One last tip about using the processes: The girls’ time in Girl Scouting isn’t a to-do list, so please don’t ever feel
that checking activities off a list is more important than tuning in to what interests and excites girls and sparks
their imaginations. Projects don’t have to come out perfectly, and girls don’t have to fill their vests and sashes
with badges. What matters most is the fun and learning that happens as girls make experiences their own.
You’ll use several books, awards, and online resources to bring the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to life with
girls. We strongly recommend that each girl has her own books from the National Program Portfolio. These
books—the Journeys and The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting—and national program awards—like badges and
pins—are an important part of how Girl Scouting helps girls experience the power of millions of girls changing
the world together.
As you use the National Program Portfolio with girls, keep in mind that Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) creates
materials to serve our vast and diverse community of girls. To help bring topics off the page and into life, we
sometimes provide girls and volunteers with suggestions about what people across the country and around
the world are doing. We also sometimes make suggestions about movies, books, music, websites, and more
that might spark girls’ interests.
At GSUSA, we know that not every example or suggestion we provide will work for every girl, family, volunteer,
or community. In partnership with those who assist you with your Girl Scout group—including parents, faith
groups, schools, and community organizations—we trust you to choose real-life topic experts from your
community as well as movies, books, music, websites, and other opportunities that are most appropriate for
the girls in your area to enrich their Girl Scout activities.
We are proud to be the premier leadership organization for girls. While girls and their families may have
questions or interest in programming relevant to other aspects of girls’ lives, we are not always the
organization best suited to offer such information. Your council can recommend local organizations or
resources that are best suited to do so.
Also note that GSUSA continuously reviews national program content to guarantee that all our resources are
relevant and age appropriate, and that their content doesn’t include violence, sex, inappropriate language, or
risky behavior. We value your input and hope that you will bring to your council’s attention any content that
concerns you.
National Leadership Journeys help Girl Scouts learn and practice the Three Keys, aid their communities, and
earn leadership awards, progressing up Girl Scouting’s Ladder of Leadership
http://www.girlscouts.org/program/journeys/your_story/pdf/leadership_ladder.pdf as they do so. There are
three series of Leadership Journeys, each about a different theme; the girls in your group can choose the
theme that interests them most.
After the girls choose a Journey, spend an hour or two reading the companion adult guide. It’ll give you a feel
for how to bring the Journey to life, and you’ll get ideas for the steps girls will take (with your support) to earn
their leadership awards. Don’t worry; you don’t have to be any kind of expert to do a Leadership Journey with
girls. You just need to be willing to dive in and enjoy the learning-by-doing experience with them.
Each Journey adult guide contains sample plans that you can customize to fit the needs of your group, whether
you guide a troop, volunteer at a Girl Scout camp, mentor girls on a travel adventure, or engage with girls in a
series or at an event. Each Journey also offers opportunities to enjoy the longstanding traditions of Girl
Scouting, from ceremonies and songs to earning awards and skill badges.
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