Alamitos-Marina Service Unit Title

Changes in Girl Scouting

We are in the process of making a number of changes in Girl Scouting, both in terms of program (with new age levels presently set to take effect in October 2008) and in council alignment/organization.

Program Changes

Program changes (originally scheduled to start taking effect in October 2008) will be significant. GSUSA has decided to introduce this slowly, with time for whatever tweaks are needed to make it work for everyone. The message is "Relax -- you'll get plenty of warning!"

GSUSA Program Timeline:

A 10-page document from GSUSA in Adobe Acrobat format explaining the upcoming changes to the Girl Scout program is available from this web site, but we've broken some of it out in smaller pieces. From GSUSA:

The Girl Scout community is hard at work addressing our Core Business Strategy’s call for a major transformation centered on building the world's best leadership experience that ties activities to outcomes, provides differentiation for girls from kindergarten through high school, and offers flexible pathways for today's diverse and busy girls and volunteers.

With input from girls, the Girl Scout community, and youth development experts, a team of national and council staff spent 2005 determining key elements and outcomes for the New Girl Scout Leadership Experience. This model was finalized in 2006 and then slated, by the National Board of Directors, for first-stage implementation in fall 2008.

The Multiyear Transition Period

The transition has been set up as a multiyear process so that councils can balance national action plans with local needs, making choices as needed to reach the Movement’s goal of providing girls with a unified Girl Scout experience by fall 2010. Girl Scouts of the USA wants to reassure councils and members that the transition period extends through 2010. Fall 2008 marks the beginning of the transition to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. GSUSA is providing guidance on managing membership and program over the next several years .

Age Levels

The age-level divisions will be changed to:

Notice the new age level (to break up high school into natural divisions), and the fact that "Girl Scout..." has been placed in front of the name of each age level (to emphasize the fact that they are all "real Girl Scouts"). New materials have been promised. There will certainly be a transition plan. These new age levels seem to be based on natural divisions in development.

After seeing this list, many people have asked how the Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards fit into these new devisions. GSUSA'a response:

Highest Awards in Girl Scouts

The Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards remain the culminating leadership awards, and are an opportunity for girls to put the "Discover, Connect, Take Action" leadership philosophy in motion. Based on the resolution adopted by the National Council in 1990, GSUSA recognizes "in perpetuity the designation Girl Scout Gold Award as the highest award to be earned as a girl member." GSUSA suggests that girls are eligible to complete their Girl Scout Gold Award any time between 10th and 12th grade, as Girl Scout Seniors or Ambassadors.

GSUSA will update the requirements for the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards for release in 2009, and will provide a transition period for girls to meet the updated requirements.

GSUSA is now seeking input on both the grade-level standards and requirements for these highest awards. The ultimate goal is to lift up these awards as pinnacles of the New Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Working together with councils, we will increase the prestige of these awards and honor as never before the girls who demonstrate their leadership while earning them. E-mail suggestions to programideas@girlscouts.org.

...and, more recently, after being asked the same thing over and over,:

Emphasis is on the intent that program changes to the GS Gold Award will not come until 2009 with ample phase-in time for council activities including training and materials.

In discussion with people across the country, they are in agreement that the GS Gold Award will be able to be earned by Girl Scout Seniors and Girl Scout Ambassadors.

The program itself will be tweaked to emphasize leadership, since that's what we're really doing. We just haven't told the girls -- they think they're in it because it's fun! (Which, of course, it is.) New program materials will start to appear in Fall 2008 in steps, but will not be completely released until around 2010. Relax!

From GSUSA:

Throughout the multiyear transition period, no girls will lose out on experiences, projects, or awards they have already started. Girls at every level can continue to use all available existing materials as new resources are developed and phased in. Adults are invited to use their best judgment to assist girls in choosing projects that are appropriate for their grade level. Existing program resources will continue to serve as supplements to the new materials through 2010.

Council Realignment

Several years ago, there were over 300 Girl Scout councils in the United States. Some of these were large, financially strong councils with wonderful programs available throughout the area covered; others -- well -- were not. GSUSA decided that to enhance the program opportunities for every girl, councils should be realigned around media centers with sufficient resources to be self-sustaining. This would presumably reduce the number of executive staff positions, and make the senior positions attractive to additional strong, experienced candidates. The proposed realignment map shows slightly more than 100 new councils.

What's to happen to us, Greater Long Beach? We'll be joining a new council which will include essentially all of Los Angeles County, with all of Angeles, San Fernando Valley, and Mt Wilson Vista, Spanish Trails, and part of Joshua Tree. Many meetings have already taken place, but steps toward formal integration begin October 2007. (The Boards of Directors involved have already approved.)

As far as the girls are concerned, the biggest change as a result of this realignment will be access to a much greater range of resources and programs. (Those few councils in other parts of the country which have already been "realigned" have confirmed this.) With more girls in the council, there will be enough girls with really specialized interests to make it worth organizing new programs, and some of the programs already done by other councils will be made available to all.

The new council group (no name yet!) has a web site up for news -- check it out!

If you're interested in seeing the course of this effort, Genesee Valley Council has posted a collection of the communications and newsletters from GSUSA to the councils on how this is to be accomplished, with discussion of the progress as it occurs.

A map of all of the proposed new councils is available on this web site. This is not necessarily final (it was released by GSUSA in 2006), but is pretty close to the actual final council boundaries.