Working with older Girl Scouts can be a bit of a challenge. In this new guide, leaders will learn different ways to keep their troop active and engaged from Cadettes through Ambassadors.
*This post contains affilate links.
As the Back to School season starts and the new year of activities begins for children across the country, leaders are checking into their Girl Scout Virtual Tool Kit to see how many of their girls have registered for the new scouting year. Although girls are on the roster until September 30th, it is important for leaders to know who is continuing with the troop. It makes planning so much easier.
As girls get older, especially after fifth grade Juniors, the number of girls staying in Girl Scout plummets. There are many reasons for this, including:
- Wanting to explore new activities and clubs in middle school
- More homework in middle school
- Travel and competitive sports/dance/cheer
- Girl Scouts is not considered “cool”
I have chronicled my troop’s activities on this blog for the past 11 years. We started with six Daisy Scouts, and doubled in elementary school to 12 (although it was a fluid twelve as some girls came and went). In 6th grade, we had 11 Cadettes, and in 7th grade we had 5.
We lost another girl at the start of high school and a second girl in 10th grade. This one was a mystery to the other leader and myself, as this child had been in our troop since kindergarten. We both felt ghosted, as we had reached out many times to her parents and never received a response.
Down to three, we continued to do many fun activities. COVID hit and in 12th grade, we lost one more. Our daughters graduated this past May and bridged to adult this past May.
Over the years, my co-leader and I let the girls decide what they wanted to do. We were flexible about with outings and meetings and made sure all could go or we would not go until everyone’s schedule was available (this is possible with a small troop and that is, most importantly, what the girls decided to do.)
The Working With Older Girl Scouts Guide
Over the years, in the Girl Scout Facebook groups to which I belong, many leaders of older girls lament at their shrinking numbers and the lack of opportunities offered by Councils. Many have girls who find the new badge work too much like school. How do leaders keep their troops going when the girls seem so disinterested?
Having a troop that made it to the end, I put together what my co-leader and I did during the Cadette through Ambassador years. Working With Older Girl Scouts-Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors, shares how we kept our troop going. It also offers a few suggestions from other experienced leaders, who graciously shared their tips with me. There was so much we all did the same to keep our troops active that the advice I share has been proven over and over again to work for many troops.
Inside this guide to Working With Older Girl Scouts, you will find:
- Chapter 1 Does Troop Size Matter?
- Chapter 2 Rethinking Your Meeting Schedule
- Chapter 3 Building Sisterhood
- Chapter 4 What Exactly Does Girl-led Mean?
- Chapter 5 What Badge Work?
- Chapter 6 Fun Events for Older Scouts
Plus a bonus planning sheet to use with your troop.
Can this guide help with retention? I believe these tips can help you hold onto the girls sitting on the fence.
