Chapter 1 : Sharing Your Unique Gifts
No matter how you volunteer with Girl Scouts , your investment of time and energy will pay back tenfold . With your help , girls will be able to identify issues they care about and work with one another to resolve them . Your interests and life experiences make you the perfect person to be a new kind of partner for girls , someone who creates a safe environment where they can work together and each girl feels free to work toward her highest aspirations . Have no doubt : you , and nearly 1 million other volunteers like you , are helping girls make a lasting impact on the world .
GSWPA Alumnae – Once a Girl Scout , Always a Girl Scout
Approximately one in every two adult women ( 49 %) in the U . S . has at some point been a member of Girl Scouts . There are currently an estimated 59 million Girl Scout alumnae living in the U . S .
To learn more about Girl Scouting Works : The Alumnae Impact study , or to obtain a copy , visit http :// www . girlscouts . org / research .
We invite you to reconnect with Girl Scouting through the GSWPA Alumnae Association at http :// www . gswpa . org / alumnae / stay-connected-with-gswpa /.
Visit gswpa . org / alumnae or email alumnae @ gswpa . org to learn more about how you can discover , connect , and take action as a Girl Scout Alumnae .
Understanding Your Role as a Girl Scout Volunteer
Your most important role as a Girl Scout volunteer is to be excited about everything this opportunity affords you : a chance to help girls succeed , play a critical role in their lives , and watch them blossom ! You also want to be someone who enjoys the activities you ’ ll be embarking on with the girls — whether you ’ re volunteering at a camp , working with girls who are traveling , or partnering with girls on a shortterm series on a topic that interests you .
As a Girl Scout volunteer , you ’ ll serve as a partner and role model to girls . You ’ ll also work closely with a covolunteer , because two volunteers must be present at all times when working with girls , and at least one of those volunteers must be female and not related to the other volunteer . This is an important distinction that bears repeating : Men can serve as troop volunteers , but an adult female who is not related to the other volunteer must be present at all times , and only in cases of emergency is a girl to be alone with only one volunteer . Remember to also check the volunteer-to-girl ratios in the Quick-Start Guide and the “ Safety-Wise ” chapter of this handbook .
In More than ‘ S ’ mores : Success and Surprises in Girl Scouts Outdoor Experiences , the Girl Scout Research Institute ( GSRI ) has described the role of Adult Volunteers :
“ Because everything girls do outdoors in Girl Scouts must be supported by an adult , these results speak indirectly to adult volunteers and their preparation . To get girls outdoors more regularly , Girl Scouts need adult volunteers who encourage and promote outdoor experiences . . Communicating to volunteers and parents that casual outdoor experiences are effective ways of giving girls opportunities to build competencies and try new things may be the key to opening the gateway for all Girl Scouts to participate in the outdoors on a more regular basis .” ( 2014 , p . 27 )