This comprehensive, 3-part series and its corresponding Going Places Journal support volunteers with progressing from local field trips to international travel with a group of Girl Scouts. It’s the starting point for all Girl Scout groups who are ready to explore together, from Daisies visiting the local park to Juniors sleeping over at a museum to Ambassadors trekking internationally, and everything in between. Complete this training via gsLearn (parts I and II are available now, part III will be released by 2023).
Safety
The emotional and physical safety and well-being of Girl Scouts is our top priority. Safety Activity Checkpoints is laid out in three primary sections:
- Safety Standards and Guidelines, which apply to all Girl Scout activities;
- Activities at a Glance, which provide a quick look at the safety standards for activities with a focus on age-appropriateness and if prior council approval is needed; and
- individual Safety Activity Checkpoint pages, which provide activity-specific safety measures and guidance.
How Many Volunteers Do I Need?
From troop meetings to camping weekends and cookie booths, adult volunteers must always be present to ensure Girl Scouts have fun and stay safe, no matter their grade level. If you are not sure about the number of adults you will need for your activity, the chart below breaks down the minimum number of volunteers needed to supervise a specific number of Girl Scouts. Troops and groups should consider the Girl Scout Leadership Experience when determining the total number of volunteers to youth members. GSEMA encourages troops to consider adding no more than 2 additional volunteers from the required minimum volunteer-to-girl safety ratios for their group’s level and activity.
Note: For mixed-grade level troops (Multi-Level
Troops), always use the adult-to-girl ratio for the lowest grade
level in the troop. For example, if the troop consists of
Daisies and Brownies, the Daisy adult-to-girl ratio should be
followed.
For more details visit the Troop Management section of Volunteer Essentials
Going Places with Girl Scouts
Ready for some adventure? Camping, overnights, and excursions are some of the most memorable experiences in Girl Scouting. Check out Going Places with Girl Scouts Overview which provides an overview of Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts travel and outdoor progression.
What Approvals Do I Need?
For each Girl Scout attending an activity, volunteers should have an Annual Permission Form and an Activity Permission Form.
Use our Emergency Action Plan worksheet to help safely plan activities with Girl Scouts, including identifying, mitigating, and responding to emergencies.
For the group, a GSEMA Safety Approval Form and/or other Safety Activity Checkpoints may need to be satisfied. Please be sure to check the requirements for your planned activities and contact customercare@gsema.org for help with any questions.
If guests are participating, request Non-Member Insurance coverage from GSEMA.
What Training Do I Need?
Many activities require additional safety or outdoor skills training in order to keep Girl Scouts safe and provide them with the best possible experiences. Details for required and enrichment safety courses are listed below.
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Going Places with Girl Scouts
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First Aid/CPR
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Wilderness and Advanced First Aid
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Outdoor Basics, Cooking and Camping
Child Abuse Prevention and Reporting
Per our Volunteer Policies and Procedures, GSEMA “supports and maintains environments that are free of child abuse, including but not limited to sexual abuse, and neglect. Child abuse and neglect are defined as any recent act or failure to act which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation, or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.”
Procedure for Reporting Child Abuse
If the child is in immediate harm, call 911 and follow emergency procedures on the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts Emergency Procedures card (GSEMA Emergency Number: 1-800-348-7788).
If the child is not in immediate harm, document the information as thoroughly as possible on the Child Abuse Incident Report Form and submit within 24 hours of the suspected or reported abuse.
