As Girl Scout staff, we are always trying to increase our knowledge base and continue our youth development education. As part of this, I find myself on several webinars a week, some hosted by GSUSA, some hosted by outside organizations. This week, I attended a webinar that talked about the Girl Scout global experience, cultural education, and enhancing the GSLE by working with community organizations. To get the most out of badge work and journeys, it is great to be able to bring in outside speakers and organizations to work with your girls.
Collaboration Examples
Daisies
When getting to know the Daisy Flower Friends in Welcome to the Daisy Flower Garden, invite a language teacher or international student in to teach girls words, read books, or play global games (high
school exchange students are also ideal).
Brownies
While Brownies learn about girls around the world in A World of Girls, take a field trip to a local cultural institution or museum and participate in an educational program that teaches girls about another culture.
Juniors
While Juniors investigate buildings in the Get Moving journey, invite a member of Engineers without Borders in to talk about how energy is made and used in another part of the world.
Cadettes
Cadette’s doing the Amaze journey may travel to a Hostelling International hostel and participate in the cultural kitchen program where they meet people from other countries and reflect on that experience.
Seniors
While learning about food issues around the world during Sow What, encourage Girl Scout seniors to check out the Peace Corps’ Global Food Security web pages, or better yet, invite a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer in to talk about his/her experiences.
Ambassadors
Ambassadors working on Your Voice, Your World may meet with female international visitors or Sister City visitors to learn about advocacy and the issues women confront in other parts of the globe.
