Even if your troop is already up and running, there’s never a bad time to start growing your troop and making new friends. If your troop is looking to expand their friendship circle, one of the easiest ways to find new girls and volunteers is by opting-in to the GSNorCal online Troop Catalog where you get to share things like what your troop likes to do, when your troop meets, and even how many volunteers you need. But once you fill out the form, it’s a waiting game – so what do you do as you’re waiting for awesome new girls and volunteers to join your sisterhood?
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From creating a welcoming space and managing differing opinions to teaching them Girl Scouting essentials, get ready for the arrival of your new troop members with these helpful resources:
1. Three Winning Ways to Welcome New Girls to Your Troop
A blog post from Girl Scouts of USA Blog
Joining a troop of girls who have already been together for years can be a little intimidating. Help your new girls get to know her new sisters and feel more comfortable with the group with these fun activities from Girl Scouts of USA’s blog.
Looking for more activity ideas to help break the ice? Check out these cool icebreaker games.
2. How to Plan an Investiture Ceremony
A blog post from Girl Scouts of Northern California’s The Trailhead
Give your new girls and volunteers an official Girl Scout welcome with a good ol’ investiture ceremony. From the formal presentation of membership pins to engaging skits and stories, learn everything you need to know to plan an awesome investiture ceremony.
Pro Tip: Looking for the perfect welcome gift? Check out our retail stores for starter kits that are packed with all the essentials a new Girl Scout needs.
3. Inclusion in Girl Scouts
A blog post from Girl Scouts of Western Ohio
Girl Scouts brings people together from a variety of different communities, cultures, and backgrounds. As a troop leader, it’s important to create an environment where all girls feel both safe and included. In this blog post from Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, they share advice on how to embrace diversity, promote inclusive practices, and ensure everyone in the group feels valued.
4. How to Handle Conflict Resolution in a Troop Setting
A blog post Girl Scouts of Northern California’s The Trailhead
As you add new girls to your troop, there’s a chance that some girls won’t always get along. Whether you decide to establish troop meeting guidelines or practice constructive discussions, be prepared to prevent and manage any disagreements that may arise with these helpful tips on conflict resolution.
5. Getting Adults to Help
An online training from Girl Scouts of Northern California’s Volunteer Learning Portal
Parent volunteers are an integral part to the troop experience. From troop meetings to product sales, the more adults you have to help you, the better. In addition to extra hands (and supervising eyes), parents also bring an abundance of special knowledge and talents that you may want to call upon for future activities, field trips, or events. Check out this 13-30 minute online training for helpful tricks on how to get adults on your team!
Remember, communication is key, so don’t forget to keep in touch with your parents and volunteers throughout the year. Whether you decide to host monthly parent meetings or send out weekly email newsletters, check out this Trailhead post from Liz for some of the best practices for managing troop communication with parents.
6. Things to Teach a New Girl Scout
A blog post from Girl Scouts of Northern California’s The Trailhead
Lastly, set aside some time to brush up on the basics. There are lots of things for new Girl Scouts to learn and absorb. From the Promise and Law to classic songs, teach your new girls the essentials to set expectations and help her feel like she belongs. Once she has a better understanding of what being a Girl Scout is all about, there’s nothing she can’t do!
Pro Tip: Check out the “Welcome to Girl Scouting” section in GSNorCal’s Volunteer Essentials for even more information and data on what makes Girl Scouts awesome!
What to do next:
- If you haven’t done so already, fill out the online Troop Catalog form, and start growing your troop today!
- In addition to the troop catalog, there are tons of other ways to grow your troop. Check out this related read for more strategies for recruiting new girls or how to recruit parent volunteers to join your troop.
- From invitation templates and social media graphics to troop expansion ideas and investiture planning tips, the Girl Scouts River Valleys council has a wonderful collection of resources on inviting and welcoming new girls to your troop.
Leah Takahashi—Leah is the Digital Marketing Specialist for Girl Scouts of Northern California, where she creates content, plans blog posts, and promotes all things Girl Scouts in all formats digital. Leah joined Girl Scouts at the age of 5 and has been a part of the organization ever since (shout out to Troop 31213 – woot woot). During her younger Girl Scout days, Leah did everything from selling thousands of Girl Scout Cookies to serving as a National Delegate at the 2011 Convention and even earning her Gold Award in 2012. She may be young, but she’s got plenty of Girl Scout experience under her belt and is excited to share it with you
