Chapter 3: Engaging Girls at All Grade Levels
As a Girl Scout volunteer, you’ll have the opportunity to guide girls of all backgrounds, behaviors, skills,
and abilities. You’ll help her develop leadership skills she can use now and as she grows—all in a safe and
accepting environment. This chapter gives you tips for doing just that.
Arranging a Time and Place for Girl-Led Meetings
When and how often to meet is up to you, your co-volunteers, parents, and girls: it may just be one time
for this particular group of girls. Or, if you meet regularly, what day and time work best for the girls, for
you, for your co-volunteers, and for other adults who will be presenting or mentoring? Once per week,
twice a month, once a month? Is after-school best? Can your co-volunteers meet at that time, or will
meetings work better in the evenings or on the weekends?
Where to meet can be a bit trickier: a meeting place needs to provide a safe, clean, and secure
environment that allows for the participation of all girls. You might consider using meeting rooms at
schools, libraries, houses of worship, community buildings, childcare facilities, and local businesses. For
teens, you can also rotate meetings at coffee shops, bookstores, and other places girls enjoy spending
time.
Girl Scout activities/meetings in private homes are not encouraged. If an activity/meeting does occur in a
private home a copy of the homeowner liability insurance certificate must be provided to your Girl
Experience Specialist prior to the activity/meeting. A minimum of $1 million liability coverage is required.
Here are a few points to keep in mind as you consider meeting locations:
● Cost: The space should be free to use.
● Size: Make sure the space is large enough accommodate the whole group and all planned
activities.
● Availability: Be sure the space is available for the day and the entire length of time you want to
meet.
● Resources: Determine what types of furnishings (table? chairs?) come with the room and
ensure that the lighting is adequate. A bonus would be a cubby of some sort, where you can
store supplies.
● Safety: Ensure that the space is safe, secure, clean, properly ventilated, heated (or cooled,
depending on your location), free from hazards, and has at least two exits that are well-marked
and fully functional. Also be sure a first-aid equipment is on hand.
● Facilities: Sanitary and accessible toilets are critical.
● Communication-friendly: Be sure your cell phone works in the meeting space.
● Allergen-free: Ensure that pet dander and other common allergens won’t bother susceptible
girls during meetings.
● Accessibility: Be sure the space can accommodate girls with disabilities, as well as parents with
disabilities who may come to meetings.
If this is your first time asking for a Girl Scout meeting place, here are a few speaking points to get you
started:
“I’m a Girl Scout volunteer, with a group of ______ girls. We’re doing lots of great things for girls and for
the community, like _____ and ______. We’re all about leadership—the kind that girls use in their daily
lives and the kind that makes our community better. We’d love to hold our meetings here because
______.”