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 FAQs
Council Realignment
- How will the realignment of councils better serve girls?
- Why did the GSUSA National Board of Directors decide that Girl Scout councils needed to realign?
- What does reducing the number of councils accomplish?
- Why will it be easier to fund these new high-capacity councils?
Girl Scout Leadership Development Program
- What is the Girl Scout Leadership Development Program?
- How will the Girl Scout Leadership Development Program impact girls' lives?
- How will the changes impact the volunteer experience?
- What is the Girl Scout approach to leadership?
- Why is Girl Scouts of the USA changing now?
- What about the Girl Scout history and traditions?
- How will we still know we're Girl Scouts?
- Who had input into the changes and decisions?
- How will the national focus on leadership incorporate girls' varied interests?
- What if I like things the way they are?
- When will the changes become effective?
- How will this affect what girls are doing now?
- Why change age groups?
- Why group by grade? Can other grades still go together?
- We heard that level names were changing? Why didn't they?
- Will Girl Scout Daisies be able to participate in the product sale?
- What about girls with special needs?
- What do girls say about the changes?
- What about the four program goals?
- What about the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards?
- Will patches, badges, and charms still exist?
- What about the uniforms?
- What do we do with our current uniforms?
- What about STUDIO 2B?
- How can we help?
Core Business Strategy Basics
- How and why was the Core Business Strategy developed?
- Who is the Core Business Strategy intended for?
- Would the Core Business Strategy change the Girl Scout Promise or Law?
- Who is involved in the implementation of the Core Business Strategy?
- What is the Open Space Conversation and what are Strategy Cafés?
- How will the organization change?
- How can we change and still keep our tradition alive?
- What is the timeline for implementation of the Core Business Strategy?
- Where can I learn more about the Core Business Strategy?
- How can I help?
Revisit this page in the future for more FAQs.
Council Realignment
- How will the realignment of councils better serve girls?
The goal of the nationwide realignment is to strengthen the delivery on our promise to girls. We want every girl to have the fullest possible array of opportunities during her Girl Scout experience. As we have seen in past realignments, councils with higher capacity will have more resources and that translates to greater opportunities for girls. The scope of program options available to girls will increase. Girls will be at the center of a stronger network of girls, adults and opportunities.
- Why did the GSUSA National Board of Directors decide that Girl Scout councils needed to realign?
A thorough situational analysis of Girl Scouts identified nationwide inconsistencies in our delivery of the Girl Scout program to girls, decreases in funding and an increased number of less-than-high-functioning councils. The nationwide realignment of councils will create the necessary infrastructure at all councils for the organization to fully implement all aspects of the Core Business Strategy and strengthen the Movement for years to come.
- What does reducing the number of councils accomplish?
Reducing the number of councils allows for all councils to be highly functioning, or high-capacity councils. These high-capacity councils will, over time, develop the talents and resources to deliver exceptional Girl Scout program and opportunities to all girls, regardless of the size of their community.
One example is the cost of the Girl Scout program per girl: On average, the cost per girl in smaller councils is higher than the cost per girl in councils that serve larger numbers of girls. Larger councils—whether in compact urban areas or vast geographic areas—are able to spread their administrative costs further, ultimately making more resources available for girl program. This is one of the key accomplishments of realignment.
- Why will it be easier to fund these new high-capacity councils?
Fewer councils means less competition for some funding sources and additional opportunities for expanded sources of funding. Fewer councils will be competing for the same dollars in a particular area. Our experience has been that multiple Girl Scout councils seek funding from the same foundations and corporations that do not really understand the difference between councils. Many times, when an organization funds one council, it eliminates the opportunity for other councils to seek funds from that same source. Realignment will help end this issue.
Girl Scout Leadership Development Program
- What is the Girl Scout Leadership Development Program?
The leadership model is the new design for what girls do in Girl Scouting and how adult support can strengthen their experience. It is the road map for determining what a girl will learn and how she will be impacted. The model defines and displays all the elements that must be in place to positively impact girls’ lives. The Girl Scout Leadership Development Program, then, is the model in action.
- How will the Girl Scout Leadership Development Program impact girls' lives?
Through the Girl Scout Leadership Development Program girls will discover their personal best and prepare for a positive future, connect with others in an increasingly diverse world, and take action to solve problems and improve their communities. Girls have told us that these opportunities matter very much to girls—both in their daily lives and as they prepare for their futures. And, with our unique focus on a By Girls, for Girls approach and cooperative and experiential learning, girls will continue to have fun, friendship, and exciting adventures.
- How will the changes impact the volunteer experience?
Over the next several years, Girl Scouts of the USA will strive to improve the volunteer experience by:
- Making it easier for busy volunteers to join, stay involved, and serve in flexible ways
- Providing user-friendly new materials, resources, and training that make it easier for volunteers to deliver a fun and impact-driven Girl Scout experience
- Helping volunteers to better see (and show others) the difference they are making in girls’ lives
- What is the Girl Scout approach to leadership?
The Girl Scout approach to leadership is based on the three pillars—Discover, Connect, and Take Action.
Discover
As a Girl Scout discovers her world, she:
- Develops a strong sense of self
- Gains practical and healthy life skills
- Strengthens her values
Connect
As a Girl Scout connects with others in a global community, she:
- Forms caring relationships
- Promotes cooperation and team building
- Embraces diversity
Take Action
As a Girl Scout takes action in the world, she:
- Feels empowered to make a difference
- Identifies and solves problems she cares about
- Advocates for herself and others
The Girl Scout leadership development pillars represent cycles of activities that engage girls in practicing leadership skills, based on the values of the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Girl Scouting will redefine with girls and the nation what it means to be a leader.
- Why is Girl Scouts of the USA changing now?
Since 1912, Girl Scouting has risen to the challenge of meeting the unique needs of each generation of girls. Girls today are asking for compelling, relevant, and impact driven experiences. This change is part of the next-steps in the Core Business Strategy as expected since 2004. Imagining the power of the Girl Scout Movement speaking in one consistent national voice about what we do: leadership development for girls!
- What about the Girl Scout history and traditions?
“The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers.”
– Juliette Gordon Low
Change is perhaps the oldest tradition in Girl Scouting. Ever since Juliette Gordon Low returned from England in 1912 and changed “Guide” to “Scout” in response to the preference of American girls, those in the Girl Scout Movement have prided themselves on their ability to make timely adjustments to fulfill the evolving concerns of modern girls. Girl Scouts has a long history of updating clothing, awards, age groupings, and so on to meet the needs of girls. While continuing to maintain the values that have been at our core for 95 years, this renewal allows Girl Scouts to remain relevant.
- How will we still know we're Girl Scouts?
The values of the Girl Scout Movement, as expressed in the Girl Scout Promise and Law, remain the cornerstone of the Girl Scout experience. In fact, the renewed Girl Scout leadership development experience places increased emphasis on teaching girls to live out the commitments expressed in the Promise and Law. The leadership development program will do this through Discover, Connect, and Take Action activities.
Outwardly, the revitalized program also retains many of our important Girl Scout symbols. Girls will continue the practice of earning official awards to display proudly on a tunic, vest, or sash, culminating with the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards. Additionally, Girl Scouts will remain united by a national dress code.
- Who had input into the changes and decisions?
Thousands of girls and adults from across the Girl Scout Movement have been part of an open and honest dialogue for the last 18 months. Following our tradition of participation, members responded to questions and contributed ideas through forums such as a specially-designed email address; strategy cafés held at the 2005 National Council Session in Atlanta; focus groups with volunteers and girls within and outside of Girl Scouts; online surveys; and work sessions held at Girl Scout councils. A panel of experts in the youth development field also weighed in and gave their seal of approval to the new Girl Scout leadership model.
The information gathered through all of these sources was reviewed and summarized by teams of Girl Scout councils and national staff members. The National Board of Directors made the final decisions in August, 2006.
- How will the national focus on leadership incorporate girls' varied interests?
Leadership skill-building can be incorporated into everything a Girl Scout already enjoys—from rock climbing to collaborating on a puppet show to volunteering at a soup kitchen.
- What if I like things the way they are?
So much remains the same! Continue celebrating everything that girls love about Girl Scouting—troops, camping, the Promise and Law, badges, uniforms, a By Girls, for Girls approach, and much more. In fact, when girls strive to live out the Girl Scout Promise and Law, they’re already on their way to becoming confident, courageous leaders. As Girl Scouts of the USA continues to honor the traditions that have always made Girl Scouting such a positive experience, join the national effort to move forward and make that experience even better.
- When will the changes become effective?
Not right away. The most important thing we can do right now is to continue using all current available resources—the web sections, awards, books, and clothing. Changes will begin to be phased in October 2008, and girls and volunteers will have time to transition.
- How will this affect what girls are doing now?
It won’t. Girls in all age groups will continue enjoying the experience they are already engaged in, earning awards and badges as they exist right now. Materials will continue to be available in Girl Scout council shops and online. When the transition timeframe is put into place, girls will have time to complete projects or awards they have already begun at their current age levels, using existing materials.
- Why change age groups?
Girls have told us that it’s important to be with others girls their age, and currently, they get bored by too much repetition. As one 13-year old Girl Scout wrote in, “It makes us more comfortable to be with the same age group as ourselves.”
Our research found that girls learn best and have the most fun when they are with the right developmental/social grouping. The new grade-level groups are:
Grades K-1
Grades 2-3
Grades 4-5
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-10
Grades 11-12
Major Changes
Kindergarten and grade 1 girls will have the opportunity to share fun experiences and learn from each other. Girl Scouts of the USA will be designing new program resources especially for this level.
Middle School (6th-8th grade in many parts of the country) can be a difficult time in girls’ lives. New program resources will address their progression through the early stages of adolescence, ultimately preparing them for the next phase of life and Girl Scouting.
Girls in 9th and 10th grade will have their own unique program resources making leadership relevant to their lives as they seek healthy relationships, deal with the pressures of high school, and figure out who they are. While girls in 11th and 12th grade have expressed interest and focus more on preparing for their futures, and demonstrating leadership skills.
- Why group by grade? Can other grades still go together?
Girls identify with social groups based on grades. Grouping by grade allows girls to be with peers who share a closer level of emotional and social maturity.
Older and younger girls can continue to interact—in fact, that's a great way for girls to practice leadership! As the new Girl Scout Leadership Development Program materials begin rolling out in October, 2008, Girl Scouts will establish a national curriculum offering age-appropriate, differentiated activities at each level.
- We heard that level names were changing? Why didn't they?
Throughout work on the Girl Scout leadership development model, GSUSA continually asked members of the Girl Scout community about changing level names—and if so, to what? GSUSA received thousands of ideas ranging from names that sound more current to names that speak more clearly to leadership to names that honor tradition in Girl Scout history. As GSUSA tested many of these possibilities, a common theme arose to place emphasis on strengthening the existing Girl Scout brand rather than focusing energy on new level names.
The level names effective October 2008 are:
Girl Scout Daisy
Girl Scout Brownie
Girl Scout Junior
Girl Scout Cadette
Girl Scout Senior
Girl Scout Ambassador*
*The grade-level name Girl Scout Ambassador was added to adjust the newly-separated 11th -12th grade level. The word ambassador represents young women leaders, paving the way in a global world.
- Will Girl Scout Daisies be able to participate in the product sale?
Beginning in October 2008, GSUSA will provide age-appropriate guidelines for girls in K-1st grade on participating in the cookie sale.
- What about girls with special needs?
GSUSA will continue to serve all girls, including those with special needs. Please contact your local council for guidance on meeting the needs of the girls you support.
- What do girls say about the changes?
Girls want a more contemporary image and have requested activities that better reflect their current interests. Some girl members worry about how the changes will affect the Girl Scout experience they know and love. Many girls in Girl Scouts wanted to keep traditions, like current age level names, wearing of awards on vests, etc., so these are still with us. And the transition process will enable girls to complete experiences they have already begun. Girls will also continue to have opportunities to contribute ideas as new books, awards, and web content are created.
- What about the four program goals?
The values underlying the four program goals are integrated into the new Girl Scout Leadership Development Program and its activity cycles of Discover, Connect, and Take Action. The four program goals, however did not tie to a compelling end result for girls. The Girl Scout leadership model clearly defines the impact of Girl Scouting on girls’ lives: leadership!
- What about the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards?
Don’t worry! The Girl Scout Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards remain vital awards in Girl Scouting, and they are great awards to teach girls how to Discover, Connect, and Take Action as leaders. The Girl Scout Gold Award will remain the highest award. Over the next few years, as the new program materials are developed, the awards will be updated based on the leadership model.
- Will patches, badges, and charms still exist?
Yes! They will remain important symbols of achievement in Girl Scouting. We will also add other fun items as girls say they want them.
- What about the uniforms?
Girl Scouting will balance our tradition of unity with practicality to meet the needs of today’s girls and their families.
- Girls at each age level will have one official uniform item (e.g. tunic, vest, and sash) for the display of official pins and awards. Girls will be required to wear this item with their own white shirts and khaki pants or skirts when they participate in ceremonies or officially represent the Girl Scout Movement
- Teen girls will also have the option of wearing a scarf connecting us to our global sisterhood, WAGGGS
- The adult uniform will be the membership pins worn with a scarf for women and a tie for men coordinated with navy blue business attire
- Girl Scouts of the USA will continue to evolve and offer a range of appealing casual wear for girls and adults
- What do we do with our current uniforms?
Continue using them! Tunics, vests, and sashes for the display of official pins and awards will still be a part of the Girl Scout uniform.
- What about STUDIO 2B?
Girl Scouts of the USA has received many comments and suggestions about STUDIO 2B. Many girls, especially those at the pre-teen level, love aspects of the approach—from tone and graphics of the books, to options for the awards, like badges or charms, the ability to set and learn from their own goals, and the renewed commitment to the By Girls, for Girls approach.
Other girls want a clear, strong emphasis on the Girl Scouts brand, image, and leadership experience. So, we’ll use the aspects of STUDIO 2B which are most well-received and valued and incorporate them into the Girl Scout Leadership Development Program.
- How can we help?
Thanks for asking! Here’s how:
- Talk it up! Share your enthusiasm about the changes we’re making to better serve girls
- Find ways to emphasize leadership using existing Girl Scout materials
- Encourage girls to select existing Girl Scout activities, books, and awards that give them the opportunity to discover their personal best and prepare for a positive future, connect with others in an increasingly diverse world, and take action to solve problems and improve their communities
- Get involved. In October/November, councils will receive the “Fall 2006 Resource Kit DVD” which will communicate the decisions of the National Board to the Girl Scout community
- Stay tuned for tips throughout the year with suggestions for using the existing materials to carry out the renewed leadership development approach
Core Business Strategy Basics
- How and why was the Core Business Strategy developed?
The Core Business Strategy was developed to help Girl Scouts continue to be the best personal leadership development program for girls ages 5-17. In June 2004, Girl Scout leadership enlisted the services of
Willie Pietersen, a professor of the Practice of Management at Columbia Business School, to help us develop a strategy to ensure our future success and growth.
We are now mobilizing the expertise from across Girl Scouts to build on our strengths, resolve our challenges, and develop actions to ensure that we continue to be a leading authority and the leading voice for girls.
- Who is the Core Business Strategy intended for?
It is intended to address the present and future of the entire Girl Scout organization. GSUSA and our councils are interdependently entwined and the strengths and challenges of each affect the other.
- Would the Core Business Strategy change the Girl Scout Promise or the Girl Scout Law?
The Core Business Strategy does not propose any changes to the Girl Scout Promise or the Girl Scout Law. Both are tied to the rich history of Girl Scouts and they will continue to be at the heart of the Girl Scout experience.
In fact, we are exploring ways to integrate them more fully into the fabric of the program model.
- Who is involved in the implementation of the Core Business Strategy?
Teams known as Gap Teams - comprised of a variety of Girl Scout members from all levels, functions, and geographic regions of the organization and now totalling 67 people - are setting our transformation in motion. The six Gap Teams - Program Model and Pathways, Volunteerism, Brand, Funding, Organizational Structure and Governance, and Culture - are charged with identifying the specific changes that must take place to move Girl Scouts from the organization it is now to the organization it will be in the future. Their role is to put into action the strategy for the Girl Scout organization.
In meetings around the country and through Strategy Cafés (see FAQ 5 to learn more about Strategy Cafés), the Gap Teams are listening to members' ideas and suggestions about the Core Business Strategy. For example, Strategy Cafés and Open Space Technology Dialogue will facilitate discussions on the Core Business Strategy among delegates and attendees at the October 2005 National Council Session.
Any member of Girl Scouts can be involved in the implementation of the Core Business Strategy. For example, members are encouraged to send ideas and suggestions to misc@girlscouts.org.
- What is the Open Space Conversation and what are Strategy Cafés?
The Open Space Conversation is a process by which Girl Scout delegates work in groups to discuss a central convening question. The question discussed in a daylong meeting on October 7 at the National Council Session in Atlanta was, "What would our governance structure look like on a national and local level if it met the test of being efficient, decisive and action oriented?" Delegates and attendees were encouraged to share their ideas, thoughts, insights, and suggestions.
Strategy Cafés are small group sessions in which interested members discuss aspects of the Core Business Strategy. In Strategy Cafés at this year's National Council Session, members discussed one of the five strategic priorities of the Core Business Strategy or the Girl Scout culture. Through these brief discussions, strategic themes, clear priorities, immediate action steps, and commitments for moving the initiative forward will be agreed upon. Strategy Cafés for delegates and attendees were held throughout the National Council Session, and we anticipate convening them at other times across the country.
- How will the organization change?
We are working on the specifics of our transformation and evolution right now. At this point, we are focusing collectively on five strategic priorities. It is important to note that our evolution will be keeping all of the promise and purpose of Girl Scouting and adding elements that will bring our programs to girls for decades to come. Our strategic priorities are:
- Brand: Transforming the Girl Scout image with a compelling, contemporary brand.
- Program Model and Pathways: Building the best-integrated personal leadership development model that defines activities and outcomes, differentiated by age-level, for girls 5-17 and offers flexible pathways for participation.
- Organizational Structure and Governance: Creating an efficient and effective organizational structure and democratic governance system.
- Volunteerism : Developing a nimble, state-of-the-art model of volunteerism that mobilizes a diverse cadre of volunteers committed to the Girl Scout mission.
- Funding: Substantially increasing contributed income to fund a vibrant Girl Scout organization.
And, because the culture of Girl Scouts is so important to the successful implementation of the Core Business Strategy, there is also a gap team that is focused on:
- Culture: Leading the transformation of our culture, which is a key component of the broader transformation of Girl Scouts.
Although our program and delivery systems are evolving, girls are and will remain the focus of everything we do.
- How can we change and still keep our tradition alive?
Girl Scouts has a wonderful 93-year history that is unsurpassed. Many of our traditions - our name, our personal leadership development model, and our support for girls to help them live the values conveyed in the Girls Scout Promise and Law - have withstood the test of time.
In keeping with the vision and passion of Juliette Gordon Low, our Core Business Strategy will marry the best aspects of our tradition with new ways of doing things so that we can meet the challenges of girls of today and beyond.
- What is the timeline for implementation of the Core Business Strategy?
Development of the Core Business Strategy began in June 2004, with the next phase of the Strategy development commencing in January 2005 with the appointment of the Gap Teams. Work of the Gap Teams is ongoing through 2005, with consultation from outside experts, feedback from Girl Scout members, and regular reporting. In 2006, the work of each Gap Team will be integrated into the ongoing work of GSUSA. Based on the recommended pathways identified by the Gap Teams and with continuing advice and guidance from Council representatives, GSUSA will phase in the recommendations at varying times depending upon the complexity of the action plans. We do not underestimate the time and logistics of implementing the Core Business Strategy, which can be more efficiently and effectively accomplished through the support and involvement of our members. We plan to have the Core Business Strategy fully operational by our 100th Anniversary in 2012.
- Where can I learn more about the Core Business Strategy?
You can stay up-to-date on the Core Business Strategy and learn about opportunities to get involved by regularly checking the Core Business Strategy Website at http://strategy.girlscouts.org.
- How can I help?
Begin by asking yourself, "What can I do to help Girl Scouting be the best personal leadership development program for girls ages 5-17?" Share your knowledge, your ideas, and your creative thinking with us. Be willing to do things differently and strive to make the changes that will result in the future we seek.
E-mail your ideas and suggestions to misc@girlscouts.org, or get in touch with your CEO or GSUSA contact to find out how you can get involved.
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Looking Back at the History
Girl Scouts began to develop its Core Business Strategy in 2004, to ensure that this historic organization continues to be the best leadership experience for girls ages 5-17. READ MORE |
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Teamwork: Six teams set our evolution in motion by
getting feedback from many of you and
analyzing and identifying the changes that need to take place to bridge the “gap” between where Girl Scouts is today and where we want to be in the future. Five teams were responsible for implementing one of the strategic priorities; the sixth focused on ways to improve our culture.
Gap Team Overview
THE TEAMS:
- Brand
- Culture
- Funding
- Organizational Structure and Governance
- Program Model and Pathways
- Volunteerism
Gap Team Who's Who
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