Learning Opportunities

Welcome, Girl Scout Volunteers!

You belong to a network of nearly one million adults who share an important commitment: Preparing girls to lead successful lives.

Now you can prepare yourself to be a more successful volunteer!

This is your one-stop training spot! Here, you will find a breakdown of all learning opportunities!

Leadership Courses

(required for all troop/group co-leaders)

Girl Scout 101: Girl Scouting 101 is a national online orientation introducing all new volunteers to our organization. It includes information on the history of our movement, the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (National Program Portfolio), program resources, cookies and safety tips. This course is offered online and takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.

Complete your Girl Scouting 101 now
Troop/Group Welcome: The Troop Welcome is facilitated by one of the volunteers in your area. They will reach out to you to set it up once they see that your background check has come through and you’ve been activated as a co-leader.

The Troop Welcome is an introduction to your Girl Scout volunteer position. You’ll receive information about when and where to hold troop meetings, how important it is to get parents/care givers involved, what resources you have available to you and lots of other great information to help get you started.

PREREQUISITE: Girl Scout Membership, Eligible Background Check and Girl Scouting 101.

There are two different options to complete the next two leadership courses:

Classroom Sessions - we offer a variety of in-person, hands-on trainings to enrich your Girl Scout experience and knowledge. You can register for these training courses here (if offered) or through the New Troop Trainer in your service community.

On-line Training Videos - these are available anytime so you can take them at your leisure. You will be asked to complete a survey questionnaire at the end of each course to fulfill the requirement.

Volunteer Essentials: The Volunteer Essentials class will help you understand the fundamentals of running a Girl Scout troop/group. You'll learn about your role as a Girl Scout volunteer, we'll point out things to consider about creating a safe space for the girls, we'll go over how to manage troop finances and what you need to do to take the girls on a field trip. All of your basic questions are answered!

PREREQUISITE: Girl Scout Membership, Eligible Background Check, Girl Scouting 101 and Troop/Group Welcome

Registration:

Date TBD

On-Line Training video
http://training.citrus-gs.org/
Girl Scout Leadership Experience: The Girl Scout Leadership Experience is a collection of activities and experiences the girls will have as they earn badges, sell cookies, go on exciting trips, explore the outdoors, do Take Action projects, and more. This class will help you understand how to make that happen with your girls using the National Leadership Journeys and The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting as well as other program pieces that are available to them.

PREREQUISITE: Girl Scout Membership, Eligible Background Check, Girl Scouting 101, Troop/Group Welcome and Volunteer Essentials

Registration:

Date TBD

On-Line Training video
http://training.citrus-gs.org/

Safety

First Aid/CPR: This training meets OSHA Guidelines for First Aid Programs. Basic First Aid will cover how to identify and deal with various medical emergencies. Some of the areas covered will be bleeding, burns, breaks and heat related emergencies. CPR/AED will cover adult, child and infant CPR. Students will be instructed on how to operate and use an Automated External Defibrillator machine (AED) as well as learn how to handle choking situations.

PREREQUISITE: Girl Scout Membership, Eligible Background Check and Girl Scouting 101.

Registration:

Date TBD

Troop Camping!

From the backyard to the backcountry, Girl Scouts has a long, storied, and successful history of getting girls outdoors. In fact, many Girl Scouts tell us “camping trips” are one of the best things about their Girl Scout experience. It’s true: connecting with nature in a girl-led setting is a big benefit of belonging to Girl Scouts.

Troops must have a Girl Scout camp trained adult accompany them on camping trips and work with them prior to the camping trip to prepare the girls on what to except in the outdoors, what to pack and what they want to eat!

There are various levels of troop camping. Below are the definitions and dates for those trainings.

Outdoor Skills - Cabin Camping: The Outdoor Skills – Cabin Camping training would qualify the adult to work with a group of up to 30 people camping in an established camp site and sleeping in a structured building such as a cabin or lodge. This overnight training will prepare the adult volunteer for this type of camping by teaching outdoor progression, kaper charts, equipment, packing, meal planning and simple outdoor cooking in addition to fire building and campfire program ideas. This training is required for troops desiring to stay in cabins, lodges, or indoor facilities while camping in an establishing camp site. This training starts on Saturday at 8:00 am and ends on Sunday at 12:00 pm. Participants must attend the entire time to be qualified.

Prerequisite: Girl Scout Membership, Eligible Background Check and Girl Scouting 101.

Fee: $25.00

Date TBD
Outdoor Skills - Tent Camping: The Outdoor Skills – Tent Camping training would qualify the adult to work with a group of up to 30 people while camping in an established camp site and sleeping in either a structured building or a tent. This overnight training will prepare the adult volunteer for this level of camping by teaching outdoor progression, kaper charts, meal planning, multiple methods of outdoor cooking, equipment and equipment care, packing, fire building, campfire program ideas, knot tying and jackknife safety. This training is required for troops desiring to stay in a structured building or in tents while camping in an established camp site. This training starts on Saturday at 7:00 am and ends on Sunday at 5:00 pm. Participants must attend the entire time to be qualified.

Prerequisite: Girl Scout Membership, Eligible Background Check and Girl Scouting 101

Fee: $35.00

Date TBD
Outdoor Skills - Advanced Camping: Have your girls been camping multiple times and want to learn some new methods of cooking and some new skills? The Outdoor Skills - Advanced Camping is designed to have troops camp together, but having the girls use their outdoor skills independently. In this overnight training, participants will learn how to cook using their mess kits, solar cooking and other nifty cooking methods as well as additional skills including lashing, orienteering, and geocaching. This training is for troops desiring to advance their girls’ outdoor skills and is required for troops to go primitive camping. This training starts on Saturday at 9:00 am and ends on Sunday at 12:00 pm. Participants must attend the entire time to be qualified.

Prerequisite: Girl Scout Membership, Eligible Background Check, Girl Scouting 101, and Outdoor Skills – Tent Camping (OS II).

Fee: $35.00

Date TBD
Outdoor Skills - Backpacking: Are your girls adventurous? Would they like to take their camping skills to the next level? The Outdoor Skills – Backpacking training is designed for troops that are ready to take the outdoors to the next level. This training teaches the fundamentals of basic backpacking. It includes one day of instruction and pre-planning followed by an overnight backpacking camping trip. Topics covered include: equipment, clothing, food, packing techniques, places to hike and camp, and basic trip planning. This training is required for troops desiring to backpack in the outdoors. Participants are required to attend Part 1 which is a classroom session on a Saturday from 9 am – 5 pm and Part 2 which is the overnight backpacking camping trip which is on a separate Saturday from 9 am to Sunday at 11 am, to be qualified.

Prerequisite: Girl Scout Membership, Eligible Background Check, Girl Scouting 101 and Outdoor Skills – Advanced Camping.

Fee: $15.00

Register for Training Session - TBD
Outdoor Skills - Re-Qualification: The policy of Girl Scouts of Citrus is that in order to be current as a Troop/Group Camper, re-qualification must be taken every 5 years. Volunteers may re-qualify by either re-taking the level of Outdoor Skills training that they have already taken, by attending the next level of Outdoor Skills training or by completing theOutdoor Skill Re-Qualification Assessment. (Volunteers may only re-qualify one time. After that they would need to attend an Outdoor Skills training to re-qualify).

Outdoor Skills Tent Camping Re-Qualification Assessment
Outdoor Skills Cabin Camping Re-Qualification Assessment
Outdoor Skills Advanced Camping Re-Qualification Workbook

Complete the workbook and return it along with $7 to:
Girl Scouts of Citrus
341 North Mills Ave.
Orlando, FL 32803.

After review of the workbook, you will be notified that your qualification has been extended.