The Girl Scout Leadership Experience provides the foundation for all
we do. It is the core of our program and encompasses everything from
our Promise and Law to our badges, activities, and Journeys. And at
the center of it all are the girls. At Girl Scouts, everything centers
around the girl, it’s
what makes Girl Scouts truly unique. Our program is designed by,
with, and for girls. With a focus on girl-led programing and
activities, girls have the opportunity to take on leadership roles and
learn-by-doing in a safe, fun, and cooperative environment.
Although girls may start building their leadership skills in school
and on sports teams, research shows that the courage, confidence, and
character girls develop as Girl Scouts stay with them throughout their
lives. Our program and outcomes are based in research and our studies
show that Girl Scouting has a measurable positive impact on girls. In
fact, we can proudly say Girl Scouts are almost 10% more likely, than
non-Girl Scouts, to have positive expectations about their future
based on our studies. We encourage you to learn more about our program
and outcomes as you check out our studies and in-depth research for
insights and information.
The Girl Scout Leadership Experience has been purposefully designed
to include a variety of fun and challenging activities to help girls
learn, grow, and thrive. And at the base of it all are three keys and
three processes.
What girls do in Girl Scouting all fit within our three keys:
Discover, Connect, and Take Action.
-
Discover. When Girl Scouts take part in fun and exciting badge activities, earn a Girl Scout Journey award, go camping, or
attend an amazing Girl Scout program or event, you are helping
them discover who they are, what they care about, and where
their talents lie.
-
Connect. When Girl Scouts collaborate with others—including
the members and leaders of their troop, Girl Scouts from their
local community, or community partners and experts—they
connect and expand their horizons. This helps them care
about, support, inspire, and team up with others both locally and
globally.
-
Take Action. When girls deepen their relationship with the
world around them, they’re eager to take action to improve
the local community and the greater global community and make the
world a better place.
So how do we do it? The Girl Scout Leadership Experience
draws on three unique processes— Girl-led, Learning by Doing,
and Cooperative Learning—that encourage girls to try new
things, write their own stories, and develop the skills and confidence
to say, “I know I can do this!”
-
Girl-led. Girl Scouts take the lead, no matter their age.
From selecting the badges they’ll pursue to how they’ll organize
an activity; Girl Scouts have the chance to follow their dreams
and grow their skills—and gain the confidence that comes with
that.
-
Learning- by- Doing. Hands-on activities are fun for Girl
Scouts of any age, but they also help them feel empowered to shape
their own experience. Girl Scouts unlock their “I got this”
attitude as they discover they can always dust themselves off and
try again when things don’t go according to plan.
-
Cooperative Learning. There’s power in having a tight-knit
group of friends who will learn with you, grow with you, and
always cheer you on. Girl Scouts see firsthand that teamwork,
respect, and collaboration can fuel them through any challenge
that comes their way.
As a volunteer, you’ll draw on these three processes as you
lead girls of any age. And naturally, girl-led at the Daisy level will
look very different from girl-led at the Ambassador level. What is
most important is that your Girl Scouts make decisions about the
activities they will do together and make choices as they do
the activities together. As girls learn from their successful,
and not so successful tries, they gain confidence. All girls should
have the opportunity to lead within their peer group. By the time
girls are Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors, they will be using the
leadership skills they’ve developed to take on more ownership of their
activities, mentor younger Girl Scouts, and take action to make the
world a better place.
One last tip about following these processes. Girl Scouting
isn’t a to-do list, so please don’t feel that checking
activities off a list is more important than tuning in to what
interests girls and sparks their imaginations. Projects don’t have to
come out perfectly—in fact, it’s a valuable learning experience when
they don’t—Girl Scouts don’t have to fill their vests and sashes with
badges. What matters most is the fun and learning that takes place as
they make experiences their own, so don’t be afraid to step back and let your girls take the lead.
