Volunteer Essentials 2010and

Safety Activity Checkpoints

Who We Are• Tere Stouffer, Director, Membership Resources• Amy Schroeder, Writer/Editor• Lucille Griffin, Administrative Assistant• Kimberly Roots, Writer/Editor

• GSUSA 2009 deliverable: “Troop Packet by Spring 2009”

Evolution of Volunteer Essentials

• Original concept: Give troop volunteers an operational handbook.

Evolution of Volunteer Essentials

Revised concept: Give all volunteers, in all pathways, an operational handbook.

Evolution of the Volunteer Packet

VOLUNTEER ESSENTIALS

2009 DeliverablesWriting Deliverable • Volunteer Essentials• Troop Module

Revision Deliverable • Heard from more than 40 councils (e-mails, phone calls,

and in-person conversations) that they were using the resources for the 2010 membership year.

• Reviewed 20 customized versions of the resource.

2010 Deliverables

• Quick-Start Guide added• Updates made to last year’s text• Troop Module became “Troop Appendix”• Travel Appendix added• Series/Events Appendix added

Quick-Start Guide• Why Girl Scouts?• The Girl Scout Mission, Promise, and Law• Who Can Join Girl Scouting—and How!• Girl Scouts’ Organizational Structure• Getting Started with Journey Books• Planning in a Girl-Led Environment• Meeting with Girls for the First Time• Using Safety Activity Checkpoints

Updates to Volunteer Essentials• Introduction• Chapter 1: Sharing Your Unique Gifts• Chapter 2: Girl Scouting 101• Chapter 3: Program—What Girl Scouts Do!• Chapter 4: Engaging Girls at All Grade Levels• Chapter 5: Staying Safe—Always!• Chapter 6: Taking Trips and Hosting Events• Chapter 7: Managing Group Finances• Troop Module

Updates to Volunteer Essentials• Introduction• Chapter 1: Sharing Your Unique Gifts• Chapter 2: Girl Scouting 101• Chapter 3: Program—What Girl Scouts Do!• Chapter 4: Engaging Girls at All Grade Levels• Chapter 5: Staying Safe—Always! Safety-Wise• Chapter 6: Taking Trips and Hosting Events• Chapter 7: Managing Group Finances• Troop ModuleAppendix

• Quick-Start Guide• Sharing Your Unique Gifts• Program—What Girl Scouts Do!• Engaging Girls at All Grade Levels• Safety-Wise• Managing Group Finances• Appendix: For Troop Volunteers• Appendix: For Travel Volunteers• Appendix: For Series/Event Volunteers

Updates to Volunteer Essentials

Updates to Volunteer Essentials

Troop Module = Troop Appendix

Travel Appendix

Series/Events Appendix

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Putting It All Together• Volunteer Essentials gives volunteers a one-

stop shop, but also offers flexibility!• Examples:

One-day event volunteers: Chapters on Girl Scouting 101, Program, and Safety, plus Series/Events Appendix

Troop volunteers: Quick-Start Guide, All VE chapters, plus Troop Appendix

Travel chaperone: Quick-Start Guide and Travel Appendix

Future for Volunteer Essentials• Strive for 100 percent usage at councils• Collect customized versions every year• Have councils share customization ideas via Pearl• Update and revise annually• Add Camp Appendix• Add Virtual Appendix• Decide how best to reach indirect-service

volunteers

• Much more user-friendly• Totally updated, with four new checkpoints• Easily updatable in the future• Designed in Word, so that councils can

customize• New format is easy-to-read, print, and distribute

New Safety Activity Checkpoints

• Started with existing Safety-Wise Activity Checkpoints

• Consulted reputable experts and sources for each activity

• Teamed with council staff, GSUSA staff, and external groups (Red Cross, American Camp Association) for proofing

The Re-Writing Process

• Title of the checkpoint, a photo and introductory text

• Information on where to do this activity and how to include girls with disabilities

• Basic and specialized gear required for the activity

• How you and the girls need to prepare yourselves in advance of the activity

• What specific steps to follow on the day of the activity

• Web links to help you and the girls learn more, plus ways for you and the girls to increase your know-how

• Activity-specific jargon

The New Safety Activity Checkpoints

Questionsand

Comments

Tere Stouffer: tstouffer@girlscouts.orgor 212.852.5026

Amy Schroeder: aschroeder@girlscouts.orgor 212.852.6592