GIRLS = BE VISIBLE

at the In late 2017, announced it would begin recruiting girls and began replacing = LEAD WITH GIRL SCOUTS references to Boy Scouts with the more generic term "." These changes have caused confusion and concern among many of our girls, families, volunteers and the general public, and has caused us to reevaluate our century-long collaborative relationship with Boy Scouts of CENTER America. VOLUNTEER ACTION GUIDE = GOOD TO KNOW Girl Scouts will continue doing what is best for girls and Girl Scouts—that means a strong girl- led, all-girl, girl-focused program. This Volunteer Action Guide shares actions you can take to keep the Girl Movement strong with girls at the center of all we do. Below are guidelines that can help you as a volunteer to navigate these changes. Some of them may be new to you, but all are interpretations of existing rules in Volunteer Essentials, which will be updated this summer to provide more specific guidance in response to changes in the Boy Scout program.

DO THIS TO KEEP UNDERSTAND THE AVOID DOING HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND WHERE TO GET HELP GIRL SCOUTS STRONG REASONS WHY THESE THINGS Sometimes this is the hardest part. As If there are resources or people who Doing these things will keep girls These might be changes on how you These actions are the “don’ts”—the Girl Scout representatives you may can help with this specific action, at the center and Girl Scouts strong. may have experienced Girl Scouts in things we need to avoid or in some have to explain these actions to others. we’ll list them here. the past. Knowing why can help you cases, stop doing, in order to protect This section will get you started on clarify for others. the Girl Scout Movement. what you could say or share.

Boy Scouts of America is Do not refer to Girl Scouts as “Our official name is Girl Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta recruiting girls using the generic “Scouts” or “Scouting.” Scouts. Please do not refer staff are always here to help. term “Scouting.” Referring to Girl to our members as Scouts or Call 800-771-1139 or email Scouts as “Scouts” or “Scouting” our activities as ‘Scouting’, or [email protected]. may confuse families that do not know we are two separate refer to Boy Scouts and Girl Always use the full organizations with different Scouts together as ‘Scouts’ or ‘Scouting’.” names of Girl Scouts programs and make it seem like Boy Scouts is the primary scouting and Girl Scouting. organization for boys and girls. Girl This is especially useful to give Scouts is the #2 brand in the to journalists; they often get it world1, so we should be proud wrong. promoting our name brand to others!

Speak-up for girls Our members and volunteers Do not use terms like “Scouting” “Over half of non-Girl Scout/ We’ve got you covered—use the and Girl Scouting. are a huge voice for girls. Use or “Scouts” to refer to Girl Scouts. non-Boy Scout families think Girl Scout Mythbusters your voice to make sure the that we’re one organization. resource on the Learning and Correct misinforma- Don't fear you're not being "nice" if correct information is shared Misinformation only adds to the Resouce Center. tion whenever it’s you correct misinformation you confusion. Please be a myth with the world! hear. possible. buster and share your story!”

1 2017 World Value Index

1 DO THIS TO KEEP UNDERSTAND THE AVOID DOING HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND WHERE TO GET HELP GIRL SCOUTS STRONG REASONS WHY THESE THINGS

Visibility is very important so that Don’t hide your Girl Scout For your troop and families: Need a uniform? Visit our people can see that Girl Scouts pride! shops or shop online. Financial and Boy Scouts are two separate “In our troop we will wear our Assistance is available if cost is organizations with different ever combine uniform uniforms at all troop meetings a barrier to owning a uniform. Wear your uniforms purposes, values, and programs. N elements if girls or adults and activities. If you need one, proudly and publicly Uniforms give Girl Scouts a place to display their accomplishments are members of both you can visit our shops or order Uniform guides are available on whenever you are and talk about the unique badges, organizations. online. Here’s a guide to how to the volunteer site and Badge & acting as a Girl Scout! Journeys and high awards they assemble it. Our council offers Sash Stores, as well as online. have earned and the experiences financial assistance if you need You can search by program they have had in our program. help purchasing a uniform. I’d be grade level. happy to tell you how.”

Girl Scouts of the USA prohibits Planning or joining recruitment In this case, you’ll likely be Your service unit director, your events co-sponsored or co- events with Boy Scout packs, explaining why you can’t community engagement branded with other scouting dens, or units is not allowed. coordinate a recruitment event specialist, or your volunteer organizations like the Boy with a Boy Scout volunteer. Say support specialist can help. Ensure that Girl Scouts or American Heritage something like this: Call 800-771-1139 or email Scouts is present Girls. [email protected] if you don't “Since the Boy Scouts have know how to reach these and highly visible at started using the name Scouting school open houses, Recruiting together can resources in your area. reinforce the myth that there’s and are recruiting girls, there community events, only one “Scouting,” that all has been a lot of confusion and other recruit- scouting organizations are the about Girl Scouts. To help ment opportunities. same, and/or that Boy Scouts reduce that confusion and be and Girl Scouts are merging. clear that we a separate organization for girls, we need to plan our recruitment events separately.” Girl Scouts is the only Do not participate in, allow, or This one may be hard, because The Volunteer Toolkit (which it could require changing long- Plan and offer girl-led leadership program promote any co-sponsored or troop leaders can access exclusively for girls! Research co-branded events or programs standing traditions. Say something through LARC) also provides amazing Girl Scouts- shows that single-gender that use either Girl Scouts’ like this: troop leaders with a variety of only events! spaces remain essential for name, logo, colors, or likenesses program planning resources “In response to the Boy Scouts of girls to realize their together with Boy Scouts. America's decision to admit girls, that could be used for Be loud and proud leadership potential. Girl Scouts of the USA has planning events. This includes long-standing about what you, prohibited co-sponsored or co- Visit us at The strength of our events like Scouting for Food your troop, and your branded events with the Boy program is unmatched! Only and Pinewood Derbies. Scouts. We know not all Boy Scout training.gsgatl.org fellow volunteers are Girl Scouts has 23 new members agree with that change. offering. outdoor and STEM badges However all Girl Scouts must be that help girls Discover, clear about our girl-centered Use Girl Scouts’ Connect and Take Action to mission and activities, and we are make the world a better place! not able to continue co-sponsoring name, logos, events with any den, pack, or unit.” likenesses for Girl Co-sponsored or co-branded Remember that these rule changes Scouts-planned events reinforce that there’s are in response to the actions Boy events only. one “scouting” program. This Scouts took—not due to any change works to the Boy Scouts’ Girl Scouts made. advantage, not Girl Scouts'.

2 DO THIS TO KEEP UNDERSTAND THE AVOID DOING HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND WHERE TO GET HELP GIRL SCOUTS STRONG REASONS WHY THESE THINGS

Appearing with Boy Scouts in Don’t allow community If you are responding to an Need a uniform? Visit our the community reinforces the organizations or the media to invitation: shops or shop online at misperception that there is lump Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts Shop.GirlScoutsATL.org only one “scouting” program together. “Thank you for the invitation! Girl Scouts are—and always have been or that all Financial assistance is —active citizens engaged in their "scouting" organizations are Do not participate in joint flag available if cost is a barrier to communities. the same. ceremonies. Girl Scouts has its having a uniform. own long and proud tradition As you may have heard, Boy Scouts If you are invited and girls can and should provide of America began recruiting girls to community events these honors at community this year. This has had the effect of events! such as parades, flag confusing people, who may think Boy ceremonies, or festivals, Scouts and Girl Scouts are the same thing, or that the two organizations request your own booth are merging. I assure you they are or marching space if not! possible. Would it be possible to ensure that we have our own [booth space] or Make sure everyone is [parade space] when we attend wearing their Girl Scout your event, and that we’re listed by uniforms and that you our full name—Girl Scouts—in any have your own Girl Scout materials? That would really help us signs! keep confusion at bay and keep the focus where it should be—on girls.”

If you are interviewed by journalists: Make sure you say “Girl Scouts” and tell the reporters or photographers to be sure not to use “Scouting” to cover both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. It’s likely they don’t even know, so you can be a myth buster. Reporters want to get it right.

Any materials that show the Do not design, publish, and You’d likely be talking to leaders Check out the Learning and Create, share, and public both organizations to- distribute signs, fliers, or social or other volunteers about this: Resource Center to find out distribute materials gether—or worse—implies that media posts that feature both more about how to use logos, “Scouting” represents both Boy logos or names (co-branding) “Remember when you are trefoil images, and more. that lead with Girl Scouts and Girl Scouts. This will and/or refer to “Scouts” or promoting your events and Scouts and proudly reinforce misperception that “Scouting.” activities that Girl Scouts is share our name, there’s one “scouting” program featured clearly and prominent- logo, and visual and increase confusion. Do not participate in photo ly. We want to make sure the assets. Make it very shoots for local media community knows what our girls Girl Scouts of the USA prohibits promoting new Boy Scout co-ed are accomplishing and all the clear that you are events co-sponsored or co- programs. opportunities they have in Girl promoting a Girl branded with the Boy Scouts. Scouts!” Scout program.

3 DO THIS TO KEEP UNDERSTAND THE AVOID DOING HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND WHERE TO GET HELP GIRL SCOUTS STRONG REASONS WHY THESE THINGS Recruit Girl Scout Girl Scouts of the USA prohibits Do not recruit Boy Scout If you need to explain why you Did you know that we have volunteers to help events co-sponsored or co-branded volunteers (adults or youth) to will not be inviting Boy Scouts to hundreds of program partners with the Boy Scouts, so having Boy support your program events, support your events: who love to work with girls? with your events and Scout volunteers supporting or encampments, or day camps. Plus, our Girl Scout outdoor activities. leading your event violates this rule. “One of the best things about leadership team volunteers are Girl Scouts is that girls see girls trained to help you with girl-led Girl Scouts has one More importantly, girls need to see and women leading the way. adventures. of the largest and girls and women leading the way. Girl We will be recruiting older Girl Scouts is about girls at the center, and Scouts and other adult Call the volunteer support team most active older girl girls and women can provide any skill- volunteers to support [NAME of and we can help you find groups in the building and organizational leadership EVENT] this year.” amazing volunteers to lead your country. Seniors and support you need! activities. Reach us at Ambassadors are 800-771-1139 or email ready to help your [email protected]. troop!

The funds earned through the Do not allow individual girls If you have to explain this to Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta Girl Scout Cookie Program and to spend troop funds for Boy families or girls: staff are always here to help. the fall product sale are required Scouts sponsored activities (this Call 800-771-1139 or email by law to be spent only on Girl includes camps). “Did you know that all funds [email protected]. Scout activities. Using those earned through Girl Scout funds for any other purpose money-earning activities, like creates legal and financial risk cookies, are required by law Use troop funds for you and the council—but to be used only on Girl Scout more importantly, diverts for Girl Scout activities? And even if they resources from the girl-led, girl- weren’t required to be, we want experiences only. centered experience they were to invest our earnings in girl-led, intended for. girl-specific experiences within our troop and service unit.” If girls are members of both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, ensure that funds they earn as Girl Scouts are spent on Girl Scout experiences only. Share your ideas Girl Scouts is constantly striving to Do not publicly compare Girl This is your story to tell and you Your service unit team or for improving Girl create innovative, exciting Scouts unfavorably to Boy know what to say! volunteer support specialist program experiences that move at Scouts (including on social are great places to start Scouts with us! We the speed of girls. Some of our media), when acting in your If you lead with what you LOVE sharing ideas. For want to hear them so best ideas come from you, our volunteer role. volunteers, based on experiences about Girl Scouts and the information on your service we grow our your girls want to have. Do not focus on Boy Scout impact it’s had on you and the unit director or your volunteer movement together. programming that differs from girls in your life, it will amplify support specialist, call Remember, you’re a Girl Scout ours, but keep the focus on Girl and strengthen our girl-centered 800-771-1139 or email representative as much as Amy Scout programs like the Gold mission. Thank you! [email protected]. To the public and Dosik, CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater Award and the problem solving your community, lead Atlanta, and Sylvia Acevedo, CEO skills and community service with what you LOVE of GSUSA. that girls learn in Girl Scouting. about Girl Scouts and why it’s important.

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