General Tips for Troop Leaders

 In order to have a better understanding of what leading a troop is all about,

take advantage of the many resources available to you:

 

 

Attend your local Service Unit meetings: (A Service Unit includes all the Girl Scout adult and girl members within a particular geographic area or school district.)  These meetings, run for and by the volunteers, are usually held once a month in your local area and offer invaluable networking and fun.  The Service Unit Manager and other Service Team members will have up-to-date information on activities that your girls may participate in. In addition, leaders with more experience attend the meetings and can share valuable information with you on program resources, paperwork, troop management, etc.

Go to the training classes: When you sign up to be a leader, you must take your training in the level you will be a leader in. The Service Unit Manager will have a schedule for the classes. Your Council also offers dozens of other classes on such things as crafts, songs and games, first aid, etc.

Read your grade-level "Journeys" and "Journey Facilitator’s Guides", "It’s Your Journey – Customize It", and "The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting": These books have information that will help you get started with your individual program.  Borrow before you buy!  Many Service Units or Councils have resource lending libraries.

Visit your Service Unit, Council and National GSUSA websites often for ideas:  
Chesapeake Bay Council   www.cbgsc.org  
Girl Scouts of the USA   www.girlscouts.org

Join your Service Unit’s Facebook group if one is available: This will keep you informed of current discussions among other local volunteers and will connect you to what other troops are doing.

Use the older girls in your Service Unit: Many would love to help you with your first few meetings, teaching the younger girls songs and games.

Talk with the parents of the girls in your troop: Find out what skills the parents have that you can use in your meetings.  Ask them for suggestions for program and activity ideas and trips, and what they would be willing to help with.  If your parents stay during the meetings, pass around a notebook and ask them to jot down their ideas for fun activities and trips.  Since they generated the ideas, they're more likely to offer to help!  If you need help holding a parent committee meeting, ask your Service Unit Team for assistance.

Talk to the girls: Ask them what they want to do. Remember the girl is first in Girl Scouting! If the girls are in kindergarten or first grade, limit the choices you ask them to make, so as to not overwhelm them. 

Progression is the key: We crawl before we walk, and we walk before we run.  Remember to introduce trips, camping, and skills as a progression.  Progression gives the girls confidence to tackle the next step!  Brownies are not ready for a weekend camping trip without first having an outdoor evening event; then an indoor overnight, then a back yard campout or one night camping trip.  Daisy trips should be limited in time and distance; Brownies can venture further for a day trip; Juniors can travel for a weekend; Teens are ready for cross-country and international travel.