SHOULD YOU DO IT? YES! YOU CAN DO IT!
I became a Girl Scout Troop Leader for my daughter because there were no available troops and everyone kept telling me just to create my own troop because of the cliqueish nature of Girl Scouts. Well, I'm a full-time working professional mom who travels and doesn't have a lot of spare time.
BUT, I bit the bullet and went ahead and dove straight into Girl Scouts. I was a Brownie and I truly remembered how much I loved Brownies. I was a little bit scared to commit but I'm so glad I did. It really is fun!
So if you are thinking about doing it, do it! Your daughter is only this age once in her life and time just flies by. I'm a true believer that you can always make time for everything. Who needs sleep anyway? The moment we had children, sleep was so overrated!
Take the online Girl Scouts 101 course, http://gsuniversity.girlscouts.org/course/girl-scouting-101/
then complete your background check (check your local council because cost varies, some will cover this cost), and then email your local council membership development specialist and you will get assigned a troop number!
Think about how often you want to meet and where. I really did NOT want to meet at my house. Well, GS actually encourages a public meeting place like a school, library, church, or community facility. I ended up contacting the library which was free, but they weren't available on a regular basis. So I rented a community room which ends up being $1.50/per meeting per Girl Scout. My parents were willing to pay this so that was great.
You will need to take two more trainings before you officially start. Enroll in a Welcome Session with your local council. After you take the official Welcome Session, you then take an online Leadership Essentials course. These trainings give general background information.
But the real how-to's you will get through online BLOGs and Pinterest! Here is the best blog I've found:
http://troopleadermom.blogspot.com
PARENT MEETING
I knew that I really couldn't lead the troop by myself. I would need substantial help. So I set up my troop in a way that encouraged parent participation from the beginning. I have an two Assistant Troop Leaders who are very crafty. I also emailed interested parents ahead of time to set the stage, I would need volunteers to prepare snacks each meeting (two meetings a month). If everyone signs up for a month of snacks, then it helps lower dues.
I also asked for them to consider which volunteer spots they would want:
Troop Cookie Manager
Meeting Helper
Craft Coordinator
Community Service Coordinator
Troop Camp Certified
First Aiders
Troop Magazine and Nuts Sales
Treasurer
Tracking Dues, Paperwork, Patches, etc.
In my email to the parents, I provided a Parent Handbook that covered much of what to expect. I basically covered, meetings (days, frequency, location & agenda), reviewed uniforms and handbooks & journey book, forms, fundraisers and dues.
Here is my summary email to the parents:
1. APPLICATION & FORMS: If you did not come to the meeting, you need to get a file with all of the forms. Please arrange to pick it up from me (cell) or XXX, Assistant Troop Leader, (cell) so you can complete it and provide payment at the first meeting.
2. What to do before the first meeting:
- Buy Girl Scout Daisy uniform, insignia (badges, flag, Council, troop numbers, etc.), Daisy Handbook and Daisy Flower Garden Journey book
- Fill out adult and child application form, pay membership fee $15/adult & $15/child, complete emergency forms, driver authorization forms, etc. turn in at first meeting (Sept. 10th)
- Pay Troop Dues ($6/month x 10 months = $60)
3. VOLUNTEERS: Here is a list of folks who volunteered (thanks!!!) and open slots for folks to still volunteer for:
*Troop Cookie Manager:
Troop Meeting Helper:
Craft Coordinator (Troop leaders will supply crafts while Craft Coordinator helps to teach crafts at troop meetings):
Community Service Coordinator (Provide ideas and assist with community service projects):
*Troop Camp Certified (Take GS Training & help girls prepare for and participate in camping):
*First Aiders:
Still need volunteers for:
*Troop Magazine and Nuts Program Manager (Assists girls adults through fall program of nuts, candies and magazine sales. Need Magazine and Nuts Program training; become registered GS member)
*Treasurer (Manage troop funds, open bank account, maintain records, submit end of year financial report)
Service Unit Leaders’ Meeting Representative (Substitute for leader at local monthly GS informational meetings): These Service Unit meetings are the 3rd Thursday of each month at the West Sac Rec Center. Will only need someone if there Eunice or I cannot make the monthly meeting.
* (means that you must become a registered GS member)
4. MEETINGS:
When: 2d and 4th Thursdays each month (except for November and December when we only meet the 2d Thursday)
Where:
5. SNACKS: We decided that everyone would take a month for snacks (you cover both meetings that month) and that way we wouldn’t include snacks in our monthly dues.
I sent a Parent Handbook by email and provided some hard copies (printing is costly). I made a folder for each Daisy with their name on the folder and our Daisy Troop Number 447.
