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Volunteer Resources

A.L.E.

What's A.L.E.?

GSNEO’s Adult Leadership Experience is like Girl Scout camp for grown-ups.

Explore new things with hands-on learning, step up and overcome challenges, share ideas with other volunteers, and build your skills to start your new troop year with a bang. 

 

Annual Troop & Caregiver Meetings
Background Check FAQs

The criminal background check is one of the strategies used to ensure that girls are safe. Learn more about background checks here.

Girl Scout Activity Insurance

These plans cover participants taking part in any council-approved, supervised Girl Scout activity. Activity insurance is mandatory for all international travel.

>>Activity Insurance Plans and Enrollment

Glossary of Girl Scout Terms

If you need help with Girl Scout Lingo, the glossary will help you out! Go to Glossary of Girl Scout Terms! 

Grow Your Troop

Invite more friends to Join Your Troop! Free promotional materials for newly forming and established troops.

GSNEO Pixie Plus

Pixie Plus is your community resource for events and activities. Posts are by program age level and county, and are created by community vendors that have been checked out by GSNEO.

If you have checked out one of these activities be sure to rate your experience on Pixie Plus and leave a comment for other troops! Do you know of a great place in your community?  Send an email to marketing@gsneo.org with the information and we'll do the rest!

Visit Pixie Plus!

GSNEO Volunteer Essentials - 2022-2023

Volunteer Essentials is a reference guide to use as needed. It includes information about starting a troop, important safety reminders (Chapter 4; Safety-Wise), and managing troop finances. It also includes a Quick-Start Guide that provides an overview of everything you need to know to plan your first meeting with girls.

GSNEO Volunteer Position Descriptions

Interested in a specific volunteer position? Make sure that you have already selected this volunteer role on the Participation Catalog and then complete the corresponding volunteer position description.  

>>View Volunteer Position Descriptions

GSNEO Volunteer Policies - 2023-2024

Volunteer Policies are essential for the protection of all Girl Scout members. Adherence to policies, procedures, and standards ensures a consistent and safe quality volunteer experience, and outcomes-based program delivery for girls.

GSNEO Volunteer Webinars

Miss an important webinar? Check gsLearn to see more!

>>GSNEO Webinars

MY24 Flyers
New Leader's Guide to Success
New Troop Leader and Troop Admin Checklist

Are you new to a troop leader role? This checklist will keep you on track during your first four weeks and remind you of the many exciting things ahead.

>>New Troop Leader and Troop Admin Checklist

Online Training - gsLearn

gsLearn is a site where volunteers can go for all their training needs. At this time, learning modules are available for new volunteers to get oriented, and all program levels of troop leaders.

GSNEO will still offer in-person training for required hands-on courses, such as Outdoor Essentials, Outdoor Overnight Experience, First Aid/CPR/AED, and other specialized volunteer roles. These trainings will be available to register for through the Events Calendar.

>>Go to the gsLearn Now!

>>Report a Problem with gsLearn

Outdoor Skill Building

Now it's even easier for Girl Scout volunteers to introduce girls to the wonders of hiking and camping. Whether you're a camping pro, or just starting out, you can help girls of all ages have a positive experience in the great outdoors.

>>Check out the great teaching videos from GSUSA!

Parent/Caregiver Involvement Form

The more people who get involved - the better the Girl Scout experience! This form can be used at parent/caregiver meeting, recruitment events or anytime a troop needs more support.

>>Parent/Caregiver Involvement Form

Safety Resources & Safety Activity Checkpoints

In these days of stay-at-home orders and social distancing, many troops are engaging in virtual experiences that connect Girl Scout friends together. Safety is always at the front of our minds for all Girl Scout experiences, even when we’re meeting virtually. Girl Scouts of the USA has updated Safety Activity Checkpoints to include information on Coronavirus Safety in Girl Scouts and Have an Emergency Action Plan. A new chapter has been added for Virtual Troop Meetings and additions have been made to the chapter on Camping.

Sensitive Issues Consent Form

The Sensitive Issues Consent Form should be signed by parents/caregivers and girls BEFORE engaging in planned programs/discussions that may be considered sensitive in nature.

Volunteers can access best practices and additional information by visiting gsLearnSensitive Issues Policy, and Girl Scouts’ Raising Awesome Girls blog.

>>Sensitive Issues Consent Form

Troop Banking & Finances

Helping girls decide what they want to do, and coaching them as they earn and manage money to pursue their goals, is an integral part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE). Your Girl Scout group plans and finances its own activities, with your guidance. At the same time, the girls learn many valuable skills that serve them throughout their lives.

>>Everything you need for your Troop Bank Account & Finances

Troop Catalog FAQs
Clear Cache and Cookie Tips
Troop/Group Financial Reporting

All troops, service units, and day camps are required to submit an annual financial report.

Virtual Meetings and Zoom Licenses

If you and your girls are ready to try virtual meetings, check out these safety tips before getting started.

Zoom Licenses for Volunteers

We want our girls and families to continue having a great Girl Scout experience! We understand that while the world has "opened back up," our members have become accustom to alternative meeting and communication platforms. Zoom licenses are available through GSNEO for $50 per year, that is an 75% discount off the regular price of $199.

GSUSA Zoom licenses may only be used by Service Unit Volunteers and Troop Leadership Volunteers for approved Girl Scout activities related to their role such as to:

  • Host Girl Scout Troop Meetings and Girl Scout Troop activities such as bridging ceremonies
  • Meet with other troop volunteers
  • Host service unit or troop events
  • Host service unit meetings

To take advantage of this special opportunity for your troop or service unit:

Learn how to create and facilitate an engaging virtual troop meeting in our 24 minute online course – Facilitating Virtual Troop Meetings – available for all volunteers in gsLearn!

*Please note: If you do not see this course right away on your dashboard in gsLearn, search “Facilitating Virtual Troop Meetings” and the training will appear from GSUSA.

Getting Started
  1. Register for your gsZoom license.
    Complete this form to register and pay for your gsZoom license.
  2. Complete Training
    Complete the “Facilitating Virtual Troop Meetings” training in gsLearn and view the tips and tricks videos provided from Zoom at Zoom.us.
  3. Request Assistance from Families and other Volunteers

Prior to your meeting, request assistance of other adults to monitor your chat log and answer questions or help in whatever way you may need.

Holding the Meeting

Setting up the Meeting

  1. Schedule your meeting. This may be the same time as your regular in-person meetings or may need to be adjusted based on new schedules. The most secure way to deliver the meeting link to your troop families is to post it in the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) meeting tab in the location box.
  2. Plan activities ahead. Activities may need to be adjusted to do virtually. Be creative and think outside the box! Check out the Troop Leader Blueprint and Girl Scouts at Home for fun virtual ideas.
  3. Communicate with caregivers. Be sure they know the activity plan and what supplies and technology are needed. You might consider holding a digital parent meeting before meeting with the girls to work out technology roadblocks. It is also recommended that if possible, the troop leader and daughter login on separate devices in separate spaces.

Holding the Meeting

  1. Login a few minutes early to ensure technology is working.
  2. Engage the girls equally and by name so they are acknowledged and so they know you can see them.
  3. Incorporate traditions even if it feels awkward. Traditions can bring comfort in uncertain times and create a sense of normalcy for the girls.
  4. Consider creating a group agreement with ground rules if it is your first meeting.

Tips for Successful Virtual Meetings

  • Be present. Avoid multitasking. Focus on the presenter, content, and fellow attendees.
  • Use video. Enable your video when possible, especially when presenting. Visual connection is important and helps participants maintain focus.
  • Limit distractions. Something that distracts you will distract others too! This includes anything participants can hear, like background noise, or see, like people walking around behind you.
  • Mute your microphone. Keep your microphone muted if you're not speaking. This will prevent accidental background noise from disrupting the meeting.
  • Speak Up! When you are participating, speak up and be heard. Other participants want to hear what you have to say, so speak loudly and clearly into the microphone.

Meeting Planning Tools

Check out these tried-and-true resources from fellow troop leaders who successfully adapted their meetings for in-person-safe and virtual settings.

Meeting Facilitation

Volunteer Toolkit (VTK)

The Volunteer Toolkit (we call it the VTK for short!) is your official source for delivering easy, fun troop meetings year-round! This fully customizable digital planning tool is accessible on any computer, tablet, or mobile device and provides you with Girl Scout program content, award requirements, and other resources. Learn more about the VTK here.

Welcome to the Service Unit Orientation Packet

The packet includes essential information that all new Troop Leaders, Troop Admins, and Troop Program Guides need about required training, forms, resources, how to open your bank account and more!

>>Welcome to the Service Unit Orientation Packet

    

 

Nothing is more important than ensuring the health and safety of girls, whether they’re engaged in a real-world activity or exploring online.

At Girl Scouts, we work hard to build safety consciousness in adults, training staff, volunteers, and girls on all safety protocols so that we can ensure proper supervision, prevent accidents and incidents, and maintain program resources.

>>View all Safety Resources for Volunteers, including Safety Activity Checkpoints!