Frequently Asked Questions: Volunteers
General
What if I was never in Girl Scouts?
You don't have to be an expert on Girl Scouting to be a volunteer. The council will mentor and coach you in your volunteer role, offer you learning opportunities and provide resources and support in a variety of ways.
Why should I volunteer?
It's FUN! And rewarding, too.
You can make a difference in a girl's life.
You'll learn new skills and go to new places.
You will be part of a nationwide and local network of volunteers who all share a belief in the Girl Scout mission.
You will grow as a person.
It's a chance to be a mentor to girls and lead them to success.
How can I make a difference in someone's life?
Women and men have partnered with Girl Scouts of the USA to help girls everywhere realize their full potential. Our volunteers are inspirational and invaluable, and they have a profound effect on girls they mentor. Quite simply, there would be no Girl Scouting without them.
I would love to help but don't seem to have the time.
Most of our Girl Scout volunteers work, they raise their families and they are active in the community. The Girl Scout program is flexible and has many opportunities to volunteer, both short and long term opportunities. We will help you determine where you can make a difference no matter what your schedule!
Do I have to do this by myself?
Being a Girl Scout volunteer is never lonely! It takes many adults doing many different things to make the Girl Scout program successful. Adults who work with girls are always paired with other adult volunteers. You will meet interesting new people and become part of the Girl Scout family.
How can I help if I'm not very creative?
Girl Scout programs and activities are so varied we're sure that your talents and skills witll be an asset to us. Remember-Girl Scouts is not just about cookies, crafts and camping.
Does every volunteer have to be a troop leader?
No, although we always need volunteers who can be troop leaders, there are many other volunteer opportunities with a variety of time commitments. See the sample listing below:
If you are in tune with what little girls (K-3) love to do or what tween and teen girls like and you have 3-4 hours each month....the energy you share with Girl Scouts will instill confidence in girls that will last a lifetime. We're looking for volunteers who represent the diversity of the world we live in - men, women, senior citizens, younger adults, people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds and, of course, our treasured alumni - anyone who wants to help make a difference in the lives of girls. Join our more than 944,000 adult volunteers and find out how Girl Scouts can help you:
- Build community
- Enhance your skills
- Learn something new
- Make contacts
- Rediscover your own potential
- Inspire girls everywhere
How can I become a Girl Scout leader?
Contact any Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland office. We'll happily talk with you about volunteering.
What can I do to help the leader?
Talk with your girl's leader and see what type of help is needed. Extra adults are always needed for trips and special events as well as for Girl Scout Cookie activities.
What type of training can I get before working with girls?
Leaders who work with troops should start by attending orientation, "Leadership Essentials." In addition, leaders are encouraged to take first-aid training. Ongoing training is offered through service units, leader meetings and topic-specific workshops. Each troop must have at least one trained leader.
How can I use my skills to help?
From being the "head cheerleader" who encourages and supports her daughter in Girl Scouting to accompanying the girls on a field trip to a local museum to helping raise the funds and traveling with a group to a Girl Scout World Center in Mexico, you can use your skills and explore your interests. Here are a few of the many ways you can support your Girl Scout:
Suggest a fun day trip
Set up a phone tree
Coordinate transportation for an outing
Be a guest speaker
Teach girls a new skill
Design a troop photo album or Web site
Join girls on a field trip
Learn first aid at a Girl Scout-council sponsored training session so that you can support girls on their outings
Become an advocate in your community for Girl Scouting
Tell a girl you're proud of her
Where can I buy Girl Scout products?
You can purchase most Girl Scout merchandise locally through Girl Scout Shops at all Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland offices or nationally through the GSUSA Web site.
Do you have a toll-free number?
Yes, the toll-free numbers for our offices are:
Emporia Office: (800) 342-4532
Garden City Office: (888) 900-7061
Hays Office: (888) 811-8832
Hutchinson Office: (800) 495-5166
Salina Office: (800) 888-0872
Wichita Office: (888) 472-3683
Do volunteers need first-aid training?
The troop needs a person trained in first aid for camping and certain other activities, as noted in Girl Scouts of the USA 's "Safety-Wise" publication. Girl Scouts recommends that an adult certified in first aid be with your troop. Every troop should also have a first-aid kit as well.
Are volunteers required to wear a uniform?
No. However, wearing the uniform or pin is encouraged. The adult uniform consists of components from your personal wardrobe (khaki or navy blue slacks and/or jacket), a choice of Girl Scout shirt/scarf (optional) and the Girl Scout pin.
Where can I get ideas and inspiration for guiding the girls in my troop/group?
The girls are your best and first source of information on activities they're interested in. Have them look through the grade level books and awards and tell you what they want to do. Also share with them upcoming council and service unit events and see if they'd like to attend. The council and its regional offices provide many great learning opportunities for volunteers. From ceremonies to trip planning, there is a learning opportunity to meet your needs. Find out more.
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My Troop
When can I take my Girl Scout Brownies camping?
The camping experience is based on progression. Guidelines for progression can be found in "Leader-Wise" book, pages 42 to 43. If you're camping at a non-Girl Scout facility, check with the Girl Scout Council to see if the site meets "Safety-Wise" guidelines. Begin with some backyard camping or family camping to start the learning progression.
What food should we take for troop camping?
Select food items that most of the girls like to eat. Cooking and cleaning up for a large group takes lots of time. For breakfast, a meal of fruit, cereal, toast and juice can start the day off with minimal preparation time. Lunch can be sandwiches, chips, carrot sticks and cookies. For dinner, plan a one-pot meal or cook spaghetti and sauce. Ice cream is a great, yummy dessert. Prepare healthy snacks, and have water, juice or milk available. Make sure you have alternatives for people with food allergies or who are on special diets. If you are going to be hiking, plan on having some high-energy snacks, like GORP (found in the "Brownie Girl Scout Handbook.") Sometimes the activities that you do (like those who earn a Try-It or badge) will determine the kinds of food you plan to eat, because the food preparation becomes part of the program activity.
Do we have to participate in Girl Scout Cookie activities as a troop?
All are expected to participate in the cookies sales. Otherwise, no - participation is completely voluntary. However, girls report that they enjoy taking part in cookie activities and they like running a project on their own. Girls gain important skills from participating in the cookie sale that add to their Girl Scout experience. Cookie activities are also one of the easiest ways for troops to earn money for trips and events. When you take part in Girl Scout Cookie activities, keep in mind that, as with other Girl Scout program activities, each girl must have parental permission to sell cookies and the group should follow all council and "Safety-Wise" guidelines. Information resources include the "Family Cookie Sale Information Sheet," "Troop Manager Guide" and this Web site.
Do I need special training to take a nature walk with girls?
No, but if you decide to cook a meal outdoors or stay overnight, you do need extra training. Outdoor training is enjoyable and enables you to do many fun activities, indoors and out. If you are unable to go for the training, ask one of the parents to help out by taking it.
Some of the girls want to do STUDIO 2B, others want to earn Interest Project Patches (IPPs) and Leadership Awards or do the Journey book. Do we have to split up the troop?
There is no need to split up the troop. A diversity of interests will help it thrive. Within one troop, some girls can be using the Interest Project Book and others can be using the STUDIO 2B Focus Books. There may be girls who would like to complete parts of the Journey book. They can all co-exist. The great thing about Girl Scouts is that there are many different activities to suit the interests of girls everywhere. As the leader or assistant leader it is your responsibility to understand the interests of your troop of girls and make the Girl Scout resources an experience for all involved. If some girls want to work out of the Journey and others want to work on badge work, make that possible. Possibilities are endless.
I am the leader of my daughter's troop. How do I give her room to grow on her own?
While many mothers become leaders to be closer to their daughters, it is good that you recognize she has a need to grow on her own as well. What's most important is to treat her as you would any other girl in the troop. Family misunderstandings need to be resolved outside of the troop. When dividing up girls into groups, try to have your daughter work with another adult as much as possible.
Can I rely on a Girl Scout ages 14 to 17 as an adult when preparing to meet adult/girl ratios necessary at meetings or on trips?
No, a girl should never be left alone to supervise younger girls. It is unfair to her, the girls, and the parents, who expect adult supervision. Although she may seem as mature as many adults and may be close to her 18th birthday, she is still a girl member and not legally an adult.
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Support
How can I get parents to pick their children up on time?
Communicate with the parents of the girls in your troop and help them communicate with each other. Help parents network with one another so they can carpool and possibly alternate pickups. If one set of parents is chronically late, suggest they find another person to pick up their children. Never leave a child at the meeting place by herself. If necessary, work out a drop-off point (with a relative or guardian) for girls who live on your route home.
What happens if a girl doesn't bring her signed parent permission slip and she comes to the pickup point for a trip anyway?
Establish the habit of checking with girls before their parents leave. If girls arrive on their own, saying their parents forgot, or they forgot, someone has to take them home or to a place where a responsible adult will watch them. Parents need to know what will happen if their girl comes without a permission slip. One time is all it will take for both parent and child to learn that the rules cannot be bent. Readying yourself for this contingency is very important, and be sure to have additional adults at all meetings and events so you are not left responsible for taking girls home alone.
I have a girl who constantly disrupts our meetings. What do I do?
Have a non-confrontational meeting with her. Note the behaviors that are causing a disruption and ask her to help you find a way around them. Many girls who act out need to learn appropriate ways to express their energy. Find out what her interests are, and give her troop responsibilities that match them. If the girl has no friends in the troop, you might ask your most mature girl(s) to take the lone one under her wing. Try for some one-on-one time with the girl and be her friend. Help her to understand how she can be part of the group and focus her energy in a positive manner.
The girls' families cannot afford much money for activities. What do we do, especially in the first part of the troop year?
Many activities require little or no money. As the girls decide the kinds of projects they want to do, make a list of what is needed. Use recycled materials for projects. Involve the families and neighborhood in collecting aluminum cans for recycling to provide funds for the troop treasury. Give girls a scavenger hunt list for basic items around the house, like scissors, string, glue, pieces of fabric and foil. Look for projects you can adapt. Start early in creating a goal and budget for the troop's Girl Scout council-sponsored product sale/cookie activities. Financial assistance is available.
I am having problems with my co-leader. What do I do?
If you are in a situation that is uncomfortable for you, chances are it is the same for her. Communicate with each other. You might ask your service unit manager or membership services manager to sit down with both of you. Find out what each of you expect from the other and from the experience of leading a Girl Scout troop. Find ways to incorporate more parents in troop leadership.
My co-leader smokes, and it bothers the girls during our troop meetings. What do we do?
One of the safety guidelines in Girl Scouts of the USA's "Safety-Wise" publication clearly states that smoking is injurious to girls' health and that adults working with girls should not smoke at Girl Scout activities. Discuss this situation with your service unit manager or membership services manager if you feel uncomfortable talking with your co-leader about it.
One of the moms who helps at troop meetings brings her little boy. He is really disruptive. What do I do?
She needs to find child care so that she can concentrate her attention on the girls when she is there. You might ask your service unit manager to recommend a Girl Scout age 14 to 17 who is willing to assist with child care once a month or ask another parent for child-care help. Remind the mother to review a copy of Leaderwise to understand the stipulations on bringing tag alongs to a Girl Scout function.
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Other
Where can I get ideas for ceremonies?
"Ceremonies in Girl Scouting" is a great resource for you and the girls in your troop. It's available through the Council Shop. You might find special ideas at leader training and other workshops and your monthly leader meetings. There are learning opportunities provided by the council that will help you in planning Girl Scout Ceremonies. Be sure to check the Calendar of Events for dates of a learning session that work with your schedule.
I want to use material from Girl Scout handbooks, LEADER magazine and other Girl Scout copyrighted publications. How do I get permission?
Complete the "Request for Permission to Reprint GSUSA Copyrighted Material" form enclosed in our Communications in Girl Scouting booklet and submit it by fax to (212) 852-8080. You can also e-mail your specific request or concern to
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.
Can I take photos, illustrations or text from the Girl Scout Web site without permission?
No. Almost all photos, illustrations and text on this site are copyrighted by Girl Scouts of the USA and require permission for use, even on a Girl Scout council site. Some material is copyrighted by third parties and may not be available for use. Always ask for permission first.
Do I need permission to use the Girl Scout service mark on my Girl Scout troop or service unit Web site?
Yes, you do need permission to include the service mark on your site. You should work directly with staff at the Girl Scout Center for approval and assistance. Council staff may then contact
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.
Do I need permission to use badges, symbols and Try-It earned awards on my Web site?
The use of official insignia (all of which is trademarked) is highly restrictive. You may submit your plans for proposed use to
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.
What is the proper use of the Girl Scout service mark?
Many rules and regulations govern the use of the service mark. Our published "Graphic Guidelines" manual outlines these procedures. To review the guidelines, please contact the Marketing and Communications office at our Operational Headquarters in Wichita . You may also e-mail Girl Scouts of the USA at
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Can I use pictures appearing in LEADER magazine or illustrations from Girl Scout handbooks?
No, Girl Scouts of the USA does not give permission for use of illustrations, photographs or artwork from its publications.
Is there a Web site with Girl Scout songs that I can use without permission?
No. Before using any Girl Scout songs, you should check to determine their copyright status. If a song is copyrighted, you cannot use it without permission.
Can I request a listing of songs, such as graces or camp or action songs?
No, such a listing is not available. If you want to use songs in a certain category, then you must be specific about the title of each one.
Am I allowed to use only the words (not the music) of copyrighted songs without permission?
No, copyright laws cover both the words and music of a song. Permission must be granted.
What should I do on World Thinking Day?
You'll find some ideas and activities in the World Thinking Day section at www.girlscouts.org
What international resources can I use with my Girl Scout troop?
Check out our International Resources list. Also take our World Thinking Day Tour and use the map showing regions of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to find ideas from different member countries. www.girlscouts.org.
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Do you have a specific question that wasn't answered above? Contact Linda Mills, director of membership and volunteer services at
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or (888) 811-8832.
