Shift the Lens on Girl Scout Volunteering: Part 2
The possibilities are endless with the way girls and their leaders are staying connected through Girl Scouts. Maintaining routines is important to a girl’s development, and this troop leader has shifted the lens on the way she engages with her girls, proving a pandemic doesn’t have to stop them from receiving a true Girl Scout experience!
Superstar volunteer Annette manages a diverse, multi-level troop of girls ranging from Brownies to Cadettes (grades 2-8). Her troop meets weekly to focus on badge work and their Silver and Bronze Awards.
“I chose not to stop because the girls need us. They are here for a reason. They need Girl Scouts not only socially, but emotionally. I didn’t want to give up on them,” Annette recalls on her reason to make the shift from in-person to virtual volunteering.
Since sheltering in place, Annette and her troop have focused on simply having fun and doing things to take their minds off what was going on around them. They did fun badge activities, played trivia games, and even dedicated some meetings to just have girl talk.
It’s that simple.
Annette shares her tips on how to manage a virtual troop:
Try to make things as simple as possible for your families
“When my troop did badge work, I would send a care package to each girl with all of the materials needed to complete the requirement. Even if a girl couldn’t participate in that particular meeting, she could still do it on her own and show me the proof to receive her badge.”
Have the girls lead meetings
“In our troop, if a girl knows how to complete a journey or badge, she will teach it to the rest of the girls so that everybody has the new skill.”
Try not to stress
“It’s OK not to have an agenda or to wing it. Sometimes you’ll have an activity planned and the girls just want to chat and vent and see their friends. The girls will not be mad if you mess up or have a bad week.”
Stay connected
“Check out what GSUSA, and other councils are doing to engage their girls. There are a ton of resources out there!”
Make it fun!
“Always remember, the girls having fun is just as important as them doing badge work,” says Annette.
Don’t give up on your girls! Renew your troop today.
One Week Left! Renew Your Troop by August 31 for a Chance to Win!
Only one week left to take advantage of our new promotion to help you get ready for a knockout new year!
Renew at least 90% of the girls in your troop by August 31 and your troop will receive:
- A free Zoom account for your troop
- A $20 gift certificate for the Girl Scouts GCNWI online shop
- TWO entries into a drawing for a $200 Amazon gift card (10 prizes available)!
Renew at least 75% of your troop by August 31 and your troop will be entered into a drawing to receive a $200 Amazon gift card (10 prizes available)!
It’s easy to renew your whole Girl Scout troop at one time, and a great way to use troop funds—by powering another year of amazing experiences! Follow these step-by-step instructions to renew your troop.
Related links
We’ve got more than a few things to look forward to as we enter the new year.
New virtual meeting plans are uploaded to the Volunteer Toolkit and resources added to the Learning Portal
Read our newly expanded guideline for in-person meetings.
AND we’re working hard on programs for the fall, both virtual AND outdoor! Continue to check our website page for updates.