New Girl Scout Leadership Experience

THE NEW GIRL SCOUT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

“The New Girl Scout Leadership Experience” is the exciting new design for the way in which Girl Scouting is delivered to girls. This program engages girls in discovering themselves, connecting with others, and taking action to make the world a better place. Girl Scouts USA in Heidelberg will begin rolling out The New Girl Scout Leadership Experience in the fall of 2008 with a transition period scheduled to be completed by October 1, 2010. We know you are excited to receive more information regarding this much needed change, and we are very excited to share it with you! We are developing a strategy regarding implementation and training and will be passing on more details, including a timeline, in the coming months.

Overview of The New Girl Scout Leadership Experience
Three leadership keys:

o Discover – Learn about themselves and the world around them – in age-appropriate ways
o Connect – Develop their leadership skills by “trying” their abilities in a safe, nurturing environment
o Take Action – Find ways to improve and protect the world around them, creating a better future for themselves and others through community service, action-based projects, and community partnerships that help others.

Three processes:

o Girl-Led – Girls play an active part in figuring out the what, where, when how and why of their
activities.
o Learning by Doing – Hands–on learning that engages the girls in cycles of action and reflection.
o Cooperative Learning – Girls work together toward shared goals in an atmosphere of respect.

Leadership Journeys: What Girls Do to Experience Leadership
The implementation of Leadership Journeys is the exciting and user friendly new way Girl Scouts is moving from single-interest awards to a series of themed activities focused on building specific leadership skills. The Journeys will provide a consistent core Girl Scout experience nationwide, tie activities to leadership outcomes, and make it easier for Girl Scout volunteers to guide girls through fun and meaningful experiences.
Journeys generally run from six to eight sessions; they can be customized by adding outings, celebrations, and explorations that suit the Journey’s theme and the girls’ interests. Journeys can be stretched over a Girl Scout year or completed over the course of a few weeks or months. The first set of Journey books (one for each Girl Scout grade level) will be called “It’s Your World – Change It!” and are scheduled to be available by late August. Girls will also have new official awards to earn, which will mark their accomplishments along the Journey and recognize their growing leadership skills. These new Journeys can work hand in hand with existing program materials.
GSUSA (Girl Scouts of the USA) intends to release one new Journey for each Girl Scout grade level per year.

Proposed Girl Scout Pathways: How Girls Join Girl Scouting
Girl Scout Pathways are the flexible new ways Girl Scouts will be able to benefit from the New Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Girls will be able to participate in different ways:

Camp (day or resident)
Destinations (travel/trips)
Online/virtual connections
Short-term sessions
Special-interest programs, council and local/community events
Troops

The New Membership Grade Levels and Grade Level Names
These new Girl Scout grade levels (formerly known as program age levels), approved by the National Board of Directors, address the charge to intentionally create differentiated Girl Scout experiences that mirror girls’ developmental needs. The grade-level groups provide “leadership levels” for girls as they
progressively “step forward” through the New Girl Scout Leadership Experience.
We highly recommend to our region-wide membership that GSUSA's new program grade level classifications be followed during the 2008-2009 membership year. Flexibility will be allowed to our membership for the first year. The new GSUSA program grade levels must be fully implemented by the fall of 2009.

Girl Scout Daisy, Grades K-1
Girl Scout Brownie, Grades 2-3
Girl Scout Junior, Grades 4-5
Girl Scout Cadette, Grades 6-8
Girl Scout Senior, Grades 9-10
Girl Scout Ambassador, Grades 11-12

Adult Learning Regarding “The New Girl Scout Leadership Experience”
The New Girl Scout Leadership Experience is exciting and new, and we want to ensure that all girls have the opportunity to benefit. Moreover, we want all existing volunteers to be knowledgeable and comfortable with the new programming. Training strategies and requirements for current volunteers are being discussed by the realigning councils to ensure consistent policies going forward. Once we obtain additional information on requirements and timing, we will share it with you.
GSUSA will be launching nationally consistent learning components to support volunteers working directly with girls. The first is the Leadership Essentials course. In the near future, we will have an updated Orientation as well. These training components, in conjunction with the Guide for Adult Volunteers which accompanies the girls’ Journey book, will provide volunteers with all they need to know to successfully work with girls.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the future of badges?

A: Girls are welcome to continue choosing and earning badges that represent their varied interests. Girls can work on badges as a stand-alone project or incorporate them into their Journey activities. Earning badges is an important tradition in Girl Scouting and it is here to stay! Over the next several years, GSUSA will be updating some badges to ensure the learning experiences tie to the national leadership outcomes intended for girls. As new or refreshed badges become available and “old” badges are phased out, girls will have time to transition. They will not “lose out” on activities they have begun or planned.

Q. Will girls need their own copies of the new Journey books?

A. Yes. The new books are reasonably priced and will serve the dual purpose of workbook and keepsake. There is plenty of writing space and there are pages for snapshots, drawings, journaling, and so much more. The girls will LOVE these new books!

Q: How will multilevel groups use the Journeys?

A: A Journey Series provides a unifying theme for multilevel groups so girls at multiple grade levels can have their own grade-appropriate Journey. Girls in a multilevel group will use the Journey book appropriate for their grade level. They will be able to support each other in accomplishing goals as they are all working within the same Journey series. All the Journeys encourage girls to share or “pass forward” some of what they are learning and experiencing with other girls. Multilevel groups offer a wonderful setting for this to happen.

Q: Will there be enough program content to accommodate the new 2-year Daisy program?

A: Yes, Girl Scout Daisies can continue using existing Daisy resources and earn Daisy Petals, if they choose. The first Girl Scout Daisy Journey, available in summer 2008, offers six sample sessions and enough additional programming that can be extended to cover the rest of the program year. New Journeys will continue to be developed over the next 3 years. Beginning in fall 2008, Girl Scout Daisies will also have opportunities to participate in product sale program activities.

Q: What will be special for the new Ambassador level? How will girls bridge?

A: In addition to the current badges and awards available, the Journey for Girl Scout Ambassadors engages girls in an advocacy experience. When they have completed the Journey, they will earn the new Advocate Award created especially for girls at this level. A bridging award will be available for Ambassadors in spring 2009, and girls who begin the Ambassador level in fall 2008 may earn this award
retroactively.

Q: Can girls still work on Studio2B program materials?

A: Yes! Studio2B materials will still be available to be used in conjunction with the new Journeys and existing badges and awards.

Q: Will there be new guidelines for the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards?

A: Yes, new guidelines are scheduled to be released in the spring of 2009. However, for the 2008-2009 membership year, girls may earn any of these awards using the existing guidelines or wait until the spring of 2009 to work under the new guidelines. Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards remain the highest awards in Girl Scouting!

Q: Will there be a new edition of Safety-Wise?

A: Yes, a new edition is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2009. There will be some forthcoming addendum pages to update our current version of Safety-Wise until then, which will go into effect on October 1, 2008.

Q: What is happening with uniforms?

A: A new uniform policy will begin in fall 2008. Based on this policy, girls at each level will have one official uniform item (e.g., tunic, vest, sash) so they can display the pins and badges they earn. Girl Scout Juniors and older program grade groups will wear their vests and sashes with white shirts and khaki pants. Girl Scout Daisies and Girl Scout Brownies may also wear “khaki and white” or choose to wear full uniform ensembles for their grade level. The Daisy tunic remains available. Girls can showcase both old and new awards on any uniform component. There will also be a variety of casual uniform components available. Adult uniforms will consist of a scarf worn with the membership pins for women and a tie for men. The scarf/tie and membership pins will be worn with navy blue business attire.

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