Girl Scout Junior

Leadership Essentials800-565-4475 • gswise.org

Revised September 2019

ContentsThe Girl Scout Promise and Law ............................................ 2

What We Do, What Girls Do, What is the Girl Scout Program ........................................................................................... 3

Earning Awards: The Adult’s Role ............................................ 4

Girl Scout Junior Badges & Journeys ...................................... 5

Using Community Mapping to Help Define Areas of Need ............................................................................................ 6

Making the World a Better Place .............................................. 7

What is a Take Action Project & Activity ................................ 8

Girl Scout Bronze Award FAQs ................................................. 9

How We Make It Happen .......................................................... 10

Working Together = AWESOME ............................................... 11

Improving the Girl/Adult Partnership ....................................12

Troop Government ................................................................ 13-14

Planning the Girl Scout Year with Girls .................................15

10 Steps to Planning a Successful Activity ..........................16

Suggestions for Co-leaders from Girls ..................................17

DNA of a G.I.R.L. ............................................................................18

What Every Girl Scout Junior Should Know .........................19

Promoting Harmony and Sisterliness ..................................20

Valuing Differences, Working it Out .......................................21

Safety Requirements and Guidelines ...................................22

Hitting the Road with Girl Scout Juniors ..............................23

Teambuilding Games and Activities .............................. 24-25

Volunteer Toolkit .........................................................................26

Getting Help When You Need It .............................................. 27

Parent Involvement ....................................................................28

5 Ways Girl Scouts Builds Girl Leaders ................................29

References and Resources ......................................................30

Girl Scout Junior Insignia Placement .....................................31

Notes ..............................................................................................32

Want to meet a real-life superhero? Talk to a Girl Scout Junior who wakes up every day ready to play a new role.

Juniors are explorers when they go camping for the first time. They’re CEOs when they market and sell cookies. They’re scientists when they do energy audits and go on nature walks. And they’re product designers and writers when they earn their Innovation and Storytelling badges. Not to mention change makers, big-idea thinkers, and future leaders. Superhero, indeed!

As a Junior (Grades 4-5), she might:

• Share smiles with new friends in her troop• Try new experiences and learn new skills as she

earns badges• Sell cookies (and have fun doing it)• Explore the outdoors at camp and beyond• Choose an issue she cares about, then do

something to make a difference as part of a Girl Scout Leadership Journey

• Earn her Bronze Award, the first of Girl Scouts’ highest awards

Girl Scout Juniors Get Out and Go!

The Girl Scout PromiseOn my honor, I will try:To serve God and my country,To help people at all times,And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

The Girl Scout LawI will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do,and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.

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The Girl Scout Leadership Development model follows a girl-centric approach and organizes girls’ achievements into three broad categories – Girls Discover, Girls Connect, and Girls Take Action.

CourageGirls speak out on issues they care about and take

leadership roles in their communities.

ConfidenceGirls discover and

cultivate their strength and are empowered to

make a difference in their own lives and

beyond.

CharacterGirls act with integrity

and compassion, making decisions that

promote the well-being of themselves

and others.

What Girls Do

What We DoGirl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.The mission is supported by qualified adult volunteers who provide guidance to the growth of girls through diverse actions.

Discover + Connect + Take Action= Leadership

STEMComputer science,

engineering, robotics, outdoor STEM, and more

OUTDOORSAdventure and skill building,

from the backyard to the backcountry, including

through camping experiences for all ages

LIFE SKILLSCivic engagement, healthy living, global citizenship,

communication skills—to name a few

ENTREPRENEURSHIPThe Girl Scout Cookie

Program—the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world— teaches goal setting,

decision making, money management, business ethics,

and people skills

What is the Girl Scout Program?No matter what excites your girls, they’ll find engaging and fun activities in the four areas that make up the core of the Girl Scout program:

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Earning Awards: The Adult’s Role

Discover• Help girls choose badge topics

and project or award focuses that will build on their current interests and abilities.

• Help each individual girl find what is interesting to her. Allow for individual approaches and solutions to activities.

• Show girls that you, too, are learning; model that learning is fun.

• Choose “action” over lecture or reading in working with Junior-aged girls.

Connect• Take full advantage of support

from your council, service unit and other community resources by asking for assistance and attending training events, service unit meetings, and Back to Troop Open Houses.

• Recruit other adults and older Girl Scouts to help with specific awards.

• Let girls act as teachers and share their talents and desire to help others.

Take Action• Encourage girls to try different

approaches to complete activities that build on their strengths and interests.

• Working in partnership, help them decide whether they’ve done all of the required activities.

• Encourage the girls to use award activities as a springboard to taking things further.

• Let girls work in interest groups at troop meetings.

• Remind girls that they can work on activities between meetings.

• Help girls who are absent find possible ways of catching up.

As girls progress, evaluate activities with the girls based on fun,

learning, and the desire to continue the activity. Not every badge or

award must be completed!

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Explain to girls:Communities are groups of people who have something in common. You belong to many communities – your school is a community, for example. So is your math class or your debate team. Even kids who ride the same bus every day are a community. Other communities include your neighborhood, your place of worship, your town, and so on. You could even think globally. Think about the communities to which you belong.

Let’s brainstorm some different ways to explore your community:

Answers could include:• Observing• Watching the news• Reading the newspaper• Researching the internet• Speaking with others

Another way to explore your community is to use something called Community Mapping.

The purpose of a community map is to identify the needs in your community and discover possible resources that you can use for your Take Action project. A community map is a drawing that shows a community’s needs and resources.

Do the activity: • Break out into groups. Pass out markers and large

sheets of paper.

• Ask them to imagine their community. (Taking them out on a field trip before the activity would be great.)

• Ask girls to draw their community on the large sheets of paper. It might include streets, buildings, people, etc. (Consider using a map app.)

• Ask girls to look at the community they drew and make a note next to some of the places that they think have problems or needs. (For example, if they drew a school, a problem might be that there is a lot of bullying going on.) These are called issues.

• The next step is to have the girls think about the resources in their community that could help address the issues they listed on their map. (For example, the local community center may have information on how to handle the bullying that is happening in the school.) The idea is to make connections between the resources and the issues.

• Ask groups to share their community maps.

• Now hold a discussion about what the group might want to focus their Take Action or community service project on.

Using Community Mapping to Help Define Areas of Need Use this activity as a way to help girls identify different issues in their community and to discover possible Take Action or community service projects. With any project or award girls decide to take on, it’s important for the girls to be the ones to determine the community issue they’d like to address. Part of the project or award process is for them to be able to identify and research issues they care about.

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The Girl Scout Bronze AwardWhen you volunteer to work with a girl who is earning her Bronze Award, you’ll help her earn the highest award a Girl Scout Junior can receive and help her make a lasting impact on her community.

GSWISE offers special training sessions to help girls and adults create a plan to earn the award. The Bronze Award Guide and training is available at gswise.org or visit girlscouts.org and type “Bronze Award” in the search bar.

More About AwardsActivities can be adapted to suit a particular situation—keep within the spirit and difficulty of the requirement.

Sometimes girls may feel that they have completed a requirement when they have done only part of what is asked. Help them to honestly assess whether they’ve completed the whole requirement.

No double-dipping—an activity cannot count towards two different awards.

Badge activities don’t have to be done in any particular order. Feel free to take a break and come back to the activity later.

The Girl Scout Bronze Award adventure

is big—in fact, this award is the highest

honor a Girl Scout Junior can achieve.

Making the World a Better Place Imagine what girls can accomplish when they team up with others and use their special skills and interests to take action and make a difference in the world! Girl Scouting gives Girl Scout Juniors several opportunities to serve their community, earn awards, and feel the pride of a job well done.

Community Service ProjectGirls won’t have to look too far to find ways to serve their community. Community service projects can be run in conjunction with badge earning activities and are often completed in one meeting or day. The award here is knowing that girls have made the world a better place.

Take Action ProjectHere is the next step in serving your community. Many times a Take Action project is centered around a Girl Scout Journey and helps to earn those awards. It is a more in-depth project than a community service project and usually takes a team of girls and more than one meeting or day to complete.

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SCENARIO 3:While working on the aMUSE Journey, the troop becomes concerned that girls don’t think they are pretty when they compare themselves to the images they see in magazine ads and TV shows. The girls start talking about the girls/women they know who do amazing things and wonder what they could do to help those girls/women feel better about themselves. One girl comments that it would be good to tell the stories of girls/women they know who do beautiful things. Another thinks they could add photos, too.

Use this activity to help introduce the troop to the Take Action project concept.

Read the scenarios and then discuss how the troop might be able to build on the ideas to turn them into Take Action projects.

SCENARIO 1: As part of the Agent of Change Journey, the troop elects to complete the Staying Fit badge. They have so much fun that they decide they want to be “agents of change” and help others learn the fun of healthy eating and exercise. Some troop members suggest that “spa” parties are popular and maybe “we could bring in healthy snacks and teach some exercises”. Other girls suggest that it would be fun to do something where everyone can invite a girlfriend (and maybe be able to persuade those friends to join the troop).

SCENARIO 2:In completing the Get Moving Journey, someone in the troop shares that her grandmother often says that children today are less active than children were “back in her day”. And the girls start to wonder what kids did before there were TV’s, video games, etc. They think about the people in the senior center where they go sing every Christmas and wonder what they could learn from them. The girls wonder if they could test their newfound interviewing skills (a Journey activity) and ask the seniors about their childhood experiences.

A Take Action project is a project that, when completed by the troop, fulfills the following:

1. Gets to the root of a problem

2. Makes measurable change

3. Is sustainable

For more information, go to gswise.org. To find a great overview, type “Take Action Booklet” in the search bar.

Here are the basic steps.Step 1: Make sure the troop knows the difference between a Take Action Project and a Community Service Project.

While some community service projects address the immediate needs in the community, they only help for a short period of time. Take Action projects are lasting service projects that make long-term, measurable change.

Step 2: Use community mapping to help choose theTake Action Project. (See activity on page 21.)

This is important! Determine what the community needs are before doing the project. There is nothing worsethan creating a project, then finding out that it was not needed.

Step 3: Create a plan and go for it.

As you plan and carry out the project, continue to check to make sure the project fulfills the three requirements listed above.

Step 4: Celebrate!

What is a Take Action Project?

MeasurableThe success of the project can be determined based on the number of people the project helped, the number of people who were involved, any reduction in the community’s need and other concrete numbers.

SustainableGirls should make arrangements to ensure that the project creates lasting change and is not a one-time event. Girls can do this by collaborating with community leaders and/or organizations, and building alliances with mentors.

Take Action Project Activity

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Girl Scout Bronze Award FAQsWhat grade level(s) can earn this award? Juniors (Grades 4-5)

What are the pre-requisite requirements? Complete one Junior Journey—“completing” a Journey means that girls earn all Journey awards, including the Take Action project. The Take Action project and all of the activities done with the Journey are separate from any work done on the Bronze Award project.

Do girls work individually or in a group? Group (individuals will recruit a team to help them)

What is the suggested minimum number of hours a girl would spend working toward this award? 20 hours per girl

Can the project address a need within Girl Scouting? Yes

Can girls raise and donate money in the name of another organization for this award? No

To what degree must this award project be sustainable?After the project is complete, girls develop an understanding of sustainability by talking together about how solutions can be lasting and why a lasting or sustainable solution might be better than one that is not.

To what degree must this award project be global? After the project is complete, girls develop an understanding of the wider world by talking together about how others may experience the same problem that their project helped resolve.

Who serves as a project advisor for this award? An expert on the project issue from the community, this can be a troop/group volunteer, if they are an expert.

Is council approval required? No, project is approved at the troop/group level

Must girls submit a project proposal to the council before they begin to work toward this award? No

Steps girls take to earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award:

1. Go on a Girl Scout Junior Journey (pre-requisite requirement).

2. Build a Girl Scout Junior team.

3. Explore their community.

4. Choose their Girl Scout Bronze Award project.

5. Make a plan.

6. Put their plan in motion.

7. Spread the word.

8. Submit one Girl Scout Bronze Award Final Report per project to the council.

Earning the Girl Scout Bronze Award involves the time to complete a Journey, and then a suggested minimum of 20 hours building their team, exploring their community, choosing their project, planning it, putting their plan in motion, and spreading the word about their project.

The suggested hours help girls think about their commitment to doing their very best with each step. That is different for every Girl Scout, so these hours are not a rule, just a friendly reminder.

Do girls have to submit a final report to the council upon completion? Yes. Submit one report per project when the project is complete.

What information is available in the adult guide but NOT in the girl guidelines?Coaching tips

What resources are available? In the service center: Junior Journeys, Junior Girls Guide to Girl Scouting

On council website: Guidelines for Girl Scout Juniors (also in Spanish), Final Report form, Troop/Group Volunteer Guide (also in Spanish), Community Mapping Activity, Grant information, Bronze project highlights in the Highest Award Celebration program, FAQs

How are girls recognized? Troop leaders/girls can plan their own ceremony. Service Units may recognize girls at end-of-year celebrations. Girls are also invited to the council-wide Highest Award Celebration which occurs in May. The deadline to be recognized is February 1. Any final reports received after February 1 will be recognized the following year.

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How We Make It HappenResearch by the Girl Scout Institute has shown us that the best way to promote the fun and friendship of Girl Scouting is to create an environment that is girl-led, where they learn by doing in a cooperative learning environment. When used together, these processes ensure the quality of Girl Scout programming.

The Girl Scout ProcessesGirl-led

• Girls play an active part in figuring out the “what, where, when, how, and why” of their activities

• Girls are more engaged as decision makers in planning and putting their ideas into action

• Girls are more engaged in their learning

• Girls are empowered

• Adults provide age -appropriate facilitation to ensure that planning, organization, set-up and evaluation of all activities are done jointly with girls

• Girls experience leadership and decision-making opportunities

• Girls prepare to become active participants in their local and global communities

Learning by doing• A “hands-on” learning process

• Engages girls in continuous cycles of action and reflection

• Results in deeper understanding of concepts and mastery of practical skills

• Girls actively participate in meaningful activities (e.g. trying new skills, solving real-life problems, or role playing)

• Girls get to explore their own questions, discover answers, gain new skills, and share ideas and observations with others

• Girls connect their experiences to their lives and apply what they have learned in the future

Cooperative learning• All members of a group work

together toward a common goal

• Promotes sharing of knowledge, skills, and learning

• Promotes an atmosphere of respect and cooperation

• Girls work together on goals that can only be accomplished with the help of others

• Working together in all-girl environments encourages girls to feel powerful and emotionally and physically safe

• Girls experience a sense of belonging even in the most diverse groups

• In cooperative learning environments, people learn faster, process information more efficiently, and are better able to retain the information learned

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Get ready to share the responsibilityGirl planning is one of the primary concepts that makes Girl Scouts a unique experience. Girl Scout Juniors are at a level where they can adapt and change. The plan you used at the Daisy and Brownie level can now be adjusted and expanded.

Here’s the goal: To have girls participate in over 60% of the Girl Scout activity planning by the time they move to Girl Scout Cadettes. They should be making over half of the decisions about what they do and how they do it.

How to adapt to this new way of planningMake sure girls are a big part of the planning.

Each time you do an activity, involve the girls in the planning process and execution. They’re ready! Make it a practice for everyone to share at least one idea when planning. Find ways to make sure that every voice is heard. Ask girls to pair up to discuss their ideas, which makes it easier for a shy girl to voice her opinion. Use lots of different ways of getting the girls’ ideas.

Concentrate on adding larger bits of responsibility as time progresses.

Remember that planning and decision-making are life skills, and are learned over time. Add a little moreresponsibility or set a higher level of achievement as girls get older. This helps girls increase their skills and gain confidence in their ability to lead independently.

Recognize that delegating may be an area of personal growth for you!

Delegating can be difficult, but when we remember that in Girl Scouting, the process is as (or more!) important than the actual activity, it becomes easier.

Help other adults plan with girls, not for girls.

Co-leaders may understand that the girl-adult partnership is the cornerstone of Girl Scouting, but adults and other volunteers might not. When it is time to plan activities, you may need to give the other adults a separate task or topic to discuss, preferably in another room, to make sure the planning is largely girl-centered.

Remember, freedom to make mistakes and permission to try again is even more important than succeeding.

Learn to let go and they will grow!

Working Together = AWESOME

Facts about girl planning:• Can be difficult for adults

• Promotes increased girl involvement and ownership of THEIR troop

• Teaches girls to learn for themselves by:

Making decisions

Experimenting

Taking appropriate risks

Discovering for themselves

Planning and carrying out activities on their own

60% 85%-95%20% 40%

Daisy Brownie JuniorCadette/Senior/

Ambassador

Leader is a “Director”

Leader is a “Manager”

Leader is a “Teacher”

Leader is an “Advisor”

Leaders percentage of thedecision-making responsibility

Girls percentage of thedecision-making responsibility

When girls get to do the planning, they:• Develop organizational skills

• Learn to anticipate problems and work together to solve them

• Learn to work as a team, set goals, stay on task, and complete a project

• Learn from mistakes

• Develop self confidence in their ability to lead, organize, and facilitate activities

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Improving the Girl/Adult Partnership

Go From this: To This:

Short Circuiting:

The leader asks a specific girl, “What do you want to do for closing next week?” As the girl starts to think about her answer, the leader says, “Well, how about a song?” As the girl starts to consider this suggestion, the leader says, “Taps is good. Shall we use taps?” The girl nods her head.

Single Cycle Interaction:

The leader says, “We need some ideas for our yearly trip. Kimberly, where would you like to go?” (Kimberly answers) The leader says, “Amanda, where would you like to go?” (Amanda answers) The leader says, “Kristin, where would you like to go?” (Kristin answers)

Stereotyping:

When one person thinks of another in terms of a group to which the other belongs, not as an individual. “Girls prefer crafts to camping and community service.”

Diminishment:

When an adult says or does something to make a girl feel less valued. Self diminishment by adults can lead girls to believe that it’s normal for women to have low self-esteem. “I think that project is far too ambitious for you.”

Prompting:

Asking questions and encouraging the girls to use their own reasoning and problem-solving. The leader asks, “What do you want to do for the closing next week?” As the girl starts to think about her answer, the leader stays quiet and looks interested in what the answer will be. The girl thinks for a while, then replies, “I would like to have a song.” The leader responds, “Songs are very lovely in closing. Please think about what song you would like and then get back to me.” The girl answers, “Okay.” After a couple of minutes the girl returns and says, “Everyone sings Taps at closings. I’d like to do something different and sing Linger.” The leader responds, “I like that choice. Thank you.”

Facilitating:

Encourage girls to lead discussions or conduct planning sessions. Perhaps the girls could form small committees and then report to the leader(s) and the other girls. When the conversation is adult/girl, adult/girl, adult/girl, there is a different outcome than if we allow girl/girl communication.

Awareness:

Encourage all troop members to combat stereotyping. It is natural to make generalizations about a group, but the full developmental process includes testing generalizations against reality. Help the girls think through decisions without deciding for them—advise them, rather than judge them; guide them, rather than lead them.

Listening/Empowerment:

Adults listen to what they say and how it affects the girls, and pay attention to what they say about themselves. Modeling behavior is the strongest tool a leader has. “What strategies can you girls come up with that will make this complex project doable?”

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Town MeetingIn a Town Meeting, the entire troop makes its decisions together. A Moderator is generally needed to lead group discussions. Officers such as Secretary and Treasurer may be elected if the troop feels that there is a need. This generally only works well in small groups but can work in large groups if the girls can stay on task.

Executive BoardThe Executive Board consists of the “officers” of the troop. They generally include a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Job descriptions should be agreed upon as well as the duration of office. It is important, especially at the beginning of self-government, that everyone has the opportunity to participate at some time throughout the year. These “board” members meet on a regular basis to decide matters for the troop. Some method needs to be devised for the troop members to give input to the Executive Board. This could be a simple suggestion box at a troop meeting. This system tends to work well with smaller troops.

Moderator

Secretary Treasurer

GirlGirl

PresidentVice President Treasurer

GirlSecretary

Girl

Girl Scout Troop GovernmentEvery grade level of Girl Scouting uses some form of troop government. Troop government is a way for girls to learn responsibility, independence, and how to become leaders!

Troop government is designed to be progressive, building on the skills learned in previous years. When the girls reach Girl Scout Juniors and on through Girl Scout Ambassadors, the girls take on more responsibility of running the troop and thus should decide which form of troop government they will use.

You may want to try out all three forms of girl government before the girls make a final decision. And, if the system they chose is not working for the troop, the troop can then decide on another form of government for themselves.

What if girls have little or no experience in troop governance?If older girls have not experienced making group decisions on their own, use a very focused, single-topic version of troop government formats. For example, use the Town Meeting format with only one topic, like what service project would they like to do. Or run a discussion as if it were a Girl Scout Brownie Ring, using Girl Scout Brownie Ring rules for talking and brainstorming. Do this for several smaller topics. The leader might lead the first few discussions, but after that the girls should be leading the discussions. Rotate discussion leaders. A bit of practice and the girls will be ready to function more independently in patrols.

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Patrol SystemThe Patrol System is the most versatile of the systems of government. The troop is divided into smaller units called patrols. The ideal patrol size is about 5-8 girls. Each Patrol elects a Patrol Leader responsible for running their patrol meetings. An Assistant Patrol Leader is also a good idea in the event that the Patrol Leader cannot make a meeting. All troop business can be handled in these patrols. Attendance and dues can be recorded by the patrols. For any given outing, chores may be divided up with each patrol responsible for its own task.

In order for the troop to run smoothly and as a group, Patrol Leaders should come together periodically (at least once a month) to discuss troop issues and make group decisions. This is called the “Court of Honor”. Each patrol gives their input to the Patrol Leader who presents their viewpoint at the Court of Honor. Also included in the Court of Honor are any other troop officers such as Secretary and Treasurer. The Patrol System can be very successful, but only if the girls are given skills with which to succeed.

Girl Scout Troop Government

PresidentPatrol Leader

Patrol Leader

Patrol Leader

Patrol Leader

Patrol Leader

Asst.Patrol Leader

Girl

Girl

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Asst.Patrol Leader

GirlGirl

Court of HonorGenerally consisting of the Troop Officers and the Patrol Leaders, the Court of Honor meets on a regular basis to plan troop activities. Monthly meetings can be used to plan events that occur the following month. A long meeting once or twice a year can be used for long-term planning of troop events and planning the troop yearly calendar. If you have a troop Moderator or President, this person generally presides over the Court of Honor meetings.

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JUNIORS SEPT. 10 SEPT. 25 OCT. 9 OCT. 23

JaimeCatrina

(Team Star)

Opening,song, or

game

Serve thesnack

Pass outsupplies

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ChristalAmy

(Team Moon)

Closingceremony

Opening,song, or

game

Serve theSnack

Pass outsupplies

AnnaJessica

(Team Sun)

Pass outsupplies

Closingceremony

Opening,song, or

game

Serve thesnack

AmandaSamantha

(Team Rainbow)

Serve thesnack

Pass outsupplies

Closingceremony

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KAPERS

MartaSnack

AmberSupplies

TashaSpecial helper

JodiOpening

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KellyClosing

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DorothyClean-upchecker

Kapers and Sample Kaper ChartsUsing kaper charts is a great way to organize Girl Scout activities. It is a visible reminder of the tasks that need to be done, usually at meetings or while camping. Depending on the number of girls in the troop/group, kapers on the chart may be done individually or in small groups. The names and jobs are recorded and the tasks are rotated.

Simple kaper chart for one meeting

Kaper chart for several meetings including teams of girls

Planning the Girl Scout Year with GirlsA few times a year, gather the group/troop together and create a calendar of events. Grab some paper and pencils and follow the directions below or find a projector and create a Year Plan online using the Volunteer Toolkit.

Make a calendar on a large piece of paper.

Have girls get in groups and write down:• The things that they need to do• The things that they would like to do

Add basic Girl Scout activities to calendar:• Fall Product Program and Cookie Program Activity• Investiture and rededication ceremonies• Seasonal activities• Special Girl Scout days (such as World Thinking Day)• End of year Court of Awards

Girls select activities and add them to the calendar:• Have girls check out the “Things that they would like

to do” list and choose their favorites.

Fill in the calendar as a group:Decide where everything will fit.

Next steps:A few months later, maybe before winter break, review the calendar–how does it look?

• Do the girls want to add anything?

• Would the girls like to change anything?

• The calendar is FLEXIBLE, and the GIRLS decide what they do and when.

Note: The Volunteer Toolkit at gswise.org offers an online calendar for co-leaders.

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10. Evaluate your success

9. Work your plan

8. Plan your work–timeline

7. How will the needs be met?

6. Needs of each step

5. What are the steps?

4. Make the decision

3. Do a reality check–do the plans need to be changed?

2. Get ideas

1. Purpose of activity – What are you trying to do?

10 Steps to Planning a Successful Activity

Start with a great planGirl Scout Juniors are full of great ideas about how to run their troop and what they want to do during meetings. The best way to turn those ideas into activities is to have a plan.

Following the steps listed here can help keep girls stay focused on planning but also gives them the chance to come back to the process if they need a break.

It also includes an evaluation step at the end to help girls and adults discuss what worked and what didn’t which can be useful when planning other activities.

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Suggestions for Co-leaders from GirlsWe like it when you… We don’t like it when you… Girls suggest...

Consider yourself a teacher or a mentor. Think and act like a leader working with little girls.

Ask us what your role is-- let’s define it together.

Understand that we need time to talk, unwind, and have fun together.

Assume that we always have to be accomplishing something big or being productive.

Let us tell you when and if we are ready to do something big.

Ask, “What do you hope to do in the groups? How do you want to spend the time together?”

Say, “okay, this is what we are going to do,” or “ You can do X, Y, or Z. Choose one.”

Recognize that you may have an agenda and you need to try to let go so we have a chance to create our own agenda.

Teach us how to figure out the paperwork and legwork for projects and trips.

Decide what the projects and trips are, set the agenda, or take over the vision, big picture planning, and decision making.

Ask us how you can be most helpful. Engage us in a discussion about who does what.

Teach us and then stand back and let us see what we can do!

Nag us and make us feel like we are going to fail.

Intervene if our safety is in danger. Otherwise, remember failure to you might not mean failure to us!

Provide some structure. Try to create too much structure or become rigid and inflexible.

Help us create many ways to stay connected by asking us how often we like to meet in person.

Let everyone have a voice in the group-encourage us to try new roles in the security and comfort of our groups.

Force responsibilities on us for our own good when we say we are not comfortable assuming them.

Initiate conversations about how we are doing as a group.

Ask us what rules we think we need to reach as a group to be a good team.

Veto ideas without explaining why or make up all kinds of rules on your own.

Tell us what you are worried about. Engage us in a discussion on alternatives and work with us to resolve the problem.

Guide us by asking the right questions at the right times and help us act on our answers.

Do things your own way. Remember we want to leave our own fingerprints on whatever we do; recognize that your way may not be our way.

Let us speak our minds and feel free to say anything.

Make us feel we have to hold back our feelings because you might not be comfortable with them.

Respect our feelings. Even when you might not fully understand or agree, show us that you know our feelings are important.

Focus on resolving problems with a positive attitude.

Focus on blaming, lecturing, punishing, or avoiding the issue altogether.

Help us define the problem and create solutions together.

Try to stay up-to-date on the latest movies, music, celebrities, trends, and fashions.

Try to wear the latest fashion for girls our age or try to speak like us.

Ask us about our favorite movies, television shows, and music. We are always glad to know you are interested.

Connect with us; treat us like equal partners.

Forget about the girl/adult boundaries and try to be one of us.

Remember we know we still need someone looking out for our overall well being. We want to feel safe.

Encourage friendships--new and old. Assume that we always want to meet with a small group of girls we already know.

Help us find out about and participate in activities and events happening for girls our age in the area.

Let us know that you remember facing similar issues and have dealt with many of the same problems we are facing now.

Act like nothing has changed since you were our age.

Validate our feeling by trying to relate to us-be real.

Promote trust by letting us know that what is said in the group stays in the group.

Gossip about us to parents, other volunteers, or adults in our community.

If our safety is at stake, let us know that you need to bring another adult in on the issue.

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DNA of a G. .R.L.She’s a go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader!

HELLOMy name isLeader

Sets goals andsticks to them

Works hard tobring positive

change tothe world

Seeks new adventures and experiences

Speaks up forherself and others

Takes pride inher abilities

and successes

Builds teamspirit and bringspeople together

Takes actionon issues dearto her heart

with compassionand clearcommunication

Falls down andgets back up

Runs forleadership

positions

Sees newsolutions to

old problemsListens toopinions andfeelings differentfrom her own

Has an imagination that knows no limits

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What Every Girl Scout Junior Should Know

Learn the Girl Scout Way

Know and understand the Girl Scout Promise and Law; be able to share their meanings

Participate in an investiture or rededication ceremony

Plan an investiture or rededication ceremony

Plan and participate in a Scout’s Own

Know the history of Girl Scouting

Know Girl Scout traditions and participate in celebrating them

Understand the meaning of the World Pin and the World Association

Know and use the handshake, slogan, motto and quiet sign

Plan and participate in Court of Awards ceremonies

Explore the Meaning of Citizenship

Plan and participate in several indoor and outdoor flag ceremonies

Plan and participate in a community service project

Explore varied cultures, religions, and ways of living

Demonstrate the relationship between the Girl Scout Law and citizenship

During her years as a Girl Scout Junior, every girl should have the opportunity to...

Help Manage Her Troop

Take an active part in patrols and Court of Honor or other forms of troop government

Participate in the selection of girl leadership for troop and/or patrol

Make decisions regarding dues and troop money

Make decisions regarding troop rules and procedures

Be an active member of the troop by sharing ideas and running parts of the meeting.

Develop and use a kaper chart for meetings and activities

Learn and Achieve

Learn new skills by completing Journeys

Participate in activities to earn badges and signs

Participate in at least two activities from each aspect of Girl Scouting

Earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award

Expand Outdoor Experience

Participate in many outdoor meetings

Plan and participate in one or more camping experiences

Increase outdoor skills – fire building, cooking, hiking

Learn basic information about the natural world, ecology, and preservation

Express Creativity

Create art items for herself or others

Use dramatic or choral skills in a presentation

Learn songs and games; teach them to others

Learn several useful home arts

Share in the Girl Scout Community

Share activities with other Girl Scout Junior troops

Participate in bridging activities with older girl troops

Share skills with younger troops

Participate in school, area or city/town-wide events

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Promoting Harmony and “Sisterliness”

• Talking about it and setting clear behavior rules. Discuss Girl Scout principles (such as being a sister to every Girl Scout) as they apply to one another.

• Using badge work (Healthy Relationships; Being My Best) to open discussions on how a girl might feel if everyone else is paired up for an activity and she hasn’t been selected and what other girls can do to prevent this from happening.

• Holding one-on-one discussions with individual girls and their parents/guardians (if situations can’t be resolved within the troop or between leaders and girls.)

• Changing buddies frequently on long outings or overnights (“Now buddy up with someone new!”)

• Using various methods to group girls for carpools, small group activities, buddies, etc. Choose by using the splitter activities such as alphabetical first names or last names, birth dates, shoe size, drawing straws, etc., so that different girls end up together.

• Choosing secret sisters or secret pals. Draw names at the beginning of the year. Ask the girls to be a special friend to that person by complimenting her, sitting by her, choosing her as their helper, etc. Have the girls brainstorm other ways to make their Girl Scout sister feel special. Possibly have a small gift exchange, with inexpensive, preferably handmade gifts, on Girl Scout holidays such as Founder’s Day (Juliette Gordon Low’s October 31 birthday) or the Girl Scout birthday on March 31 to reveal secret sisters - or you could extend through the entire year.

• Rotating patrol members or work group members.

• Reinforcing desired behavior (“I’m glad to see that Susan and Maria have teamed up today!”. “Shawna, thanks for helping Sam with her bracelet!”).

• Inviting a few high school aged Girl Scouts to come and talk to girls about their lasting friendships within Girl Scouts even though their Girl Scout friends may go to different schools or they may not be best friends at school.

Girls this age will often establish cliques within the troop that can lead to the exclusion of some girls and hurt feelings. Listed below are some ways to build ‘sisterliness’ in your troop.

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Valuing DifferencesDiversity is defined by the dictionary as:

(1.) The condition of being different and (2.) An instance or a point of difference.

Here is a game that points out how we are alike and different from our friends in the troop/group.

Whodunit?• Ask each girl to write down on an index card

something interesting she has done.

• Collect the cards, shuffle, then hand out to girls.

• Each girl reads her card out loud and guesses whose fact they have read.

• The guessed person says “Yes” or “No.”

• If the guess is correct, the guessed person may briefly explain her experience.

• If the guess is incorrect, the guesser continues.

• Ask participants to discuss what details they considered in making their guess.

• Discuss the way we attribute (or don’t attribute) particular traits, actions, or stories to the people we know.

From www.ehow.com

Working it OutNo matter how hard you try, there are always going to be conflicts, in troops and in life. Teaching girls how to work out their problems is a skill they’ll use for years to come.

Mediation: Each girl has a chance to tell her side of the story without interruption. The girl tells you what the problem was and what happened. Each girl tries to develop some possible solutions; girls try to choose one.

Active Listening: You or one of the girls summarizes what each of the people involved in the conflict has said to make sure everyone understands the problem. Use phrases such as “It sounds like you said….” or “Do you mean…?” or whatever sounds most natural. This should help discover the main reason for the conflict so it can be resolved quickly.

Time Out: This can be used when you know the girls are capable of solving the problem themselves. You ask the girls to go off by themselves for a set period of time and return to you with their solution.

Role Reversal: This can help girls see another person’s viewpoint. Ask each to state the point of view of another person.

Skillful Listening: The way you and the girls listen and speak to each other is also important for resolving conflict. Listening is a skill.

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Check out Safety Activity Checkpointsbefore running an activitySafety Activity Checkpoints contain the safety rules that govern all aspects of Girl Scout activities and programs. Scan through these and refer to them often. Best practice is to review the checkpoints while

planning Girl Scout activities and outings. Get the girls in the habit of looking up the safety procedures.

Permission slipsA permission slip is required any time the troop/group is not at its normal meeting place and/or time. A permission slip is also needed any time the troop focuses on a sensitive or controversial issue. Permission slips can be completed online at gswise.org, just typeParent Guardian Permission Form in the search bar.

Tagalongs We recommend that tagalongs or children other than troop members not be a part of the official troop meeting. The meeting’s focus is on the girls registered with the troop. If tagalongs will be part of a meeting or outing, remember to get Plan 2 Insurance to cover all non-members.

Troop leadership Because the female role model is essential to fulfilling the purpose of Girl Scouting, at least one member of the leadership team needs to be an adult female. All registered Girl Scouts, including adults, are covered under the Girl Scout insurance policy. A trained adult female needs to be present at all troop events.

Adult/Girl ratiosFor Girl Scout Brownies the recommended ratio of adults to girls are:

• For meetings:⬩ Two adults to every 20 Girl Scout Juniors⬩ Plus one adult for each additional 8 Girl Scout

Juniors• For events, trips, and group camping:

⬩ Two adults to every 12 Girl Scout Juniors⬩ Plus one adult for each additional 6 Girl Scout

Juniors

Safety Requirements and Guidelines

No matter how well we plan, emergencies can happen. That is why it is required that two co-leaders attend every Girl Scout meeting. If you or a girl is injured at a meeting or on a trip, you do not want to take all the girls with you to the hospital or leave them alone.

Safety Activity Checkpoints provides additional guidelines for the girl/adult ratio.

Meeting places and safetyThe safety of our girls is of paramount importance to Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast. It is imperative that we maintain a reputation as a safety-conscious organization that challenges girls to take risks in a safe environment. Troop interaction is critical to our girls’ social and organizational development.

Troop meetings should be held in facilities that are designed to meet the unique needs associated with public use and should be ADA-compliant to ensure the troop meeting is accessible for all girls. Examples of commonly used meeting locations are schools, government buildings, places of worship, libraries, YMCA locations, and office space.

Children and Youth ProtectionMandated Reporter Online Training

This one-hour session covers the responsibilities

and procedures for reporting suspected child

abuse and neglect. GSWISE also recommends

that volunteers complete the Darkness to Light

supplemental training as an additional measure, but

it is not required. Darkness to Light teaches adults

how to recognize, prevent, and react responsibly to

child sexual abuse.

Visit gswise.org• Volunteer• Learning and Support• Wisconsin Mandated Reporter Online Training• Complete the online training• Download and save your certificate of

completion• Email your certificate to customercare@

gswise.org» Subject line: 497 Mandated Reporter

Training• Contact Customer Care at 800-565-4475 if you

have any questions

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Trip Planning Progression

Beginning Trip Planners Intermediate Trip Planners Experienced Trip Planners

Co-leaders take the lead and get girl input.

Leaders do most of the research and suggest a couple of trip ideas to girls.

Girls vote based on budget, time, and location considerations.

Girls pick meal choices. Girls indicate what types of attractions they want to see or activities they want to do.

Girls and co-leaders work together in planning.

Girls and co-leaders research trip destinations, accommodations, attractions, and activities.

Leaders help girls understand costs involved.

Girls vote and make choices with leader input.

Girls help plan budget, some activities, meals, and accommodations.

Girls take the lead with co-leader input.

Girls research trip destinations, accommodations, attractions, and activities.

Girls vote and make decisions based on what they want to do and how much they want to fundraise.

Girls present their ideas and a budget to co-leaders for their input.

Girls divide up their responsibilities such as fundraising, making reservations, shopping for food, creating an itinerary, etc.

Girl Scout Junior Local Trip SuggestionsGirls at this age love new experiences, challenges, group outings, and outdoor activities. The ideas below will get you started with planning some trips.

• Canoeing—Take the canoe skills course as a troop. Then go camping and canoe on a river or lake. You can haul the council canoes or rent them from where you stay.

• Eagle Cave Trip (Blue River, Wisconsin)—Enjoy sleeping and exploring the cave. Girls can get dirty as they explore the cave on their own. Meals are provided if you prefer. Hiking, a game room, and evening activities are available.

• Elroy—Sparta Bike Trip—Great for a fall weekend camping trip. Stay at a local park and bike the trail on Saturday. This is a good trip to include parents. You can rent a trailer to haul the bikes.

• House boating on the Mississippi River—Rent a houseboat, tour the Mississippi area, and try fishing. Take a lifeguard if you want to swim.

• Mackinac Island—Stay at the Grand Hotel, another local hotel, or on the mainland. Visit Mackinac Island State Park and Fort Mackinac. Enjoy biking, carriage rides, and shopping.

• Madison—Tour the Capitol, nearby Cave of the Mounds, Little Norway, Lake Wisconsin, and the Farmer’s Market.

• Southeastern Wisconsin Trip—Stay in the tent cabins at Chinook Program Center in the summer and visit various area highlights: Old World Wisconsin, swimming, biking, area museums, or visit Milwaukee’s lakefront.

Field trips are an interesting and important part of the Girl Scout tradition. Girls at this age love new experiences, challenging themselves, group outings, and outdoor activities.

With some planning and encouragement, by the time they complete Girl Scout Juniors, girls can be ready to plan and fundraise for a week-long trip out-of-state. This is a great goal to set for the group.

A goal for co-leaders is to get the girls more involved in planning trips as time progresses. Get girls to work together and make sure they make decisions fairly.

Use your judgment as to how active a role the girls can handle within their time limits.

Enlist the help of parents in planning the trip—one parent can take a group of girls and research hotels or parks in the area while another parent can research area attractions with another group of girls. Set clear guidelines and expectations for parents when asking them to research parts of your trip, including the amount of money available and the distance they want to travel.

Hitting the Road with Girl Scout Juniors

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Teambuilding Games and ActivitiesDon’t forget the fun! Try to include a song, game, or other fun activity into every meeting. Girl Scout Juniors are at an age where they absorb concepts and rules quickly but make sure to take the time to read the rules clearly and set boundaries. Be aware that sometimes the process of dividing into groups can be a hang up. There are lots of creative ways to do this fairly, such as having girls choose a piece of candy and separating girls by the color they chose or putting a colored sticker on girls backs. The possibilities are endless.

Affirmative Fold Ups: Give each girl a sheet of paper and ask them to write their name on the top of the paper. Place all of the papers in the center of the circle. Have each participant draw a sheet from the center (not their own) and ask them to write one positive word (or a sentence) about that person at the bottom of the sheet. They then fold the paper up to cover up the word. Have them place the sheet back in the center and repeat on another sheet. Girls continue to select sheets from the circle to write affirming words, until the name is the only thing showing on the paper. The leader can then distribute the papers to their owners.

Back to Back: Every girl must find a partner of approximately equal height and weight, if possible. The partners will lock arms with their backs to one another. With arms remaining locked at all times, the partners will sit down on the ground, kick their legs out straight, and try to stand back up. Then groups of four will try the same thing. Then groups of eight, sixteen, and eventually, the entire group will try together.

Blanket Volleyball: Divide group into two teams, each with a blanket held like a parachute. Toss in an object that is volleyed from team to team using the blanket for propulsion. Add objects to increase difficulty.

Blind Shapes: Group can be blindfolded or have eyes closed. Have group form themselves into a shape (square, triangle, etc.). The group can also use a rope, with everyone holding on, to make shapes.

Blind Walk: Divide group into pairs with one member of each pair blindfolded. Seeing partner leads blind partner on a walk. The walk should be challenging, including such obstacles as climbing over tables, crawling under chairs, walking up or down stairs, climbing over railings, etc.

Canyon Bridge: Two groups meet on a log/bench/etc. (the bridge). The groups need to pass each other to get to the other side of the canyon. Anyone who falls off goes to the end of their group.

Group Juggling: Establish a pattern of tosses including everyone in the circle. Add additional objects periodically. This is a good way to help a group of strangers remember at least one person’s name forever.

1. Have the group stand in a circle, fairly close together.

2. Leader or first player tosses a ball across the circle, calling out the person’s name to whom they toss it to. That player tosses to a different player and so on until everyone has caught the ball and thrown it once. The ball should be back in the leader or first player’s hands at this point.

3. Repeat the sequence a couple of times. Now add a second ball and then a third. Add as many balls as you want.

4. The game ends when no one will play anymore.

Variations:• Make a wider circle• Bounce the ball instead of toss• Use toilet paper instead of balls• Use various size balls

Group Knot: Have the girls stand in a tight circle, with their hands in the center. At the leader’s signal, the girls grab other hands at random. The puzzle is then for the whole group to work together to get themselves untangled. Sometimes you’ll find that the group has actually formed several smaller circles. This may get frustrating if you’ve formed a troublesome knot, but let them keep trying.

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Keep It Up: The players form two or more teams with 10-12 players on a team. Each team gets into a circle. Each team is given a volleyball (or similar type ball of any size). The players attempt to keep their ball in the air the longest.

When a team wins, they get a point. The team with the most points wins. Do not allow players to catch the ball during play. NOTE: To vary, change the way of scoring. For example, the ball must be hit to the person on your right, the ball must be hit with only one hand, etc.

Line Up: The group lines up in order of size, birthday, address, shoe size, shirt color, etc. Variations include no talking, blindfolded, blindfolded and no talking, etc.

Loop-De-Loop: Have the girls stand in a circle and hold hands. Start with one hula hoop (or inner-tube, long loop of fabric, etc.) hanging over one pair of joined hands. Each person in the circle must pass the hoop/loop over herself and on to the next person– WITHOUT letting go of hands. For added difficulty, do this with 2 or 3 loop/hoops going at the same time in different directions.

Masks: Girls are given a piece of paper (preferably poster board). They are asked to cut out a face shape (that is fairly large– like the size of a regular face). They can cut out eyes and a mouth if they would like. Participants are then asked to decorate the face. One side represents what they feel people see/know/believe about them (on the outside). The other side represents what she feels about herself (things going on the inside, what people do not necessarily know or see, etc.). The participants then share with the group if they feel comfortable.

Minefield: Have the group discuss things that are detrimental to functioning as a group. For each characteristic/action, throw an object into the playing space (the “minefield”). Have the girls choose partners. One partner is blindfolded at one end of the field. The non-blindfolded partners stand at the opposite end of the field and try to talk their partners through the minefield without running into any of the obstacles.

Teambuilding Games and ActivitiesPiece of the Puzzle: Game leader should cut a puzzle out of poster paper ahead of time. (There should be one piece for each member of the group.) Have girls decorate their piece to represent who they are and what they feel they can contribute to the group. Once the girls are done, have them share what they have on their piece and assemble the puzzle. Leader should initiate a discussion on the power of everyone coming together, how much more of an impact a put together puzzle can have, than separate pieces, and how a final product could not be reached without a contribution from every piece of the puzzle.

Poison Peanut Butter: Draw two lines to represent the edges of the poison peanut butter. Hand each girl in the group a bandana. Group needs to get everyone safely across using only the bandanas as safety zones. Variations include using too few bandanas for a continuous chain across or stating that once a bandana has been placed on the ground, it cannot be moved. In the second case, be sure there are enough bandanas to make it across if placed strategically.

Similarity Charades: Divide into smaller groups. Each group discusses their similarities and acts that out for other group to guess.

Stick: Everyone in the group touches the stick at same time. Break the stick in half and repeat. Continue until the stick is very small.

What You Don’t Know: Tape a blank piece of paper or poster board (kind of like a billboard) on each girl’s back. Members write a compliment or positive comment on the paper. At the end of the activity, explain that a lot of times we tend to give compliments behind someone’s back and it is not very often that we actually say these things to people’s faces. We sometimes take for granted the positive aspects of others. If you wish, you may also explain that criticisms often are given behind others’ backs as well, but that it may be more effective if they share their thoughts with that person, instead of with others. Have the girls pair up with someone they would like to get to know better and remove the paper from each others’ backs. They should then explain to that girl why they would like to get to know her better.

Wind in the Willows: A variation on trust falls involving the entire group. Group stands in a circle with one person in the middle. Person in middle falls in any direction, trusting spotters to catch her and stand her back up.

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With the VTK, you can also:

• Access step-by-step activity guides for each troop meeting—so you’ll know exactly what to say and do

• Easily share troop meeting activities and updates with parents/caregivers for each meeting

• Log girls’ program achievements and milestones

• Add events and your own troop activities

• Find resources tailored just for you

. . . and so much more!

Jump-start your troop year with the VTK!

The Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) contains program and meeting plans for Daisy through Ambassador and multi-level troops! It takes the guesswork out of planning and prepping for your troop meetings and makes communication and staying organized seamless.

To get started, get to know the VTK! The Explore tab lets you either create your own year plan or choose from pre-selected tracks.

What volunteers are saying:

“I like that there are meeting plans and

schedules to follow. I also like being able to

keep track of the badges my girls earn. The ‘my troop’

feature that allows me to email all of the parents at

once is great too—I use that a lot.”

Want to learn more about the Volunteer Toolkit?

Just sign in at gswise.org and click My GS!

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Getting Help When You Need ItYour support teamWe have many goals for girls but we also have them for adults. We want you to enjoy your time with girls! The best way to do that is to gather your team and know when and how to get help.

Gather your teamIf your troop is established, chances are you have a group of “go to” adults willing to help. Now may be a good time to take another look at the list of Volunteer Positions on page 28 and think about how adults can help in a specialized area, not so much in the every day running of the troop.

Does your troops’ list of adults include:

• First responders who could give advice for first aid?

• Members of the business community willing to let girls job shadow?

• Women willing to talk about and share their life or work experience?

These are great people the troop can connect with and learn from. It also gives adults who can’t help on a regular basis a chance to participate with the troop.

Support from GSWISESometimes you just need to talk to a live person. We understand completely. Your primary contact at GSWISE is your Volunteer Support Specialist.

• Troop management• Troop Finances• Working with parents• Service Unit events and meetings• Concerns related to adults or girls

Customer CareGSWISE Customer Care staff are ready to help when you have questions or concerns about:

• Girl Scouting in general• Events and camp• Product Sales• General training questions

Grab the phone or send us an email. We are ready to answer your questions and help you find solutions.

Contact us at:customercare@gswise.org or 800-565-4475.

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Parent Involvement

Note: Any volunteer holding one of the Helping Hands positions listed above is required to register as an adult Girl Scout

member and to complete a background check.

Helping Hands: Volunteer Opportunities for Parents

Treasurer Keeps record of the troop’s finances

Chaperone Assists with troop outings

Regular Meeting Helper Lends a helping hand to girls and co-leaders as needed during troop meetings

Regular Meeting Planner Helps plan troop meetings and/or prep for meetings

Troop Cookie Captain Organizes the Cookie Program

Fall Troop Product Manager Organizes the Fall Product Program activities

Presenter Presents a certain topic to the troop at an assigned meeting

Troop Newsletter Editor Writes the troop newsletter

Driver Transports girls to and from troop outings

Camp Coordinator Plans camping trips for the troop

Service Project Coordinator Organizes service projects for the troop to participate in

Emergency ContactHelps contact parents and guardians in case of an emergency

(*this person does not participate in the outing)

Phone Tree Coordinator Organizes communication between co-leaders and parents in the event of a cancellation

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STRONG SENSE OF SELFGirls have confidence in themselves and their abilities, and form positive identities.

POSITIVE VALUESGirls act ethically, honestly, and responsibly, and show concern for others.

CHALLENGE SEEKINGGirls take appropriate risks, try things even if they might fail, and learn from mistakes.

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPSGirls develop and maintain healthy relationships by communicating their feelings directly and resolving conflicts constructively.

COMMUNITY PROBLEM SOLVINGGirls desire to contribute to the world in purposeful and meaningful ways, learn how to identify problems in the community, and create “action plans” to solve them.

5 Ways Girl Scouts Builds Girl LeadersGirl Scouts’ mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Since 1912, girls have explored new fields of knowledge, learned valuable skills, and developed strong core values through Girl Scouts. Today Girl Scouts is, as it always has been, the organization best positioned to help girls develop important leadership skills they need to become successful adults.

At Girl Scouts, guided by supportive adults and peers, girls develop their leadership potential through age-appropriate activities that enable them to discover their values, skills, and the world around them; connectwith others in a multicultural environment; and take action to make a difference in their world. These activities are designed to be girl led, cooperative, and hands-on—processes that create high-quality experiences conducive to learning.

When girls participate in Girl Scouts, they benefit in 5 important ways:

-

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PublicationsGirl Scout Junior Journey books

• Agent of Change • Get Moving• aMuse

The Girl’s Guide to Girl ScoutingGirl Scout TraditionsSafety Activity Checkpoints, online at gswise.org.

Volunteer EssentialsGet just about everything you need as a Girl Scout volunteer, including basic facts and forms, as well as tips on planning outdoor activities, promoting safety, arranging trips, selling cookies, and more found at gswise.org.

Troop Money Management bookletThis booklet will help you understand how to manage the troop’s money. As a co-leader, maintaining an orderly troop account is necessary to ensure the success of your troop.

ConnectionsThis publication created by Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast is your guide to planning events, activities, and renting program properties.

Information Online• National website: girlscouts.org

• Local council website: gswise.org

• Volunteer information at gswise.org

• Ways to Volunteer• Volunteer Toolkit• Volunteer Recognition and Awards• Learning and Support

Note: The resources mentioned in this training, plus additional tools, can be found at gswise.org by clicking on the Resources section and entering keyword in the search bar.

Service Unit MeetingsThroughout the school year, troop leaders meet with other volunteers in their service units. To find when your local service unit meets, go to gswise.org.

Service CentersGirl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast operates three service centers which hosue Girl Scout libraries and retail shops to assist volunteers in the delivery of Girl Scout programming to girls and adults.

The service centers are your year-round source for Girl Scout uniforms, pins, badges, and books.

Each service center retail shop is filled with books and Take Out Boxes that may be loaned to troop leaders.

Reservations are necessary for Take Out Boxes due to a limited number of items. Please contact your local service center for availability. Visit any of our three convenient locations or place an order by mail, fax, phone, or online at gswise.org/Shop.

References and Resources

30

Jou

rney

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ok

$7.0

0

Gir

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uid

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9.5

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ctiv

ity

Set

$4.0

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Jou

rney

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ard

Bad

ges

$6.0

0

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My

Pro

mis

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y Fa

ith

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0

Saf

ety

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00

Polo

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5

US

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un

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Tro

op

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st$2

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Mem

ber

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Pin

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Wo

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Tre

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Nu

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ach

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ard

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Gir

l Sco

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Jun

ior

Uni

form

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and

bad

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are

iron-

on b

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est

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sew

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tiliz

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any

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ncil

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31

Notes

32