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Frequently Asked Questions About Girl Scout Leadership
Q. Do I need to have a daughter in order to become a Girl Scout leader?
A. Being a parent is NOT a prerequisite for being a Girl Scout leader. You must be 18 years of age or older, and accept the Girl Scout Promise and Law and pay the annual $10 membership fee. Our leaders are part-time and full-time workers, college students, and senior citizens. They have a wide range of professions, backgrounds, and interests. The one thing they all have in common is a desire to help girls be their best!
Q. Will training be provided?
A. Yes!! You don’t need a special skill or talent to be a leader, just a sincerity and willingness to work with girls. Girl Scouts of Chicago provides an initial orientation, as well as free training, consisting of 2 three-hour sessions. During the first session, you will cover the basics of Girl Scouting. In the second session, you will learn about the specific age level that you will work with. The training sessions are scattered throughout the city, and you can choose from evening, daytime, and weekend sessions, as well as a home-study option.
Q. Once I am trained, will I have anyone available to answer my questions?
A. Basic leadership training is just the beginning of your contact with other knowledgeable Girl Scout adults. Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana provides ongoing support to all Girl Scout leaders. A staff member from the council, called a membership development manager (MDM), will be just a phone call away to answer your questions. In addition, monthly service unit meetings are held for leaders in your neighborhood from September through May/June. The service unit meetings are conducted by a volunteer service unit coordinator, and cover such topics as program activity ideas, upcoming events for girls, and important news from the council.
Q. Where will my troop meetings be held?
A. Your MDM will work with you to locate a meeting place that is convenient to both you and the girls. Girl Scout troop meetings may be held in a school, place of worship, park district building, community center, or other location that is safe, clean, secure, accessible, and has at least two exits.
Q. How often should my troop meet?
A. Most troops meet once a week for 1 1/2 hours. Some older girl troops meet twice a month. Although girls are registered for a full year, many troops suspend their activities during the summer to allow for summer vacations. During the summer months, the Girl Scout council offers council-wide activities and camping experiences for girls.
Q. What day and time should my troop meet?
A. The Girl Scout program is very flexible, and takes into account the schedules of the leaders and the girls. Some troops choose to meet after school, some meet in the evening, and some meet on a Saturday or Sunday. This decision is entirely up to the leaders, the girls, and the parents, as well as the availability of the meeting place.
Q. Who recruits the girls?
A. Your MDM or service unit coordinator will contact the local schools, both public and private, to recruit girls for your troop. You may also recruit girls yourself, if you choose.
Q. How many adults work with the troop?
A. All troops must have a minimum of two adult volunteers. As more girls join the troop, additional adults will be needed to help. Your MDM will work with you to determine the girl-to-adult ratio that is needed for your troop.
Q. What is the difference between a leader, a co-leader, and an assistant leader?
A. The Girl Scout leader has the ultimate responsibility for running the troop. Many troops have a leader, and one or more assistant leaders.
Some troops have two leaders who share the responsibility for running the Girl Scout troop. These co-leaders have both taken training, and both share the troop responsibilities equally.
Assistant leaders help in planning and implementing the Girl Scout program, and generally assist the leader. Assistant leaders may also take basic training, if they choose.
In addition, most troops ask parents or older girls to help out occasionally by sharing a skill, helping with a badge, being an event chaperone, coordinating the cookie sale, or for numerous other tasks. Girls and leaders are also encouraged to look outside of their immediate Girl Scout troop for help – people from the community who are eager to share their knowledge, skills and expertise enrich the Girl Scout program.
Q. What will the girls and I actually do at a troop meeting?
A. At basic leadership training you will be trained in understanding the fundamentals of the Girl Scout program, how to run a meeting, and what Girl Scout program activities are available. Each age level has its own handbooks which are full of age-appropriate activities for the girls. The girls themselves will be your greatest resource. Because the Girl Scout program relies on the concept of a “girl/adult partnership,” the girls need to make decisions regarding what specific programs they want to participate in.
In general, a Girl Scout meeting consists of the following:
- An opening, which signals to the girls that the meeting is officially beginning. This can be a flag ceremony, saying the Girl Scout Promise, etc.
- Conducting troop business, such as taking attendance, collecting dues, and discussing future plans.
- Having a major activity such as working on a badge, working on a service project, having a guest speaker, etc.
- Girls clean up the meeting place before they prepare to leave.
- A closing, such as a song, poem, flag ceremony, etc., signals to the girls that the meeting has officially ended.
Q. When I think of Girl Scouting, I think of cookies, camping, and crafts. Is this what Girl Scouts do?
A. In Girl Scouting, girls develop their self-potential, learn to relate to others, develop values, and contribute to society. They accomplish these goals through a wide variety of activities. Girl Scouting has a long history and strong traditions, yet the program remains contemporary and relevant. Program options range from computers to car care; from stress management to science; from financial literacy to physical fitness.
But about cookies, camping, and crafts…
Troops who participate in the cookie sale program learn budgeting, goal setting, and salesmanship, while earning money for Girl Scout projects and trips. Some troops may incorporate craft projects into the troop program, especially while working on a badge or for special holidays or occasions.
Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana owns and operates two camps, one in Indiana and one in Wisconsin. Troops who choose to go to camp have the option of sleeping in modern unit houses, or “roughing it” by sleeping in platform tents. Troops who choose to camp find it to be a wonderful, enriching experience that the girls will treasure for years to come. As you can see, the possibilities for Girl Scouts are endless.
For more information, contact us at (312) 416-2500 x 232 or chicagoinfo@girlscoutsgcnwi.org.
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