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Counselor/Volunteer in Training

When a Girl Scout has the chance to guide younger girls or teach them something she knows, she is acting as a mentor. As seasoned Girl Scouts, Seniors and Ambassadors have exciting opportunities to help younger ones by sharing their skills, passions, and experience.

Seniors can earn Counselor-in-Training I (CIT) and Volunteer-in-Training (VIT) awards. Ambassadors have the can earn these in addition to the Counselor-in-Training II (CIT).

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Counselor-in-Training I

Earning this award involves mentoring younger girls in a camp setting as you build skills toward becoming a camp counselor. Here’s how to earn this award:

  1. Take a leadership course designed by your council on outdoor experiences.
  2. Work with younger girls over the course of a camp session or through the Camp Leadership Experience programs offered during the year.
     
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Counselor-in-Training II

Earning this award involves mentoring younger girls in a camp setting and continue to build your skills toward becoming a camp counselor. Here’s how to earn this award:

  1. Earn your CIT I award.
  2. Work with younger girls over the course of at least one camp session, while focusing on increasing your skills in a specific area–such as riding instruction, lifeguarding, or the arts.
     
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Volunteer-in-Training

This award is for girls who’d like to mentor a Girl Scout Daisy, Brownie, Junior, or Cadette group outside of the camp experience. If you’ve completed ninth grade, you’re eligible to earn this award.

Your VIT project should span a three-to-six month period. To earn this award, complete these steps:

  1. Find a mentor volunteer who is currently the adult volunteer for a group of girls at the level you’d like to work with. This volunteer will help you through your training and internship, and you’ll help the volunteer with her group of girls for the three-to-six month period.
  2. Complete a council-designed leadership course.
  3. Create and implement a thoughtful program based on a Journey or badge that lasts over four or more sessions. Be responsible for designing, planning, and evaluating the activities. If you’re passionate about a topic, like art or technology, you could design the activities around the area you love or in which you have expertise.