I didn’t know when I started volunteering that my troop contained queer and gender-expansive youth, or that learning to provide a safe space for them would be part of my work as a troop leader. The journey that my Troop and I have been on has only expanded my love of being their Troop Leader.
It’s no surprise that Bay Area Girl Scout alum Michele Gee has pursued a career making our world a better place. After reading about her in a recent profile by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, we were eager to reach out and ask her to reflect on her years as a Girl Scout. We also wanted to hear more about her experience leading people and programs for the most visited unit of the National Park Service in the country, and the largest urban park in the world.
May is Mental Health Month, which is a great reason to discuss some of the ways that Girl Scouting can cultivate mental health for girls and the adults they grow up to be.
My go-to super-leader strategy is: The Special Guest. I love to invite women from the community (and beyond) who have a connection to our current badgework or troop activities to visit virtually or in-person and talk about their work.
To celebrate Black History month, we’d like to talk a little bit about Josephine Baker and her amazing life. Although she wasn’t a Girl Scout, Baker was an incredible woman who perfectly exemplified what it means to be a Girl Scout: honest, friendly, helpful, courageous, and being responsible for what one says or does.
I was inspired to reach out and invite Alicia after seeing her gorgeous Instagram photos of custom fortune cookies created just for the Lunar New Year. Who better to motivate the girls during cookie season than a professional cookie “entreprenHER“ with her own online storefront?
Is it okay for me and my loved ones to give thanks on what many Indigenous and Native American People consider to be a day of mourning? The answer is yes—and as a Girl Scout leader, I also commit to do the work of supporting Indigenous and Native American communities using Girl Scouts of Northern California’s Culture Code for Equity & Belonging:
Here are some useful resources for finding age-appropriate diverse books for your Girl Scouts to explore:
As Girl Scouts embark on their journeys as leaders in a diverse world, how can troop leaders empower girls and make the world a better place by celebrating the LGBTQ+ community?
Virtual events for adult volunteers are a blast to plan: there are so many experiences you can offer! Learn how.
Under Laura’s leadership, Girl Scouts wasn’t about how many badges we earned, it was about the the people we helped, and what we learned about ourselves.
