As a volunteer, the environment you create is just as important as the activities your girls do—it's the key to developing the sort of group where everyone wants to participate.
You're a role model and a mentor to your girls. Since you play an important role in their lives, they need to know that you consider each of them an important person too. They can weather a poor meeting place or an activity that flops, but they cannot endure being ignored or rejected.
Girls are sensitive to fairness for all. They forgive mistakes if they are sure you are trying to be fair. They look for fairness in how responsibilities are shared, the handling of disagreements, and your responses to performance and accomplishment.
Girls need your belief in them and your support when they try new things and you'll need to show that you won't betray their confidence. Show them you are making an effort to understand them as individuals.
Girls want someone who will listen to what they think, feel, and want to do. They like having someone they can talk to about the important things happening in their lives.
Conflicts and disagreements are an inevitable part of life, and—if handled constructively—they show Girl Scouts they can overcome their differences of opinions, exercise diplomacy, and improve their communication and relationships. Respecting others and being a sister to every Girl Scout means that shouting, verbal abuse, or physical confrontations are never warranted and cannot be tolerated in the Girl Scout environment.
When a conflict arises in your troop, get those involved to sit down together and talk calmly in a nonjudgmental manner, keeping in mind that each party may need some time—a few days or a week—to calm down before being able to do this. Talking in this way might feel uncomfortable and difficult now, but it lays the groundwork for working well together in the future. Whatever you do, do not spread your complaint around to others—that won't help the situation and causes only embarrassment and anger.
GSSEM encourages troop leaders to sign up for an upcoming Managing Girl Scout Behavior webinar to learn a four-step approach to correcting Girl Scouts' behavior in the troop setting. For navigating disagreements with adults, view the Difficult Conversations webinar, which gives volunteers tools for how to have and structure conversations with caregivers and volunteers in a disagreement. All families should have a signed Parent/Guardian Agreement on file with the troop every year which has families agree to support the troop by engaging in positive behaviors in a Girl Scout setting. You'll also find conflict resolution activities in some of the Journeys, such as the Amaze Journey for Cadettes or the Mission Sisterhood Journey for Seniors.
If a conflict persists, be sure you explain the matter to your troop's volunteer support team. If the volunteer support team cannot resolve the issues satisfactorily (or if the problem involves a volunteer on the troop/group's volunteer support team), please contact your Member Support Specialist. If they are unable to resolve the issues satisfactorily, Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan will inform you of the next steps. Please refer to the Volunteer Relations Process Short & Snappy on gsLearn for more information.
Make sure your words and intentions create a connection with troop members. Keep in mind how important the following approaches are.
Remember, you don't have to solve the girls' problems for them or have all of the answers. Ask them what they would like to do about the situation and how you can support them.
Let these simple tips guide you when working with teenage girls:
It's an amazing feeling when your Girl Scouts put their trust in you—and when they do, they may come to you with some of the issues they are facing such as bullying, peer pressure, dating, athletic and academic performance, and more. Some of these issues may be considered sensitive by families who may have opinions or input about how, and whether, Girl Scouts should cover these topics with their girls.
Girl Scouts welcomes and serves girls and families from a wide spectrum of faiths and cultures. When girls wish to participate in discussions or activities that could be considered sensitive—even for some—put the topic on hold until you have spoken with the parents and received guidance from GSSEM.
When Girl Scout activities involve sensitive issues, your role is that of a caring adult volunteer who can help girls acquire skills and knowledge in a supportive atmosphere, not someone who advocates a particular position.
Neither Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan nor Girl Scouts of the USA does not take a position or develop materials on issues relating to human sexuality, birth control, or abortion. We feel our role is to help girls develop self-confidence and good decision-making skills that will help them make wise choices in all areas of their lives. We believe parents and caregivers, along with schools and faith communities, are the primary sources of information on these topics.
Parents/caregivers make all decisions regarding their girl's participation in Girl Scout program that may be of a sensitive nature. As a volunteer leader, you must get written parental permission for any locally planned program offering that could be considered sensitive. Included on the permission form should be the topic of the activity, any specific content that might create controversy, and any action steps the girls will take when the activity is complete. Be sure to have a form for each girl and keep the forms on hand in case a problem arises. For activities not sponsored by Girl Scouts, find out in advance (from organizers or other volunteers who may be familiar with the content) what will be presented, and follow GSSEM's guidelines for obtaining written permission.
For more information on sensitive topics, please view GSSEM's stance on religious and social issues at www.gssem.org/issues.
There may be times when you worry about the health and well-being of girls in your group. Alcohol, drugs, sex, bullying, abuse, depression, and eating disorders are some of the issues girls may encounter. You are on the frontlines of girls' lives which places you in a unique position to identify a situation in which a girl may need help. If you believe a girl is at risk of hurting herself or others, your role is to promptly bring that information to her parent/caregiver or the council so she can get the expert assistance she needs. Your concern about a girl's well-being and safety is taken seriously and GSSEM will guide you in addressing these concerns.
Here are a few signs that could indicate a girl needs expert help:
If you notice any of these signs in one of your girls, GSSEM recommends referring the girl to experts at school or in the community. Share your concern with the girl's family, if this is feasible, but only after seeking the girl's consent. Also, GSSEM has included information on how to talk to girls about eating disorders, anxiety, and depression in Senior/Ambassador Grade Level Essentials found on gsLearn. GSSEM also offers Youth Mental Health First Aid training, which volunteers may register for via the Event List at www.gssem.org/events.
Physical, verbal, emotional, or sexual abuse of girls is forbidden. Please refer to Safety Activity Checkpoints for Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan's policies regarding physical or sexual abuse, youth violence and bullying, and child abuse.
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