Practiced a discussion on the following: Girl Scout Mission, Promise, and Law; benefits of Girl Scouting for
their daughters, including how the GSLE is a world-class system for developing girl leaders; all the fun the
girls are going to have; expectations for girls and their parents/guardians; and ideas of how parents and
other guardians can participate in and enrich their daughters’ Girl Scout experiences
Determined when product sales (including Girl Scout cookie activities) will happen in your council;
parents/guardians will absolutely want to know
Determined what information parents should bring to the meeting
Used the Friends and Family pages pro vided in the adults guides for many of the Journeys, or created
your own one-page information sheet (contact information for you and co-volunteers and helpers, the
day and time of each meeting, location of and directions to the meeting place, what to bring with them,
and information on how to get Journey resources—books, awards, and keepsakes—and other
merchandise like sashes, vests, T-shirts, and so on)
Gathered or created supplies, including a sign-in sheet, an information sheet, permission forms for
parents/guardians (also available from your council), health history forms (as required by your council),
and GSUSA registration forms
Prepared yourself to ask parents and guardians for help, being as specific as you can about the kind of
help you will need (the Journey’s Friends and Family pages will come in handy here)
Every participant (girl or adult) in Girl Scouting must register and become a member of Girl Scouts of the USA
(GSUSA). GSUSA membership dues are valid for one year. Membership dues (currently $15) are sent by the
council to GSUSA; no portion of the dues stays with the council. Membership dues may not be transferred to
another member and is not refundable. Scholarships are available to assist girls with the $15 membership
dues.
Pre-registration for the upcoming membership year occurs in the spring. Girls are encouraged to register early
to avoid the fall rush. Early registration helps ensure uninterrupted receipt of forms and materials from the
council, helps girls and councils plan ahead, and gets girls excited about all the great stuff they want to do as
Girl Scouts next year. Girl Scout grade level is determined by the current membership year beginning October
1.
Lifetime membership is available at a reduced rate. A lifetime member must be at least 18 years old (or a 17year-old high-school graduate) and agree to the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
You’re free to structure the parent/guardian meeting in whatever way works for you, but the following structure
works for many new volunteers:
As the girls and adults arrive, ask them to sign in. If the girls’ parents/guardians haven’t already
registered them online, you’ll want to email or hand out information so they can do so. If your council
uses paper registration forms, you can pass them out at this time. Check with your council for its specific
registration guidelines. You may also want to email or hand out a brief information sheet before or at
this meeting.
To view or obtain a copy of the online registration guide visit: http://www.gswpa.org/things-todo/how-to-register/
Open the meeting by welcoming the girls and adults. Introduce yourself and other co-volunteers or
helpers. Have adults and girls introduce themselves, discuss whether anyone in their families has been a
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