Girl Scouts of the USA

Volunteer Recognitions At-A-Glance

Recognition	Who To Consider	Criteria	Nomination and Approval Process
*Episodic Volunteer Recognitions:*	Episodic Volunteers	Be a registered Girl Scout adult An adult who gives time to Girl Scouting at the Overseas Committee or national level on a sporadic basis	Submit an application describing the volunteer’s accomplishments to the Awards Committee outlining how the service has benefited the girls and the organization Awards Committee reviews the application and approves or denies the nomination Awards Committee sends out notification of their decision
Community Participation Thank you letter	Episodic Volunteers	Have at least given a one-time service to the Overseas Committee or to the national organization
Citizenship in Girl Scouting Certificate	Episodic Volunteers	Be an individual who returns for a second or third round of civic participation Provide support through two or three episodic or short-term assignments for the Overseas Committee or the national organization.
Social Responsibility in Girl Scouting Volunteer Service Pin Level l,ll, or lll	Episodic Volunteers	An individual who commits to a fourth round of episodic/short-term service Provide support to the Overseas Committee or to the national organization

Girl Scouts of the USA

Volunteer Recognitions At-A-Glance

Recognition	Who To Consider	Criteria	Nomination and Approval Process
*Progressive Volunteer Awards:* Stage 1: Girl Scout Volunteer Achievement Award (Volunteer Development Pin)	Progressive Volunteers	Be a registered Girl Scout adult Have completed a first successful service on: a board committee or task group assignment or overseas committee management or to GSUSA for one year	• Submit an application describing the volunteer’s accomplishments to the Awards Committee outlining how the service has benefited the girls and the organization during the current membership year • Local Awards Committee or National Recognitions task group reviews the application and approves or denies the nomination • Recognitions task group sends out notification of their decision
Girl Scout Mentoring Award (White Key)	Progressive Volunteers	• Be a registered Girl Scout adult • Have gained sufficient skills and experience as a coach or mentor • Coaches or mentors a new volunteer resulting in their retention to continue volunteering for two years
Girl Scout Volunteer Executive Award (Black Key)	Progressive Volunteers	• Be a registered Girl Scout adult • Served in a leadership role at the Overseas Committee or national level • Have made significant contributions as a board officer, delegate, chair/liaison, program consultant, board or group chair, overseas committee chair, or other clearly defined leadership capacity
Girl Scout Volunteer Diversity Award (Gold Key)	Progressive Volunteers	• Be a registered Girl Scout adult • Have increased membership in underrepresented populations through: o Program delivery o Community cultivation o Community collaboration • Have increased awareness and understanding through: o Enrichment events o Training • Managing diversity by: o Creating a system that supports the Overseas Committees’ goals
Girl Scout Community Cultivation Award (Silver Key)	Progressive Volunteers	• Be a registered Girl Scout adult • Have increased volunteer membership by utilizing the talents and skills of all the dimensions of diversity: o 18-29 o episodic volunteers o males o 55 plus • Have increased girl membership that reflects the diversity in the Overseas Committee jurisdiction: o Racial/ethnic o Disability o Socio-economic • STUDIO 2B o Retaining 11-17 year olds o Marketing the concept to the community • Have established effective partnerships that help achieve the Overseas Committee’s membership goal o Corporate partnerships o Government agencies o Foundations o Small businesses o Religious institutions o Other
Girl Scout Fund Development Award (Copper Key)	Progressive Volunteers	• Be a registered Girl Scout • Have helped to reach the USAGSO-North Atlantic’s fund development goal by increasing financial and/or in-kind resources through: o Grants o Corporations/foundations o Major gifts • Have increased individual contributions that reflects the diversity in the Overseas Committee’s jurisdiction through: o Grants o Planned giving o Annual giving o Bequests

Girl Scouts of the USA

Volunteer Recognitions At-A-Glance

Recognition

Who To Consider

Criteria

Nomination and Approval Process

Outstanding Volunteer Award

And certificate is also available

For a volunteer in a position other than leader

• Be a registered Girl Scout adult

• Complete appropriate training or demonstrate ability/skills for the position

• Perform at a level that exceeds the expectations of the position as outlined in the position description agreement in one or more of the following areas:

o Membership

o Program

o Fund development

o Pluralism

o Marketing and Communications

o Strategic Leadership/Governance

o Human Resources

• Actively recognize, understand, and practice the values of inclusive behavior

• Submit an application describing the volunteer’s accomplishments to the Awards Committee outlining how the service has benefited the girls and the organization

• Recognitions task group reviews the application and approves or denies the nomination

• Recognitions task group sends out notification of their decision

Outstanding Leader Award

and certificate is also available

For a troop/group leader, assistant leader, or coordinator for outstanding performance in working with girls

• Be a registered Girl Scout adult

• Demonstrate competence in at least two of the following:

o Involving adults in the community to help broaden the program opportunities for girls

o Increasing girl membership to support the Overseas Committee membership goal

o Using the four program goals to select a wide range of program activities with girls

o Helping girls to recognize, understand, and practice the values of inclusive behavior

o Building an effective BY Girls, For Girls approach with girls

Girl Scouts of the USA

Volunteer Recognitions At-A-Glance

President’s Award

For an Overseas committee Management team

• All be registered Girl Scout adults

• Must have significantly contributed to meeting Overseas Committee goals in membership growth and retention and increased community visibility

• Must reflect the diversity of the area they serve

• Actively recognize, understand, and practice the values of inclusive behavior

• Submit an application describing the volunteer’s accomplishments to the OC Awards Committee outlining how the service has benefited the girls and the organization

• OC Awards Committee reviews the application and approves or denies the nomination

• OC Awards Committee sends notification of their decision to USAGSO-North Atlantic who assembles all applications to present to the USAGSO-North Atlantic Board Awards Committee reviews the application and approves or denies the nomination and then submits the nominations to the USAGSO-North Atlantic Board for confirmation

Appreciation Pin

and certificate is also available

For volunteers actively giving outstanding service to at least one geographic area or program delivery audience

• Be a registered Girl Scout adult

• Have significantly contributed to meeting one or more Overseas Committee goals in membership growth and retention, fund development, or increased community visibility in one geographic area

• Actively recognize, understand, and practice the values of inclusive behavior

Honor Pin

and certificate is also available

For volunteers actively giving outstanding service in more than two geographic areas

• Be a registered Girl Scout adult

• Have significantly contributed to meeting one or more Overseas Committee’s goals in membership growth and retention, fund development, or increased community visibility in two or more geographic areas

• Actively recognize, understand, and practice the values of inclusive behavior

Thanks Badge

and certificate is also available

For volunteers actively giving service impacting all of USAGSO-North Atlantic or the entire Girl Scout movement

• Be a registered Girl Scout adult

• Have taken a leadership role at the USAGSO-North Atlantic wide level in one or more of the following areas during the previous four years

o Increasing membership growth and retention

o Increasing the percentage of adult generated funding in the total USAGSO-North Atlantic income

o Increasing innovative program opportunities Overseas Committee-wide

o Developing broad participation in policy-influencing through the democratic process

o Ensuring that inclusive behavior is recognized, understood, and practiced at all levels

Girl Scouts of the USA

Volunteer Recognitions At-A-Glance

Thanks Badge II

and certificate is also available

For Prior Thanks Badge Recipients~

• Be a registered Girl Scout adult

• Have taken a leadership role in developing a model that has been replicated at the national level in one or more of the following areas during the previous three years:

o Membership

o Program

o Fund development

o Pluralism

o Marketing and Communications

o Strategic Leadership

o Human Resources

• Submit an application describing the volunteer’s accomplishments to the OC Awards Committee outlining how the service has benefited the organization.

• USAGSO-North Atlantic Board Awards Committee reviews the application and approves or denies the nomination

• USAGSO-North Atlantic Board Awards Committee submits their recommendation to the National Board Adult Recognitions Task Group.

USAGSO-NA Service Award

For volunteers or organizations who are actively helping the Overseas Committee reach its goals

• To recognize an individual or organization, in or outside of Girl Scouting, that has made a significant impact by providing special service to Girl Scouts, either on the USAGSO-North Atlantic level or Overseas Committee level. If individual is a Girl Scout volunteer they must have exceeded the requirements of their position description.

• Submit an application describing the volunteer’s accomplishments to the OC Awards Committee outlining how the service has benefited the girls and the organization

• OC Awards Committee reviews the application and approves or denies the nomination

Girl Scouts of the USA

Volunteer Recognitions At-A-Glance

Leadership Development Pin

For troop/group leader, assistant leader, or coordinator

• Be a registered Girl Scout adult

• Have completed one successful year in the position of troop/group leader, assistant leader, or group coordinator

• Have completed the appropriate training and have demonstrated position competence

• Actively recognize, understand, and practice the values of inclusive behavior

The candidate submits an application, which is reviewed by a designated OC volunteer or Awards Committee. If all requirements have been met, the recognition is authorized.

Additional Recognition:

Green Leaf

Silver Leaf

Gold Leaf

For Prior Leadership Development Pin Recipients~

Green Leaf: Represents ten contact hours or one CEU of additional training.

Silver Leaf: Represents 50 contact hours or five CEUs of additional training.

Gold Leaf: Represents 250 contact hours or 25 CEUs of additional training.

Candidates applying for leaves need to document their hours and describe how the workshop/course has improved their work with girls.

Trainers Pin

• Be a registered Girl Scout adult

• Have completed the Overseas Committee train-the-trainer course or demonstrated competence in planning, designing, delivering and evaluating training.

The Adult Development Director or appropriate designee approves the recognition.

Instructor-of-Trainer’s Pin

For certified GSUSA instructors of trainers

Be a registered girl Scout adult
Have either waved or completed training and completed a practicum.
Primary responsibility is to plan, design, deliver, and evaluate Overseas Committee train-the-trainer courses.

Awarded directly by Girl Scouts of the USA

Girl Scouts of the USA

Volunteer Recognitions At-A-Glance

Other Girl Scout Recognitions	Descriptions
*Girl Scout Gold Award Alliance*	The Girl Scout Gold Award Alliance pin is worn by members of a Overseas Committee’s Girl Scout Gold Award Alliance. As established by the National Council in 1993, the purpose of the Girl Scout Gold Award Alliance is to support girls working toward the Girl Scout Gold Award and to increase public recognition of this award.
*Outgoing President’s Pin*	The Outgoing President’s pin honors a USAGSO-North Atlantic president upon conclusion of her/his final term of office. The USAGSO-North Atlantic board makes the decision to present this pin to the USAGSO-North Atlantic president.
*Volunteer Years of Service Pin*	The Years of Service pin recognizes an adult member registered with Girl Scouts of the USA for her/his years of active volunteer service at five-year intervals (5, 10, 15, etc.). This pin differs from the numeral guard in that it represents the number of years an adult volunteer has actively provided service, whereas the numeral guard recognizes years of membership.
*Special Supporters Certificate*	The Special Supporters Certificate (UPC #09991) honors groups or individuals who have supported Girl Scouting in communities within an Overseas Committee jurisdiction. This could be a school principal who helps troops that meet at that location or a business or organization that loans equipment or sponsors troops. The certificate might be presented along with a gift item from the Girl Scout Catalog.
*Award Certificate*	The Award Certificate (UPC #09981) is an all-purpose recognition suitable for “service of exceptional quality” from an individual or a group. It is especially valuable when you want to recognize someone who has already received an awarded recognition, such as the Appreciation pin or Honor pin, for additional service. It can also be presented together with such a pin, to document in writing the date and reason for the award. Comes with a calligraphic pen for use in adding the honoree’s name.
*Lifetime Membership Pin*	The Lifetime Membership pin may be worn by any adult who is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts of the USA. This pin is a gold-filled disc featuring the three girls’ profiles or an eagle logo with laurel at the bottom. It can be worn on the right side of the uniform above the personalized identification pin and can be purchased by or given as a gift to any lifetime member.
*The Juliette Low World Friendship Medal for Overseas Committees*	The Juliette Low World Friendship Medal is a prestigious national award for excellence in international understanding, program and service and is granted by the National Board of Directors of Girl Scouts of the USA to individuals, organizations, or Girl Scout Overseas Committees.
*The Juliette Low World Friendship Medal for Organizations*	1. The organization has given special assistance in furthering international understanding in the community and in Girl Scouting. 2. The organization has provided special service or funds to promote international opportunities for Girl Scouts.
*Religious Recognitions*	A number of religious groups have recognitions for adults who have given distinguished service by working with young people through Girl Scouts of the USA or other youth agencies.