The Badge Archive

Activity Description: Outline for hosting a first family meeting to discuss troop set up, volunteer expectations, and safety guidelines.

Items Needed:

• Troop calendar
• Required council forms
• (Optional) Sign-up sheets
• (Optional) Girl Scout Family Connection guide (La Conexión Familiar de Girl Scouts) PDF available on GSUSA Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) in the Daisy Intro Meeting.

Before the Meeting Starts:

1. Talk to your Local Council. (10–30 min)
   • All GSUSA councils typically require a Health form and a permission slip, but all will differ. Some have additional paperwork forms that are required. Check with your local council for the exact forms you need.
   • Print all forms you need, or email and request all families to print and fill them out.
     • Note: It’s recommended to bring extra blank forms as many families will not follow email instructions and some will not have access to a printer.
   • Important Note: Because every troop is different, always look to your local council for specific instructions regarding bank accounts, approved activities, and local guidelines.
   • For more information and additional resources for new leaders, visit GSUSA Leader 101.

Instructions (Estimated Total Time: 60–100 min):

1. Welcome (10–20 mins):
   • Introduce the troop leaders or ask for willing troop leaders (see descriptions in list below) to ensure the troop can function per council requirements of adult safety ratios and troop formation.
   • Share upcoming meeting information (dates, times, locations).
   • (Optional) Have caregivers introduce themselves and their expectations for the year.
2. Explain Girl Scouts (10-15 mins):
   • Share the overall mission of GSUSA, the Girl Scout Promise, and the Girl Scout Law.
   • Provide a brief overview of the new troop’s year plan. Include any badges and outings that are already planned or explain how voting at the Daisy level works.
3. Family Information (10 mins):
   • Explain how caregivers will be kept in the loop regarding troop activities.
   • (Optional) Ask for a Troop Communicator (see description in list below).
   • Explain that families should prompt and let their scouts act as the “expert” by teaching any new skills to the family at home after meetings.
4. Money Information (10–20 mins):
   • Outline the expected costs for the year, including troop dues and uniform supplies.
   • You can explain uniform basics, such as how flag patches, council name patches, and troop numbers are placed on the front right of the Daisy tunic or vest.
   • Briefly discuss product programs (like fall product and cookies) and how the funds benefit the troop.
   • (Optional) Ask for a Fall Product Manager and Troop Communicator (see description in list below).
5. Adult Volunteers (10–20 mins):
   • Ask for volunteers to assist with small troop management tasks. Explain that all adult volunteers must be registered with GSUSA and background checked (and any other local council requirements).
     • Note: Registration is required for insurance purposes for all adults and scouts at meetings and events, even adults that just come and stay in the back of the room. Registration ensures everyone is covered by GSUSA insurance, and background checks are a strictly enforced safety standard to protect the scouts. If any families have questions, concerns, or protests regarding these requirements, please direct them to your local council.
   • Emphasize that helping out can take very little time, or a lot depending on the role. The more volunteers that help, the less time it may take each volunteer.
   • Possible Role Options:
     1. Troop Co-Leader: Be a main troop leader to plan all meetings and prep activities and attend all or most meetings and events. Most councils have online training and optional in-person training.
     2. Assistant Troop Leader: Help the main troop leader(s) with whatever tasks need help with. Most councils have online training and optional in-person training.
     3. Fall Product Manager: Manages all information and coordination required for the Fall Product program money earning activity. Each local council will have regulations and training that must be followed. Typically does not required running any product sale booths. Will require at least one distribution of product to scouts for delivery. Requires space in a climate appropriate location in their home for product. Requires tracking turned in money for sales and the troop inventory and is financially responsible for all product and money associated with Fall Product.
     4. Troop Cookie Manager: Manages all information and coordination required for the Cookie Season program money earning activity. Each local council will have regulations and training that must be followed. Typically requires running any product sale booths. Will require at least one distribution of product to scouts for delivery, and often weekly resupply of products for families and booths. Requires space in a climate appropriate location in their home for product. Requires tracking turned in money for sales and the troop inventory and is financially responsible for all product and money associated with Cookie Season.
        • NOTE: This role can be split into two roles of Troop Cookie Inventory Manager and Troop Cookie Booth Coordinator.
        • One tracks all inventory for the troop assigned to scouts and the Booth Coordinator as well as the remaining troop stock. They collect all funds from the scouts and the Booth Coordinator and ensures it all is deposited in the troop bank account.
        • The other coordinates all booths that the troop will do and ensures there is proper scouts and adults signed up for all of them. They are financially responsible for all booth products that are used for the various booths they coordinate and turning in the funds and unsold product to the Inventory Manager.
     5. Meeting Helper: Parent volunteer that is registered and background checked and able to attend meetings to help and meet safety ratios. No training required.
     6. Troop Treasurer: Helps open a bank account and be one name on the account so all bank records can be tracked and verified for troop spending to be in accordance with GSUSA and local council policies. Helps write receipts to families when money for dues or fees are turned in. May help with fall product or cookie season money turn in. It is optional to allow reimbursement forms for leaders and adults that purchase troop supplies and then need reimbursement when a receipt is turned in. Fills out annual financial reports required by local council. Most councils have online training available.
     7. Troop Secretary: Manages all turned in required forms and ensures all scouts and families are in compliance with local council paperwork regulations. Ensures a copy of all required forms is at every meeting and copies are made when trips and campouts require additional forms to be turned in or carried by multiple adult volunteers. Follows local council guidelines in disposing of sensitive information on forms after forms are no longer needed. Recommended to take online troop leader training to be familiar with council regulations.
     8. Troop Communicator: Sends regular reminder texts to all families for any meetings or events during the year. May also set up a social media or reminder app group for the troop if families desire that additional communication route and then manage that social media account or app.
     9. Carpool Coordinator: Follows all local council regulations on transporting scouts to and from meetings, events, and overnights. Ensures any paperwork that may be required is done. Coordinates sign ups for drivers and which scouts are assigned to which vehicles or how scouts choose their vehicle to ride in.
     10. Troop Snack Coordinator: If troop will have snacks, they coordinate a sign-up list and ensure all full-fill their sign up commitment OR they manage the troop budget for snacks and ensures the snacks are purchased and brought to all meetings.
6. Wrap It Up (10-15 mins):
   • Verify that everyone has required contact information and the troop number.
   • Collect any required forms and answer questions.

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For More Fun Ideas and Plans

Join the Girl Scout Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Leader Help Facebook Group
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Join the Girl Scout Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Leader Help Facebook Group
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See other Recommended Facebook Groups for some Scouting Organizations
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