Girls and adults participating in troops can meet once a week, once a month, or twice a month for several
months—how often is up to you and the girls. Troops can meet just about anywhere, as long as the location is
safe, easily accessible to girls and adults, and within a reasonable commute (“reasonable” having different
definitions in different areas: In rural areas, a two-hour drive may be acceptable; in an urban area, a 30-minute
subway ride may be too long). In each meeting, girls participate in fun activities that engage them in the Girl
Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE).
Troops provide a flexible way for girls to meet. Some ideas include:
Fourteen Girl Scout Brownies who meet twice a month from November through March at a local
community center
Seven girls who are homeschooled and meet weekly at the local library as a Girl Scout Cadette troop
Girls who meet together once a week at their juvenile detention center to participate in Girl Scout
activities
You’ll want to involve other adults in the troop—there’s no need to go it alone or depend on too few adults!
Many hands make light work, and the role is more fun when it’s shared. Think about the people you know whom
you admire, who can connect with girls, who are dependable and responsible, and who realistically have time to
spend volunteering. (Remember that these adults will need to register as Girl Scout members, fill out volunteer
application forms, take online learning sessions, and review written resources.) Consider business associates,
neighbors, former classmates, friends, and so on. If you have trouble finding reliable, quality volunteers to assist,
talk to your volunteer support team for advice and support. And feel free to use the sample welcome letter and
friends/family checklist in the Girl Scout Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Leadership Journeys to assist you in
expanding your troop’s adult network.
Remember: Be sure every volunteer reviews and follows the 12 Girl Scout Safety Guidelines, available both in the
Quick-Start Guide to this handbook and in the “Safety-Wise” chapter.
Your troop committee members might help by:
Filling in for you
Arranging meeting places
Locating adults with expertise on a topic of special interest to girls
Assisting with trips and chaperoning
Managing troop records
A troop committee may be made up of general members or may include specific positions, such as:
Cookie Manager: A volunteer who would manage all aspects of Girl Scout cookie activities
Transportation Coordinator: The volunteer you’d look to whenever you need to transport girls for any
reason; this person would have volunteers available to drive and chaperone
Record Keeper: A treasurer/secretary rolled into one person—someone to keep track of the money and
keep the books
Set up roles that work for you, and draw on other volunteers who possess skill sets that you may lack. When
you’re ready to invite parents, neighbors, friends, colleagues, and other respected adults to partner with you,
send them a letter and invite them to their first troop committee meeting.
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