About Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts of the USA is the world's largest organization dedicated to helping all girls everywhere build character and gain skills for success in the real world. Founded in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low, Girl Scouts' membership has grown from 18 members in Savannah, Georgia, to nearly four million members throughout the United States, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and in more than 80 countries through USA Girl Scouts Overseas. Through membership in the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, GSUSA is part of a worldwide family of 8.5 million girls and adults in 144 countries. There are over 300 Girl Scout councils nationwide with individual council membership varying from a few thousand to over 50,000.
Mission Statement
Girl Scouting is a comprehensive, informal education program for girls between the ages of 5-17. Its mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
Core Business Strategy
Driven by new realities in the world at large, Girl Scouts has undergone an unprecedented Movement-wide review in which all facets of the organization, from the structure to fund-raising, have come under assessment. This review has been named the Core Business Strategy, and it is the vehicle that will help us align our operations with our vision of meeting the needs and challenges of the girls of today and beyond. For more information, visit http://www.girlscouts.org/strategy/.
Girl Scout Leadership Experience
About Girl Scouting and the Girl Scout Leadership Experience
The Girl Scout leadership model is the new design for what girls do in Girl Scouting and how adult support can strengthen their experience. It is the road map for determining what a girl will learn and how she will be impacted. The model defines and displays all the elements that must be in place to positively impact girls’ lives. The Girl Scout Leadership Development Program, then, is the model in action.
Through the Girl Scout Leadership Development Program, girls will discover their personal best and prepare for a positive future, connect with others in an increasingly diverse world, and take action to solve problems and improve their communities. Girls have told us that these opportunities matter very much to girls—both in their daily lives and as they prepare for their futures. And, with our unique focus on a girl-led approach, and cooperative and experiential learning, girls will continue to have fun, friendship, and exciting adventures.
The Girl Scout approach to leadership is based on the three principles—Discover, Connect, and Take Action.
Leadership Journeys
The purpose of Journeys is to help girls grow into leaders, but it will also help them experience three keys to leadership which are at the heart of the Girl Scout philosophy of leadership: Discover, Connect and Take Action. Each grade level will have its own series of Journeys to engage the girl in exploring her surroundings. Girls and volunteers will be encouraged to add outings, celebrations, in-depth explorations or anything else that meets their interests, time and resources. Journeys can be done in a variety of Girl Scout Pathways, including Juliette and short-term experiences.
More information about the Journeys can be found on each grade level’s page.
