1 Girl Scouts of Manitou Council 5212 Windward Court, Sheboygan, WI 53083 Phone: 920-565-4575, Fax: 920-565-4583 Email: [email protected] Visit us at: www.gsmanitou.org This information is provided through the generous contributions from individual contributors, proceeds from the council’s annual cookie sale, United Way and Community Chest Organizations. First printed in 2009 by Girl Scouts of Manitou Council. Revised in 2017. 2 Introduction Girl Scouts of Manitou Council………………………………………………………………... 4 Thank You for Volunteering…………………………………………………………………... 5 Welcome………………………………………………………………………………………... 6 Troop Volunteer Position Description………………………………………………………... 7 Sharing Your Unique Gifts…………………………………………………………………….. 8 Troop Basics Defining the Girl Scout Troop…………………………………………………………………. 9 Girl Scout Leadership Experience……………………………………………………………. 10 Community Service or Take Action…………………………………………………………... 11 The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting……………………………………………………………... 12 5 Ways Girl Scouts Builds Girl Leaders……………………………………………………… 13 Getting Started Deciding When and Where to Meet………………………………………………………….. 14 Adult Leadership Team………………………………………………………………………... 15 Holding Parent/Guardian Meeting……………………………………………………………. 16 Troop Finances Girl Scout Cookie Sale………………………………………………………………………… 17 Troop Money Management…………………………………………………………………... 18 Guidelines for a Troop Bank Account………………………………………………………. 19 Group Money Earning Activities………………………………………………………………. 20 Troop Safety Following Girl Scout Safety Guidelines………………………………………………………. 21 Harassment/Advocacy/Abuse………………………………………………………………… 22 Sensitive Issues………………………………………………………………………………… 23 How Many Volunteers are Needed…………………………………………………………… 24 Providing Emergency Care……………………………………………………………………. 25 Procedures for Accidents……………………………………………………………………... 26 Using Safety Activity Checkpoints…………………………………………………………… 27 Troop Travel Activity Approval and Guidelines……………………………………………………………... 28 Traveling with Girls…………………………………………………………………………….. 29 Transporting Girls………………………………………………………………………………. 30 Camping…………………………………………………………………………………………. 31 Troop Meetings Communicating with Girls of Any Age……………………………………………………….. 32 Planning…………………………………………………………………………………………. 33 Meeting with Girls for the First Time…………………………………………………………. 34 Sample Troop Meeting………………………………………………………………………… 35 Girl Scout Traditions…………………………………………………………………………… 36 New Troop Volunteer Checklist………………………………………………………………. 37-38 3 Girl Scouts was founded in 1912 by trailblazer Juliette Gordon Low. Girl Scouts is the largest girl-serving organization in the United States and the largest member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, a sisterhood of close to 10 million girls and adults in 145 countries. Girl Scouts of Manitou Council is a chartered member of Girl Scouts of the USA. Girl Scouts is a membership organization open to all girls, kindergarten through high school, and to women and men over the age of 18, who make the Girl Scout Promise, accept the Girl Scout Law, and pay membership fees. All registered adult members are subject to a background check prior to appointment as a volunteer. Girl Scouts of Manitou Council has more than 5,000 members in seven counties: Dodge, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Ozaukee, Sheboygan and Washington. The Girl Scout Center 5212 Windward Court Sheboygan, Wisconsin 53083 920-565-4575 The Girl Scout Center is located in Sheboygan where staff offices and the Girl Scout Petals to Patches Shop is located. Girl Scouts Petals to Patches Shop is where Girl Scout uniforms, insignia, books, resources and gifts may be purchased. Online shopping is also available at shop.gsmanitou.org. Camp Evelyn W6598 Camp Evelyn Road Plymouth, Wisconsin 53073 Camp Evelyn is nestled on 240-acres of beautifully wooded property near Plymouth, Wisconsin. Camp Evelyn is a summer camp designed especially to enable Girl Scouts to experience high quality activities in the out-of-doors. It is the perfect place for any group desiring a camp setting for a getaway, educational program, or retreat. Highlights include the Mullet River, swimming pool, a lake, open areas for games, trails for hiking and plenty of room for various winter sports. There are five buildings available for renting as Troop Getaways; The Troop House (sleeps 25), Gemini I (sleeps 25) and The Crystal Lake House (sleeps 25), The Pavilion (daytime use only) and The Dining Hall (daytime use only). Call the Girl Scout Center for more information or go online www.gsmanitou.org to reserve a building. Camp Manitou 6616 Manitou Drive Shoto, Wisconsin 54241 Camp Manitou is a 140-acre property located near Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Camp Manitou offers large open areas for field and wide games, access to the West Twin River, a lake for swimming and canoeing, a nature trail through wooded and wetland areas for exploration and a disc golf course. There are three buildings available for renting as Troop Getaways; The Lodge (daytime use only), The Pine Troop House (sleeps 25) and The Cedars (sleeps 25). Call the Girl Scout Center for more information or go online www.gsmanitou.org to reserve a building. 4 You have made a great decision to become a volunteer, and we are so happy to have you join us. Girl Scouts is the world’s preeminent organization that focuses solely on girls. Girl Scouts allows girls to build character and skills for success in the real world. With committed adults like you, girls develop qualities that will serve them all their lives such as leadership, strong values, social conscience, and conviction about their own potential and self-worth. To Adults To Girls Girl Scouting offers you the opportunity to: Girl Scouting offers: Make a difference in the lives of girls Fun, friendships and adventures Develop strong friendships Caring and understanding Challenge yourself and develop your skills Activities that allow them to take risks Experience new activities Encouragement to be the best they can be Connect with your community Chances for leadership Taking Action to help the community I will do my best to be: honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to: respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout. On my honor, I will try: to serve God and my country, to help people at all times, and to live by the Girl Scout Law. 5 Girl Scouts of Manitou Council extends a warm welcome to all new volunteers. Our goal is to provide you with the help you need to bring the Girl Scout program to girls in your community. Without you, we would not be able to deliver the world’s pre-eminent program for girls to the girls. We are deeply appreciative of all that you do to make Girl Scouting a reality for girls. Thank you! To be a Girl Scout volunteer you are required to complete training for your position. You may lose your appointment to be a Girl Scout volunteer if you do not complete the required training. The following information will guide you to the online self-study guide training. If you prefer face-to-face learning please contact the Girl Scouts of Manitou Council at [email protected]. Council 101: http://www.123contactform.com/form-359041/Council-101 Volunteer Toolkit: The Volunteer Toolkit is a digital resource that supports troop leaders, making the process of running a troop easier and more efficient. Check out some of the toolkit’s top features below: Easily locate resources, such as Safety Activity Checkpoints Plan the troop’s calendar year Email parents with one click View the troop roster View Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Journeys and badges to plan for troop meetings Customize meetings by troop year with other badge and Journey options Explore individual meeting plans that show a breakdown of every meeting, including a list of the materials needed and editable time allotments for each activity within a meeting Record girls’ attendance at meetings and their badge and Journey achievements Add council or custom troop events to the troop’s calendar Enter the troop’s finances Outdoor Adventures Learning: If your troop will be sleeping in the outdoors (tents) and/or cooking over a fire at least one volunteer must complete Outdoor Adventures Learning. The learning opportunity is offered at Camp Evelyn and as an online learning module. Information on Outdoor Adventures Learning can be found at www.gsmanitou.org. Quarterly meetings held in your community to provide excellent opportunities to learn from other volunteers, share ideas, network and provide you with vital information about upcoming activities and new resources. It is required that each troop is represented at these meetings. If you cannot attend the meeting yourself please make sure another volunteer or parent with your troop attends the meeting. Materials are only distributed during scheduled troop leader meetings. 6 Purpose: To guide a group of girls in the Girl Scout Program based on the Girl Scout Promise and Law; to help them build courage, confidence, and character to make the world a better place. Appointment & Support: Reports to and supported by the Troop Organizer and/or Membership Development & Support Director for an annual term. Volunteers shall receive performance evaluation based on job expectations outlined in their position description. Reappointment is based on past performance, adherence to council and Girl Scouts of the USA policies and standards, support