Chapter 2: Girl Scouting as a National Experience
Now that you’re a Girl Scout volunteer, you belong to a network of more than 1 million adults who share
an important commitment: preparing girls to lead successful lives. During your time as a volunteer, you’ll
have fun, meet new people, and learn by doing alongside girls at every step.
The Girl Scout program—what girls do in Girl Scouting—is based on the Girl Scout Leadership Experience
(GSLE), a national model that helps girls become leaders in their own lives and as they grow. No matter
where girls live or what their age or background, as Girl Scouts they are part of a powerful, national
experience. As they build leadership skills, they also develop lifelong friendships and earn meaningful
awards, two of many treasured traditions in the sisterhood of Girl Scouting.
What Girl Scouting Does for Girls
Girl Scouting guides girls to become leaders in their daily lives, their communities, and the world—
helping them become the kind of person exemplified by the Girl Scout Law. When girls—as the Girl Scout
Law states—are “honest and fair,” when they “use resources wisely,” and know how to be “courageous
and strong,” they can be more successful in everything they do. It may start in school and on sports
teams, but research shows that the courage, confidence, and character they develop as Girl Scouts
follows them throughout their lives. Girl Scouting has a practical approach to helping girls become
leaders:
● When girls lead in their own lives, they Discover their values and the confidence to do what’s
right. This helps girls act in ways that make us proud, no matter where they are.
● When girls lead in their communities, they Connect as they learn how to work with other people.
This helps them get along better with others, resolve conflicts, and do better on group projects at
school.
● When girls lead in the world, they Take Action to change the world for the better. Starting as
young Girl Scouts, girls learn how to see problems—such as a food pantry in need of donations or
an elderly neighbor who could use a hand—and come up with a solution.
In other words: Discover + Connect + Take Action = leadership. And everything you do with girls in
Girl Scouting is aimed at giving them the benefits of these Three Keys to Leadership.
More details about the benefits (or outcomes) Girl Scouts offers girls can be found in Transforming
Leadership Continued, available online at
girlscouts.org/research/publications/gsoutcomes/transforming_leadership_continued.asp.