Volunteer Essentials

Chapter 3: Being a Girl Scout Volunteer

No matter how you volunteer with Girl Scouts, your investment of time and energy will pay back tenfold. Have no doubt: You, and nearly 800,000 other volunteers like you, are helping girls make a lasting impact on the world. Your most important role as a Girl Scout volunteer is to be excited about everything this opportunity affords you: a chance to help girls succeed, play a critical role in their lives and watch them blossom! You also want to be someone who enjoys the activities you’ll be embarking on with the girls— whether you’re volunteering at a camp, working with girls who are traveling or partnering with girls on a short-term series on a topic that interests you. As a Girl Scout volunteer, you’ll serve as a role model to girls. You’ll work closely with an assistant volunteer, because two registered, background checked and approved adults must be present at all times when working with girls, and at least one of those volunteers must be female and not related by blood, marriage or partnership to the other volunteer. Men can serve as troop volunteers, but an adult female who is not related to the male volunteer must be present at all times. Only in cases of emergency is a girl to be alone with only one volunteer. Remember to also check the adult-to-girl ratios in the Safety- Wise chapter of this resource. The adult volunteer is an integral piece of the Girl Scout Movement. Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri strives to provide a volunteer structure supported by clear, consistent policies and procedures so all adults have a fair and equitable opportunity to volunteer with the organization and are provided with the skills and knowledge necessary to have a positive leadership experience. Eastern Missouri seeks to reflect the diversity of the Council area in the selection of adult volunteers. Every effort shall be made to remove physical and cultural barriers that might prohibit participation by disabled persons or persons from diverse populations. There shall be no discrimination on the basis of race, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or socioeconomic conditions, nor solely by the reason of disability or on the basis of age. Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri reserves the right to appoint adult volunteers based on identified eligibility criteria and compliance with volunteer policies and procedures. Appointment is contingent upon the successful completion of the screening and selection processes and is for a specific term. Appointment is subject to termination if eligibility criteria is not met or the volunteer fails to follow volunteer policies and procedures. Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri will enforce a method for effectively evaluating the qualifications and reviewing the background of all potential volunteers. Further, to ensure the safety and well-being of all members, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri has the right to disqualify or restrict the duties of any person who has been convicted of certain crimes, who has pleaded guilty or no contest to certain crimes, who has been placed on probation or deferred adjudication for certain crimes and/or who resides on the same premises as a registered sex offender. Volunteering for Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri

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