Volunteer | Volunteer Training
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TRAINING

Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest offers courses throughout our jurisdiction to provide leaders and volunteers with the necessary skills to provide the best program opportunities for girls.

All required volunteer trainings must be renewed every three years with the exception of First Aid & CPR certification which is renewed every two years.  

gsLearn Now Available      Announcing a new, mobile-friendly, learning platform designed specifically for our Girl Scout leaders and co-leaders (current Girl Scout membership required).

Access gsLearn by logging into your Volunteer Toolkit at www.gsdsw.org/MyGS. 

REQUIRED TRAININGS

For New Leaders: The Successful Leader Learning Series (online only)

The "Successful Leader Learning Series" is an online interactive set of modules designed specifically for all new troop leaders. 

New Leaders must complete this series within 60 days of registering as a leader.

Access the "Successful Leader Learning Series" by logging into your Volunteer Toolkit through www.gsdsw.org/MyGS. 

  • Currently gsLearn is available for leaders and co-leaders only.
  • Must be registered for the current Girl Scout membership year to access gsLearn.
  • Each module in the "Successful Leader Learning Series" is about 30 minutes long and may be paused and resumed at your convenience.
  • The modules included are "The Girl Scout Way", "The Girl Scout Leadership Experience", "Well-being & Development", "Understanding Troop Operations", and "Getting Your Troop Outdoors".

Click here to view our Leader Guide to Success.

Questions? Contact info@gsdsw.org

 

Renew Leader Training

Renewing your leader training just got easier.

Simply complete the "Successul Leader Learning Series" on our online learning platform, gsLearn. You may access gsLearn by logging into the Volunteer Toolkit under MyGS at www.gsdsw.org. 

  • Currently gsLearn is available for leaders and co-leaders only.
  • Must be registered for the current Girl Scout membership year to access gsLearn.
  • Each module in the "Successful Leader Learning Series" is about 30 minutes long and may be paused and resumed at your convenience.
  • The modules included are "The Girl Scout Way", "The Girl Scout Leadership Experience", "Well-being & Development", "Understanding Troop Operations", and "Getting Your Troop Outdoors".

Questions? Contact info@gsdsw.org

Grade-Level Training (in-person)

Do a deep dive into the specifics of the Girl Scout grade level you are leading.

Grade-level training must be completed within 90 days of registering as a leader.

This session usually takes 2.5 hours to complete in person. To register for an upcoming session near you please visit our online event calendar at www.gsdsw.org. If none is available near you please contact info@gsdsw.org. 

Here is some of what you will learn.

  • Learn the basics of how to lead your specific grade-level group.
    • Daisies- Kinder & 1st Grade
    • Brownies - 2nd & 3rd Grades
    • Juniors - 4th & 5th Grades
    • Cadettes - 6 - 8th Grades
    • Seniors - 9th & 10th Grades 
    • Ambassadors- 11th & 12th Grades
  • Discover the resources available for you as a volunteer leading them.
  • Connect with the characteristics that girls in this level exhibit and how to best work with them.
  • Take action by going through scenarios on how to ensure your troop is girl-led.
Let's Go! Basic Trips 301 (online)

Prepare yourself and your Girl Scout troop to go beyond your regular meeting space including short day trips, overnight trips of up to 2 nights away.  This FREE training is approximately 45 minutes long and available online.  

BEGIN LET'S GO! BASIC TRIPS 301 WEBINAR HERE. You must complete the KNOWLEDGE CHECK to receive credit.

Let's Go Farther! Extended Trips 302 (online)

Required for troops going on trips 3 nights or longer in duration.  This session is about 45 minutes long and available online.  

BEGIN THE LET'S GO! FARTHER! EXTENDED 302 WEBINAR HERE.  You must complete the KNOWLEDGE CHECK to receive credit.  

Let's Camp! Outdoor Camping 401 (in-person)

Required for troops going camping.  This course is a full 8 hour day and in person.  Price per person is $35.  Please refer to our online event calendar for a session near you.

Click here for more resources on the outdoor experience for Girl Scouts (optional).  

First Aid & CPR Certification

Troops are required to have at least one First Aid & CPR certified volunteer present at any and all troop trips. Certifications must be offered by chapters of the American Red Cross, National Safety Council, EMP America, American Heart Association, or EMS Safety. Council will regularly offer these trainings for your convenience. Please refer to the online event calendar for future listings near you. 

MORE LEARNING (OPTIONAL)

Tips for Troop Leaders
Raising Awesome Girls

Raising girls to be happy, healthy, and successful is simpler than ever with help from Girl Scouts. As the largest leadership development organization for girls in the United States, we're proud to be a thought leader for all parents raising up the next generation of girls and young women. From knowing how much to help with her homework to navigating sensitive issues in the news with your family, we've got everything you need to raise girls with confidence.

Click here to access a library of topics on Raising Awesome Girls. 

Outdoors

Now it’s even easier for Girl Scout volunteers to introduce girls to the wonders of the outdoors. Whether you’re a camping pro, or just starting out, you can help girls of all ages have a positive experience in the great outdoors.

Click here for Outdoor Resources including videos.

 

Event Planning

Whether planning a troop or service unit event, there are details involved. To make it easier for our volunteers, Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest has created the following resources.

Event Planning Guide

Style Guide for Volunteers

Sample Event Budget

Sample Event Flyer

Sample Event Evaluation

VIDEO tutorial explaining the Event Planning Guide

 

Online Workshops for Learning (O.W.L's)

About once a month, Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest, hosts an online webinar for learning on a different topic.  All the recordings are then uploaded to our council youtube account. For future O.W.L.'s please refer to our online event calendar.

Click here to access our list of recorded O.W.L.'s.

For Service Units

Mission Connections is a webinar series provided by GSUSA for volunteers who support other volunteers with the goal to connect with our lead volunteers across the Girl Scout Movement to enhance our ability to deliver the best female leadership development program in the world. Below are the recordings of these webinars.

Welcome to Mission Connections!

World Thinking Day 2019

National Bridging Week 2019

New Badges & Journeys for 2019 - a Guide for Volunteers Who Support Troop Leaders (July 9, 2019)

 

Questions?  Contact info@gsdsw.org

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