Fall is typically the time for Back to Troop for another year of fun and friendship! Find resources in the Back to Troop Reference Guide to help get your troop’s year off to a spectacular start!
Successful Troop Experience
Finance
Fall Programs & Events
Council Support Resources
It's time to reflect on the troop's accomplishments from the year and start planning for the next year. Use the Spring Troop Management Guide to get started.
Resources
The Girl Scout Leadership Experience is based on three keys—discover, connect, and take action—but it’s not just for your troop. As a Girl Scout volunteer, you will embark on your own leadership journey as you help Girl Scouts develop the leadership skills they’ll use to make the world a better place. Here are a few basic concepts that outline what leadership means in Girl Scouting.
Leadership is teaching your Girl Scouts:
As a leader, see yourself as a coach who:
It is important to remember that:
Your commitment to Dakota Horizons and Girl Scouts:
Following Dakota Horizons' Volunteer Policies & Procedures. These procedures are established by council to:
Your responsibilities as a Girl Scout volunteer include:
Depending on the ages of your Girl Scouts, you might take the lead in guiding the structure and experiences of your troop—from how and when meetings are held to how the troop communicates, from steering girl-led activities to setting financial expectations. You’ll make these decisions collaboratively with your volunteer team or co-leader, as well as with input from Girl Scouts and their parents and caregivers.
Use the questions below to guide your conversations with your troop committee volunteers or co-leader before discussing these topics with parents and caregivers.
Kick off a fun-filled troop year with the help of the Troop Year Plans. This resource is perfect for first-time troop leaders who are ready to start their troop activities right away. From meeting guides and badge resources to tips for connecting with families, you’ll find just what you need for a great year.
Meeting places should be welcoming. This could mean locations that serve diverse populations, are openly inclusive, have diverse staff, and use welcoming language. What makes a great meeting space? It depends on your troop, but here are a few considerations as you visit potential locations:
Need a few talking points to get the conversation started? Try…
“I’m a Girl Scout volunteer with a group of [number of members] Girl Scouts. We’re doing lots of great things for youth and for the community, like [something your group is doing] and [something else your troop is doing]. We’re all about leadership—the kind that Girl Scouts use in their daily lives and the kind that makes our community better. We’d love to hold our meetings here because [reason why you’d like to meet there].”
Can We Meet in a Private Home?
Girl Scouts does not recommend holding troop meetings in private homes. If you are considering meeting in a private home, check with your council to make sure it is permitted based on their council policy. In addition to the above, remember to ensure these standards:
Stuck and need additional support? Contact your council or your service unit support team for help with a troop meeting place.
If your group or troop can’t meet in person, there are many ways to bring the power of Girl Scouting home! Meeting virtually can be a fun and engaging option for your troop.
Before setting up a virtual meeting, you’ll want to:
Ahead of the meeting, send out a few simple, step-by-step instructions for how to access the platform and join the meeting. And don't worry if they want to use a web or social platform you’re not as familiar with, because you’ll learn alongside them! For more tips on successful virtual meetings, check out Tips, Tools, and Ideas for Planning a Great Virtual Meeting.
The troop size “sweet spot” is large enough to provide an interactive and cooperative learning environment and small enough to encourage individual development. Though the ideal troop size is 12 girls, we recommend that groups be no fewer and no larger than:
A Girl Scout troop/group must have a minimum of five Girl Scout youth and two approved adult volunteers. Be sure to double-check the volunteer-to-youth ratio table to make sure you have the right number of adults present for group meetings, events, travel, and camping. Adults and youth registering in groups of fewer than five Girl Scout youth and two approved adult volunteers who are not related to each other or in a relationship, at least one of whom is female, will be registered as individual Girl Scouts to accurately reflect their status and program experience. Individual members are always welcome to participate in Girl Scout activities and events.
From troop meetings to camping weekends and cookie booths, adult volunteers must always be present to ensure Girl Scouts have fun and stay safe, no matter their grade level. If you are not sure about the number of adults you will need for your activity, the chart below breaks down the minimum number of volunteers needed to supervise a specific number of Girl Scouts; your council may also establish maximums due to size or cost restrictions, so be sure to check with them as you plan your activity.
Girl Scout Volunteer-to-Youth Ratios |
Group Meetings |
Events, Travel, & Camping |
||
Two |
One |
Two |
One |
|
Girl Scout Daises (Grades K–1) |
12 |
1–6 |
6 |
1–4 |
Girl Scout Brownies (Grades 2–3) |
20 |
1–8 |
12 |
1–6 |
Girl Scout Juniors (Grades 4–5) |
25 |
1–10 |
16 |
1–8 |
Girl Scout Cadettes (Grades 6–8) |
25 |
1–12 |
20 |
1–10 |
Girl Scout Seniors (Grades 9–10) |
30 |
1–15 |
24 |
1–12 |
Girl Scout Ambassadors (Grades 11–12) |
30 |
1–15 |
24 |
1–12 |
The emotional and physical safety and well-being of Girl Scouts is our top priority. Safety Activity Checkpoints outlines the Safety Standards and Guidelines used in Girl Scouting, which apply to all Girl Scout activities. All volunteers should review the Safety Activity Checkpoints manual when planning activities in order to manage safety and risk in Girl Scout-sanctioned activities.
In Safety Activity Checkpoints, you will find:
Safety Activity Checkpoints is laid out in three primary sections, Introduction: Safety Standards and Guidelines, Activities at a Glance, and Individual Safety Activity Checkpoint pages.
The Buddy System
Use the buddy system, in which the troop is divided into teams of at least two. Each Girl Scout is responsible for staying with their buddy at all times, warning their buddy of danger, giving their buddy immediate assistance if safe to do so, and seeking help if needed. They are encouraged to stay near the group or buddy with another team so if someone is injured, one person cares for the injured while others seek help.
Every participant (youth and adult) in Girl Scouting must register and become a member of Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). GSUSA membership dues are valid for one year. Membership dues cannot be transferred to another member and are not refundable.
Preregistration for the upcoming membership year occurs in the spring. Early registration allows for uninterrupted receipt of forms and materials from the council, helps troops and councils plan ahead, and gets everyone excited about all the great things they want to do as Girl Scouts next year. A Girl Scout’s grade level is determined by the current membership year beginning October 1.
Lifetime membership is available to anyone who accepts the principles and beliefs of the Girl Scout Promise and Law, pays the one-time lifetime membership fee, and is at least 18 years old (or a high school graduate or equivalent). Volunteers with ten or more years of service can become lifetime members at the discounted young alum rate.
Adding New Girl Scouts to Your Troop
Growing your troop is a great way to share the power of the Girl Scout experience and there are many ways to get the word out, like hanging posters in local schools, using social media to reach families in your community, or including your troop in your council’s Opportunity Catalog or Troop Catalog.
Girl Scouts is for every girl, and that’s why we embrace Girl Scouts of all abilities and backgrounds with a specific and positive philosophy of inclusion that benefits everyone. Each Girl Scout—regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, physical or cognitive ability, sexual orientation, primary language, or religion—is an equal and valued member of the group, and groups reflect the diversity of the community.
We believe inclusion is an approach and an attitude, rather than a set of guidelines. Inclusion is about belonging, everyone being offered the same opportunities with respect, dignity, and celebration of their unique strengths. It’s about being a sister to every Girl Scout. You’re accepting and inclusive when you:
If you have questions about accommodating an individual member, please reach out to your council.
Focus on Being Accessible to All
A key part of creating an inclusive environment is the idea that everyone has access to be able to participate. As you think about where, when, and how often to meet with your group, consider the needs, resources, safety, and beliefs of all members and potential members. Include the special needs of any members who have disabilities or whose parents or caregivers have disabilities. But please do not rely on visual cues to inform you of a disability; approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population has a disability—that’s one in five people of every socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, and religion. Disabilities include physical, sensory, and cognitive conditions.
If you want to find out what an individual with a disability needs to make their Girl Scout experience successful, simply ask them or their parent or caregiver. If you are open, honest, and receptive, they’ll likely respond in kind, creating an atmosphere that enriches everyone.
It’s important for all Girl Scouts to be rewarded based on their best efforts—not on the completion of a task. Give everyone the opportunity to do their best and they will! Sometimes that means changing a few rules or approaching an activity in a more creative way. Here are some examples of ways to modify activities so that everyone can participate:
Language Related to Disability
Focus on a person’s abilities—on what they can do rather than on what they cannot. In that spirit, use people-first language that puts the person before the disability.
Say: |
Instead of: |
They have a learning disability. |
They are learning disabled. |
They have a developmental delay. |
They are mentally retarded; they are slow. |
They use a wheelchair. |
They are wheelchair bound. |
When interacting with an individual (or parent/caregiver) with a disability, consider these tips:
To learn more about delivering inclusive programming to your troop, take our GSUSA Delivering Inclusive Training course in gsLearn. Sign in to gsLearn through MyGS. Login, go to My Account, and click gsLearn.
Registering Members with Cognitive Disabilities
Girl Scouts with cognitive disabilities can be registered as closely as possible to their chronological ages. They wear the uniform of that grade level. Make any adaptations for them for ongoing activities of the grade level to which the group belongs. Girl Scouts with cognitive disorders may choose to retain their youth membership through their 21st year, and then move into an adult membership category.
Just as your Girl Scouts rally around each other for support, you will also have a dedicated Girl Scout support team, consisting of council staff and passionate volunteers like you. Your support team, which may be called a service unit at your council, is ready to offer local learning opportunities and advice as well as answer your questions about the Girl Scout program, working with youth, product sales, and much more.
Before you hold your first troop meeting, consider the support and people resources you’ll need to cultivate an energizing troop experience. Parents, friends, family, and other members of the community have their own unique strengths and can provide time, experience, and ideas to a troop, so get them involved from the very beginning as part of your volunteer troop team. This team is made up of troop leaders (like you) and troop committee volunteers.
Your troop committee volunteers are the extra set of eyes, ears, and hands that help the troop safely explore the world around them. Depending on your troop’s needs, they can play a more active role—for instance, someone can step up as a dedicated troop treasurer—or simply provide occasional help when you need to keep a meeting activity on track.
If a parent or caregiver isn’t sure if they can commit to a committee or co-leader role, encourage them to try volunteering in a smaller capacity that matches their skill set. Just like your young Girl Scouts, once troop parents and caregivers discover they can succeed in their volunteer role, they’ll feel empowered to volunteer again.
From toolkits and guides to regular contact with experienced individuals, you’ll have all the support you need to be a Girl Scout volunteer. You can get such must-have tools as the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) and gsLearn to keep your troop going strong on MyGS—always accessible via the icon on the upper right corner of our website. Click the login button and then my account button and you’ll find the gsLearn and VTK buttons via the left menu bar. They are accessible on any desktop, tablet, or mobile device, and it will be populated with any trainings you should view. Here’s a list of some important resources you’ll want to check out.
The Volunteer Toolkit is a customizable planning tool where you can find suggested meeting plans for most badges, access activity guides and badge requirements, track your Girl Scouts’ achievements, and so much more. With inspiring ideas so you can engage your troop in a mix of activities all year long, it’s the digital planning assistant that will help you power a fun-filled—and organized—Girl Scout year. Be sure to look for helpful icons to identify activity focus areas like the evergreen icon which tells you the activity can be taken outside or the globe icon which lets you know you can bring a global perspective to the activity.
With the Volunteer Toolkit, Girl Scouts and leaders can explore meeting topics and program activities together and follow the fun as they plan their Girl Scout year. Using the Volunteer Toolkit:
Troop Leaders can:
Parents and Caregivers can:
Get started by logging into MyGS.
With the Volunteer Toolkit, girls and leaders can explore meeting topics and program activities together and follow the fun as they plan their Girl Scout year. Using the Volunteer Toolkit:
Troop Leaders can:
Parents and Caregivers can:
Safety Activity Checkpoints. Safety is paramount in Girl Scouting, and Safety Activity Checkpoints contains everything you need to know to help keep everyone safe during a variety of exciting activities outside of their regular Girl Scout troop meetings.
Tips for Troop Leaders. When you’re looking for real-world advice from fellow troop leaders who've been there, this volunteer-to-volunteer resource on the Girl Scouts of the USA website has what you need for a successful troop year.
Troop Year Plans. Our age-appropriate troop year plans are the best tool for first year troop leaders to get started with Girl Scouts without getting overwhelmed, or to help any troop leader with planning out a well-balanced Girl Scout year. The entire year is mapped out—just follow along to help your Girl Scouts complete badge activities, improve their communities, and explore the world around them. Access Troop Year Plans online here!
Girl Scout Volunteers in Your Community. Remember that Girl Scout support team we mentioned? You’ll find them in your service unit! Troops are organized geographically into service units or communities. You’ll find a local network of fellow leaders and administrative volunteers ready to offer tips and advice to help you succeed in your volunteer role.
We know that when you have the knowledge and skills you need to manage your Girl Scouts, both you and your troop will thrive. We offer national onboarding training for new Troop Leaders in addition to local training courses provided by your council.
GSUSA New Leader Onboarding: What Girl Scouts Do
In this course, you will learn about what girl scouts do and how they do it at each grade level so you can plan your troop's year. This course is presented through the lens of an experienced troop leader whose troop completed all grade levels of the Girl Scout program. You will have the opportunity to explore the troop's interactive journal and learn about the things they did on their Girl Scout journey. Please note, you are only required to explore the grade levels you will be leading, although you are welcome to explore more if you'd like.
GSUSA New Leader Onboarding: Your First Troop Meeting
This course provides new troop leaders with the structure and tools to plan a successful first troop meeting—and beyond—with their Girl Scout troop.
GSUSA New Leader Onboarding: The Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE)
The framework we use to grow future leaders, also known as the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, is what sets Girl Scouts apart from other organizations. In this course, you will learn how to facilitate the Girl Scout Leadership Experience with your troop in an age-appropriate way. Throughout the course, you will learn about lots of real-world examples so you can apply the framework as your troop ages through the Girl Scout program.
GSUSA New Leader Onboarding: Family Engagement: The Key To Success
Engaging families in their Girl Scout’s experience benefits troop leaders, Girl Scouts, and families too. This course illuminates the value of family engagement and provides practical strategies for how to enlist family support. It also equips you with an agenda to plan a parent/caregiver meeting to set the tone for family engagement for the year.
GSUSA New Leader Onboarding: The Girl Scout Cookie Program
In this course, you will learn the basics of the Girl Scout Cookie program. You’ll discover how and why Girl Scouts sell cookies, who the bakers are that make the cookies, and how to utilize your cookie proceeds with your troop. A review of all the exciting program options you can explore with your troop as you build their entrepreneurial skills is also included. Cookie selling safety and important ways to bring families and caregivers along in your troop’s cookie business adventure are also part of the course.
These courses are available online via gsLearn as referenced above. Your council may offer additional local onboarding training for new Troop Leaders, as well as other ongoing training opportunities. Contact your council to ask about additional training opportunities that will help you grow your skills and confidence.
Delivering Inclusive Program
In this course, you will practice using inclusive and equitable language to support the identities of all Girl Scouts and foster a cohesive troop environment.
Courses are also offered on specific badges including Daisy petals, Math In Nature, and Mental Wellness.
Get started by checking out the VTK User Guides below then login to MYGS to start a year plan that you can use and edit as you go!
Troop Co-Leader User Guide (PDF)
Caregiver of Girls in Troops User Guide (PDF)
The decision by Boy Scouts of America (BSA) to open the Boy Scout program to girls has fundamentally altered the nature of the relationship between BSA and Girl Scouts nationally and locally. Local relationships between BSA and Girl Scout councils that have led to partnerships and joint activities in the past may now create certain risks or challenges for Girl Scouts. For this reason, councils are encouraged to avoid joint recruiting and/or joint participation in community events or activities.
Marketplace Confusion
To protect the integrity of the Girl Scout brand and reinforce our programming as unique, girl-only, and best in class, we must ensure that we take care that the activities in which our members participate are exclusive to the Girl Scout program, are safe and girl-led, and are conducted under the appropriate supervision of Girl Scouts.
Protecting Use of Girl Scout Materials
Girl Scout materials are intended for the exclusive use of Girl Scouts and are protected as the intellectual property of Girl Scouts of the USA. Materials include but are not limited to: Girl Scout logo, tag lines, and/or program and badge requirements.
Safety Activity Checkpoints
Safety is paramount in Girl Scouting, and
Safety
Activity Checkpoints
contains everything you need to know to help keep your
girls safe during a variety of exciting activities outside of their
regular Girl Scout troop meetings.
Tips for Troop Leaders
When you’re looking for
real-world advice from fellow troop leaders who've been there, this volunteer-to-volunteer resource on the Girl
Scouts of the USA website has what you need for a successful troop year.
Girl Scout Volunteers in Your Community
Remember that
Girl Scout support team we mentioned? You’ll find them in your service
unit! Troops are organized geographically into service units or
communities. You’ll find a local network of fellow leaders and
administrative volunteers ready to offer tips and advice to help you
succeed in your volunteer role.
Member Services
Questions? Need help resolving an issue?
We’ve got you! Reach out anytime by completing a Contact Us form or email help@gsdakotahorizons.org. During business hours
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday-Thursday and 8:00 AM to Noon on Friday you
can reach a Member Services Specialist by calling 800-666-2141.
Newsletters/Communication
Watch for our Volunteer Scoop to come to you the third week of each month. This digital newsletter includes information relevant to leading troops, volunteer training and council news.
We also send a Girl Scouts Connected digital newsletter to all families the first week of each month. This communication piece includes “What’s New” in the world of programming, a reminder of deadlines and council news.
Our social media pages tell the Girl Scout story and keep our members, and the community, up-to-date on what is happening. Be sure to follow us:
© Copyright 2009–2024 Girl Scouts of the United States of America. All rights reserved. All information and material contained in Girl Scouts’ Volunteer Essentials guide (“Material”) is provided by Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA) and is intended to be educational material solely to be used by Girl Scout volunteers and council staff. Reproduction, distribution, compiling, or creating derivative works of any portion of the Material or any use other than noncommercial uses as permitted by copyright law is prohibited, unless explicit, prior authorization by GSUSA in writing was granted. GSUSA reserves its exclusive right in its sole discretion to alter, limit, or discontinue the Material at any time without notice.