How to Start a Troop

Parents and community members make a key difference in the lives of girls by guiding them through the Girl Scout Leadership Experience! At GSCO, we want leading a troop to be a great time, which is why we'll support you every step of the way. We provide our leaders with:

Convenient, online training.
Individual guidance from council staff and trained volunteers.
Online resources to help you quickly and easily prepare for meetings.
Flexibility - leaders set the troop meeting times and locations based on their needs.

What is the process?

Register as an Adult Member

Become a member of Girl Scouts. Membership costs $25 per year. (Membership fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.)

Connect with a Volunteer Support Specialist

Once you have a processed background check, your VSS will reach out by phone and/or email to introduce themselves and schedule a time to chat. They are your go-to person at Girl Scouts of Colorado and will get you set with required trainings and other steps to get you started in your volunteer role. Haven’t heard from them yet? Please let us know! Contact Us

Grow Your Troop

We have lots of resources to engage girls in your community in your troop. Customize GSCO resources for your troop. Don’t forget to list your troop number to make it easy for them to register!

Meet Your Girl Scout Family

Before you start planning troop activities, you need to first meet the girls and their families at a family involvement meeting. The troop leadership team should organize a meeting that covers these essential topics:

Meeting time, place and frequency
Collect necessary forms
Communicate expectations of girl and family involvement
Learn about girl’s (and families) interest in Girl Scouts
Recruit more leaders. You'll want at least two people on your leadership team, and the more the merrier!

Most importantly, have an amazing Girl Scout year! Don’t forget to follow Girl Scouts of Colorado on social media and the GSCO blog to get real-time updates on happenings in our council.

Common Questions about Being a Troop Leader

Where are troop meetings held?

Vitual Troop Meetings

At Girl Scouts, there is nothing we take more seriously than the safety and well-being of our members. As COVID-19 continues to be of growing concern in Colorado, Girl Scouts of Colorado (GSCO) is taking all possible and appropriate measures to ensure girls continue to have a safe, fun, one-of-a-kind experience at Girl Scouts.

Visit our COVID guidelines page for the most up-to-date information from GSCO

Your meeting space needs to be a safe, clean, and secure environment that allows all girls to participate. Good options include:

Virtual Troop Meetings
Schools
Libraries
Places of worship
Community centers and buildings
Local businesses

How much time will I need to dedicate as a leader?

We value your time! Being a troop leader can be made to fit your schedule. Most leaders spend about three hours preparing for and leading meetings. We recommend meeting twice per month however, some troops choose to meet more or less frequently. Meetings can be planned ahead of time in the Volunteer Toolkit - our online planning tool full of extensive programs and activities that you can incorporate into your yearly plan.
Leaders are also encouraged to attend a monthly Service Unit meeting. Here, you will come together with other leaders in your community to network, share ideas and learn what’s new at GSCO.

How do I know what activities to do with the girls?

Our Volunteer Toolkit gives you access to a whole year of Girl Scout fun by age level. Year plans come with pre-populated sets of meetings that give you plenty of ideas for activities and all the resources you need at your fingertips. Your year plan is fully customizable. You can even track girls' attendance and achievements!

What support is available for me as a leader?

Each troop has at least two leaders, so you will have a partner to help lead and to share the fun. We encourage you to invite another parent or friend to co-lead with you, or we can work with you and your community to help connect you with a co-leader.

We provide online and in-person for our leaders that you can take at your convenience, and we provide detailed activity plans that make it easy to get meetings going. You’ll also have access to our dedicated Volunteer Support team for guidance.

How do I get girls to join my troop?

It’s never too early to start spreading the word about your new Girl Scout troop! Even while you wait to complete your onboarding and get a troop number, you can talk to your girl’s friends, your neighbors, and other families in the community to make sure that your girl will have a lively troop. Before you host your first official meeting, you should aim to recruit at least 8 girls and 1 or more additional adult volunteers (who are not related to you) to create a thriving Girl Scout troop.
The girl and adult recruitment process should be about 3-4 weeks.
In addition to your word of mouth efforts, our recruitment team can help you with recruiting girls, at your girl’s school, and providing resources to help you spread the word.

Are parents required to volunteer?

While parents are not required to volunteer, council strongly recommends all adults be registered and background checked so they can support the leaders at meetings and events when necessary.
Parents are also vital in the optimization of a troop!
Parents who wish to assist with the Girl Scout Cookie Program, troop finances, transportation, chaperone and other volunteer related activities, must complete a criminal background check.
Studies show that the most successful troops have the full support and participation of the girls’ parents!

Additional questions?

Drop us a line at inquiry@gscolorado.org or call us at 877-404-5708