Set up roles that work for you, and draw on other volunteers who possess skill sets that you may lack.
When you’re ready to invite parents, neighbors, friends, colleagues, and other respected adults to partner
with you, send them a letter and invite them to their first troop committee meeting.
Essential Elements
of a Troop
Including these elements will ensure a
quality
troop
experience.
This
experience can vary in length, to
complement the needs of busy girls,
families and volunteers.
Refer to the Appendix: GSWPA Procedures/Forms for the following:
● Volunteer Position Summary and Requirements
Holding Troop Meetings
The sample sessions in the Volunteer Toolkit will provide ideas about how to plan and hold successful
troop meetings that allow girls to Discover, Connect, and Take Action as they have fun with a purpose.
(See the “Girl Scouting as a National Experience” chapter of this handbook for more on the three
processes.) Many volunteers find it helpful to think of meetings having six parts, as outlined below, but
feel free to structure the meeting in a way that makes sense for you and the girls.
As Girls
Arrive Start-up activities are planned so that when girls arrive at the meeting they have something
to do until the meeting begins. For younger girls, it could be coloring pages; teen girls might
jot down a journal entry or just enjoy a little time to talk.
Opening The opening focuses the meeting and allows girls to start the meeting. Each troop decides
how to open their own meeting—most begin with the Girl Scout Promise and Law, and then
add a simple flag ceremony, song, game, story, or other ceremony designed by the girls.
Girl Scout Brownies, for example, might create a new tradition by skipping in a circle while
singing a song. Ceremonies, even when brief or humorous, make Girl Scout time special.
The Journey adult guides contain ideas about openings that correspond to Journey themes.
Business Troop business may include taking attendance, collecting dues, making announcements,
and planning an upcoming event or trip. This is a good time for girls to take turns leading,
especially as they grow up! (Some troops may move the business portion of the meeting to
an earlier or later slot.)