New Troop Leader

Hey, Girl Scout Volunteer.

We're so excited you're here! Our goal is to make your experience as fun and seamless as possible. Here are some key steps for you to check off as you get your troop started.

Step 1: Register as a Girl Scout member and complete your volunteer background check toggle arrow

✔ Register as a Girl Scout member.

✔ Complete your volunteer background check (renewed every 3 years).

You are already on your way to marking things off your list... look at you go!

Step 2: Start connecting toggle arrow

Next, you'll want to start making connections with your team of support--the GSGI Member Support team and your fellow troop volunteers! Remember, troops must have two registered, unrelated background-checked adults so if you don't have another volunteer in your troop, you will need to find one!

✔ Connect with Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa (GSGI) staff
Our Member Support team will reach out to new troop leaders with information on getting started. They will connect with you via email and phone and offer a new leader onboarding experience to set you up for success.

✔ Connect with your troop volunteers, and meet or recruit additional volunteers
Troops must have 2 volunteers who must be unrelated, and one must be female. All troop volunteers must become registered Girl Scout volunteers and complete a background check. Additional roles include: Troop Support Volunteers (driver, chaperone, occasional help), Troop Product Manager (for Fall Product and/or Cookies), Troop First Aid/CPR, and any additional roles you may determine is needed.

Want help or tips to recruit volunteers for your troop? Email us at info@gsiowa.org and we would be happy to help!

Step 3: Get to know your resources and explore training toggle arrow

✔ Get to know your resources

Volunteer Essentials: A section of our website designed to support volunteers with easy to access information.
Safety first! Check out ways to create a safe space, including our Safety Activity Checkpoints document and Emergency Procedures.
MyGS - where you can access many of your troop leader tools and troop details including how many girls are in your troop and a list of troop volunteers.
The Hub - Our Girl Scout events calendar where you can find and sign up for upcoming GSGI events, field trip experiences (you schedule with our program partners), camp sessions, community service opportunities, and more.
The Bridge : GSGI’s Product Program Central! Tools to help volunteers with the Fall Product Program and Girl Scout Cookie Program.
Join the Official Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa Leaders Group on Facebook for inside information and to share tips with other volunteers and parents/guardians. This is a private group only GSGI members and parents/guardians of members can join.
Sign up for the Shout Out! newsletter for all product program updates.
Sign up for our monthly Program Express newsletter to receive new program ideas and events right in your inbox!

✔ Complete online training

Visit GSLearn to view the leader training videos and earn your first leader patch!
GSUSA's Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Course
- Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our girls. This course is required for all adults who work or volunteer with Girl Scouts. Child abuse and neglect are difficult subjects to think about, yet the prevention of abuse is a topic Girl Scouts takes very seriously. This training prepares supervising adults of Girl Scout youth to recognize, respond to, and report concerns of child abuse and neglect. Additionally, supervising adults will be empowered to prevent abuse by learning Girl Scout recommended practices, policies and procedures. Girl Scout practices, policies, and procedures are proactive measures designed to prevent abusers from interacting with Girl Scouts to foster a safe space for children to thrive. GSUSA Abuse Prevention Policies and Procedures
First Aid/CPR/AED Certification
- Someone in the troop must have First Aid/CPR/AED training in order to go anywhere.

Step 4: Troop planning toggle arrow

✔ Start planning.

Open your bank account. Review setup instructions and then submit the Troop or Service Unit Bank Account Request Form.
Decide where, when, and how often you want to meet. Submit your troop meeting information with the Troop Catalog Update Form - did your meeting time, location, or both change? No worries, submit the form again and we can update that for you!
- Having trouble finding a meeting location? Schools, churches, and community buildings are excellent locations for troop meetings. If you decide a private location or home is a better option, submit an In-Home Meeting Application.
Plan and host your first Troop and Parent Meeting.
Have parents/guardians sign permission forms. The Product Program and Troop Activities Year-Round Permission Form must be signed annually by all parents/guardians and kept with the troop leader(s).
Review the Code of Conduct.
The Troop Management section of Volunteer Essentials has excellent tips and resources including Troop Year Plans.

Step 5: Grow your troop toggle arrow

✔ Grow your troop

To make it easy for the girls in your community to join your troop, you can request a variety of flyers through the Troop Flyer Request Form. If you’d like staff assistance from your Community Engagement Manager, you can indicate that on the Troop Flyer Request Form and we will be happy to team up with you to host an event! Any questions? Email info@gsiowa.org and a member from our membership development team will follow up.
You can also access a generic flyer online to download, print, and share with those in your community.

Questions or need additional guidance?

Email us at info@gsiowa.org or give us a call 800-342-8389!
We also check in throughout the year to ensure you are on the right path to having a successful first year as a Girl Scout Troop Leader.