SPOTLIGHT ON VOLUNTEERS!

Being a Girl Scout Volunteer allows you to :

• Gain satisfaction from helping girls grow and develop

  
  

• Use your time in meaningful ways

  
  

• Share your knowledge, experience, skills

  
  

• Make new friends-both young and old

  
  

• Contribute to your community

  
  

• Develop a sense of accomplishment

  
  

• Transfer your beliefs into actions

  
  

• Learn markable skills

  
  

• Grow and develop personally

  
  

• Feel needed

  
  

• Have fun

  
  

Wanted: Leaders

If a want ad were placed in the newspaper for a Girl Scout Leader it would be very important sounding job- because that's exactly what it is! It might read something like this:

Wanted: Troop Leaders and Assistant Troop Leaders.

You will be expected to help Girls:

• Have a good time

  
  

• Take responsibility for troop plans and preparations

  
  

• Learn to earn money for troop activities

  
  

• Learn to accept, appreciate and enjoy all people

  
  

• Do their share as members of their troop, Service Unit and Council

  
  

• Live the ideals expressed in the Promise and Law.

  
  

• Becoming a registered Girl Scout Member

  
  

• Registering all girls in your troop

  
  

• Participating in Girl Scout Leader training

  
  

• Meeting with the troop on a weekly or other agreed- on basis

  
  

• Staying informed by attending service unit meetings

  
  

• Maintaining group records and being accountable for troop funds

  
  

• Encouraging other people to share their skills and knowledge

  
  

• Knowing whom to contact in case of emergency

  
  

• Following Safety-Wise standards, guidelines and activity check points.

  
  

(Your appointment will be for one year. Tremendous rewards and benefits, including a huge sense of satisfaction from helping others, will be yours!)

Membership as a Girl Scout adult is granted to any one person who:

• accepts the principles and beliefs as stated in the Preamble of the Girl Scout Constitution;

  
  

• has paid annual or lifetime membership dues;

  
  

• meets applicable membership standards

  
  

Lifetime Membership as a Girl Scout Adult is granted to any person (18 years of age or older or a high school graduate or equivalent) who:

• accepts the principles and beliefs as stated in the Girl Scout Constitution;

  
  

• has paid life time membership dues of $175

  
  

• meets applicable membership standards.

  
  

Training Courses:

Troop leaders can prepare themselves to provide girls with safe, progressive experiences by taking a series of leadership courses. Experienced leaders can add to their skills by taking enrichment workshops and outdoor training.

Basic Leader Training:

All Girl Scout Leaders and Assistant Leaders are required to take basic leadership training consisting of three parts:

• Orientation (This training is provided at the Service Unit level)

• New Leader Troop Administration (For all new leaders and assistants)

• New Leader Program Level Training (Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior)

Completion of this training certifies a leader for three years. Certification may be renewed by taking a new program level training or a leader update course.

Outdoor Training:

The following is needed in order to take a troop camping: (At least one Leader must qualify)

• Basic Outdoor Skills (BOS)

  
  

• Basic Troop Camping (BTC)

  
  

• Standard First Aid and CPR

  
  

Other Adult Training and Workshops: (in no particular order)

• Stepping Stones

  
  

• Teen Leader Training

  
  

• Issues For Girls

  
  

• Advanced Troop Camping

  
  

• Packtrackers (Backpacking)

  
  

• Grey Season

  
  

• Leader's Weekend

  
  

• Day Camp Training

  
  

• Lodge Facility Training

  
  

Service Unit Award Recognitions:

1. Numeral Guards:

• Indicates total years of registration [both girl and adult]. Pins start at five years and increase by five year intervals.

• Registration as a girl and/or adult with G.S.U.S.A [Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.] include current membership year.

  
  

2. Years of Service Pin:

• Recognizes the member for years of active service as an ADULT at five-year intervals.

• Candidate is active ADULT member for (5, 10, 15, 20, etc,) years.

3. Wise Owl Patch:

• Given to adults who complete Orientation, Basic Leadership Training, Basic Outdoor Skills and one other training within a two-year period.

• Other training might include First Aid, Basic Troop Camp, Day Camp, or Leader's Weekend.

4. Outstanding Leader:

• Given to Leader or Assistant Leader who has completed Orientation and BLS.

• Candidate's performance as leader merits recognition at Service Unit level.

5. Outstanding Volunteer:

• Given to person for volunteer service in a position other than Leader or Assistant where service for a particular job or position is beyond expectations.

• Candidate's performance as volunteer merits recognition on Service Unit level due to services or benefits received by the Service Unit.

6. Certificate of Appreciation:

• Expresses appreciation for special services given by individuals or groups in or out of Girl Scouting.

• Candidate does not have to be registered Girl Scout, and has benefited the Service Unit.

Council Recognitions:

1. Leadership Development Pin:

• Recognizes troop leaders or assistants who have completed a series of earned criteria including BLT, BOS, First Aid, BTC, and Service Unit meetings.

• Must be leader for one year, participated in two meetings beyond the troop, and trainings were completed since January 1, 1987.

• Hanging Leaves may be awarded that attach to the bottom of the Leadership Development Pin and they symbolize additional hours of training. A Green leaf will be given for each workshop of at least 10 hours or workshops totaling 10 hours. After receiving five Green Leaves, the recipient may turn them in for one Silver Leaf. Five Silver Leafs may be turned in for one Gold Leaf.

• Or, 1 Green Leaf = 10 Hours; 5 Green Leaves = 50 Hours = 1 Silver Leaf; 5 Silver Leaves = 250 Hours = 1 Gold Leaf. (We get this question a lot!)

2. Trainer's Pin:

• Recognizes adult members who have completed the criteria for trainers including Training of Trainers (T.O.T.) Must have completed trainings they wish to train.

• Three levels of Trainers: (1) Apprentice Trainer-conducts 2-3 courses with experienced or master trainer; (2) Experienced Trainer-has served one year as Apprentice; (3) Master or Lead Trainer-has served at least 3 to 5 years as Experienced Trainer.

3. Service Unit Award of Excellence:

• Recognizes the efforts and work of a Service Unit to maintain and expand the Girl Scout program in their communities.

• Criteria includes establishing Service Team, retention of previous registered troops and membership, on-time troop registrations, community awareness, communication with leaders, turning in fiscal reports in timely manner and meeting the increase in girl membership goal as set by council.

4. Caring Award:

• Recognizes high level of service beyond the Troop and requires over three years of service.

• Candidate has taken training and performed exceptional work in Service Unit or Council position.

5. Honor Pin:

• Recognizes outstanding service to two or more service units.

• Service performed is delivered to two or more geographic divisions and contributes to council's goals and objectives.

6. Appreciation Pin:

• Recognizes outstanding service above and beyond the expectations for positions held.

• Generally considered a Caring II Award and requires over five years of service delivered beyond the troop level.

7. Promise and Law:

• Recognizes outstanding, council-wide service to program activities by an adult who serves as a role model for all by applying the Promise and Law in their lives.

• Requires over three years of service and candidates activities must have a council-wide impact.

8. Lucy Wise Award:

• Recognizes an individual who has shown high quality, long time service to Girl Scouting in general.

• Requires over ten years of service, five of which must have been with Dogwood Trails Council.

9. Grace Palmer Award:

• Recognizes an individual who has shown high quality, long time service to the camp program.

• Candidate has at least five years service to camp program and has encouraged outdoor skills and camping with leaders and girls.

10. Hall of Fame Award:

• Third highest honor in Dogwood Trails Council. Candidate has over ten years of service in Girl Scouting, five of which must have been with Dogwood Trails Council.

• Candidate is a rare individual who may have been recognized previously, yet has continued to give outstanding service especially in new fields.

11. Thanks Badge:

• Recognizes service significantly above and beyond the call of duty where no other award would be appropriate.

• Services performed are truly outstanding and benefit whole council or entire Girl Scout organization and is so above and beyond the call of duty that no other award would be appropriate.

12. Thanks Badge II:

• The highest award in Girl Scouting. Recognizes outstanding service give by a Thanks Badge recipient for continuing service.

• Might well acknowledge outstanding performance that surpasses earlier achievement. A way of saying thanks again to an outstanding individual who has contributed greatly to Girl Scouting.

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