Troop Management
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A lot of people equate leadership with "being in charge" or having a title.
Anyone can be a leader—it’s about recognizing you're part of a team and understanding that team's needs and interests.
This section will cover how you'll do that with your troop.
Your Role as a Girl Scout 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 volunteer, you will embark on your own leadership journey as you help Girl Scouts develop the leadership skills they’ll use to make the world a better place. Here are a few basic concepts that outline what leadership means in Girl Scouting.
Leadership is teaching your Girl Scouts:
- 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 but as a mentor and coach.
- 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 each Girl Scout as they grow and develop.
It is important to remember that:
- You cannot know everything that your Girl Scouts might ever want to learn.
- You’ll explore and learn alongside your Girl Scouts 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
Your responsibilities as a Girl Scout volunteer include:
- Accepting the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
- Carrying out the duties and requirements of your volunteer role listed in your role's Volunteer Position Description.
- Completing required trainings for your role, such as Troop Leader Orientation, Grade Level Essentials, and the GSUSA Girl Scouts Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Course via the gsLearn learning management system.
- Understanding and coaching Girl Scouts through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.
- Completing required training sessions and complying with Girl Scout policies, procedures, and safety guidelines.
- Sharing your knowledge, experience, and skills with a positive and flexible approach.
- Working in a partnership with your Girl Scouts so that their activities are girl-led and that they learn by doing, individually and as 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 their interests and needs.
- Providing guidance and information regarding Girl Scout group meetings with troop 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 your troop raises.
- Maintaining a close connection to your volunteer support team and GSSEM.
- Facilitating an inclusive environment and positive experience for every Girl Scout.
Planning for Your First Troop Meeting
Depending on the ages of your Girl Scouts, you might take the lead in guiding the structure and experiences of your troop—from how and when meetings are held to how the troop communicates, from steering girl-led activities to setting financial expectations. You'll make these decisions collaboratively with your volunteer team or co-leader, and with input from Girl Scouts and their parents and caregivers.
The First Four Meetings Short & Snappy offers a roadmap and sample activities through your first few meetings. Use the questions below to guide your conversations 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 members 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? Which uniform components will the troop provide for each member?
- Will our troop be a single-grade level or facilitated as a multi-level troop with Girl Scouts 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 and decisions girl-led? Use Rallyhood to help you through this process by exploring options for activities and reviewing the meeting plans and resource lists in the Troop Leader Network Rally.
- How often are we going to communicate with 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? For help with calculating troop dues, please refer to the Troop Dues Short & Snappy in the gsLearn content library.
Choosing a Meeting Place
Meeting places should be welcoming. This could mean locations that serve diverse populations, are openly inclusive, have diverse staff, and use welcoming language.
What makes a great meeting space? It depends on your troop, but here are a few considerations as you visit potential locations:
- 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 individuals during meetings.
- Accessibility. Your space should accommodate anyone with disabilities, including parents/caregivers with disabilities who may come to meetings.
Need a few talking points to get the conversation started? Try...
"I'm a Girl Scout volunteer with a group of [number of members) Girl Scouts. We're doing lots of great things for youth and for the community, like [something your group is doing] and [something else your troop is doing]. We're all about leadership—the kind that Girl Scouts use in their daily lives and the kind that makes our community better. We'd love to hold our meetings here because [reason why you'd like to meet there]."
Meeting in a Private Home
Girl Scouts does not recommend holding troop meetings in private homes.
If you are considering meeting in a private home, remember to ensure these standards:
- The private home must be the home of a registered, council-approved volunteer.
- Girl Scout members may not meet in a home where a registered sex offender resides. Some councils require membership and background checks for all adults living in the home. Contact your council for specific guidelines.
- Troop members need to be able to focus without disruptions from other household members.
- Animals should be kept in a place that is separate from the meeting space.
- Homeowners should consider any personal insurance implications. The homeowner should ask their personal homeowner's insurance carrier if there are any insurance concerns with troop meetings in the home. Also, volunteers should confirm with the council that troop meetings in the home are covered by GSSEM's liability insurance carrier.
- Weapons must be out of view and in a locked space. Medication, cleaning products, or any poisonous substances must be stored in a secure space, out of sight, and preferably locked.
Stuck and need additional support? Contact your first-year troop support specialist for help with a troop meeting place.
Virtual Meetings
If your group or troop can't meet in person or hold a traditional meeting, there are many ways to bring the power of Girl Scouting home! Meeting virtually can be a fun and engaging option for your troop.
Before setting up a virtual meeting, you'll want to:
- 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 your troop to set up ground rules; consider how you will incorporate in-person meeting traditions in your virtual space and how you'll keep meetings on track.
- Talk with families on how to keep activities girl-led if they will be completing them from home.
Ahead of the meeting, send out a few simple step-by-step instructions for how to access the platform and join the meeting. And don't worry if they want to use a web or social platform you're not as familiar with, because you'll learn alongside them! For more tips on successful virtual meetings, check out Tips, Tools, and Ideas for Planning a Great Virtual Meeting.
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. All Daisy, Brownie, and Junior troops must be open to a minimum of 12 Girl Scouts.
Though the ideal troop size is 12 Girl Scouts, we recommend that groups be no fewer and no larger than:
- Girl Scout Daisies: 5–12 members
- Girl Scout Brownies: 10–20 members
- Girl Scout Juniors 10–25 members
- Girl Scout Cadettes: 5–25 members
- Girl Scout Seniors: 5–30 members
- Girl Scout Ambassadors: 5–30 members
A Girl Scout troop/group must have a minimum of three Girl Scout youth and two approved adult volunteers in the troop leader/co-leader role. Be sure to double-check the volunteer-to-youth ratio table below to make sure you have the right number of adults present for group meetings, events, travel, and camping. Adults and youth registering in groups of fewer than three Girl Scout youth and two approved adult volunteers who are not related to each other or in a relationship, at least one of whom is female, will be registered as individual Girl Scouts to accurately reflect their status and program experience. Individual members are always welcome to participate in Girl Scout activities and events.
Knowing How Many Volunteers You Need
From troop meetings to camping weekends and cookie booths, adult volunteers must always be present to ensure Girl Scouts have fun and stay safe, no matter their grade level. If you are not sure about the number of adults you will need for your activity, the chart below breaks down the minimum number of volunteers needed to supervise a specific number of Girl Scouts.
|
Girl Scout Volunteer-to-Youth Ratios |
Group Meetings | Events, Travel, & Camping | ||
|
Two unrelated troop leader/co-leaders (at least one of whom is female) for up to this number of youth: |
One additional volunteer to each additional: |
Two unrelated troop leader/co-leaders (at least one of whom is female) for up to this number of youths: |
One additional volunteer to each additional: |
|
|
Girl Scout Daises (Grades K–1) |
12 | 1–6 | 6 | 1–4 |
|
Girl Scout Brownies (Grades 2–3) |
20 | 1–8 | 12 | 1–6 |
|
Girl Scout Juniors (Grades 4–5) |
25 | 1–10 | 16 | 1–8 |
|
Girl Scout Cadettes (Grades 6–8) |
25 | 1–12 | 20 | 1–10 |
|
Girl Scout Seniors (Grades 9–10) |
30 | 1–15 | 24 | 1–12 |
|
Girl Scout Ambassadors (Grades 11–12) |
30 | 1–15 | 24 | 1–12 |
Click image to enlarge.
An embedded, screen-reader-friendly version of this table is available when this page is viewed on a desktop.
Safety in Girl Scouting & The Buddy System
Safety in Girl Scouting
The emotional and physical safety and well-being of Girl Scouts is our top priority. Safety Activity Checkpoints outlines the Safety Standards and Guidelines used in Girl Scouting, which apply to all Girl Scout activities. All volunteers should review the Safety Activity Checkpoints manual when planning activities to manage safety and risk in Girl Scout-sanctioned activities.
In Safety Activity Checkpoints, you will find:
- Girl Scouts Safety Standards and Guidelines, which apply to all Girl Scout activities, including requirements for adult supervision, permission slips, preparation, field trips and overnight trips, and other vital information.
Activities not permitted by Girl Scouts of the USA and actions that Girl Scouts and volunteers should not take.
- Policies surrounding chartered aircraft trips and aviation.
- First aid and overall health information.
- Standards for well-being and inclusivity, along with ways to include Girl Scouts with disabilities, and ways to ensure everyone's emotional safety.
- Individual safety activity checkpoints for specific activities—such as camping, internet use, and water sports that provide activity-specific safety information.
Safety Activity Checkpoints is laid out in three primary sections, Introduction: Safety Standards and Guidelines, Activities at a Glance, and Individual Safety Activity Checkpoint pages.
- Introduction: Safety Standards and Guidelines provides the standard safety guidelines for Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GS USA) and Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan (GSSEM) activities.
-
Girl Scouts' Activities at a Glance table provides a quick
review of the safety standards for that activity with a focus on two
critical points to keep in mind when considering and planning
activities for your troop:
- Age-appropriate activities and participation by grade level, and
- Whether prior approval from Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan is required before anyone participates in a specific activity.
- The Activities at a Glance section is a great quick reference, but ensure you refer to the individual checkpoint as you plan your activity.
- Individual Safety Activity Checkpoint pages provide activity-specific safety measures and guidance on individual activities.
The Buddy System
Use the buddy system, in which the troop is divided into teams of at least two. Each Girl Scout is responsible for always staying with their buddy, warning their buddy of danger, giving their buddy immediate assistance if safe to do so, and seeking help if needed. They are encouraged to stay near the group or buddy with another team so if someone is injured, one person cares for the injured while others seek help.
Registering Girls & Adults in Girl Scouting
Every participant (youth and adult) in Girl Scouting must register and become a member of Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). GSUSA membership dues are valid for one year. Membership dues cannot be transferred to another member and are not refundable.
Preregistration for the upcoming membership year occurs in the spring. Early registration allows for uninterrupted receipt of forms and materials from the council, helps troops and councils plan ahead, and gets everyone excited about all the great things they want to do as Girl Scouts next year. A Girl Scout's grade level is determined by the current membership year beginning October 1.
Lifetime membership is available to anyone who accepts the principles and beliefs of the Girl Scout Promise and Law, pays the one-time lifetime membership fee, and is at least 18 years old (or a high school graduate or equivalent). Volunteers with ten or more years of service can become lifetime members at the discounted young alum rate.
Adding New Girls to Your Troop
Growing your troop is a great way to share the power of the Girl Scout experience and there are many ways to get the word out, like hanging posters at your girl's school, using social media to reach families in your community, or including your troop in GSSEM's Participation Catalog. The GSSEM Customer Care team can help get your troop listed in the Participation Catalog and set the desired number for members your troop would like to have. Contact the GSSEM Recruitment team for marketing and recruitment materials for adding new girls to your troop.
Visit www.gssem.org/registration to view the New Member Registration Short & Snappy, which explains how to register new girl and adult members. When you are ready to welcome new troop members, check out the Welcoming New Girl Scouts Short & Snappy on gsLearn to learn ways to welcome girls to your troop in a thoughtful way.
Daisy, Brownie, and Junior troops with fewer than 12 Girl Scouts will automatically be added to the Participation Catalog. Once the troop reaches 12 Girl Scouts, it will be removed from the catalog unless they have opted to remain open to more Girl Scouts. Troops may not exclude youth based on the school they attend unless school administration has a policy prohibiting youth who attend outside schools from entering the building.
Creating an Atmosphere of Acceptance & Inclusion
Girl Scouts is for every girl, and that's why we embrace Girl Scouts of all abilities and backgrounds with a specific and positive philosophy of inclusion that benefits everyone. Each Girl Scout—regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, physical or cognitive ability, sexual orientation, primary language, or religion—is an equal and valued member of the group, and groups reflect the diversity of the community.
We believe inclusion is an approach and an attitude, rather than a set of guidelines. Inclusion is about belonging, everyone being offered the same opportunities with respect, dignity, and celebration of their unique strengths. It's about being a sister to every Girl Scout.
You're accepting and inclusive when you:
- Welcome every Girl Scout and focus on building community. Show care by learning each person's name with correct pronunciation, caregivers included! Use a warm and friendly tone and consistently greet each community member when they arrive. Say goodbye to each person by name as well.
- Emphasize cooperation instead of competition.
- Provide a confidential, socially comfortable environment. Occasionally ask those who participate in Girl Scout programs if anything is worrying or bothering them. Be a trusted adult they can come to with their needs and emotions without judgment. Allow, but don't require, participants to say the Pledge of Allegiance or the Girl Scout Promise and Law at meetings.
- Teach respect for, understanding of, and dignity toward all members and their families. Learn about the cultures and identities in your Girl Scout community and understand and respect cultural differences. Be sure not to put anyone on the spot or ask them to educate you. Welcome personal sharing about people's cultural traditions, languages they speak and diverse family structures. Make this kind of sharing a consistent, reliable part of your time together.
- Embrace diverse gender expression by inviting each community member to share their gender pronouns aloud or on name tags. Explain that no one must share if they don't want to. Make this conversation matter-of-fact and use a positive tone.
- Actively reach out to members and families who are traditionally excluded or underrepresented.
- Learn the most valuable ways to support individual children and adults with disabilities, learning differences and/or neurodiversity. Ask parents, "What can I do to support your child to learn/ participate/feel successful in our group?
- Foster a sense of belonging to this 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 the GSSEM Member Support team. GSSEM also recommends completing the Ability Enrichment Training available on gsLearn to learn how to welcome Girl Scouts of all abilities.
Focus On Being Accessible to All
A key part of creating an inclusive environment is the idea that everyone has access to be able to participate. As you think about where, when, and how often to meet with your group, consider the needs, resources, safety, and beliefs of all members and potential members. Include the special needs of any members who have disabilities or whose parents or caregivers have disabilities. But please do not rely on visual cues to inform you of a disability; approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population has a disability—that's one in five people of every socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, and religion. Disabilities include physical, sensory, and cognitive conditions.
If you want to find out what an individual with a disability needs to make their Girl Scout experience successful, simply ask them or their parent or caregiver. If you are open, honest, and receptive, they'll likely respond in kind, creating an atmosphere that enriches everyone.
It's important for all Girl Scouts to be rewarded based on their best efforts—not on the completion of a task. Give everyone the opportunity to do their best and they will! Sometimes that means changing a few rules or approaching an activity in a more creative way.
Here are some examples of ways to modify activities so that everyone can participate:
- Invite a member to complete an activity after they have observed others doing it.
- If an activity is focused on using one sense that a Girl Scout does not have access to (like sight for a Girl Scout who is blind), find ways for them to participate using other senses. Can they touch the object or participate by hearing only?
- If an activity requires running, an individual who is unable to run could be asked to walk or do another physical movement.
Language Related to Disability
Focus on a person's abilities—on what they can do rather than on what they cannot. In that spirit, use people-first language that puts the person before the disability.
| Say: | Instead of: |
| They have a learning disability. | They are learning disabled. |
| They have a developmental delay. | They are mentally retarded; they are slow. |
| They use a wheelchair. | They are wheelchair-bound. |
When interacting with an individual (or parent/caregiver) with a disability, consider these tips:
- When talking to an individual with a disability, speak directly to them, not through a family member or friend.
- It's okay to offer assistance to an individual 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 a person's wheelchair is invading their space and can be considered rude.
- When speaking to an individual who is deaf and using an interpreter, speak to them, not to the interpreter.
- When speaking for more than a few minutes to an individual who uses a wheelchair, place yourself at their eye level.
- When greeting an individual 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."
To learn more about delivering inclusive programming to your troop, take our GSUSA Delivering Inclusive Program training course in gsLearn. Sign in to gsLearn through MyGS. Login, go to My Account, and click gsLearn.
Registering Girls With Cognitive Disabilities
Girl Scouts with cognitive disabilities can be registered as closely as possible to their chronological ages. They wear the uniform of that grade level. Make any adaptations for them for ongoing activities of the grade level to which the group belongs. Girl Scouts with cognitive disorders may choose to retain their youth membership through their 21st year, and then move into an adult membership category.
Getting Support for Your Troop
Just as your Girl Scouts rally around each other for support, you will also have a dedicated Girl Scout support team, consisting of council staff and passionate volunteers like you. Your service unit is ready to offer local learning opportunities and advice as well as answer your questions about the Girl Scout program, working with youth, product sales, and much more.
Before you hold your first troop meeting, consider the support and people resources you'll need to cultivate an energizing troop experience. Parents, friends, family, and other members of the community have their own unique strengths and can provide time, experience, and ideas to a troop, so get them involved from the very beginning as part of your volunteer troop team. This team is made up of troop leaders (like you) and troop committee volunteers.
Your troop committee volunteers are the extra set of eyes, ears, and hands that help the troop safely explore the world around them. Depending on your troop's needs, they can play a more active role— for instance, someone can step up as a dedicated troop treasurer—or simply provide occasional help when you need to keep a meeting activity on track.
If a parent or caregiver isn't sure if they can commit to a committee or co-leader role, encourage them to try volunteering in a smaller capacity that matches their skill set. Just like your young Girl Scouts, once troop parents and caregivers discover they can succeed in their volunteer role, they'll feel empowered to volunteer again.
Troop Management Tools & Resources
From toolkits and guides to regular contact with experienced individuals, 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.
Rallyhood
Rallyhood is GSSEM's one-stop shop to help volunteers, caregivers, and GSSEM staff come together and get things done better and faster than ever before -all in one place. Through Rallyhood, volunteers can create web pages called Rallies to manage their troop. Through your troop's Rally, you can create, promote, share, and manage events, collect money, share pictures, post sign-up and polls, and communicate with caregivers. Volunteers may also join one of GSSEM's Rallies to explore helpful resources and content. Rallyhood is accessible via desktop or as an app. To get connected, visit the GSSEM Rallyhood Success Center.
With Rallyhood, girls and leaders can explore meeting topics and program activities together and follow the fun as they plan their Girl Scout year.
In your troop's Rally, troop leaders can:
- Communicate with parents/caregivers on their troop's Rally's message wall.
- Establish a troop calendar with regular troop meetings and events.
- Collect money for special events the troop is hosting.
- Post pictures of Girl Scout activities in the troop's gallery.
- Create signups for caregiver participation.
On GSSEM Rallies, you can:
- View meeting plans for Journeys and badges, including plans for multilevel groups on the Troop Leader Network Rally.
- Find Rallies specific to Girl Scout topics like Highest Awards, troop camping, or ceremonies and traditions, and ask questions on the Rally's message wall.
- Connect with other volunteers and council throughout GSSEM.
- Download important files and resources via a Rally's Files Tab.
- Access important links related to the Rally's topic via the Links tab.
Get started by visiting www.gssem.org/rallyhood and by viewing Rallyhood tutorial videos on gsLearn.
gsLearn
gsLearn is our online training platform that gives you easy access to online and in-person learning opportunities as well as the ability to track all your accomplishments! Learn at your own pace, access additional resources, and repeat info when you need it!
- Accessing gsLearn
To take advantage of the learning opportunities and other programmatic training offered to troop leaders, you'll need to access our online learning management tool, gsLearn. To access gsLearn, log into MyGS. You will find gsLearn in the options on the left-hand navigation.
Tools & Resources
- Girl Scout Handbooks
These grade level-specific handbooks on the Girl Scout shop will break it down for your Girl Scouts. Adventures include earning badges and awards, running your own cookie business and learning about the traditions that have brought Girl Scouts together for over a century. - Safety Activity Checkpoints
Safety is paramount in Girl Scouting, and Safety Activity Checkpoints contains everything you need to know to help keep everyone safe during a variety of exciting activities outside of their regular Girl Scout troop meetings. - Tips for Troop Leaders
When you're looking for real-world advice from fellow troop leaders who've been there, this volunteer-to-volunteer resource on Girl Scouts of the USA's website has what you need for a successful troop year. - Troop Year Plans
Our age-appropriate troop year plans are the best tool for first-year troop leaders to get started with Girl Scouts without getting overwhelmed—or to help any troop leader with planning out a well-balanced Girl Scout year. The entire year is mapped out—just follow along to help your Girl Scouts complete badge activities, improve their communities, and explore the world around them. - 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 at wwwgssem.org/contact or customercare@gssem.org. During business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM), you can reach our Customer Care team at 800-482-6734.
Newsletters & Communications
- Leaders Newsletter
This biweekly e-publication is sent to GSSEM troop leaders and is comprised of Council updates, upcoming events/programs, helpful tips, reminders, and much more. - Juliette News
This monthly e-publication is sent to parents/guardians of GSSEM Juliettes and contains important updates, upcoming events/programs, and helpful ways to keep individually registered girls engaged with Girl Scouts. - GirlTalk Blog
Our council blog recaps exciting events and highlights outstanding GSSEM troops, volunteers, and girls. Visit girltalk.gssem.org to check it out.
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. GSSEM has learning opportunities that will help you grow your skills and confidence. The GSSEM Volunteer Experience team holds live webinar training opportunities to help volunteers explore the many facets of troop leadership. Visit the event calendar for upcoming live training sessions.
gsLearn houses all of GSSEM's online training sessions. Most of our online sessions, called Short & Snappies, are under 15 minutes long and provide a quick overview of a Girl Scout topic. GSSEM also provides deep-dive online training sessions for topics such as getting started as a Girl Scout volunteer, program grade levels, and Highest Awards. For a full list of GSSEM training opportunities, please view the GSSEM Volunteer Training Catalog.
In addition to GSSEM's training sessions, gsLearn houses trainings from GSUSA like GSUSA Delivering Inclusive Program and courses on specific badges including Daisy petals, Math in Nature, and Mental Wellness.
Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan requires all new troop leaders and co-leaders complete Troop Leader Orientation, at least one Grade-Level Essentials training (GSSEM recommends completing a Grade-Level Essentials training for every level of Girl Scouting present in your troop), and the GSUSA Girl Scouts Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Course. Troop Leader Orientation should be completed prior to their troop's first meeting with girls. Grade-Level Essentials and the GSUSA Girl Scouts Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Course should be completed within 60 days of appointment.
Attention New Troop Leaders
GSSEM requires all new troop leaders and co-leaders to complete Troop Leader Orientation, at least one Grade-Level Essentials training,* and the GSUSA Girl Scouts Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Course.
Troop Leader Orientation should be completed before their troop's first meeting. Grade-Level Essentials and the GSUSA Girl Scouts Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Course should be completed within 60 days of appointment.
If you're leading a multi-level troop, we recommend completing a Grade-Level Essentials training for every Girl Scout level in your troop.
Attention New Troop Leaders
GSSEM requires all new troop leaders and co-leaders to complete Troop Leader Orientation and at least one Grade-Level Essentials training.* Troop Leader Orientation should be completed before their troop's first meeting, and Grade-Level Essentials should be completed within 60 days of appointment.
If you're leading a multi-level troop, we recommend completing a Grade-Level Essentials training for every Girl Scout level in your troop.
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 our members participate are exclusive to the Girl Scout program, are safe and girl-led, and are conducted under the appropriate supervision of Girl Scouts.
Protecting Use of Girl Scout Materials
Girl Scout materials are intended for the exclusive use of Girl Scouts and are protected as the intellectual property of Girl Scouts of the USA. Materials include but are not limited to: Girl Scout logo, tag lines, and/or program and badge requirements.
GSUSA & GSSEM Policies & Procedures
All appointed volunteers participating in the Girl Scout movement shall meet GSUSA and Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan membership requirements, be registered as a member of GSUSA (annual or lifetime membership), and shall agree to abide by the policies and principles of GSUSA and Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan.
Membership dues are $25 per year for both girls and adults. For registration information please visit www.gssem.org/join.
Financial Assistance
Financial assistance is available for membership and program resources for girl members whose families meet the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan income eligibility requirements as listed on the financial aid application. Girls receiving financial aid are required to participate in the Cookie Program. Girls approved for financial assistance will be issued a MyGS Kit certificate and/or program certificate depending on the times requested on the application. The MyGS Kit certificate should be used for program resources and uniform components, and the program certificate should be used for GSSEM council events.
For more information, please see the financial aid application at www.gssem.org/fa.
Customer Care
Customer Care is here to assist volunteers and parents in navigating the registration process. For general customer service needs and technical assistance, please reach out to Customer Care at customercare@gssem.org or 800-482-6734. Customer Care is available Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM.
Volunteer Compensation vs. Benefits: Compliance With IRS Regulations
Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan staff and volunteers must be mindful to not inadvertently cause a volunteer to become liable for payment of taxes by offering taxable benefits to a volunteer.
The U.S. Department of Labor generally defines a volunteer as an individual who donates his or her services, usually on a part-time basis, for charitable objectives, and without the expectation of receiving compensation. Compensation is generally defined as pay or another tangible benefit that is tied to an individual's productivity or hours worked. Compensation does not include reimbursement for an individual's expenses incurred while volunteering, reasonable benefits, or nominal fees.
Everyone-both staff and volunteers-should be very careful when designing volunteer reward and recognition programs to ensure that the program is not providing what the IRS determines is income or another tangible benefit that is tied to productivity or hours worked.
The following examples help illustrate when volunteer benefits may cross the line to become compensation, thereby risking a reclassification of a volunteer's status and thereby triggering the need for the volunteer to pay income taxes on the benefit:
| Acceptable Practices
Ex: Reimbursements, reasonable benefits, nominal fees | Beware!
Unacceptable Practices
Ex: Potential compensation and tax liability |
| The council pays for an onsite babysitter during a meeting or event to care for the children of any individuals who volunteer at that meeting. The babysitter's services are available at and during that meeting or event regardless of whether, how frequently (or how long) an individual volunteers. | The council provides each volunteer with coupons for one hour of a babysitter's services per hour volunteered. These coupons can be used at any time, even during times when the individual is not volunteering for Girl Scouts. |
| A volunteer signs up to drive girls to a camping event and later turns in an expense report to be reimbursed using the current IRS volunteer mileage rate for her actual mileage. | The council is finding it hard to get qualified drivers for an upcoming camp event, so it advertises that each driver who signs up will receive a $50 gas card, regardless of the miles they drive. |
| For Volunteer Appreciation Week in April, the council emails all volunteers a 10% discount coupon for the council's shop. | The council advertises that all candidates who sign up to be troop leaders will get a 50% discount for their daughters at summer camp. |
| A troop leader agrees to come in for a Saturday to take part in a focus group to help the council assess the service-delivery needs in her region. Afterward, the council gives her a thank-you card and a $5 Starbucks gift card for her extra effort. | The council designates $1,000 to give to each day camp organizer as a stipend to ensure all positions are filled. |
Non-Discrimination
Girl Scouts is an inclusive organization. There shall be no discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, creed, national origin, marital or socioeconomic status, disability, or age. In addition, to ensure full equality of opportunity in all operations and activities of the organization, affirmative action policies and procedures shall be utilized in the recruitment, selection, training, placement, and recognition of volunteers. Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan is committed to having its membership reflect the diversity of population groups within its jurisdiction.
Code of Ethics
Volunteers are required to conduct themselves in a professional manner, keeping in mind that adult volunteers serve as role models to the girls they serve. This conduct will be reflected in appropriate dress, language, and conduct. Dress, grooming, and personal cleanliness standards contribute to the morale of girls and other volunteers and affect the image that Girl Scouts present to members and the community. Volunteers will serve to the best of their ability, but not beyond their capabilities.
Confidentiality must be maintained at all times in order to protect the dignity and rights of individuals. Violation of confidentiality may be a cause for release from duties.
Sexual Harassment
Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan is committed to an environment in which volunteer and staff relationships are characterized by dignity, courtesy, respect, and equitable treatment and an environment free of all forms of discrimination, including sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is defined as "unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature." Sexual harassment is a form of illegal discrimination on the basis of an individual's gender. It frequently involves an expression of sexual conduct that seeks to exploit a relationship in which there is an imbalance of power (e.g., supervisor/subordinate). It can also occur where there is a perception of power among or between colleagues or between individuals with no formal business relationship.
No volunteer, man or woman, may sexually harass another volunteer, employee, or Girl Scout member of the same or opposite sex, and may not advocate, solicit, or promote a particular personal lifestyle or sexual orientation.
Any volunteer who believes she/he has been the subject of sexual harassment should report the incident(s) to either her/his Member Support staff and/or Chief Executive Officer.
Retaliation against anyone who has reported an allegation of sexual harassment is expressly prohibited and, if it occurs, will be grounds for disciplinary action up to and including release.
Duty to Report Threatening or Inappropriate Behavior by Other Adults
At Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan, staff and volunteers have a particular responsibility to girl and adult members. Therefore, if a volunteer witnesses behavior or relationships that could be potentially detrimental or developmentally inappropriate, volunteers are required to report immediately the behavior /relationship to Member Support staff or the GSSEM Chief Executive Officer.
Any adult engaging in behavior threatening the health or welfare of girls will be released from acting in an official Girl Scout capacity. Threatening behavior may include but is not limited to: neglect, physical abuse, withholding of food, lack of supervision, emotional maltreatment including verbal, physical or sexual abuse, abuse of prescription or illegal drugs, use of alcohol, or careless management of firearms.
As you know, the Michigan Child Protection Law contains provisions requiring the confidentiality of information "in reports and records made as provided" in the Act.
Further, the Child Protection Law requires that the "identity of a reporting person is confidential subject to disclosure only with the consent of that person or by judicial process." To the extent that you might make any disclosure which identifies the person reporting the alleged abuse, you not only place the complainant child in danger, but you also place the reporting person in danger of retaliation.
Violation of this confidentiality requirement is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $100.00 or both. Additionally, a person breaching the confidentiality requirement is subject to civil liability for damages proximately caused by the dissemination.
Reporting Child Abuse or Neglect by Caregivers
Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan paid staff is required by law to report suspected child abuse and neglect to the State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Volunteers are not specifically named as mandated reporters under the law but are strongly urged as citizens to report suspected child abuse or neglect by caregivers to the Department of Health and Human Services or any law enforcement agency.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services staff and law enforcement officers are required by law to preserve the confidentiality of the citizen reporter, so citizens can make anonymous reports. Contact Central Intake at 855-444-3911 to report abuse and neglect at any time, 24 hours per day. Volunteers who suspect child abuse or neglect but are not comfortable or are unsure about reporting it should contact GSSEM Member Support staff. Staff from the Department of Health and Human Services are trained in evaluating such situations and your report will not necessarily result in immediate action but may often result in services being provided to keep the family intact.
Tobacco, Drugs, and Alcohol
Volunteers and adults may not purchase, consume, possess or be under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs/substances, prescription drugs, or over-the-counter medications which impair performance or judgment while participating in Girl Scout sanctioned activities, in the presence of Girl Scout members, while conducting Girl Scout business, or in Girl Scout branded clothing. Alcohol or any substance which may impair one's judgment must never be used by volunteers, adult members, or any other adult in the presence of a youth member, or immediately prior to a Girl Scout activity with your troop.
Weapons
Use of weapons such as handguns, shotguns, rifles, pellet guns, knives, or other objects used with the intent of causing harm, injury, death, etc. are not permitted at any Girl Scout activity or on any property owned or leased by Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan. There are two exceptions: law enforcement personnel who are required to carry their weapons while on or off duty, and Council approved program-related activities. For approval for these types of activities, please contact travel@gssem.org.
All council-approved activities that involve weapons must follow the appropriate section of Safety Activity Checkpoints for that activity.
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