Troop Management

Leadership is more than “being in charge” or having a title; it’s recognizing that you’re part of a team and understanding that team’s needs and interests. Here’s how you’ll do that with your troop!

Your Role as a Volunteer

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 leader, you’ll embark on your own leadership journey as you help girls develop the vital 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 girls:

That they can do and be anything!  
That they are decision makers and should own their decisions.  
How to live the Girl Scout Law by modeling it for them.

As a leader, see yourself as a coach who:

Advises, discusses, and cheers on your troop, not as a teacher with a planned lesson or activity. 
Ensures each member understands and can carry out their responsibilities within the troop.  
Encourages Girl Scouts to build their skills and their ethics.  
Gives more responsibilities to the girls as they grow and develop.

It’s important to remember that:

You cannot know everything that your Girl Scouts might ever want to learn.
You’ll explore and learn alongside your girls and grow your confidence in the process.
You’re not expected to know everything about Girl Scouting, but you should know where to go for information—and to ask for help when you need it.

Your responsibilities as a Girl Scout volunteer include:

Accepting the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
Understanding and coaching the three keys to leadership that are the basis of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience: discover, connect, and take action.
Sharing your knowledge, experience, and skills with a positive and flexible approach.
Working in a partnership with Girl Scouts so that their activities are girl-led and that they learn by doing, individually and a group. You’ll also partner with other volunteers and council staff for support and guidance.
Organizing fun, interactive, girl-led activities that address relevant issues and match girls’ interests and needs.
Providing guidance and information regarding Girl Scout group meetings with girls’ families on a regular and ongoing basis through a variety of tools, including email, phone calls, newsletters, blogs, other forms of social media, and any other method you choose.
Processing and completing registration forms and other paperwork, such as permission slips.
Communicating effectively and delivering clear, organized, and vibrant presentations or information to an individual or the group.
Overseeing with honesty, integrity, and careful record-keeping the funds that girls raise.
Maintaining a close connection to your volunteer support team as well as your council.
Facilitating a safe experience for every Girl Scout.

Planning for Your First Troop Meeting

Depending on the ages of your girls, 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 the girls and their parents and caregivers.

Use these questions to guide your conversation with your troop committee volunteers or co-leader before discussing these topics with parents and caregivers.

When will we meet and for how long? How frequently should we schedule troop meetings?
Where will we meet? Your meeting space should be somewhere safe, clean, and secure that allows all girls to participate. Some great meeting space ideas include schools, places of worship, libraries, and community centers. If working with teens, consider meeting at coffee shops, bookstores, or another place they enjoy.
Which components of the uniform will families need to purchase?
Will our troop be a single-grade level or facilitated as a multi-level troop with girls of many grade levels combined into one troop? If multi-level, how will we make sure they each get an age-appropriate experience?
How will we keep troop activities girl-led? Use the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) to help you through this process by exploring options for activities and reviewing the meeting plans and resources lists.
How often are we going to communicate to troop families? Which channels will we use to keep families in the loop? Effective communication will help set expectations and clarify parent/ caregiver responsibilities.
Will our troop charge dues, use product program proceeds, and/or charge per activity? How much money will we need to cover supplies and activities? What should our financial plan look like?

Choosing a Meeting Place
What makes a great meeting space? It depends on your troop, but here are a few considerations as you visit potential spaces:

Cost: The space should be free to use.

Size: Make sure the space is large enough for the whole group and all planned activities.

Availability: Be sure the space is available for the day and the entire length of time you want to meet.

Resources: Ask if tables and chairs come with the room and ensure that the lighting is adequate. A bonus would be a cubby of some sort where you could store supplies or a safe outdoor space for activities.

Safety: Potential spaces must be safe, secure, clean, properly ventilated, heated (or cooled, depending on your location), free from hazards, and have at least two exits that are well-marked and fully functional. Also be sure first-aid equipment is on hand.

Facilities: It goes without saying, but make sure that toilets are sanitary and accessible.

Communication-friendly: Check for cell reception in the potential space and whether Wi-Fi is available.

Allergen-free: Ensure that pet dander and other common allergens won’t bother susceptible girls during meetings.

Accessibility: Your space should accommodate girls with disabilities as well as parents with disabilities who may come to meetings.

Need a few speaking points to get started? Try:

“I’m a Girl Scout volunteer with a group of [number of girls] girls. We’re doing lots of great things for girls 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 girls 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].”

Stuck and need additional support? Contact your council or your service unit support team for help with a troop meeting place.

Virtual Meeting
If your group or troop can’t meet in person or hold a traditional meeting, there are so many ways to bring the power of Girl Scouting home! Meeting virtually can be a fun, engaging option for your troop.

Before setting up a virtual meeting, you’ll want to:

Partner with troop families to make sure the girls are safe online.
Select a meeting platform that allows families who may not have internet access to call in.
Think about logistics: work with the girls to set up ground rules; consider how you’ll incorporate in-person meeting traditions in your virtual space and how you’ll keep the meeting on track.
Talk with families on how to keep activities girl-led if your girls will be completing them from home.

And don't worry if your girls 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 the For Troop Leaders section of Girl Scouts at Home.

Girl Scout Troop Size
The troop size “sweet spot” is large enough to provide an interactive and cooperative learning environment and small enough to encourage individual development. Research has shown that the ideal troop size is 12 girls; recommended group sizes, by grade level, are:

Girl Scout Daisies: 5–12 girls
Girl Scout Brownies: 10–20 girls
Girl Scout Juniors 10–25 girls
Girl Scout Cadettes: 5–25 girls
Girl Scout Seniors: 5–30 girls
Girl Scout Ambassadors: 5–30 girls

A Girl Scout troop/group must have at minimum five girls and two approved adult volunteers. (Double-check the volunteer-to-girl ratio chart to make sure you’ve got the right amount of coverage for your troop!) Adults and girls registering in groups of fewer than five girls and/or two approved, unrelated adult volunteers, at least one of whom is female, will be registered as individual Girl Scouts to more accurately reflect their status and program experience. Individual girls are always welcome to participate in Girl Scout activities and events.

Registering Girls and Adults in Girl Scouting
Every participant (girl or 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. Girls are encouraged to register early to avoid the fall rush. Early registration allows for uninterrupted receipt of forms and materials from the council, helps girls and councils plan ahead, and gets girls excited about all the great stuff they want to do as Girl Scouts next year. Girl Scout 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).

Adding New Girls to Your Troop
Growing your troop is a great way to share the power of the Girl Scout experience and , like hanging posters at your girl’s school, using social media to reach families in your community, or including your troop in your council’s Opportunity Catalog or Troop Catalog.

To add new girls to your troop please contact customercare@gsmists.org. The GSMISTS team will assist you in updating your troop information that is displayed in the Opportunity Catalog.

Creating an Atmosphere of Acceptance and Inclusion

Girl Scouts is for every girl, and that’s why we embrace girls of all abilities and backgrounds with a specific and positive philosophy of inclusion that benefits everyone. Each girl—without regard to socioeconomic status, race, physical or cognitive ability, ethnicity, 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, all girls 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:

Welcome every girl, and focus on building community.
Emphasize cooperation instead of competition.
Provide a safe and socially comfortable environment for girls.
Teach respect for, understanding of, and dignity toward all girls and their families.
Actively reach out to girls and families who are traditionally excluded or marginalized.
Foster a sense of belonging to community as a respected and valued peer.
Honor the intrinsic value of each person’s life.

If you have questions about accommodating an individual girl, please reach out to your council.

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, don’t 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.

If you want to find out what a girl with a disability needs to make her Girl Scout experience successful, simply ask her or her parent or caregiver. If you are open and honest, they’ll likely respond in kind, creating an atmosphere that enriches everyone.

It’s important for all girls to be rewarded based on their best efforts—not on the completion of a task. Give any girl the opportunity to do her best and she 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:

Invite a girl to complete an activity after she has observed others doing it.
If you are visiting a museum to view sculpture, find out if a girl who is blind might be given permission to touch the pieces.
If an activity requires running, a girl who is unable to run could be asked to walk or do another physical movement.

Focus on a person’s abilities—on what she can do rather than on what she cannot. In that spirit, use people-first language that puts the person before the disability.

If you want to find out what a girl with a disability needs to make her Girl Scout experience successful, simply ask them or their parent or caregiver. If you are open and honest, they’ll likely respond in kind, creating an atmosphere that enriches everyone.

It’s important for all girls to be rewarded based on their best efforts—not on the completion of a task. Give any Girl Scout the opportunity to do her best and she 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:

Invite a girl to complete an activity after she has observed others doing it.
If you are visiting a museum to view sculpture, find out if a Girl Scout who is with visual impairment might be given permission to touch the pieces.
If an activity requires running, a Girl Scout who is unable to run could be asked to walk or do another physical movement.

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 . . .
She has a learning disability.	She is learning disabled.
She has a developmental delay.	She is mentally retarded; she is slow.
She uses a wheelchair.	She is wheelchair-bound.

When interacting with a girl (or parent/caregiver) with a disability, consider these tips:

When talking to a Girl Scout with a disability, speak directly to her, not through a family member or friend.
It’s okay to offer assistance to a Girl Scout with a disability, but wait until your offer is accepted before you begin to help. Listen closely to any instructions the person may have.

Leaning on someone’s wheelchair is invading their space and is considered annoying and rude.
When speaking to a Girl Scout who is hearing impaired and using an interpreter, speak to the person themselves, not to the interpreter.
When speaking for more than a few minutes to someone who uses a wheelchair, place yourself at eye level.
When greeting someone with a visual disability, always identify yourself and others. You might say, “Hi, it’s Sheryl. Tara is on my right, and Chris is on my left.”

Registering Girls with Cognitive Disabilities
Girls 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 the Girl Scout to ongoing activities of the grade level to which the group belongs. Young women with cognitive disorders may choose to retain their girl membership through their twenty-first year, and then move into an adult membership category.

Getting Support for Your Troop

Just as your Girl Scouts rally around each other for support, you’ll also have a dedicated Girl Scout support team, consisting of council staff and passionate volunteers just 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 girls, product sales, and so much more.

Before you hold your first troop meeting with girls, 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 an occasional helping hand when you need to keep a meeting’s 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.

Troop Management Tools and Resources

From toolkits and guides to regular contact with experienced people, you’ll have all the support you need to be a Girl Scout volunteer. Here’s a list of some important resources you’ll want to check out.

The Volunteer Toolkit 
The Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) is a customizable digital planning tool for troop leaders and co-leaders to easily manage their troop year-round and deliver easy, fun troop meetings. Accessible via desktop and mobile devices, the VTK saves you time and energy all year long, so that you can focus on unleashing the G.I.R.L (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ in every girl, ensuring she has every opportunity she deserves to build a lifetime of leadership, success, and adventure. 

Girls have more fun when they can shape their own experiences, do hands-on activities, and work together as teams. With the VTK, girls and leaders can explore meeting topics and program activities together, and follow the fun as they plan their Girl Scout year. 

Through the Volunteer Toolkit, troop leaders can: 

Plan the troop’s calendar year and meeting schedule. 
Email parents/caregivers with one click. 
View the troop roster, renew girls’ membership, and update girls' contact information. 
View meeting plans for Journeys and badges, including suggested tracks for multi-level groups (K–5 and 6–12). 
Customize meeting agendas to fit your unique troop. 
Explore individual meeting plans that show a breakdown of every step, including a list of materials needed, editable time allotments for each activity within a meeting, and printable meeting aids. 
Record girls’ attendance at meetings and their badge and Journey achievements. 
Add council or custom events to the troop’s calendar. 
Submit troop’s finance reports (depending on the council’s process). 
Easily locate both national and local council resources, such as Safety Activity Checkpoints.

Parents and caregivers can:  

View the troop’s meeting schedule and individual meeting plans to stay up to date on the badges and Journeys they are working on. 
Renew their memberships, and update their contact information. 
View their Girl Scout’s attendance and achievements. 
See upcoming events the troop is planning or attending. 
Easily locate both national and local council resources, such as the Family Hub. 
View the troop’s finance report (depending on the council’s process).

Get started by visiting clicking My GS in the navigation bar.

The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting
What does it mean to be a go-getting Girl Scout? It’s all in The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting. These grade level-specific binders will help you break it down for your girls. It’s part handbook, part badge book, and 100 percent fun!  

Safety Activity Checkpoints
Safety is paramount in Girl Scouting, and this resource—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.

Customer Care Contacts
Questions? Need help resolving an issue? We’ve got you! Reach out anytime by either clicking on the “Contact Us” form at www.gsmists.org or email customercare@gsmists.org . During business hours, Monday – Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. you can reach a customer service specialist by calling 844-476-4787 (844-GSMISTS).

Newsletters/Communication
In the Know – A bi-monthly e-mail for Troop Leaders, Co-Leaders, Service Unit Team Members, and Adult Learning Facilitators. This newsletter provides council updates regarding policies, membership, programming, and other pressing council information.

Shore Shout-Out – A monthly programming e-mail newsletter sent to Girl Scout members and their families with featured programs and girl opportunities.

Website: www.gsmists.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gsmists
Instagram: www.instagram.com/gsmists

You and your troop are doing amazing things, share your story! If your troop is earning awards, learning something new, serving the community or other exciting work, you can let council know by emailing communications@gsmists.org. We are always looking for ways to showcase the awesome troops in our council.

Media Relations

Whether you’ve already been actively promoting Girl Scouts in your local media or are new to the process, we’re excited to have you tell the Girl Scout story in your community. You, as a local contact, are an important link to local media reporters and editors. We need your help to promote more Girl Scout events and opportunities in your community. Most local community newspapers, blogs and websites are hungry for stories. Don’t be shy about talking up a girl’s accomplishments, a community service project or anything else that shows the strong ties Girl Scouts have to their communities.

Before reaching out to media, touch base with Manager of Marketing and Communications Krystan Krucki, at kkrucki@gsmists.org, to see if there is any additional information that can be included in your media pitch. For example, if you are promoting a science event, she can provide you with information like how over 160,000 Girl Scouts participate in STEM programs annually. She may also have materials that you can customize for local media.

Important: GSUSA-Led Media Outlets. Girl Scout volunteers are encouraged to work with local media, but there are some media outlets that should not be approached. These media outlets are highly visible with large-scale audiences (like network television networks, nation-wide magazine publications and nation-wide online media sites) are included in GSUSA strategic marketing and communications plan, and must be approached only by national staff. If you have a local story to be elevated to national news, contact Krystan Krucki, at kkrucki@gsmists.org to discuss.

So, what kinds of things should you pitch to your local media? Reporters are busy, so make sure that your story has merit and is worth their time before contacting them. While we all like to see Girl Scout stories in the media, the best ones show the public why Girl Scouting is important in the local community and why it’s important to support Girl Scouting by becoming a member or with their financial support.

Local Events
Awards and Honors
Cookie Sale Program
Service Projects

Be sure to include specific details about the story and photography from events (after ensure girls/parent have given permission)

The media loves to cover stories about youth and to feature youth in photos, which gives Girl Scouts many opportunities for news coverage. First and foremost, Girl Scouts must always protect our girls. Please follow these guidelines when working with media and youth:

Ensure that any girl featured in media promotion has a minor photo release signed by a parent or that her parent/guardian signed the photo release on her registration form.
Even if you know that a girl or girls have submitted photo releases, always get parental permission before involving girls in media promotion.
Once photo releases have been obtained, you must also be careful to respect the privacy of our girls. In general, for girls under the age of 18, we do not use last names in any media story. First names and last initials are our standard practice. However, media like using full names, so if they request this, a full name may be used after parental permission has been granted.
Be sure that girls are comfortable talking to and working with the media. Girls should never be pressured or made to feel uncomfortable. Talk with the girls before to make sure they understand what types of questions the reporter might ask and how an interview would be set up so they know what to expect.
Make sure an adult is present at all times when a girl is being interviewed. If she becomes uncomfortable, anxious, or confused, the adult can step in.

If you are successful in getting a story or photo placed in your local media, there are several follow-up steps to take:

Make note of the reporter’s name and contact information so that you can contact them again for future stories.
Look for an online version of the story and copy its link location. If you place a multimedia story (radio or television, for instance) it’s okay ask the media outlet how to get a copy of the story.
Show off your success! Please contact Krystan Krucki at kkrucki@gsmists.org with your media successes. We love to brag about your good work! If you have advance notice that a story is running, give us a heads-up so we can tell others to watch for it.
Very occasionally, the way a reporter presents information comes across as negative. If you see this happening, please contact council so we can discuss next steps.
Finally, give yourself a big pat on the back! Securing placement for stories takes creativity and effort on your part, plus a bit of luck amidst a busy news cycle. Getting the Girl Scout story out there helps the public see how important Girl Scouting is to local girls and the local community, which can translate into increased girl membership, adult volunteers, financial donors and other community supporters.

Taking Advantage of Learning Opportunities

We know that when you have the knowledge and skills you need to manage your girls, both you and your troop will thrive. Contact your council to ask about ongoing learning opportunities that will help you grow your skills and confidence.

Click for more information about GSMISTS training requirements and opportunities.

Visit our GSMISTS online calendar to find out upcoming scheduled training opportunities.

Knowing How Much You’re Appreciated

What begins with Girl Scouts speaking up at a troop meeting can go all the way to speaking in front of their city council for a cause they champion—and they’ll have your support to thank for that. Your volunteer role makes a powerful difference. Thank you for all you do.

Just as you’ll receive support throughout your volunteering experience, when you reach the end of the term you signed up for, you’ll talk with your support team about the positive parts of your experience as well as the challenges you faced, and you’ll discuss whether you want to return to this position or try something new. The end of your troop year, camp season, overseas trip, or series/event session is just the beginning of your next adventure with Girl Scouts!

If you’re ready for more opportunities, be sure to let your council 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. Are you ready to organize a series or event? Take a trip? Work with girls at camp? Work with a troop of girls as a yearlong volunteer? Share your skills at a council office, working behind the scenes? The possibilities are endless and can be tailored to fit your skills and interests.

Adult Recognitions

The GSMISTS Adult Recognition Committee is comprised of volunteers from throughout our council. Contact customercare@gsmists.org or call toll free (844) GSMISTS if interested in joining this committee or you have any questions on Adult Awards.

GSUSA Adult Awards

The Volunteer of Excellence Award recognizes those volunteers who have contributed outstanding service while partnering directly with girls to implement the Girl Scout Leadership Experience through use of the national program portfolio or who have contributed outstanding service in support of the council’s mission delivery to girl and adult members.

The Appreciation Pin recognizes an individual’s exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. This service, which has had measurable impact on one Service Unit, helps reach and surpass the mission-delivery goals in the area.

The Honor Pin recognizes an individual’s exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, which has had measurable impact on two or more Service Units, allowing the council to reach and surpass its mission-delivery goals.

The Thanks Badge honors an individual whose ongoing commitment, leadership and service have had an exceptional, measurable impact on meeting the mission-delivery goals and priorities of the entire council or the entire Girl Scout movement.

The Thanks Badge ll honors a previous Thanks Badge award recipient who has continued to provide exemplary service in a leadership role, resulting in a measurable impact that benefits the entire Girl Scout movement.

The President’s Award recognizes the efforts of a service-delivery team or committee whose exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience surpasses team goals and resulted in significant, measurable impact toward reaching the council’s overall goals.

Other Awards:

Service Units planning to recognize volunteers for Green Angel, Years of Membership, or Years of Volunteer Service are required to complete the appropriate order form found in GSMISTS Adult Recognitions Handbook. There is no charge for the pins if ordered by February 1 and if the awardee will be in attendance at the Adult Recognition Ceremony. Pins can be purchased through the GSMISTS Shop if a volunteer will not be at the Adult Recognition Ceremony.

Green Angel - Selected yearly by the Service Unit Director (SUD) or Service Unit Team and presented to one volunteer who has greatly helped out the Service Unit Team. This pin is presented at your service unit end of the year celebration and is accompanied by a poem certificate.

Years of Membership – Current members can be recognized for their total years of membership (girl and adult years combined, membership could be in multiple councils) in 5 year increments; 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or more years. GSMISTS supplies Membership Numeral Guards to members beginning at 50 years who attend the annual Adult Recognition Ceremony.

Years of Volunteer Service - Volunteers to be recognized for years of active service in five-year increments; 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or more years of adult volunteer service. Volunteers who have given five years of volunteer service or more (five-year increments) to Girl Scouts will be recognized at the Adult Recognition Ceremony.

All nomination packets, including letters of endorsement and supporting materials, are due annually on February 1. We recognize our volunteers at the Adult Recognition Ceremony, which is held in conjunction with our Annual Meeting in April.

More information can be found in the GSMISTS Adult Recognitions Handbook.

Volunteer Appreciation Month

Without our passionate and dedicated volunteers, there would be no Girl Scouting. That’s why we celebrate National Volunteer Month every April! And get ready to crank up the party as we ring in National Girl Scout Leader’s Day on April 22.

Girl Scouts also celebrates National Volunteer Week, which falls during the third week of April. What can we say—we love our volunteers!

Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore holds a special Adult Recognitions Ceremony held in conjunction with the GSMISTS Annual Meeting in April.

Girl Scout Participation in Activities with Other Scouting Organizations

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 girls 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.

© Copyright 2009–2021 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.

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