For Troop Leaders

Our troop leaders are central and inspirational to the lives of girls. Being a troop leader is an incredible opportunity to inspire girls to lead with courage, confidence and character, and make the world a better place. At the same time, as a troop leader, you can enhance your skills and rediscover your own potential.

Whether you are planning your first troop meeting or you and your troop are bridging to the next level, we hope you will find valuable information here to begin or continue your journey.

Leader Resources

We're just getting started on this page, and we'd love to get your feedback on what else you want to see here. Let us know!

Materials

• Sample first five meetings:
  
  • Cadettes and Seniors (PDF, 262 KB)
  • Juniors (PDF, 234 KB)
  • Brownies (PDF, 237 KB)
  • Daisies (PDF, 227 KB)
• Leader checklists:
  
  • Getting Your Troop Organized (PDF, 42 KB)
  • Pre-Meeting Checklist for Leaders (PDF, 88 KB)
• Troop Meeting Progression by Program Level (PDF, 75 KB)
• Ways To Get Girl Input and Make Decisions
• Organizing Troop Parents (PDF, 118 KB)
• Top tips for involving parents in your troop (PDF, 16 KB)
• Waterfront Use Guidelines for troops using GSWW camps.
• Religious observance resources:
  
  • 2008 Calendar & Holidays
  • 2008 Holidays and Observances (look under the months!)

More materials are coming soon! Wish a resource were here? Let us know!

Activity Ideas
GSWW plans to have an Activity Idea page to help troops - girls and leaders - get inspired and find suggestions for every interest. Have an activity idea that worked well for you? Let us know!

Utilize Your Resources

• Attend service unit meetings.
  Your service unit hosts regular support meetings for troop leaders. Leaders with more experience attend the meetings and can share valuable information with you.
• Take volunteer learning.
  Find out about required volunteer learning courses for new leaders. Explore the broad range of continuing education, certifications, and other courses that the council offers.
• Read the age-level handbook and other guides provided by the council.
  These books will help you get started planning your troop’s activities. To learn more about these resources contact your regional office.
• Talk to your girls.
  Ask them what they want to do. Remember that girls are first in Girl Scouting. If the girls are in kindergarten or first grade, limit the choices you give them so they won’t be overwhelmed.
• Talk with families.
  Find out what skills the parents, grandparents, and siblings of the girls in your troop have that you can use in your meetings.
• Recruit the older girls in your service unit.
  Many would love to help you with your first few meetings, teach the younger girls songs and games, and participate in other ways. Contact your Service Unit Manager or your membership staff person to connect with these girls.

A few key resources elsewhere on the website:

• Calendar. Check out upcoming events and either register online or download registration forms!
• Cookie Sale Program. Resources for volunteers, parents, and girls are located under Product Sale Programs.
• Store. Learn how and where to get badges, patches, uniforms, and more!
• Forms. All of our forms can be found in this section.
• Volunteer Learning. Learn about required training for new leaders and other helpful courses.