Troop Leader Experience: A Podcast about Girl Scouts for Troop Leaders and other Girl Scout Volunteers

Welcome to the new mini-series Girl Scout Phraseology, part of the Girl Scout Troop Leader Experience Podcast. Today we're talking about the term "Journeys." This episode is specifically about what a Journey is and why it exists. Coming soon, we will add some episodes about how to plan a Take Action Project and how to customize a Journey to make it fun and relevant for your group of girls. For now...

Welcome to the new mini-series Girl Scout Phraseology, part of the Girl Scout Troop Leader Experience Podcast. Today we're talking about the term "GSLE."  This episode is simply a description of what we mean when we use the term "GSLE." For a deep dive into what it is, how it works, and what it looks like, check out Cookie Cast Parts 1 & 2 & the Progression episode. Learn more about your ad choice...

Let me help you MASTER your year plan - here's a deep dive into the next phase: BRAINSTORMING! Make sure you hit subscribe so you don't miss the rest of the phases: - Phase 1: Calendar Set Up & Meeting Schedule - Phase 2: Brainstorming - Phase 3: Research - Phase 4: Scheduling - Phase 5: Writing Detailed Meeting Plans - Phase 6: Developing a Budget - Phase 7: Communication   https://www.girlscouts...

Welcome to the new mini-series Girl Scout Phraseology, part of the Girl Scout Troop Leader Experience Podcast. Today we're talking about the term "Council."  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the new mini-series Girl Scout Phraseology, part of the Girl Scout Troop Leader Experience Podcast. Today we're talking about the term "GSUSA," also known as Girl Scouts, National, and National Headquarters. In this episode, I referenced a particular document (the GSUSA brand identity guidelines), but it's actually kind of hard to find the GSUSA specific version. Here's a great council...

Let me help you MASTER your year plan - here's a deep dive into the first phase: setting up your calendar and your meeting schedule. Make sure you hit subscribe so you don't miss the rest of the phases: - Phase 1: Calendar Set Up & Meeting Schedule - Phase 2: Brainstorming - Phase 3: Research - Phase 5: Scheduling Dates - Phase 6: Writing Detailed Meeting Plans - Phase 7: Developing a Budget Learn...

Did you know following 5th grade is the number one time girls quit Girl Scouts? It's a shame if you ask me, because older girl program is the COOLEST program! The opportunities available for older girls in Girl Scouts are ENDLESS. Here is the final installment of our 3-part series on retention - and it's ALL about how to keep girls in Girl Scouts for a LONG time... well into the "Khaki Girl" stage...

Here's Part 2 of the 3-part series all about RETENTION. We already covered Volunteer Retention - so here's a piece about how to retain girl members year over year. How do we keep girls coming back? Do you have a lot of turnover in your troop? Here are some tips to ensure girls continue to come back!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the first of a series of three episodes all about retention! Today we are talking about volunteer retention... and turnover. If the average tenure of a troop volunteer is 1-3 years, how do we encourage our co-leaders to stay and stick by us for long term? And what do we do when we do experience troop leader turnover?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It might feel early to you, but it's time to start thinking about next year!  Are you the type of troop who plans as you go, or do you plan in advance? Planning your year ahead of time can help the overall commitment of being a troop leader feel less daunting... It can take a few weeks or even a few months and anywhere from one to a whole committee of volunteers to plan a Girl Scout year, but neve...

It's easy to sometimes get caught up in behavior management, time management (or lack thereof!), and just general exhaustion, stress, and drama as a troop volunteer. Sometimes we wonder, is this all really worth it? And what are the girls even getting out of Girl Scouts, anyway?  Let's take a look at the impacts and outcomes, short term, intermediate, and long term, of Girl Scouts and GSLE. What d...

We've got a special episode for you this week featuring three Junior Girl Scouts from North Carolina. They are sharing their best cookie tips, tricks, and strategies that led to selling HUNDREDS of boxes!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christie leads two single troops, one for each of her daughters. She has a troop of Senior Girl Scouts and also a troop of Ambassadors that are about to bridge to adults! Every single girl in both of her troops has either earned their Gold Award, or they are currently working on it! As you can imagine, they've been on some great adventures and she has some awesome stories to tell as well as import...

Today we're talking about one of my favorite initiatives from the Girl Scout Research Institute ... The State of Girls! This is actually from the 2017 study... but it comes out every other year, so there should be a 2019 study soon. Which of course means we'll cover the changes when the 2019 one comes out too!   To read this study for yourself, or to find your state, check it out here: https://www...

This week we are bringing you an awesome interview with Susan Eckers, who was a Girl Scout leader across all levels for her own daughter and then stayed on to train and mentor other volunteers, and to serve on her council's history committee. She's attended both the 75th and 100th anniversary celebrations and has gone to nearly every convention in her time as a Girl Scout volunteer. Girl Scouts is...

Did you listen to our other GSLE episodes? Check out Cookie Cast Parts 1 & 2 - GSLE & the 5 Skills Girls Learn!   Okay, great, we've established that the Girl Scout Leadership Experience has 5 outcomes - a strong sense of self, positive values, seeking challenges, developing healthy relationships, and community problem solving. And these are achieved through Girl Led, Cooperative Learning, and Lea...

With 7 years of experience leading a multi-level "mega troop," LaTanya has so much to share! Listen in to all the adventures, troop management strategies, goal setting strategies and plans, and how to build a strong, family unit with your troop.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we dive in to best practices for cookie season, structured around the 5 Skills Girls Learn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week is part 1 of CookieCast! This week I am diving in to the framework of GSLE - the Girl Scout Leadership Experience - and how that relates to the cookie program!  Check out some more from the Girl Scout Research Institute here: https://www.girlscouts.org/en/about-girl-scouts/research.html Check out It's Your Journey, Customize It here (if your council doesn't have any left): https://www.am...

Dr. Corinne Devin joins us on the podcast this week to share her experiences in Girl Scouts earning her Gold Award and providing a sense of community to her and her mom as part of a military family. She also provides tips, suggestions, and strategies for troops who might be interested taking older girls overseas for entertainment or volunteer trips abroad.  Dr. Devin's country recommendations: Per...

On today's episode I share some of my Girl Scout volunteer story! I have a multi-level DBJ troop less focused on badges and more focused on trying new things and getting out of their comfort zones.  The science experiment I reference in the podcast is called Elephant Toothpaste and you can find instructions here: https://sciencebob.com/fantastic-foamy-fountain/  Learn more about your ad choices. V...

Kimberly P. from Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio is a first year troop leader who took some time to share with us some of her favorite resources, training, and experiences in Girl Scouts so far as a Brownie troop leader. She specifically mentions: BAND app - https://itunes.apple.com/gh/app/band/id542613198?mt=8 Girl Scouts Leader Chat - https://www.facebook.com/groups/girlscoutleaderchat/ Learn more...

This is an exciting interview with a volunteer who exemplifies what makes Girl Scouts truly great! Bridgette, an Autism mom herself, opened her troop to her local support community. The troop basically quadrupled in size, has girls from Daisies to Ambassadors, and is open to *all* girls - not just high functioning girls.  One thing about this interview that really got to me was Bridgette's determi...

Do you have a mentor? This week we got to hear from Junior Girl Scout troop leader and service team Mentorship Director Jill C. from North Carolina Coastal Pines. She shares tips for how to get a mentor even if your council doesn't have a formal mentorship program, why mentors are important, high awards, the 5 skills girls learn in the cookie program, how volunteering with Girl Scouts can impact y...

Have you heard of these unicorn super troops with 40-60 girls from K-12 and a handful of volunteers who sell thousands of boxes of cookies and go on tons of cool field trips? Ever wondered how in the heck they do it? I know I have... which is exactly why I was so excited to chat with Jennifer B from Girl Scouts Peaks to Piedmont today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices