meal, Mexican dinner (if girls are earning money for travel, tie the meal to their destination) Service(s): Service-a-thon (people sponsor a girl doing service; funds go to support trip) Babysitting for holiday (New Year’s Eve) or Council events Raking leaves, weeding, cutting grass, shoveling snow, walking pets Cooking class or other specialty class Prohibited Fundraising Activities and/or Events Product demonstrations parties Raffles and drawings Games of chance Activity or that raises or solicits money for other organizations, including walkathons, telethons, or similar activities Grant-writing activity conducted on the Internet, including e-bay and Craig’s Lis. Fireworks sales Sales of commercial products Solicitation of customers at a business (such as distributing flyers for a Girl Scout pizza night at a local restaurant) gofundme.com Working with Community Partners