Frequently Asked Questions

If you genuinely like working with girls, are willing to make the time commitment necessary to conduct troop meetings, are mature, patient, and possess a sense of humor, you can become a troop leader. There are many different opportunities throughout the Girl Scout year to develop the skills necessary to deliver effective program to your girls.

Of course you can! We welcome anyone who has a genuine interest in helping girls grow strong!

Yes, he can. He will simply be required to always work in partnership with at least one adult female and will never be permitted to be alone with the girls.

All volunteers are required to complete a volunteer application and background check. Once that is completed, you will be notified by the staff person assigned to your area that you have been approved. Then you simply need to register as an adult Girl Scout. That’s it!

Training will depend on the position you are filling. Most volunteers take Girl Scout Basics, which is an introduction to the Girl Scout program, and Safety and Risk Management, which helps volunteers lean to deliver Girl Scout program as safely and responsibly as possible. Other courses are tailored to your individual position. However, all volunteers are given the opportunity to learn and perfect the skills necessary to fulfill their responsibilities.

Camping is a traditional part of Girl Scouting. But we do not require our troop leaders to participate if they don’t wish to. We will be happy to teach your co-leader or a parent in your troop the skills necessary to take the girls camping. Plus there are many programs at camp which girls may attend as individuals accompanied by a parent.

We ALWAYS need troop leaders and will always ask volunteers to consider that as a possibility. However, some volunteers are not suited to be leaders for a variety of reasons. We have a wide range of opportunities for these volunteers and would never turn anyone away simply because they did not want to be a leader or pressure them into a position they did not want.
 

Most troops meet once a week or every other week for at least an hour. You should allow sufficient time to prepare for your meetings beforehand. You are also required to attend the monthly leaders’ meetings hosted by your service unit or to send a representative from your troop in your place if you cannot attend. These usually last no longer than 1.5 hours. If you cannot devote 10-20 hours per month as a troop leader, there are other volunteer opportunities available with less time commitment required.

All volunteers have up to one year from the date of their appointment to complete their required courses. You CAN begin meeting as soon as you complete VIP, the first course you must take.