Service Unit Volunteers

Welcome to the great adventure that is Girl Scouting! Thanks to volunteers and mentors like you, generations of girls have learned to be leaders in their own lives and in the world. Have no doubt: you, and nearly a million other volunteers like you, are helping girls make a lasting impact on the world. And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Thank you for volunteering in your Service Unit! We have everything organized and available to support you. Log into your MyGS account and select gsLearn on the left side to enter our online learning platform.

Required trainings for each Service Unit position are listed in the position descriptions below. These trainings are available to all, on demand. We also host live trainings throughout the year that are announced via email and the Service Unit Manager Monthly Meetings.

Service Unit Planning Guides

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This calendar is a guide to how service units should be taking action during the Girl Scout year. While not all items in the calendar are required, they are highly recommended to provide a full, enriching experience for girls in the area.

Service Unit Year at a Glance

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What is a healthy Service Unit? A healthy Girl Scout Service Unit is characterized by strong local support for troops and volunteers, active engagement of girls and volunteers in planning and implementation of programs and events with a focus on the Girl Scout Leadership Experience , and an increasing number of girls participating. They also effectively communicate information, develop community networks, and promote council goals within their area. A Service Unit Manager is responsible for making sure that their Service Unit stays healthy.

In a recent study by Girl Scouts of the USA, these are the top three things that a Service Unit provides:

Organized events that troop leaders can take back to their troops.
Support for troop leaders, troop managers and the girls surrounding the product programs.
A safe space for sharing ideas and networking.

Each year we diagnose the current state of each of our Services Units and work with Service Unit leadership to create a plan to strengthen the health of their unit. Our rubric of a healthy unit is below.

Indicator	Rationale
All core positions filled with unique volunteers (Manager, New Leader Mentor, Treasurer, Recruiter, Cookie Manager)	Ensure a sustainable workload for volunteers. Integrate diverse voices in decision making and leadership.
Representation at Fall Kick off and at least 80% of Service Unit Calls	Ensure alignment with the national movement and local council. Ensure SU is utilizing up to date information and policies. Space to provide regular feedback to the council.
Calendared Monthly SU Meetings	Avenue for collaboration, connection and communication with local volunteers. Build and strengthen Girl Scout community.
Run at least 3 recruitment events	Actively driving Girl Scout growth in the local community.
Run at least 2 girl events	Build a connected local Girl Scout community. Provide a baseline of experience for all girls in the local area.
Create and utilize a Plan for Success	Stay on track with a thoughtful and strategic approach and plan for the year.
Clear documented Succession Plan	Create a sustainable Service Unit volunteer structure.
75% of girls participating in the Cookie Program	Ensure girls experience a core part of the GSLE. Ensure the council is financially sustainable.
Completed Troop and Service Unit Financial Reports submitted on time	Ensure that we are responsibly stewarding our resources.

Supports and develops troop leaders and recognizes volunteer contributions and efforts. This includes offering learning opportunities and volunteer appreciation at the service unit level.
Involves girls in the planning, implementing, and evaluating of service unit activities. Make sure you debrief with your girls after a service unit event!
Develops networks within their community to open up additional opportunities for girls and volunteers.

Now that you know some ways to build (or maintain) a healthy service unit, consider the group of dedicated volunteers who attend your service unit meetings. What areas above does your service unit do well? What areas could use some extra focus or support? Make a plan, make some changes, and help the Girl Scout volunteers in your area thrive!

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Managing relationships is important in resolving and avoiding conflicts. Use these tools to help you navigate difficult conversations.

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Much of the success of a service unit meeting depends on the facilitator. Please review our Successful Service Unit Meetings document for further information and guidance.

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Volunteer Retention Strategies

Once you recruit girls and volunteers, it’s important to retain both groups! Retention happens when leaders and girls are:

Engaged in activities
Able to explore new skills and interests
Able to develop leadership skills
Feel valued
Are supported

How can you help? Work closely with your Service Unit Team, GSEP staff, troops, and leaders to:

Ensure your Service Unit hosts events for all grade levels
Include girl planning in all Service Unit events
Communicate timely information about upcoming Service Unit and Council events and activities

Listed below are some Retention Strategies:

Council-Wide Spring Registration Retention

The Spring Membership Campaign period gives current Girl Scouts the opportunity to renew their membership for the upcoming Girl Scout year (October 1 through September 30). GSEP offers incentives for girls who renew their membership during this time.

Retention of Girls Bridging to the Next Age Level

Invite parents to have an opportunity to see their daughters as they bridge from one grade level to the next. This is an opportunity to share what Girl Scouts will offer the girls over the next few years. This strategy is especially important if the Service Unit notices a decreased retention of girls at a specific grade level.

Lapsed Member Event

This strategy is held to re-engage prior members by reminding them of the Girl Scout’s mission, vision, and purpose in hopes of them renewing their membership. This event would be advertised to anyone who has not renewed membership from the last two years. This event should focus on ways to re-engage.

Lifetime Mailing

Send an email to members of your Service Unit who are lifetime members to encourage them to remain actively involved in the Girl Scout program. Give them specific examples of areas your Service Unit could use their help, experience, and leadership. Many times, Girl Scout Alumnae would love to get involved again, but without an active daughter, they just don’t know how.

Recruitment

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Recruitment is what drives our membership and ensures that girls have access to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Find information about recruitment below.

What is Recruitment?

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View Flyers and our Social Media Toolkit

Activities and Safety

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In Girl Scouting, the emotional and physical safety and well-being of girls is our top priority. Safety Activity Checkpoints outlines the safety standards and guidelines used in Girl Scouting, which apply to all Girl Scout activities.

All volunteers should review the Safety Activity Checkpoints manual when planning activities with girls in order to manage safety and risk in Girl Scout–sanctioned activities.

In Safety Activity Checkpoints, you’ll find:

Girl Scout Activity safety standards and guidelines with requirements for adult supervision, permission slips, preparation, field trips and overnight trips, and other vital information
Activities that are not permitted by GSUSA, and actions that girls and volunteers should not take
Policies surrounding chartered aircraft trips and aviation
First-aid and overall health information you’ll need from the girls
Standards for well-being and inclusivity, including working with girls with disabilities and ensuring emotional safety
A breakdown of specific activities—such as camping, internet use, and water sports—and their individual safety checkpoints

Following the safety standards and guidelines is an activity chart that details two critical points to keep in mind:

Age-appropriate activities and participation by grade level
Whether prior approval from your council is required before girls participate in a specific activity

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Certificate of Insurance 101

Certificates of Insurance (“COI”)

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Volunteer Essentials is designed to support busy volunteers on the go. You can easily find what you need to get started on your Girl Scout journey and search for answers throughout the troop year

Service Unit Roles and Agreement Forms

Nominate a Service Unit Manager!

Service Unit Manager Selection Process

When a Service Unit Manager position becomes available, GSEP follows a collaborative process to identify and select the next manager.

Gather Feedback: A GSEP staff member will meet with the outgoing Service Unit Manager (when applicable) and Service Unit volunteers to learn about the needs, priorities, and future goals of the Service Unit.
Learn About the Role: The Community Engagement Specialist (CES) hosts an informational meeting (or shares information virtually) to review the Service Unit Manager role, responsibilities, time commitment, and available support.
Nomination Period: Volunteers are invited to self-nominate or nominate another volunteer (with their knowledge) to be considered for the role. The nomination form is available online here.
Candidate Conversations: GSEP staff meets with interested candidates to discuss their experience, interest, and the needs of the Service Unit.
Selection: GSEP reviews volunteer feedback, nominations, and candidate conversations before selecting the individual best suited to lead and support the long-term success of the Service Unit.

This process is designed to ensure every Service Unit has a strong, well-supported leader while giving local volunteers an opportunity to provide input and identify potential candidates.

Service Unit Cookie Manager

Service Unit Event Coordinator

Service Unit Manager

Service Unit New Leader Mentor

Service Unit Membership Recruiter

Service Unit School/Site Coordinator

Service Unit Treasurer

Service Unit Trip Coordinator