Welcome New leaders
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Congratulations, you are very special! You have chosen to be a key person in the Girl Scout leadership of young women. Along the way, you will have many adventures and opportunities to help girls grow strong. This section gives a quick overview of Girl Scouting, along with some helpful hints.
Click each item below to link to more information.
The Top 10 Things to Remember as a New Leader:
The Girl Scout Promise and Law are the heart of the Girl Scout movement.
Program Standards and guidelines, put in action, help girls grow strong.
Safe-Wise is your best overall resource, followed by your Troop Leadership Resource guide.
Training will make you a better leader.
There is a formal and informal network of people who can help you. Ask.
Lead,don't push. Facilitate, don't do it all.
Work in partnership with girls to plan and make decisions.
Work in partnership with parents to build relationships and gain support.
Be a role model.
Have fun!!
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1. The Girl Scout Promise and Law are the heart of the Girl Scout movement.
Girl Scouting is different from other youth-serving organizations in many ways. The most important pieces are the Promise, the Law and the Program Goals, which fit together to form the design for Girl Scouting. Girl Scouting is based on the code of values expressed in the Promise and Law that every girl can understand and apply in her everyday life.
The   Girl Scout Promise
The Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be:
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.
2. Program Standards and guidelines, put in action, help girls grow strong.
So, what is this thing called the Girl Scout Program? It is an informal education program that provides learning experiences for girls and young women through activities developed for their needs and interests. Girl Scouting operates on the principle that girls grow and learn through experiences that involve making decisions and discovering things themselves.
The Girl Scout Program
  • Is girl-driven.
  • It reflects the interests and needs of participating girls.
  • Provides girls with a variety of experiences.
  • Offers age-appropriate activities at each age level.
  • Encourages a progression of skill development and responsibility through the different age levels (Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, and Senior Girl Scouts).
  • Promotes the development of leadership and decision-making skills.
All Program Activities Are Based on the Four Program Goals
  1. The four goals are Developing Self-Potential
  2. Relating to Others
  3. Developing Values
  4. Contributing to Society
1. Girls will develop to their full potential. Girl Scouting will:
Foster girls' feelings of self-acceptance and unique self-worth.
Promote girls' perception of themselves as competent, responsible,  and open to new experiences and challenges.
Offer girls opportunities to learn new skills.
Encourage girls' personal growth.
Allow girls to utilize and practice talents and abilities.
2. Girls will relate to others with increasing understanding, skill,   and respect. Girl Scouting will:
Help girls develop sensitivity to others and respect for their needs,  feelings, and rights.
Promote an understanding of individual, cultural, religious, and  racial differences.
Foster the ability to build friendships and working relationships.
3. Girls will develop a meaningful set of values to guide their actions and to provide for sound decision-making. Girl Scouting will:
Help girls develop meaningful values and ethics that will guide their actions.
Foster an ability to make decisions that are consistent with girls' values and that reflect respect for the rights and needs of others.
Empower girls to act upon their values and convictions.
Encourage girls to reexamine their ideals as they mature.
4. Girls will contribute to the improvement of society through the use of their abilities and leadership skills, while working in cooperation with others. Girl Scouting will:
Help girls develop concern for the well being of their communities.
Promote girls' understanding of how the quality of community life affects every member of society.
Encourage girls to use their skills to work with others for the benefit of all.
3. Safety-Wise is your best overall resource, followed by your Troop Leadership Resource guide.
Safety-wise is a valuable tool, making your troop's activities safer and more enjoyable. It is strongly suggest that you consult Safety-Wise as a regular part of your activity-planning process. The subjects listed here that are discussed in Safety-Wise may prove useful to you:
Checklist for Travel Readiness
Clothing and Equipment
Cookie Sales
The Girl Scout Council
The Girl Scout Troop Leader
In-depth Discussion of Program Standards
On Activities in General
The Parent or Guardian
Planning Trips with Girl Scouts
Preparation for the Weather
Sample Letter to Program Consultant
Transportation and Travel
Troop Camping
Your Leader Resource Guide provides you with a basic blueprint for working with girls in Girl Scouting. More importantly, it will give guidelines and reveal resources that will enable you to provide support to the girls throughout their Girl Scout experience. This guide is primarily meant to give guidance, not to frustrate or to be taken as a chiseled-in-granite method. Girl Scouting is a flexible program, designed to respond to the needs of girls and Troop Leadership Volunteers. There are, however, a few elements set in stone, such as the program goals, the health and safety guidelines, and the use of good judgement.
4. Training will make you a better leader.
Training is an important part of ensuring that girls will have the best possible program experience under your guidance. It's also an important learning experience for you. You'll meet other newcomers, as well as old hands at the process.

When you signed the Volunteer Agreement/Appointment form, you committed to complete all required training within 6 months on the job. As a new leader, just getting started with a troop, the minimum training is the Troop Leadership Course that consists of two modules: Partners in Leadership and Partners with Purpose. Both modules are required to complete the course and receive the Troop Leadership certificate. As a new leader, the Next Level course is highly recommended.
Below is a chart that shows the courses offered through the Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County. For more information about these courses refer to your Adult Training Program guide or access the Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County Web Site.
Activities I'm Planning
Who Should Attend Course(s)
Getting Started with a Troop
Leaders, co-leaders, leadership personnel of Co-op troops Orientation to Troop Leadership
Changing to a New Program Level Troop Leadership Course*
Leaders, co-leaders, leadership personnel of Co-op troops
Next Level*
Activities outside the troop's regular meeting place
First Aid Level 1
Girl Scout adult
Activities outside the troop's regular meeting place, including but not limited to: 3 or more night overnight camping events, camping events with 200+ participants, or activities with greater than a 15 minute response time from emergency medical support
Girl Scout adult First Aid Level 2
Lifeguard
Girl Scout adult
Water activities
Basic In-town Overnight (BIO)*or equivalency*
Girl Scout adult
In-town overnights
Basic In-town Overnight (BIO)*or equivalency*

Basic Troop Camping (BTC)* or equivalency*
Girl Scout adult
Overnight camping trips
Basic In-town Overnight (BIO)*or equivalency*

Basic Troop Camping (BTC)* or equivalency*

Basic Backpacking*
Weekend backpacking trip at a local park Girl Scout adult
Travel more than 3 nights and/or 250+ miles one way Leaders, co-leaders, leadership personnel of Co-op troops
Travel Troop Basics
Earning the Silver Award
Adults Working with Cadette Girl Scouts Silver Award
Earning the Gold Award
Leaders, Gold Award Project Advisors and Senior Girl Scouts
Gold Award
Managing a large event (Service Unit events, i.e. Camporee)
New Large Event Directors
Large Event Director*
Troop Chair - 2000 Fall       Product Sale*
Managing the Troop Fall Product Sale
Troop Fall Product Sale Chairs
Managing the Troop Cookie Sale Troop Cookie Sale Chairs
Troop Chair - 2001 Cookie Sale*
* Completion of the volunteer application process is required prior to registering for these courses. You must have an approved volunteer application on file in order for you registration to be processed.
5. There is a formal and informal network of people who can help you. Ask.
You are a member of a Girl Scout Service Unit in the Santa Clara Council. The Service Unit consists of a team of volunteers that provides direct services to support girls and the adults who work with them in a specific geographic area. If you have any questions or concerns, you may consult with a Service Unit Team Representative. Service Unit Leader meetings are also great for place for asking questions and networking with other Leaders in the Service Unit.
6. Lead, don't push. Facilitate, don't do it all.
It's easy to play the role of parent or   baby-sitter instead of teacher and role model (this applies whether or not you are a   parent). So, we'd like to give you your first tool, a touchstone that tells you whether you're on track. (First you take several deep breaths!) Then, ask the questions: "What am I teaching?" and "What do I want to be teaching?" (Thank you Lilian Katz, Ph.D., Professor of Early Childhood Education.)

For example, imagine that; you are on an overnight trip with 12 Girl Scouts. You are staying at a place that has a very fun looking loft with only four beds. Of course, everyone wants to sleep in the loft. What do you do? You could offer some solutions: have them count off by numbers, make the loft off limits, or make up a rotation schedule. But what have you taught them by providing this solution? You have taught them that adults make the rules and that girls can't create solutions for themselves.

What is it that you want to teach? In Girl Scouting, we want to teach problem solving skills and positive self-esteem. Another way to respond to this situation would be to offer the girls an opportunity to problem solve for themselves, within their age-level capabilities. You might help Brownie Girl Scouts with a list of possibilities. Junior Girl Scouts can usually create their own list of optional solutions. Then, with your guidance, let them work out the details of the plan. Your Troop Leadership training will give you information and assistance on how to be a facilitator.
7. Work in partnership with girls to plan and make decisions.
As a Troop Leadership Volunteer, your role is that of   a facilitator, teacher, and child development specialist. Your role is not that of a baby-sitter. As a Girl Scout adult your task is teaching girls life skills, not giving them answers or solving their problems for them. The challenge is to guide the girls to find appropriate answers and solutions. In Girl Scouting, girls have a safe place where they can make mistakes and learn.

For the Girl Scout Troop Leadership Volunteer, it is a lot more fun this way because you won't spend all your time playing the heavy! In the short run, learning facilitation skills can take more time and be more challenging. Trust us that it pays off in the end, that you will have the help and training to do it. Just wait until you see the results - Cadette Girl Scouts planning their own trip across Canada or Europe. The best part is that you get to go with them!

One of the basic threads running throughout the Girl Scout program is that of girl/adult partnership. To grow strong, girls need to be partners in decision-making from the very beginning - whether choosing form a list of activities as a Daisy Girl Scout or making sure the trip has enough adult supervision for Senior Girl Scouts. As the leader, your goal should be to act increasingly as a facilitator, enabling the girls to experience more opportunities for planning, decision-making, leadership, and yes, even failure. Adults who understand and make a conscious effort to facilitate these experiences help build Girl Scouts.  Where Girls Grow Strong.
8. Work in partnership with parents to build relationships and gain support.
Just because you're the leader does not mean that you have to do it all. Your parents can be a valuable resource. They can take on troop responsibilities such as: troop field trip organizer, phone tree chair, fall product or cookie chair. They can share a special skill or talent or help with a badge. Let your parents know what you need them to do and expect them to do it. Let them know that without their portion of the planning, the activity will not be accomplished.

When parents know that everyone is counting on them, nine times out of ten, they will come through. You may be surprised to know that some people are willing to get involved, but are just waiting to be asked. So, don't be shy about asking them to take an active role in your troop. Section K of your Leader Resource Guide contains excellent information on steps to take in order to work successfully with parents.
9. Be a role model.
As a leader, the girls and young women in your troop hold you in high esteem. Always remember this. Use language that preserves and fosters dignity in children by describing what is seen and felt and by focusing on solutions. Use rather than when giving instructions. Use "I" sentences to describe your feeling regarding a particular situation. When you express your own feelings, in appropriate ways, you tell girls that it is safe for them to do the same.

Standards outlining acceptable conduct of volunteers are important for the orderly operation of any organization and for the benefit and protection of the rights and safety of all the members. Inappropriate conduct may result in immediate suspension or termination. Refer to your Leader Resource Guide for more information on this topic.
10. Have fun!!
Relax; and remember the "F" word - FUN! Set reasonable objectives for the year. If they don't work out, that's OK. Plans can change,and the girls need to learn how to adapt to change. Don't worry about the little things they will take care of themselves. Your job is to ensure that the girls are safe, having fun, and hopefully learning something along the way. Oh, and remember to laugh - that's important too!
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