Leadership Essentials Brownie

Jump-start your troop yearwith the VTK!The Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) contains program and meeting plans for Daisy through Ambassadorand multi-level troops! It takes the guesswork out of planning and prepping for your troopmeetings and makes communication and staying organized seamless.To get started, get to know the VTK! The Explore tab lets you either create your own year plan orchoose from pre-selected tracks.With the VTK, you can also: Access step-by-step activity guides foreach troop meeting—so you’ll knowexactly what to say and do Easily share troop meeting activitiesand updates with parents/caregiversfor each meeting Log girls’ program achievements andmilestones Add events and your own troopactivities Find resources tailored just for you. . . and so much more!What volunteers are saying:“I like that there are meeting plans andschedules to follow. I also like being able tokeep track of the badges my girls earn. The ‘my troop’feature that allows me to email all of the parents atonce is great too—I use that a lot.”Want to learn more about the Volunteer Toolkit?Just sign in at gswise.org and click My GS!9

Putting the Processes in PlaceQuick QuizIs your group girl-led?1.As a leader, if you gave your ideas for the thingsto do in the troop:a. The girls would put them on the list with allof the other ideasb. The girls would be paying attentionbecause it’s time for announcements2. If girls gave their ideas, would you:a. Explore the ideas with the girls to see howthey could workb. Explain why your idea is more workable3. If your troop was asked to share something atthe campfire at your camp:a.The girls would do the talkingb.Adults would do the talking4. If the girls were baking a cake but forgot towatch the time:a. You would let them over-bake it (theycould always eat the middle part!)b. You would take the cake out of the ovenwhen it’s done5. If the girls wanted to do something that youdon’t know how to do:a. You would find another adult who couldhelp the girls make it happenb. You would tell them the troop wouldn’t beable to do it6. If two girls in your troop were not getting along,would you:a. Ask them to tell each other how they feel,and ask their opinions about how the issueshould be resolved?b. Talk to both of them to get the completestory and then decide who should receiveconsequences7. After an activity, would you:a. Ask the girls their opinions about theiractivities and what they might dodifferently?b. De-brief the activity with the other adults?10Quiz answersIf you marked mostly A’s, you know that even though itsometimes takes a little more effort and time (and mightbe a little messier!) to accomplish tasks, it is worth it inthe end. You’re helping the girls grow and learn skills byinvolving them in the process. Your partnership withyour girls will result in empowering them to reach theirfullest potential.If you marked mostly B’s, you are working hard toprovide a wonderful Girl Scout program for your girls,but probably should try to remember that how they dothings is really more important than what they do. Theyreally need a chance to ‘learn by doing’. Try involvingthem a little bit more–it gets easier as you go!Making adjustmentsFind ways to make sure girls get a chance to be part ofthe planning. Make it a practice for everyone to share atleast one idea when planning. Find ways to make surethat every voice is heard. Ask girls to pair up to discusstheir ideas, which makes it easier for a shy girl to voiceher opinion. Use lots of different ways of getting the girls’ideas.Concentrate on adding little bits of responsibility at atime. When you do an activity, involve the girls in theplanning process a little more each time. Baby steps willget you there!Help other adults plan with girls, not for girls. Parentsand volunteers understand that the girl-adult partnershipis a cornerstone of Girl Scouting. If you need to, give theother adults a separate task or topic to discuss,preferably in another room, so the planning is largelygirl-centered.Recognize that delegating, especially to girls, may be anarea of personal growth for you! Sometimes, theproblem may not be that the girls need more/new skills,but that we adults do! Delegating can be difficult, butwhen we remember that in Girl Scouting, the process isas (or more!) important than the actual activity, itbecomes easier.Focus on building skills. Remember that planning anddecision-making are life skills, and are learned over time.Build a little more each time, and your girls will be ontheir way!

Girl Scout Troop GovernmentEvery grade level of Girl Scouting can use some form of troop government, it’s a great format to help girls learnresponsibility, independence, and how to become leaders! Troop government is designed to be progressive, buildingon the skills learned in previous years.Easing girls into troop governanceIf girls have never made group decisions on their own,introduce the concept by using the Girl Scout BrownieRing. Have girls discuss only one topic at a time.With a bit of practice, girls will be ready to function moreindependently. This is a good time to introduce thePatrol System to discuss more than one topic at a time.The leader might lead the first few discussions, but afterthat it should be left up to the girls.Try introducing girls to both forms of government andthen let them choose which type they like the best.Girl Scout Brownie RingPatrol SystemThe Girl Scout Brownie Ring is very similar to the GirlScout Daisy Circle but expands to the abilities of thesenow somewhat “older” girls. Girls can now begin to leaddiscussions and “brainstorm” ideas. A Ring “Leader” maybe designated to lead discussions, but make sure that allgirls are given this leadership opportunity.The Patrol System is the most versatile of the systems ofgovernment. The troop is divided into smaller unitscalled patrols. The ideal patrol size is about 5-8 girls.Each Patrol elects a Patrol Leader responsible for runningtheir patrol meetings. An Assistant Patrol Leader is also agood idea in the event that the Patrol Leader cannotmake a meeting. All troop business can be handled inthese patrols. Attendance and dues can be recorded bythe patrols. For any given outing, chores may be dividedup with each patrol responsible for its own task.When someone wishes to speak, a special “TalkingSignal” is used in the Girl Scout Brownie Ring. This isindicated by the girl placing the two fingers of her righthand on the floor (or table, if you are seated at a tableinstead of on the floor). The Girl Scout Brownie Ring is agood way to make all of the major decisions in yourtroop from how to spend cookie profits to which badgeto work on next.Brownie Ring time:AnnouncementsSharing timeDecision-makingKeep it short, simple, and fun!The Brownie Ring song:Round and round and round about,Take the hand of a Brownie Scout,Here we are in the Brownie Ring,Ready for ‘most anything!In order for the troop to run smoothly and as a group,Patrol Leaders should come together periodically (atleast once a month) to discuss troop issues and makegroup decisions. This is called the “Court of Honor”. Eachpatrol gives their input to the Patrol Leader who presentstheir viewpoint at the Court of Honor. Also included inthe Court of Honor are any other troop officers such asSecretary and Treasurer. The Patrol System can be verysuccessful, but only if the girls are given skills with whichto succeed.Patrol PatrolLeaderGirlGirlPatrol LeaderGirlGirlGirlGirl11

Kapers and Sample Kaper ChartsUsing kaper charts is a great way to organize Girl Scout activities. It is a visible reminder of the tasks that need to bedone, usually at meetings or while camping. Depending on the number of girls in the troop/group, kapers on the chartmay be done individually or in small groups. The names and jobs are recorded and the tasks are rotated.Simple kaper chart for one meetingKAPERSMartaSnackAmberSuppliesTashaSpecial hyClean-upcheckerKaper chart for several meetings including teams of girls12BROWNIESSEPT. 10SEPT. 25OCT. 9OCT. 23JaimeCatrina(Team Star)Opening,song, orgameServe thesnackPass outsuppliesClosingceremonyChristalAmy(Team Moon)ClosingceremonyOpening,song, orgameServe theSnackPass outsuppliesAnnaJessica(Team Sun)Pass outsuppliesClosingceremonyOpening,song, orgameServe thesnackAmandaSamantha(Team Rainbow)Serve thesnackPass outsuppliesClosingceremonyOpening,song, orgame

Tips for Working with Girl Scout BrowniesCreate a Positive Environment Set limitsEncourage respectGive positive, polite directionsInvolve girls in establishing rulesFocus on talents and skills—not problemsSet a good exampleDon’t expect every girl to do every projectAllow each girl to learn by experienceHelp each girl develop positive feelings about herselfLet the girls solve problems, ask for help, andexperience leadership Encourage group projects Involve and communicate with the families Rejoice in all achievements, large and smallMost of all,learn with the girls,laugh with them, andhave fun!13

When Planning Meetings.1.Be prepared: Set up materials before the meeting,make sure all adults involved know their roles at themeeting.2. Pre-meeting activity: Puzzles, drawing, books, or agame everyone knows. This allows girls to learn towork independently and gives leaders a chance togreet each girl and family members.3. Connect with each girl: Take the time to greet eachgirl and find out how she is feeling. If the girls are fullof energy, you may want to save that quiet activityfor another time.4. Five and one minute warnings: Transitioning canbe difficult for girls of this age group. Time warningshelp.5. Establish routines: Lets girls know what to expectduring the meeting, this gives them ownership oftheir meeting. Use Kaper Charts, let them knowwhere things are kept, off limit areas, etc.6. Opening ceremony: Simple flag ceremonies, groupcheers, singing favorite songs, reciting the Girl ScoutPromise and parts of the Law, etc. Use kapers toinvolve girls in planning the ceremony.7. Sharing time: Encourage girls to talk about theirinterests, feelings, and daily experiences.8. Involve the girls in planning: At first, the girls mayneed to choose from a few options, and later will beable to become more active in the planning process.9. Snack time: Girls can take turns bringing the snackand passing them out. This should be an enjoyableand informal time when the girls can relax and enjoybeing together.10. Clean up: Clean up is a troop responsibility anda good opportunity for all girls to learn to beresponsible. All of the girls should help with clean up.One or two girls can be assigned to check kapers offof the Kaper Chart when they are complete.11. Closing ceremony: Friendship circle and squeeze,say goodbye in other languages, group hug, sing asong, etc. Use kapers to involve the girls in planning.12. Goodbye: Make sure to learn what adult isresponsible for picking up each girl.14Troop snacksMost troops ask parents to provide snacks on arotating schedule to make sure a treat is available atall meetings. However, some troops find it easier touse dues money and purchase snacks themselves.Either way, be clear with parents about snackexpectations.Make sure to find out: If there are any food allergies What snack foods the girls likeA good way to handle the snack situation that’s hardfor parents to forget: send home a bucket andattach the note below.Your daughter has brought home the BrownieTroop Snack Bucket. Please send it back withyour daughter to our next meeting with enoughhealthy snacks forgirls.Girls in our troop are allergic to:

Safety Requirements and GuidelinesCheck out SafetyActivity Checkpointsbefore running anactivitySafety Activity Checkpointscontain the safety rulesthat govern all aspects ofGirl Scout activities andprograms. Scan throughthese and refer to themoften. Best practice is toreview the checkpoints whileplanning Girl Scout activities and outings. Get the girls inthe habit of looking up the safety procedures.Permission slipsA permission slip is required any time the troop/group is not at its normal meeting place and/or time.A permission slip is also needed any time the troopfocuses on a sensitive or controversial issue. Permissionslips can be completed online at gswise.org, just typeParent Guardian Permission Form in the search bar.TagalongsWe recommend that tagalongs or children other thantroop members not be a part of the official troopmeeting. The Girl Scout Brownie troop meeting’s focusis on the girls registered with the troop. If tagalongs willbe part of a meeting or outing, remember to get Plan 2Insurance to cover all non-members.Troop leadershipBecause the female role model is essential to fulfillingthe purpose of Girl Scouting, at least one member ofthe leadership team needs to be an adult female. Allregistered Girl Scouts, including adults, are coveredunder the Girl Scout insurance policy. A trained adultfemale needs to be present at all troop events.Adult/Girl ratiosFor Girl Scout Brownies the recommended ratio ofadults to girls are: For meetings: Two adults to every 20 Girl Scout Brownies Plus one adult for each additional 8 Girl ScoutBrownies For events, trips, and group camping: Two adults to every 12 Girl Scout Brownies Plus one adult for each additional 6 Girl ScoutBrowniesNo matter how well we plan, emergencies can happen.That is why it is required that two co-leaders attendevery Girl Scout meeting. If you or a girl is injured at ameeting or on a trip, you do not want to take all the girlswith you to the hospital or leave them alone.Safety Activity Checkpoints provides additionalguidelines for the girl/adult ratio.Meeting places and safetyThe safety of our girls is of paramount importance toGirl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast. It is imperative thatwe maintain a reputation as a safety-consciousorganization that challenges girls to take risks in a safeenvironment. Troop interaction is critical to our girls’social and organizational development.Troop meetings should be held in facilities that aredesigned to meet the unique needs associated withpublic use and should be ADA-compliant to ensurethe troop meeting is accessible for all girls. Examplesof commonly used meeting locations are schools,government buildings, places of worship, libraries, YMCAlocations, and office space.Children and YouthProtectionMandated Reporter Online TrainingThis one-hour session covers the responsibilities andprocedures for reporting suspected child abuse andneglect. GSWISE also recommends that volunteerscomplete the Darkness to Light supplemental trainingas an additional measure, but it is not required.Darkness to Light teaches adults how to recognize,prevent, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.Visit gswise.org Volunteer Learning and Support Wisconsin Mandated Reporter Online Training Complete the online training Download and save your certificate of completion Email your certificate tocustomercare@gswise.org» Subject line: 497 Mandated ReporterTraining Contact Customer Care at 800-565-4475 if youhave any questions15

Going on Field TripsField trips are an interesting and important part of Girl Scouting. The following guidelines should be helpful in planningfield trips. A signed permission slip assures leaders that parents and Girl Scouts understand and agree with the triparrangements. It also allows the leaders to have emergency action privileges.Planning the tripHold a pre-trip discussionMake sure that co-leaders, Girl Scouts and chaperonesare included and discuss: Where are we going? Why are we going? What questions do we want answered? What books or audio-visuals could help us preparefor our trip? Should we take notes? Take pictures? What safety and behavior rules are there? How will our chaperones help us? What should we wear? Do we need to arrange for meals?Hand out and gather permission slips and fees.Include dates, drop-off and pick-up times, venueaddress, and fees.Contact the venue to gather important information. Available dates and times; reserve date Fees Safety concerns What visitors can expect to see Where restrooms are located Behavior expectations Size of group Ages of girlsTransportationPre-plan the route, cost, maps, parking, andpassenger-safety precautions.Transportation policy Drivers must be of the appropriate age (21) Drive

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