Girl Scout Pathways
Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) recently developed a more flexible model for participation in Girl Scouting. Pathways correspond with the exciting work of GSUSA's Core Business Strategy to create nationally consistent and flexible ways for girls and adults to participate in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.
Most participants believe the Pathways model is an ideal approach to attract and retain new members and will ultimately optimize the Girl Scout Leadership Experience and achieve measureable outcomes for girls and adults.
So what does Pathways mean for girls and adults everywhere?
- Membership flexibility and participation options
- Increased volunteer retention and recruitment -- more adults to serve and support more girl members
- Increased flexibility encourages more girls to join Girl Scouting
- Increased interest from adults who desire to provide direct service to girls through more short term volunteer opportunities
- Current girl and adult members can remain with the organization longer because of the flexible ways to join and volunteer
When a girl or an adult joins the organization, she or he becomes a Girl Scout member. Girls can choose any one, all, or some of these pathways:
- Camp - Girls participate in day or resident camps with a focus on the out-of-doors and environmental education.
- Events - Girls participate in events (e.g., career day).
- Special Interest - Girls participate in a series of programs with the same group relating to a specific theme or purpose (e.g., high-adventure teen group).
- Travel - Girls plan, earn money, prepare, and participate in regional, national, and international trips.
- Troops - Girls participate in a series of programs with the same group of girls over the course of an academic year.
- Virtual - Girls participate in interactive, high-quality program activities in a safe, secure, online environment supplemented by live events.
