Volunteers > Training

Welcome!

If you are starting out as a new Troop Leader, you will receive a Troop Leader Notebook with a Getting Started Guide and other materials to help you get started for your first year. Be sure to complete and submit a Volunteer Application so that we can start your process as a new leader.

Volunteers, please keep track of your training accomplishments so that you can catch any errors we make and you can gain credit towards your Leadership Development Pin. You can use a form like this, or create your own.

Training Program and Requirements Summary

(click on a course to view the details)

Core Training

101 - Online Council Tour  -- Required before starting a troop.

201 - Volunteer Essentials -- Required within 3 months of starting a new troop.

Journeys Training

203 - Facilitating Journeys & the Girl Scout Leadership Experience - Required before you start your second year as a Troop Leader.

Leader Enrichment Training

202 - Mindful Leading - Recommended anytime.

Trip Training

Required when planning any overnight trip, and strongly recommended for leaders who have have not taken this course (or equivalent) for at least 2 years.

401 - Planning Overnight Trips with Girls 

Troop Camp Training

Required when planning a camping trip.

402 - Outdoor Education Basics 

403 - Troop Camp Skills  

CPR/FA

Required for all overnight trips and when engaging in activities with the potential for injury.

501 - CPR/First Aid   

101 - Online Council Tour

This 15-minute online tour presents an overview of Girl Scouting and our local Silver Sage Council and is required for all volunteers. Click here to start the tour. At the end of the tour, you will be prompted to send us an email notifying that you have completed the course. Please include your name, troop number, Service Unit number, and reference course 101.

And, if you would like more introductory material, please take GSUSA's online Volunteer Orientation. (Enter the password "discover" and disregard the LEARNING LOG.)

201 - Volunteer Essentials

This self-study course entails reading your Volunteer Essentials Handbook so that you have a solid knowledge foundation and that you know where you can find information when you need it. Complete and submit the quiz to receive credit for the course. This quiz has been updated to align with the new Safety-Wise chapter of the Volunteer Essentials Handbook, so if you have the 2009-10 version, you will need to print a copy of the updated chapter.

201 Quiz (Word)

201 Quiz (PDF)

202 - Mindful Leading

This 2.0 hour in-person course provides Girl Scout leaders and volunteers enrichment and new resources that will enable them to be intentional* in the way they deliver Girl Scout programs. In this course, we will explore our personal adult values by understanding and celebrating our strengths and learning about our undeveloped strengths. As adults, we continue enriching our own lives by understanding our passions and values, by becoming aware of how we communicate and relate to others, and by making new friends and feeling good about ourselves. Through Mindful Leading, we become authentic, confident, and intentional in our partnership with girls to bring out each girl’s individual leadership potential. The exercises we will engage in are fun and revelatory, include much sharing and laughing, and emphasize the positive influences we have on each other.

*Intentional: being fully aware of the influence we are having on the young girls.

Fall Schedule:

  • McCall -- September 11, 10:00 am to noon, at Septoberfest at Camp Alice Pittenger
  • Boise -- September 23, 6:00 to 8:00 pm, at the Boise Council Office
  • Idaho Falls -- September 25, this will be a morning session, details still being finalized
  • Pocatello -- September 25, this will be an afternoon session, details still being finalized
  • Boise -- October 2, 10 am to noon, Friendship Square

Minimum class size is 8, and maximum class size is 16, so please register at least 2 weeks in advance so that we can manage our group size for an effective session. Note: We will cancel a class if we do not reach the 8-person minimum. Contact adultlearning@girlscouts-ssc.org to register (with your name, SU number, troop number, and troop grade level).

If you would like to schedule a session for a group of volunteers in your area, contact the Mindful Leading Trainer, Pam Doucette. Also, an additional hour of self enrichment can be scheduled for more detailed work in a group about understanding different communication styles and how we personally react to various styles of communication.

203 - Facilitating Journeys & the Girl Scout Leadership Experience

In this course, leaders will become familiar with the what, why, and how of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE), explore the new journey program resources, and discover how our partnership with girls is an essential ingredient in building girls of courage, confidence, and character who will make the world a better place.  Course pre-requisites: 101 and 201.

Part A (required): An overview of Journeys and the GSLE. If you have already used Journeys, and/or are a strong self-learner, you can complete the GSLE & Journeys self-study. If you prefer the in-person approach, please plan to attend one of the 90-minute in-person courses listed below.

Part B (optional): Session Planning Practice and Discussion. For those who have completed Part A, this session offers a chance to practice session planning, ask more questions, and share journey experiences. This session requires an 8-person minimum.

PLEASE register at least 2 weeks in advance. Contact adultlearning@girlscouts-ssc.org to register -- with your name, SU number, troop number, and troop grade level.

Fall Schedule:

  • Idaho Falls -- September 18, at the Girl Scout Office -- 8:30 to 10:00 am (Part A), 10:00 to 11:30 am (Part B, if we reach the 8-person minimum)
  • Boise -- September 18, at the Boise Council Office -- 9:00 to 10:30 am (Part A), 10:30 to noon (Part B, if we reach the 8-person minimum)
  • Pocatello -- October 9, location to be announced -- 9:00 am to 10:30 am (Part A), and 10:30 to noon (Part B, if we reach the 8-person minimum)
  • Boise -- October 9, at the Boise Council Office -- 9:00 am to 10:30 am (Part A), and 10:30 to noon (Part B, if we reach the 8-person minimum)
  • Boise -- October 21, at the Boise Council Office -- 5:30 to 7:00 pm (Part A only)
  • Idaho Falls -- October 28, at the Idaho Falls Office -- 6:30 to 8:00 pm (Part A only)
  • Idaho Falls -- November 6, at the Idaho Falls Office -- 9:00 am to 10:30 am (Part A), and 10:30 to noon (Part B, if we reach the 8-person minimum)
  • Boise -- November 13, at the Boise Council Office -- 11:00 am to 12:30 (Part A), and 12:30 to 2:00 pm (Part B, if we reach the 8-person minimum)
  • Boise -- November 18, at the Boise Council Office -- 5:00 to 6:30 pm (Part A only)

401 - Planning Overnight Trips with Girls

This home-study course reviews the essentials of planning and safety relating to trips with girls, and is required for leaders planning any overnight trips with girls, including camping. This course is recommended for leaders who have not studied this material for over a year and are planning an overnight trip. It is also recommended for leaders who take frequent day trips.

Course pre-requisites: 101 and 201.

This course is currently under revision due to updated safety information and will be available by the end of September.

402 - Outdoor Education Basics

This home-study course includes an introduction to Outdoor Education, progression in the outdoors, readiness assessment, planning outdoor activities, clothing and equipment planning, menu planning and food safety, simple outdoor cooking, minimal impact camping, tent basics, site selection, and safety. This course is a pre-requisite for courses 403. It is a home-study with a quiz that relies heavily on Safety-Wise and Outdoor Education in Girl Scouting. Start by printing the Course Handout to guide you through the course.

Course pre-requisites: 101, 201, and 401.

Course Handout

Course Quiz (Word version) -- use this version if you wish to copy the file to your computer, type your answers directly into the document, and return to us via email.

Course Quiz (PDF version) -- use this version if you wish to print, complete, and mail in the quiz.

403 - Troop Camp Skills

This course (or equivalent experience) is required by at least one adult within each troop prior to taking an overnight troop camping trip. This course is the hands-on partner to course 402 and requires that the primary adult has completed the 402 home-study course. Cost is $2 per person, to be paid when you arrive.

Course pre-requisites: 101, 201, 401, and 402.

Please note that this course includes only a very basic review of meal planning and outdoor cooking techniques. You can contact one of the Outdoor Cooking Program Consultants in your area to schedule an in-depth learning session with you and your older girls.

We strongly encourage first-time campers to bring a second adult to the course who will be participating with you on your camping trip and in your trip planning. We are now opening the course to a limited number of girls so that you can involve your girls in teaching the rest of your troop and make your camping trip planning as girl-led as possible. Each troop leader can bring up to two girls with them to the course.

Minimum class size is 8, and maximum class size is 20, so please register at least 2 weeks in advance so that we can manage our group size for an effective session. Note: We will cancel a class if we do not reach the 8-person minimum. Contact adultlearning@girlscouts-ssc.org to register -- with your name, SU number, troop number, and troop grade level. If you are bringing another adult, or one or two girls along, include their names as well.

The minimum grade level for girls to attend the Troop Camp Skills course is (currently in or have completed) 4th grade (Junior Girl Scout). Although girls much younger are often capable of learning the skills, girls in 4th grade are more likely at a level in their developmental progression where they can concentrate alongside adults and retain the information to help teach the other girls in their troop. The point of adding girls to the course is to allow the further preparation for Troop Camping to be Girl-Led.

If you are an experienced camper and wish to "opt out" of this course, please review and complete the Opt-Out Agreement.

Fall Schedule:

  • Pocatello -- September 25, 9 am to noon, location to be announced
  • Idaho Falls -- October 16, 9 am to noon, location to be announced
  • Boise -- October 16, 1:00 to 4:00 pm, at Friendship Square
  • Boise -- November 20, 9:00 am to noon, at Friendship Square

501 - First Aid/CPR

An adult with First Aid/CPR certification is required for overnight trips, including camping, and/or for any activity that is physically demanding or has the potential for injury. First Aid/CPR certification is not required, although it is recommended, for regular troop meetings and day trips without demanding physical activity. The certification can be held by any registered adult who will be attending the activity in question -- it does not need to be the Troop Leader or Co-Leader. 

There are many community offerings of First Aid/CPR Certification, including those listed below. You can also check with your local Fire Department, Wellness Centers, CPR/FA Trainers in the phone book, and search the Web.

The key things to look for when choosing a CPR/FA course are the following:

  • The instructor is officially certified as a CPR/FA trainer.
  • You will receive a certification card at the completion of training.
  • The course includes training for both adult and child CPR.
  • Many times the course is called something like "Community CPR/FA".
  • The course is at least 4 hours long. This is to ensure that the course you are choosing includes sufficient hands-on practice.
  • How long the certification is valid so that you know when you will need to recertify.

Consider talking with your Service Unit Director and other volunteers in your Service Unit to organize a CPR/FA session for your group. Some trainers will come to you if you have a large enough group.

Once you have your certification card, send a copy to the Boise Council office and we will update your training record.

Treasure Valley Course Options

Red Cross of Idaho at www.redcrossidaho.com

CPR of Idaho at www.cprofidaho.org

Eastern Idaho Course Options

Eastern Idaho Technical College -- Contact: Tonya Nunes, tonya.nunes@my.eitc.edu, 208-524-3000 x 3345

Pocatello Course Options

ISU Wellness Center -- Contact: Lisa Salazar at 282-2117

Twin Falls Course Options

Keyes to CPR -- Contact: www.keyestocpr.com, 404-9872 or 404-2992

St. Luke's Magic Valley Education Department -- Contact: 737-2007

 

(800) 846-0079 | Boise (208) 377-2011 | Twin Falls (208) 733-9623 | Pocatello (208) 234-9076
Idaho Falls (208) 524-4649