Troop Management

Your Role as a Girl Scout Volunteer toggle arrow

As a Girl Scout volunteer, you’ll embark on your own leadership journey while you help Girl Scouts develop the leadership skills they’ll use to make the world a better place. Below are a few basic concepts that outline what leadership means in Girl Scouting.

Leadership is teaching your Girl Scouts:

That they can do and be anything!
That they are decision makers and should own their decisions.
How to live the Girl Scout Law by modeling it for them.

As a leader, see yourself as a coach who:

Advises, discusses, and cheers on your troop, not as a teacher with a planned lesson or activity but as a mentor.
Ensures each member understands and can carry out their responsibilities within the troop—and gives Girl Scouts more responsibilities as they grow and develop.
Encourages Girl Scouts to build their skills and develop their ethics.
Helps Girl Scouts feel seen and included—like they belong.

It is important to remember that:

You cannot know everything that your Girl Scouts might ever want to learn.
You’ll explore and learn alongside your Girl Scouts and build your confidence in the process.
You’re not expected to know everything about Girl Scouting, but you should know where to go for information—and to ask for help when you need it.

Your Responsibilities as a Girl Scout Volunteer toggle arrow

Your responsibilities as a Girl Scout volunteer include:

Embrace the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
Guide and coach Girl Scouts through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.
Complete required trainings and follow Girl Scout policies, procedures, and safety guidelines.
Share your skills and knowledge with positivity and flexibility.
Partner with your Girl Scouts to ensure activities are girl-led and hands-on.
Plan fun, interactive activities that reflect Girl Scouts’ interests and needs.
Communicate regularly with troop families using email, phone, social media, or other tools.
Handle registration forms, permission slips, and other paperwork.
Manage troop funds responsibly, with honesty and accurate record keeping.
Stay connected with your council, including the volunteer support team.
Nurture a positive and inclusive environment for every Girl Scout.

Planning for Your First Troop Meeting toggle arrow

Choosing a Meeting Place

Meeting places should be welcoming to all. This could mean locations that serve diverse populations, are openly inclusive, have diverse staff, and use welcoming language. What makes a great meeting space depends on your troop, but look for spaces that are available and free to use, large enough for your troop activities, and equipped with resources that meet your needs. Also, make sure your space generally accommodates (is accessible to) individuals with physical disabilities who might attend meetings, including troop members and parents/caregivers.

Consider this as a starting point for a conversation with the contact of a potential meeting space:

“I’m a Girl Scout volunteer with a group of [number of members] Girl Scouts. We’re doing lots of great things for youth and for the community, like [something your group is doing] and [something else your troop is doing]. We’re all about leadership—the kind that Girl Scouts use in their daily lives and the kind that makes our community better. We’d love to hold our meetings here because [reason why you’d like to meet there].”

Can We Meet in a Private Home?

Girl Scouts does not recommend holding troop meetings in private homes, but if you’re considering doing so, check with your council to make sure council policy allows it. In addition to meeting the space needs outlined above, note that:

You must always obtain prior approval from your council.

The private home must be the home of a registered, council-approved volunteer.

Girl Scout members may not meet in a home where a registered sex offender resides.

Some councils require membership and background checks for all adults living in the home. Contact your council for specific guidelines.

Troop members need to be able to focus without disruptions from other household members.

Animals/household pets should be kept in a place that is separate from the meeting space.

Homeowners should consider any personal insurance implications. The homeowner should ask their personal homeowner’s insurance carrier if there are any insurance concerns with troop meetings in the home. Also, volunteers should confirm with the council that troop meetings in the home are covered by the council’s liability insurance carrier.

Any weapons must be out of view and in a locked space. Medications, cleaning products, and any poisonous substances must be stored in secure spaces, out of sight, and preferably locked.

Want more support? Contact your council or service unit support team for help securing a troop meeting place. You can also check out the gsLearn course Your First Troop Meeting.

Girl Scout Troop Size toggle arrow

The troop size “sweet spot” is large enough to support an interactive and cooperative learning environment and small enough to encourage individual development. Though the ideal troop size is 12 Girl Scouts, we recommend that group membership falls within the below ranges—no smaller than the low end, and no larger than the high end.

Girl Scout Daisies: 5–12 members
Girl Scout Brownies: 10–20 members
Girl Scout Juniors 10–25 members
Girl Scout Cadettes: 5–25 members
Girl Scout Seniors: 5–30 members
Girl Scout Ambassadors: 5–30 members

A Girl Scout troop/group must have a minimum of five Girl Scout youth and two approved adult volunteers. Be sure to double-check the volunteer-to-youth ratio table to make sure you have the right number of adults present for group meetings, events, travel, and camping.

Adults and youth registering in groups of fewer than five Girl Scout youth and two approved adult volunteers who are not related to each other or in a relationship, at least one of whom is female, will be registered as individual Girl Scouts to accurately reflect their status and program experience. Individual members are always welcome to participate in Girl Scout activities and events.

Knowing How Many Volunteers You Need toggle arrow

Girl Scout groups gathering in person or virtually must follow these guidelines:

At least two unrelated, registered, background-checked adults must be present and actively supervising. Youth leaders cannot take their place.
At least one of the adults must be female.
The two required adults must not be related or live in the same household.

Adult supervision rules apply to all Girl Scout activities, including meetings, trip/travel, camps, events, and activities. There are no exceptions. Report any deviation from this policy to your council.

Note: Invited or additional participating adults can be related, but they cannot replace the two unrelated leaders.

Determine the minimum number of adult chaperones needed:

Adult-to-youth ratios vary based on participants’ ages and the type of activity.
Group meetings require fewer adults; refer to the “Group Meetings” column in the table below.
Outings, activities, camping, and travel require more supervision. Refer to the “Events, Travel, and Camping” column in the table.

Count all children (Girl Scouts or not) in supervision ratios unless they’re under the constant care of their own parent/guardian who is not acting as a chaperone.

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Girl Scout Adult-to-Youth Ratios	Group Meetings		Events, Travel, & Camping
Girl Scout Adult-to-Youth Ratios	Two unrelated volunteers (at least one of whom is female) for up to this number of youth:	One additional volunteer to each additional:	Two unrelated volunteers (at least one of whom is female) for up to this number of youths:	One additional volunteer to each additional:
Girl Scout Daises (Grades K–1)	12	1–6	6	1–4
Girl Scout Brownies (Grades 2–3)	20	1–8	12	1–6
Girl Scout Juniors (Grades 4–5)	25	1–10	16	1–8
Girl Scout Cadettes (Grades 6–8)	25	1–12	20	1–10
Girl Scout Seniors (Grades 9–10)	30	1–15	24	1–12
Girl Scout Ambassadors (Grades 11–12)	30	1–15	24	1–12

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An embedded, screen-reader-friendly version of this table is available when this page is viewed on a desktop.

Here are some examples on utilizing the chart: If you’re meeting with 17 Daisies, you’ll need three volunteers, at least two of whom are unrelated (in other words, you and someone who is not your sister, spouse, parent, or child), and at least one of whom is female. This is determined as follows: for up to 12 Daisies you need two volunteers, and one more volunteer for up to six additional girls. Since you have 17 girls, you need three volunteers (2+1). If, however, you have 17 Cadettes attending a group meeting you need only two unrelated volunteers, at least one of whom is female, since the chart shows that two volunteers can manage up to 25 Cadettes.

In addition to the volunteer-to-girl ratios, please remember that adult volunteers must be at least 18 years old, or the age of majority defined by your state if it is older than 18.

Safety in Girl Scouting toggle arrow

The emotional and physical safety and well-being of Girl Scouts is our top priority. Safety Activity Checkpoints outlines the Safety Standards and Guidelines used in Girl Scouting, which apply to all Girl Scout activities. All volunteers should review the Safety Activity Checkpoints manual when planning activities with girls in order to manage safety and risk in Girl Scout-sanctioned activities.

In Safety Activity Checkpoints, you will find:

Safety standards and requirements for adult supervision, transportation, permission slips, preparation for troop activities, and field trips and overnight trips.
Individual safety checkpoints for specific activities—such as camping, internet use, and water sports—that provide activity-specific information.
Specifics on activities not permitted by Girl Scouts of the USA and actions that Girl Scouts and volunteers should not take.
Policies on chartered aircraft trips and aviation.
First aid and overall health information.
Standards for well-being and inclusivity, and ways to include Girl Scouts with disabilities and to support everyone’s emotional safety.

The Buddy System

Use the buddy system anytime your troop leaves your meeting site or attends a field trip. Divide your troop into teams of at least two members, with each Girl Scout responsible for always staying with their buddy/buddies, warning them of danger, giving them immediate assistance if it’s safe to do so, and seeking help if needed. Girl Scouts are encouraged to stay near their buddy/buddies or join with another team, so that if someone is injured, one person cares for the injured party while others seek help.

Registering Girls and Adults in Girl Scouting toggle arrow

Every participant (youth and adult) must register to become a member of Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). GSUSA membership dues are valid for the Girl Scout membership year, which runs annually from October 1 through September 30. Membership dues cannot be transferred to another member and are not refundable.

Preregistration for the upcoming membership year occurs in the spring. Early registration allows for uninterrupted receipt of forms and materials from the council, helps troops and councils plan ahead, and gets members excited about all the great things they’ll do as Girl Scouts in the year to come. Note that a Girl Scout’s grade level is determined by the current membership year beginning October 1.

Lifetime membership is available to anyone who accepts the principles and beliefs of the Girl Scout Promise and Law, pays the one-time lifetime membership fee, and is at least 18 years old (or a high school graduate or equivalent). Volunteers with ten or more years of service can become lifetime members at the discounted young alum rate.

Adding New Girl Scouts to Your Troop

Growing your troop is a great way to share the power of the Girl Scout experience! There are many ways to get the word out, like hanging posters in local schools, using social media to reach families in your community, and including your troop in your council’s opportunity catalog or troop catalog.

For help registering your troop, contact your council’s customer care team.

Adding New Girls to Your Troop toggle arrow

Growing your troop is a great way to share the power of the Girl Scout experience and there are many ways to get the word out, like hanging posters at your girl’s school, using social media to reach families in your community, or including your troop in your council’s Opportunity Catalog or Troop Catalog. Contact GSSI at support@girlscouts-gssi.org for more information about marketing and recruitment materials for adding new girls to your troop.

Creating an Atmosphere of Acceptance and Inclusion toggle arrow

Girl Scouts is for every girl, and that’s why we embrace girls of all abilities and backgrounds with a specific and positive philosophy of inclusion that benefits everyone. Each girl—regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, physical or cognitive ability, sexual orientation, primary language, or religion—is an equal and valued member of the group, and groups reflect the diversity of the community.

We believe inclusion is an approach and an attitude, rather than a set of guidelines. Inclusion is about belonging, all girls being offered the same opportunities with respect, dignity, and celebration of their unique strengths. It’s about being a sister to every Girl Scout. You’re accepting and inclusive when you:

Welcome every girl and focus on building community.
Emphasize cooperation instead of competition.
Provide a safe and socially comfortable environment for girls.
Teach respect for, understanding of, and dignity toward all girls and their families.
Actively reach out to girls and families who are traditionally excluded or marginalized.
Foster a sense of belonging to a community as a respected and valued peer.
Honor the intrinsic value of each person’s life.

If you have questions about accommodating an individual girl, please reach out to GSSI at support@girlscouts-gssi.org.

As you think about where, when, and how often to meet with your group, consider the needs, resources, safety, and beliefs of all members and potential members. Include the special needs of any members who have disabilities or whose parents or caregivers have disabilities. But please, do not rely on visual cues to inform you of a disability; approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population has a disability—that’s one in five people of every socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, and religion.

If you want to find out what a girl with a disability needs to make her Girl Scout experience successful, simply ask her or her parent or caregiver. If you are open and honest, they’ll likely respond in kind, creating an atmosphere that enriches everyone.

It’s important for all girls to be rewarded based on their best efforts—not on the completion of a task. Give any girl the opportunity to do her best and she will! Sometimes that means changing a few rules or approaching an activity in a more creative way. Here are some examples of ways to modify activities:

Invite a girl to complete an activity after she has observed others doing it.

If you are visiting a museum to view a sculpture, find out if a girl who is blind might be given permission to touch the pieces.
If an activity requires running, a girl who is unable to run could be asked to walk or do another physical movement.

Focus on a person’s abilities—on what she can do rather than on what she cannot. In that spirit, use people-first language that puts the person before the disability.

Say . . .	Instead of . . .
She has a learning disability.	She is learning disabled.
She has a developmental delay.	She is mentally retarded; she is slow.
She uses a wheelchair.	She is wheelchair-bound.

Getting Support for Your Troop toggle arrow

Remember, you’re never alone—your Girl Scout support team has your back! Just like Girl Scouts support each other, you’ll have a team of council staff and fellow volunteers ready to help you succeed. Here’s how to build your own troop support system:

Connect with your council’s support team (often called a service unit) for local training, advice, and answers to your questions.
Build your volunteer troop team early—include parents, friends, family, and community members who bring energy and unique skills.
Know that troop committee volunteers are your extra hands and eyes. They can help with meetings, outings, or take on specific roles like troop treasurer.
Encourage flexible volunteering—even small roles make a big impact. Help caregivers find ways to contribute that match their strengths.
Empower your volunteers. Just like the girls, once your fellow volunteers see they can succeed, they’ll be excited to stay involved!

Troop Management Tools and Resources toggle arrow

From toolkits and guides to regular contact with experienced individuals, you’ll have all the support you need to be a Girl Scout volunteer. Here’s a list of some important resources you’ll want to check out.

The Volunteer Toolkit

The Volunteer Toolkit is a customizable digital planning tool where you can find suggested meeting plans for most badges, access activity guides and badge requirements, track your Girl Scouts’ achievements, and so much more. With inspiring ideas, so you can engage your troop in a mix of activities all year long, it’s the digital planning assistant that will help you power a fun-filled – and organized – Girl Scout year. Be sure to look for helpful icons to identify activity focus areas, like the evergreen icon, which tells you the activity can be taken outside, or the globe icon, which lets you know you can bring a global perspective to the activity. You’ll find the Volunteer Toolkit in the left menu bar under My GS / My Account. The VTK is accessible on any desktop, tablet, or mobile device.

With the Volunteer Toolkit, girls and leaders can explore meeting topics and program activities together and follow the fun as they plan their Girl Scout year. Using the Volunteer Toolkit:

Troop Leaders can:

Plan the troop’s calendar year and meeting schedule.
Email parents/caregivers with one click.
View the troop roster, renew girls’ memberships, and update girls' contact information.
View meeting plans for Journeys and badges, including suggested tracks for multi-level groups (K–5 and 6–12).
Customize meeting agendas to fit your troop.
Explore individual meeting plans that show a breakdown of every step, including a list of materials needed, editable time allotments for each activity within a meeting, and printable meeting aids.
Record attendance at meetings and their troop’s badge and Journey achievements.
Add council or custom events to the troop’s calendar.
Submit troop finance reports (depending on the council’s process).
Easily locate both national and local council resources.

Parents and Caregivers can:

View the troop’s meeting schedule and individual meeting plans to stay up to date on the badges and Journeys the troop is working on.
Renew their memberships and update their contact information.
View their Girl Scout’s attendance and achievements.
See upcoming events the troop is planning or attending.
Easily locate both national and local council resources.
View the troop’s finance report (depending on the council’s process).

Additional Tools and Resources

The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting: What does it mean to be a Girl Scout? You’ll find it all in The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting (The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting (CD-AM) and Handbooks (DA-SR). These grade-level-specific binders will break it down for your girls. It’s part handbook, part badge book, and 100 percent fun!

Safety Activity Checkpoints: Safety is paramount in Girl Scouting and Safety Activity Checkpoints contains everything you need to know to help keep your girls safe during a variety of exciting activities outside of their regular Girl Scout troop meetings.

Tips for Troop Leaders: When you’re looking for real-world advice from fellow troop leaders who've been there, this volunteer-to-volunteer resource on the Girl Scouts of the USA website has what you need for a successful troop year.

Girl Scout Volunteers in Your Community: Remember that Girl Scout support team we mentioned? You’ll find them in your service unit! Troops are organized geographically into service units or communities. You’ll find a local network of fellow leaders and administrative volunteers ready to offer tips and advice to help you succeed in your volunteer role. All registered volunteers are welcome to join the GSSI Volunteer Group. (The group is private; members will be approved upon verification of active registered status.)

Customer Care Contacts. Questions? Need help resolving an issue? We’ve got you! Reach out anytime by either clicking on the “Contact Us” form or email support@girlscouts-gssi.org. During business hours, Monday–Friday, 9:00–5:00 PM Central, you can reach a customer service specialist by calling (812) 421-4970.

Newsletters/Communication. GSSI's e-newsletter is sent monthly to all registered members (or parents/guardians of girls) to the contact email on file with the council. If you are not receiving these emails, please reach out to support@girlscouts-gssi.org to confirm we have the correct contact information on file. Past editions are also available on our Newsroom page. You can also find news, events, and information on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Even More Learning Opportunities

We know that when you have the knowledge and skills you need to manage your Girl Scouts, both you and your troop thrive. We offer national onboarding training for new troop leaders, to combine with local training courses provided by your council.

What Girl Scouts Do. This course introduces what Girl Scouts do at each grade level and how they do it, helping you plan your troop’s year. Take the course.

Your First Troop Meeting. This course provides new troop leaders with the structure and tools to plan a successful first troop meeting—and beyond—with their Girl Scout troop. Take the course.

The Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE). This course teaches you how to implement the Girl Scout Leadership Experience—the framework that sets Girl Scouts apart—in an age-appropriate way for your troop. Take the course.

Family Engagement: The Key to Success. This course highlights the value of family engagement and provides practical strategies for how to enlist family support. Take the course.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program. This course reviews the basics of the Girl Scout Cookie Program, including why Girl Scouts sell cookies, who the cookie bakers are, how to use your cookie proceeds safely with your troop and with support from parents/caregivers. Take the course.

Troop Safety. This course equips you with the fundamentals to keep your troop safe in meetings and on field trips. You’ll also learn about a go-to guide that helps your troop stay safe no matter where your adventures take you! Take the course.

Funding the Fun. Explore the basics of managing your troop’s funds, including how troops fund meetings and activities, and manage and report their finances to their councils. Take the course.

These courses are available online via gsLearn as referenced above. Your council may offer local onboarding training for new troop leaders, as well as other ongoing training opportunities. Contact your council to ask about additional training opportunities that will help you grow your skills and confidence.

Other Program Courses

Leading Multi-Level Troops. Multi-level troops provide unique opportunities for Girl Scouts and their families. This course provides tips, tools, and strategies for leading a multi-level troop through an exceptional Girl Scout experience. Take the course.

Field Trips and Travel. This course guides you in planning a Girl Scout trip. It also covers the concept of Girl Scout travel progression. Take the course.

Sexual and Child Abuse Prevention. Child abuse and neglect are difficult subjects to think about, yet the prevention of abuse is a topic Girl Scouts takes very seriously. This training prepares supervising adults of Girl Scout youth to recognize, respond to, and report concerns of child abuse and neglect. Take the course.

Delivering Inclusive Program. In this course, you’ll practice using inclusive language to support Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and identities and foster a cohesive troop environment. Take the course.

Courses are also offered about specific badges, including Math in Nature and Mental Wellness, as well as Daisy petals.

Take Advantage of Learning Opportunities toggle arrow