Volunteer Essentials & Trainings

Welcome! Adventures Ahead!

As a Girl Scout volunteer, you are a community-builder, mentor, champion of fun, and a role model for what it means to lead with your heart. And because of you, Girl Scouts of all ages will have the opportunity to discover that a little imagination can go a long way as they chase their dreams, explore the world around them, take action to improve their communities, and make the world a better place. Thank you and welcome. We’re glad you’re here!

These pages are designed to support you as a Girl Scout volunteer. Here, you will discover essential information that is easy to access and even easier to come back to. We recommend that you begin by browsing the sections below and return throughout the year to find answers to your questions as they arise.

Download Volunteer Essentials

About Girl Scouts

Everything you need to know about Girl Scouts.

Troop Management

How to get started with your troop.

Creating a Safe Space

Keep Girl Scouts safe in every activity with these guidelines.

Troop Engagement

Connect with Girl Scouts and get their families involved with your troop.

Resources & Support

Additional tools to help you along the way.

Product Program

Guide Girl Scouts as they learn to think like entrepreneurs and develop business smarts.

Sister 2 Sister Campaign

What is Sister 2 Sister?

Your Service Unit. Your Goal. Your Impact.

Sister 2 Sister is a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign that brings Girl Scouts, families, and supporters together to ensure every girl in our council can experience Girl Scouting—regardless of her family’s financial circumstances

Gifts to Sister 2 Sister help provide financial assistance for membership, program registration, uniforms, materials, camp, travel, and other meaningful Girl Scout experiences.

When you support Sister 2 Sister, you are investing in a girl’s future. Your generosity gives her the opportunity to explore new interests, build confidence, discover her strengths, and develop the courage to lead.

Where Do the Funds Go?

STEM Exploration - Hands-on experiences that spark curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving
Outdoor Adventure - Camp and outdoor experiences that build courage, independence, and resilience
Entrepreneurship - Opportunities to develop business skills, financial literacy, and goal-setting
Essential Life Skills - Experiences that strengthen confidence, collaboration, leadership, and decision-making

How to Set Up Your Page

1. Create your page
Customize your Service Unit's Sister 2 Sister page and set a goal.

2. Build your team
Invite troops and individual Girl Scouts to participate.

3. Share your story
Send your fundraising link to family, friends and your community.

4. Track your impact
See donations and progress toward your goal!

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Sample Email

Flyer Template

Tools & Trainings

Service Unit Resource Hub

Troop Volunteer Resource Hub

Empower your journey as a Girl Scout volunteer or leader with a variety of engaging, skill-building trainings offered throughout the year. From troop management and outdoor skills to leadership development and safety courses, these sessions are designed to support you every step of the way.

Browse some of our listed trainings below. Click the button below to explore our Events Calendar and find the trainings that fit your role and schedule!

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*Outdoor trainings registration priority is given to members, but non-members are able to join with additional fees.*

First Aid/CPR:

Upon completion of this course, you will be certified for two years in Adult and Child First Aid, CPR, and AED through the Red Cross. One adult with this certification is required to be present for most Girl Scout events and activities. This training is blended, with both online and in-person instruction.

Wilderness First Aid:

This course teaches advanced skills to be used in emergencies when help from professional first responders may be far away. This course can be used to take troops backpacking/primitive camping when EMS is more than 30 minutes away.

A current CPR/First Aid certification is required to participate.
This is a scenario-based class where there will be lots of hands-on practice. Participants need to be physically able to kneel for up to 5 minutes and able to group carry other participants.

Outdoor Learning Path Levels 1-3:

The Outdoor Learning Path includes each of the three required levels for volunteers to take Girl Scouts on a camp experience. This hands-on training prepares adults how to teach Girl Scouts the intricacies of managing a campsite at an established site.

You will learn to teach Girl Scouts how to safely use outdoor tools, strike and use matches, light wood fires and propane stoves, safely use knives, set up camp, set up tents, prepare for sleeping in the outdoors, and complete all the meal preparation and clean-up.

Outdoor Learning Path Levels 4-5:

This training is a combination of the Outdoor Learning Path - Primitive Camping Level 4 and Backpacking Level 5. In this Primitive Camping and Backpacking training, you will learn health and safety procedures for a Girl Scout camping trip to an established front-country/back-country site. There will be focus on how to make planning and execution of the trip girl-led.

Archery Level 1:

The USA Archery Level 1 Instructor Certification course provides graduates with the necessary tools to maintain a high level of safety on the archery range for camps and beginner archery programs. The course includes information about range safety, range setup, the steps of shooting, equipment and repair, programs and lesson plans. Graduates of the course will be well prepared to teach beginner archery programs to people of all ages and abilities in a variety of disciplines. Once certified, graduates will be qualified to lead girls in archery activities.

Phoenix Tower:

Learn how to set up and take down the Phoenix Tower at DEELCOS, as well as some knot-tying and belaying skills. Once you have completed this training, you and one other instructor will be able to host your troop or groups on the Phoenix Tower at DEELCOS. The Climbing Facilitator training is good for one year and is site specific to our Phoenix Tower.

Small Watercraft Safety:

Learn how to take girls out on small watercraft, like canoes, kayaks, and paddles-boards. This course teaches rescue techniques, paddle techniques, and boating ratios.

Co-Op Course:

This training teaches adults the skills to earn the Co-Op Course facilitator qualification for DEELCOS. Facilitators will be trained on how to teach the co-op course programming, while also assessing and mitigating risk for participants.

Geocaching:

This training is to instruct volunteers on how to use GPS and navigate through the Geocache course at camp. You will also learn how to use the various Geocache apps and how to make your own Geocache.

Maps and Compass Orienteering:

In this course, you will learn how to read a compass, map, and coordinates. Then we will apply those lessons by participating in an orienteering activity. You can take what you learn and apply it anywhere!

Slingshots:

Become a facilitator for slingshots at DEELCOS. This course will focus on slingshot safety, setting up the range, and how to girls to use slingshots.

Spring Outdoor training weekend at camp (March 20-21, 2027)

Saturday
- Pheonix Tower Training: 9am - 6pm
- Maps and Compasses: 10am - 11:30 am
- Geocaching: 12pm - 2pm
- Sling Shots: 2pm - 3pm
Sunday
- Archery Level 1: 9am - 4pm
- Co-Op Course training: 10am - 2pm

Fall Outdoor training weekend at camp (August 28-29, 2027)

Saturday
- Pheonix Tower Training: 9am - 6pm
- Archery Level 1: 9am - 4pm
Sunday
- Small Watercraft Safety: 9am - 4pm
- Co-Op Course training: 10am - 2pm

New to the Nest Year 1 & 2 Overview toggle arrow

View the New to the Nest Year 1 & 2 overview document here.

Volunteer Essentials - English toggle arrow

Volunteer Essentials 2026-2028

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Volunteer Essentials 2026-2028 - Spanish

New troop leader?

We’ve got you covered. Check out the Leader’s Guide to Success. This resource will help define your role, show how to get your families involved, and give you the tools you need to lead a successful troop.

Girl Scout Experience Box

Sign up as a new Daisy (K–1) or Brownie (2–3) troop leader and receive complimentary monthly boxes packed with scripts, supplies, and activities to support you every step of the way.

CLAIM YOUR BOX!

Service Unit Event Calendar

This helpful tool will show you all upcoming events for your service unit!

© Copyright 2009–2026 Girl Scouts of the United States of America.  All rights reserved. All information and material contained in Girl Scouts’ Volunteer Essentials guide (“Material”) is provided by Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA) and is intended to be educational material solely to be used by Girl Scout volunteers and council staff. Reproduction, distribution, compiling, or creating derivative works of any portion of the Material or any use other than noncommercial uses as permitted by copyright law is prohibited, unless explicit, prior authorization by GSUSA in writing was granted. GSUSA reserves its exclusive right in its sole discretion to alter, limit, or discontinue the Material at any time without notice.