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Volunteer Resources

Your one-stop-shop for the most commonly used forms and key volunteer resources.

Getting Started as a Troop

A troop is a group of girls and adult mentors that meets regularly to share Girl Scout experiences.

Are you a new troop leader? We’ve got you covered. Check out the New Leader’s Guide to Success, a resource designed especially for you! Page 15 has a handy Getting Started Checklist for your first to-do items.  

Share with your troop families! The Girl Scout Family Connection guide, available in English and Spanish, is your families' go-to, easy-to-use guide for getting the most out of this year in Girl Scouts.

Questions? We’re here for  you! Contact Customer Care at customercare@gsema.org or 844-306-4736.

COVID-19 Troop Guidelines

The current limit for participants in any in-person Girl Scout meeting, activity, or event is 25 people, gathering outdoors. See our up-to-date guidelines for returning to in-person Girl Scout gatherings.

Meeting on Private Property
We understand that COVID-19 has had a significant impact on Girl Scouts' ability to gather in public spaces. GSEMA’s Meeting Place Policy, as detailed in Volunteer Policies and Procedures, allows exceptions for Girl Scouts to meet on private property on a limited basis. Review and complete the online application to request permission for Girl Scouts to meet outdoors on private property on a limited basis. As a reminder, use of backyard equipment (e.g., pools, trampolines, ziplines) is not allowed without additional council approval. Please review the Safety Activity Checkpoints and submit a Girl Scout Activity Form for high-risk activities. 

COVID-19 Precautions for Contactless Materials Exchanges
Follow the guidelines below (based on guidance from our governing bodies*) to safely exchange materials with Girl Scout members.

  • Ensure that everyone who is participating in contactless materials exchange is feeling healthy and well.
  • Carefully disinfect materials when received or purchased.
  • Wear a mask and gloves when handling materials, including sorting and packaging.
  • Coordinate with members for contactless pick-up ahead of time, such as scheduling curbside/porch pick-ups or making time-slotted appointments to avoid in-person interactions.
  • Remind anyone picking up materials that they also need to wear proper protective gear, including masks and gloves. 

See more general COVID-19 and GSEMA information.

*Governing bodies' guidance includes, but is not limited to:

If you have any questions about these guidelines affect your troop activities, please email customercare@gsema.org

Last updated 9/22/2020

Navigating the World of Virtual Girl Scouting

Are you thinking about having your troop meet virtually this fall? Check out our Quick Start Guide for tips from GSEMA staff and other troop leaders who’ve had success running virtual meetings.

Do you want to get hands-on practice running a virtual meeting in a safe space with other Girl Scout volunteers? Register for a small group practice session, occurring Mondays from 12-1 PM, August 31-October.

Ready to get started? You can use your preferred technology platform to run your virtual meeting, or request use of a GSEMA Zoom room for meetings longer than 40 minutes. No matter what you use, make sure you follow these basic safety guidelines.

  • Review the Safety Activity Checkpoint for virtual meetings before hosting online gatherings with girls.
  • Volunteer-to-girl safety ratios should always be followed. At least two approved volunteers should act as co-hosts within the meeting, so they can take turns presenting and doing technical support (such as monitoring the chat or helping girls troubleshoot their technology).
  • Meeting links, IDs, and passwords should only be shared with registered meeting attendees.
  • The waiting room is enabled for all meetings. Participants must wait for a host to begin a meeting.
  • Participants should sign in with their first name and last initial only.
  • All attendees are muted when entering the meeting, and video is off by default.
  • Private chat is disabled. No links or files may be shared in the public meeting chat.

Looking for ideas on what to do during virtual meetings? Check out the next section below, Planning Troop Meetings!  

Planning Troop Meetings

Need some ideas? Check out our sample year plans (coming soon!) for ways to combine GSEMA programs, national Girl Scout events, and troop-only activities for a fun Girl Scout experience, whether you're meeting in person or virtually.

Want to explore on your own? Our Girl Scouts at Home page has details about virtual staff- and program partner-led live events, self-paced badges, and our council’s own patches. Or visit the Award and Badge Explorer to get details on every badge and award a Girl Scout can earn, including newly released badges for 2020!

Ready to get into the details? You can use the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK)  to create your troop’s custom year plan, communicate with troop families, and make running a troop easier than ever. Log in now to get started, and check out our user guide for technical help.

Take 5 Podcast

Take 5 is a video and audio podcast series about all things Girl Scouts! Join your host, Lori, for a visit with GSEMA staff and volunteers at her virtual kitchen table to learn about Girl Scout programs, history, traditions, and current hot topics. Begun during the COVID-19 pandemic, this growing library is a testament to Girl Scout resilience and community building.

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Video series available via gsLearn

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Audio podcast available via Spotify, iTunes, and Google Podcasts

Annual Troop Checklist and Guiding Documents

Use our quick and easy Annual Troop Checklist to help you remember important annual tasks for successfully wrapping up and beginning each troop year.

GSEMA’s guiding volunteer documents are:

Training for Volunteers

GSEMA’s online learning platform, gsLearn (accessed via single sign-on through your My GS login), is continually updated with new volunteer trainings, documents, resources, videos, and more! Whether you’re a new or returning leader, a service unit team member, or a friends and family network volunteer, there’s something here for you.

First year as a leader? You should begin your learning with the Troop Pathway Orientation, the Essentials course for your program level (Daisy, Brownie, Junior, or Cadette), and Financing the Fun. After that, there are lots of courses to explore as your leadership adventure continues.

Second year and beyond? After completing your first year learning courses, you can explore opportunities for returning leaders like Step-Up trainings for bridging leaders (Daisy–Junior), Stress Management courses for every Girl Scout level, Overnight Orientation, Outdoor Basics, and so much more!

Need help?  Contact Customer Care at customercare@gsema.org or 844-306-4736.

Fall Product and Cookie Programs

Resources are available online for Fall Product and Cookie Program sellers and volunteers, including training videos, live webinars, forms, guides, and more.

Beyond Troop Meetings

Attend GSEMA programs, explore community events within your service unit, or plan your own troop day, overnight, or extended travel trips! For more information, see GSEMA Guidelines for Planning Troop Activities.

Monthly Emails to Volunteers

Staying Connected (August 2020)

Staying Connected (July 2020)

Staying Connected (June 2020)

Staying Connected (May 2020)

Staying Connected (April 2020)

Staying Connected (March 2020)

 


Need help? Contact Customer Care at customercare@gsema.org or 844-306-4736.

You're invited to join the world of Girl Scouts! Join Us
You're invited to join the world of Girl Scouts! Join Us
Unleash Strong! Be a Girl Scout. Volunteer Now
Unleash Strong! Be a Girl Scout. Volunteer Now